Chapter 4: Unlock: Sweet Tongue
Ethan leaned against the wall, towel slung low on his hips, chest still glistening with moisture from the shower. He wasn't trying to show off, but after the latest system notification, maybe he was.
Ding! Skill Unlocked: Sweet Tongue (Passive)
Compliments you give now create a warm, seductive reaction in women aged 30+. Use carefully.
Before he could fully process it, the door across the hall creaked open.
Mrs. Carter his landlady stepped out, hair pulled into a messy bun, a silk robe tied loosely around her waist. The curve of her legs peeked out with each step.
Her eyes landed on him, and lingered.
"Don't you own clothes?" she asked, trying to sound annoyed. But her voice was breathier than usual.
Ethan smirked. "Couldn't find anything worth covering up for. Besides, I figured someone as stunning as you might appreciate the view."
Her eyebrows lifted, but she didn't turn away. "You're full of it, you know that?"
"Only full of truth," he murmured, stepping a little closer. "You've got this... energy. The kind that makes a man want to sin."
A flush rose on her cheeks, barely hidden beneath the sharpness in her voice. "Go back to your room."
> Lust Meter: +6
New Sub-Quest: Tease Her Until She Breaks
Progress: 12%
But Ethan didn't move. Instead, he let his fingers brush lightly against her arm as he passed.
Her breath caught.
Later that night, Ethan was lying on the couch shirtless, casually scrolling his phone, when Mrs. Carter entered in a loose V-neck shirt and short pajama shorts. Her hair was damp from a shower, skin flushed.
"Do you ever go to bed?" she asked.
"Not when there's a goddess walking around like this."
She rolled her eyes, but the flicker of a smile touched her lips. "You need to stop flirting with me."
"Why?" he asked, sitting up. "Because you're pretending you don't like it?"
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't answer. Instead, she walked to the kitchen and poured herself a drink, her hips swaying in those shorts more than necessary.
He stood and approached her slowly, voice low. "You keep pretending you don't want this. But your body tells a different story."
Mrs. Carter turned sharply, but she didn't move away. She faced him, eyes burning.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Ethan."
He reached out, fingers tracing the edge of her neckline. "Then stop me."
Her breath hitched as he leaned in, his lips brushing her neck, soft, teasing. His hand slid along her waist, feeling the quickening of her pulse beneath his touch.
She grabbed his wrist, but didn't push him away.
Instead, she pulled him closer.
Their lips crashed together with unexpected heat, all the pent-up tension erupting in a kiss that was hungry, messy, and electric. Her hands tangled in his damp hair as he pressed her against the counter, one hand gripping her thigh and lifting it slightly to his waist.
He groaned against her mouth. "You taste even better than I imagined."
"Shut up and kiss me again."
Their mouths met once more, her body arching into his. He felt her warmth through the thin fabric, the desperate way her hips ground against his towel-covered waist.
Lust Meter: +25
New Skill Activated: Lustful Aura (Temporary)
His fingers slipped beneath her shirt, skimming along the soft curve of her back. Her breath came in short, needy gasps as he trailed kisses down her neck, tugging gently at the hem of her shirt.
"I shouldn't want this," she whispered against his ear.
"But you do," he murmured, lips grazing her collarbone.
He lifted her onto the counter, and her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively. His hands slid up her thighs, squeezing gently, earning a quiet moan from her lips.
She leaned forward, biting his lower lip. "You better not be playing me."
"I'm not." His voice was hoarse now. "I want you. Every inch. Every sound you make."
Clothes were still on,barely. But their bodies moved like they'd done this a hundred times, grinding, gasping, teasing. Her nails left faint trails across his back as his mouth found the swell of her chest through her shirt.
And just as things built to a fever pitch
She pulled away.
"Not tonight," she whispered, breathless, voice shaking. "But soon."
She hopped off the counter, cheeks flushed, lips swollen, eyes wild.
Ethan stood there, chest rising and falling, his towel barely clinging to his hips.
She gave him one last look, dark, wanting, before disappearing into her room and closing the door behind her.
Quest Progress: 85% – You're close
Reward Pending: Lustful Memory (Her Mind Is Now Full of You)
Ethan leaned back against the counter, panting, heart racing.
What the hell just happened?
Whatever this system was… it was working.
And he wanted more