My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 218

Chapter 218: Did I miss his touch?

Chapter 218: Did I miss his touch?

Pain shot through her elbow and hip as they hit the cold tiles.

The chill of the floor seeped into her skin, mingling with the sting of the fall.

For a moment, she lay there, stunned and disoriented.

The light flickered back on, banishing the oppressive darkness.

Dylan, who had just finished resetting the fuse, froze when Ava’s cry pierced through the air.

Panic gripped his heart, his hair rising on his nape.

“Ava,” he mumbled.

Before his mind could fully register the situation, his legs propelled him toward the bedroom.

As he reached the room, he heard her whimpering softly.

Without a second thought, he pushed the door open and barged in.

But his steps came to a halt, his breath catching at the sight before him.

Ava was sprawled on the floor, naked, water droplets glistening on her skin.

Her head snapped up, her eyes widening as their gazes locked.

Heat rushed to her cheeks.

Instinctively, she brought her arms up to cover herself.

“Get out!” she cried with embarrassment and indignation.

Dylan flinched, startled by her loud voice.

He turned around instantly, ready to leave.

But he froze, realizing she was hurt.

‘I can’t leave her like this.’ He turned back to her.

“What are you doing?” Ava exclaimed, her cheeks burning brighter.

“Leave.” But he didn’t budge.

“I won’t,” he said defiantly.

“Why are you acting like this?

It’s not as if we are strangers.

I know every inch of you.

Stop being so self-conscious.” His words made her blush even more.

She recoiled further, lowering her head.

Taking the towel from the hanger, he stepped toward her and knelt beside her, ignoring her attempt to shrink away.

Carefully, he draped the towel over her trembling shoulders and gently wrapped it around her.

Before she could voice another protest, he slid his arms beneath her and lifted her effortlessly.

Ava gasped, her hands instinctively clutching his shoulders for support.

Her heart raced as she sneakily looked at him.

The furrowed brow and tense jawline betrayed his deep concern.

Her tension began to melt away, replaced by a strange sense of safety.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt truly cared for, sheltered within his strong arms.

Dylan gently placed Ava on the bed before crouching to inspect her ankle.

“Uh,” Ava whimpered.

“It looks like a sprain,” he murmured.

“Stay here.

I’ll grab an ice pack.” He hurried out of the room.

Ava watched him go, her heart a strange mix of emotions-touched by his worry yet uneasy with the intimacy of the moment.

Moments later, Dylan returned, an ice pack in hand.

He carefully placed it on her reddened ankle.

His worried gaze met hers.

“Does it hurt?” “A bit,” she whispered.

“I told you not to wander around, didn’t I?” he scolded, his features hardening with frustration.

“Why can’t you be careful?” Ava’s heart thudded with intense feelings.

The reprimand wasn’t harsh; instead, it brimmed with genuine concern, warming her heart.

“I wanted to grab the towel,” she explained.

“But I slipped.” Dylan exhaled heavily, his voice softening.

“Do you have any pain-relief medicine?” “There is a gel for sprains,” she replied.

“It’s in the first aid box, in the cupboard.” “Got it.” Dylan handed her the ice pack to hold before crossing the room to the cupboard.

He opened it and scanned the shelves.

“It’s on the top shelf,” Ava said, watching him with a small hint of amusement as he stretched to reach the white box.

He brought the box back to her, setting it on the bed and opening it.

“This one.” Ava leaned forward and pulled out a small tube.

“Give it to me.” Dylan took it from her.

He squeezed a dollop of the gel onto his fingers and gently began massaging it onto her ankle.

The cool sensation of the gel mingled with the warmth of his fingertips, sending a strange shiver through Ava.

She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him-the way he worked with such focus, his touch tender yet steady.

“There,” he said after a moment, wrapping her ankle with a compression bandage.

“This should help.

Just rest, and don’t put weight on it.” Ava nodded, her heart fluttering against her will.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her eyes lingering on him.

Dylan met her gaze briefly, his expression turning solemn.

Now that his work there was finished, he didn’t have an excuse to stay there.

“The swelling should go down by tomorrow,” he said softly.

“I’ll go pack my things.” Rising to his feet, he turned around.

“Wait.” Ava’s hands stretched out and clasped around his wrist.

Dylan’s heart thumped, a faint hope flickering back.

He looked down at her, meeting her wide eyes.

Ava hesitated, the words she truly wanted to say dancing on the tip of her tongue.

‘Don’t leave.

I’ll be lonely without you.’ But the walls she had built around her heart wouldn’t let her be so honest.

Instead, she found herself saying, “It’s late.

Why don’t you spend the night here?

You can leave tomorrow.” The disappointment engulfed him.

Her offer wasn’t what he longed to hear, but the hope was still there in the corner of his heart.

Ava didn’t let him leave immediately.

She didn’t hate him the way she once had.

Her words lacked their former sharpness, and she seemed nicer to him.

These were good signs.

Perhaps there was still a chance to mend the broken pieces of their relationship.

He realized, rushing would do more harm than good.

If he wanted to rebuild their connection, he had to be patient.

Ava needed time and space to reconsider, to allow herself to imagine them together again.

“Okay, I’ll stay here tonight,” he said, managing a faint smile.

“I’ll go to the guest room.

Good night.” He turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Ava remained seated on the bed, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.

She hadn’t expected him to leave so calmly or to respect her boundaries so completely.

Unlike the previous night, Dylan didn’t make any move to be intimate although he had seen her naked.

He hadn’t even tried to kiss her.

This was what she had wanted, wasn’t it?

She had pushed him away repeatedly, rejecting every advance he had made.

Now, he had listened and respected her wishes.

Yet instead of relief, a strange restlessness coiled within her, like an itch she couldn’t reach.

Her thoughts swirled as she tried to make sense of her feelings.

‘Why is this restlessness?

Did I miss his touch?’ She shook her head as if to dislodge the intrusive thoughts.

“That’s impossible.

Why would I desire his nearness?

It’s just my mind playing tricks on me.”