Chapter 11

At night, we sat around a campfire, and the children showcased their talents. Lily even went up and sang a song, "I Love My Mom and Dad."

After 8:30 p.m. everyone headed to the bathhouse to freshen up. By 9 p.m., lying in the tent, a cool breeze from the lake swept in, dispelling the summer heat and bringing a refreshing chill.

Before long, a damp-haired Kristina led Lily over.

Lily bore a striking resemblance to Kristina, especially Kristina's natural beauty. Kristina blushed as she asked, "Daddy, can you sleep with mommy tonight?"

What? Sleep with Kristina?

I glanced at Kristina, who blushed and said, "What are you saying!"

Lily pouted. "But other parents sleep together!"

If I did sleep with her, could I even fall asleep?

"Lily, how about I sleep on one side with mommy, and you sleep in the middle?"

Before the little girl could reply, Kristina interjected. "The tent is small and she moves around a lot in her sleep. You might accidentally crush her!"

As she spoke, her voice faded to a whisper.

Gulp!

I couldn't help but swallow nervously.

The little girl clapped her hands. "Oh, daddy is going to sleep with mommy!"

"Time for bed. I'm turning off the light."

Kristina tucked the little girl in, turned off the lantern inside the tent, and softly sang a lullaby. Before long, the little girl was fast asleep.

"Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

In the darkness, Kristina's voice reached me.

"I am, I am." Carefully, I moved over and lay down beside her, realizing the tent was indeed cramped, and I was pressed up against Kristina.

Her body felt slightly cool, even trembling faintly. "Kristina, are you cold?"

The nighttime temperature by the lake was relatively low.

She didn't respond but moved closer to me.

And then, to my surprise, I felt a reaction....

Her body trembled slightly. "Darling, I... I'm a bit cold!"

Boom!

That slightly trembling voice was like an atomic bomb detonating in my brain.

In an instant, I pulled her into my embrace...

I heard a soft sigh, her hand gripping my neck, and in the darkness, I found her lips!

As if there was an inexplicable attraction in the depths of the unknown.

I didn't dare to go too far, especially with the child beside us and several tents around. If things got too heated, I'd be embarrassed the next day.

Moreover, I wasn't sure what my feelings for Kristina truly were.

There was that kind of liking between a man and a woman, for sure. Kristina was so beautiful, how could I not be moved? But within those feelings, there was also the care of a sister for her brother.

I didn't have emotional cleanliness, nor did I think a woman with a child was a bad thing.

On the contrary, at this moment, I was nothing, and Kristina had everything. Being with her was a lot of pressure.

"What's wrong?" Kristina asked.

The previously heated atmosphere instantly cooled down. The woman's hand toyed with my Adam's apple, "Do you dislike me?"

"How could I? It's just not appropriate with Lily here and others around!"

Sometimes I felt I was too conflicted, but sometimes, many things couldn't be resolved with a moment of pleasure.

"She's asleep and won't wake up. We can be quiet and not disturb anyone," Kristina whispered in my ear. Kristina's voice was a mere whisper, audible only to my ears. "Listen closely," she said. "It seems they're making love too."

I strained my ears and sure enough, the sounds of passion were unmistakable. These people were certainly industrious.

"Kristina," I confessed, a bitter smile playing on my lips. "I'm young and your teasing is more than I can bear. If this continues, I'm bound to make a mistake."

I was a pitiful sight. A beautiful woman in my arms, yet I was paralyzed by fear. I was truly a sorry excuse for a man.

"Ah!" Kristina sighed suddenly. "Are you afraid that I'll become too attached? Perhaps I've been too greedy. You're a good man, responsible and attractive. You must have better options. I'm making things difficult for you."

Her words were laced with self-deprecation. My heart twisted painfully at her admission.

I couldn't deny my feelings any longer.

"No, it's not like that," I said, my voice strained. "Kristina, you're the perfect woman in my eyes, someone I could spend a lifetime with."

"You're lying to me," she retorted. "If I'm really that good, why do you reject me?"

"Because I'm afraid!" I confessed. "I feel inferior, I'm a coward, I'm timid!" Having lived in the city of Sevan for so long, I had built walls around myself, but not when it came to Kristina. "Kristina, you should know, my family is from the countryside; we're not well-off. I have a sister and a brother; the pressure is great. I have no car, no house, no savings. If not for my looks, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have the courage to live in this world."

"Kristina, you're intelligent, beautiful, and financially secure. You have a wonderful daughter, Lily. You're the epitome of a successful and beautiful woman. I've often thought how wonderful it would be to have a wealthy woman who could look up to me. But when the day really comes, I am timid, I am simply not worthy of you."

"You might say that as long as we truly like each other, it's okay. But even familial bonds need money to maintain, let alone love. If I were a naive young man just entering society, I would have acted impulsively, but I'm not."

"So, I'm sorry, Kristina. It's not that you're not good, it's that I'm not good enough. I'm not worthy of your love."

After I finished speaking, Kristina started laughing. "I didn't expect you to have thought so much!"

"I understand your thoughts now. The fact that you can think like this shows that you truly care about me, unlike those other stinky men who just want to possess me."

"But what can I do? I just like you. Do you really have the heart to let me be deceived by other men? To let Lily call another man daddy?"

I knew that Kristina was trying to provoke me, and my damn possessiveness couldn't stand this kind of provocation. "No, I don't want to!" I said, my voice shaking with agitation.

[Sorry for not uploading chapters yesterday I was very busy but I promise it won't happen again]