Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

It was the lunch break, and the entire lab was shrouded in an uncommon tranquility.

Owen pushed open the door of his small break room, his first stop being the washbasin where he washed his hands and splashed some water on his face before moving towards the inner room. That's where he kept his change of clothes.

As he began unbuttoning his shirt in front of the cabinet, little did he know, Roseanne had been awakened by the sound of the door opening.

Her foldable cot was tucked away behind the door, effectively hidden from immediate view but not completely out of sight.

So, when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Owen, in the middle of taking off his shirt, with his toned muscles and broad shoulders completely on display. Roseanne froze.

She debated whether to let him know she was there, but before she could make up her mind, he was already shirtless.

Well, that ship has sailed, she thought. Speaking up now would only make things more awkward.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

So, Roseanne chose to... She chose to close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.

Even so, the image of Owen's muscular back lingered in her mind, vivid and unbidden.

It felt oddly thrilling, like she was in on a secret she wasn't supposed to know.

After changing into a fresh shirt, Owen prepared to leave the room. However, as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of the foldable cot's edge.

His breath hitched, and for a moment, he was rooted to the spot.

Treading lightly, he approached the door and slowly pulled it towards him.

Indeed-

Roseanne was there, seemingly asleep on the cot.

The girl looked peaceful, her eyelashes casting long shadows on her cheeks, reminiscent of delicate butterfly wings.

But then he noticed...

The blanket had slipped off to one side.

Owen picked it up and gently covered her with it, his gaze lingering on her serene face for a moment too long before he quickly averted his eyes and hurried out of the room. Thankfully, no one else knew of the turmoil inside him or the quickening of his heartbeat.

Pretending to be asleep was torturous for Roseanne.

Especially when Owen approached, her heart raced.

It felt like he was right next to the cot.

And then, the rustling sound of the blanket being placed back on her. Roseanne was stunned. Owen was... Surprisingly considerate.

But why wasn't he leaving? Was he just standing there? Did she have something on her face?

The minute felt like an eternity until finally, he walked away.

The sound of his footsteps fading quickly.

Roseanne opened her eyes and let out a relieved sigh.

"Owen? What are you doing here? thought you had classes and couldn't make it today," Stoddard" caught Owen just as he stepped out of the break room. Content b to FindNovel

Owen didn't miss a beat: "Just had to grab something."

"You're sweating. And your face is a bit red..."

"The AC in the outer room wasn't on."

"Ah, that makes sense. Little Roseanne usually naps in the inner room, so we don't bother with the AC in the outer one. Saves energy, you know. She's not one to waste resources, kind of like you.

"Right." Owen nodded.

"Did you see her when you went in?"

Owen shook his head: "No. I was only in the outer room."

"Oh, alright then."

It wasn't that he felt guilty or didn't want to admit it; he just thought it wouldn't reflect well on Roseanne, a young woman taking her noontime rest, if it got out that he had barged in.

Owen trusted Stoddard not to speculate wildly, but he couldn't guarantee others wouldn't hear and make a mountain out of a molehill.

Some might not mean to gossip, but others certainly would.

Best to nip any rumors in the bud right here.

Stoddard shifted topics. "What's your plan for the afternoon?" "Teaching."