Building a Safe Zone with My Harem In The Post-Apocalyptic World-Chapter 40: Kissing Delilah

The gentle kiss didn’t last long. Gideon pressed in closer, his tongue brushing against Delilah’s lower lip, the sudden contact making her jolt.

Her hands came up to his shirt, pushing at him, not nearly hard enough to stop him, only pressing him closer instead.

Her back hit the kitchen counter. Somewhere behind them, the knife slipped from the counter and clattered to the floor, but Gideon didn’t care. She had challenged him. Now she needed to feel the consequences.

’Persistent woman,’ he thought.

Even now, her lips were pressed tightly together, eyes squeezed shut, cheeks burning red.

It reminded him of Summer. ’Like mother, like daughter.’

He bit her lip gently but firmly, forcing it open just enough. He didn’t waste the chance. His tongue slipped inside, making her gasp sharply as her body reacted before her mind could catch up.

The kiss grew heated. She tried to push his tongue away, but it only turned into a messy, desperate exchange, their tongues twisting together.

Saliva mixed, a soft sound escaping her throat as it dribbled from the corner of her lips. She moaned despite herself, her hands no longer pushing him away but gripping his shirt as if she needed the support.

"Hnn..."

’Yeah. This is hot.’

Gideon swept everything off the counter with one hand and grabbed her waist with the other, lifting her up and settling her onto the surface.

Delilah instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, the movement deepening the kiss even further.

"Hah... Gideon."

She managed to turn her head slightly, just enough to breathe, but he caught her face again, pulling her back in and reclaiming her lips.

Their breaths mingled, mouths working hungrily against each other. His hands drifted lower before a sharp slap stopped him, breaking the kiss apart.

"We agreed it was just a kiss," Delilah said firmly. Even so, the flush on her face betrayed how affected she was.

He chuckled softly. "So? Was it satisfying?"

He glanced pointedly at her chest. "You don’t have to answer. Your nipples pressing against that apron already did."

She gasped and quickly covered herself. "You pervert!"

Delilah then slid off the counter and turned away from him, voice unsteady.

"Le-let’s just keep working."

"What?" he asked lightly. "You don’t want to continue?"

She didn’t answer right away, as if she didn’t know how.

"I don’t want to stay the night here," she finally said.

"So you should go downstairs and pack Summer and Freya’s things. Their room is on the left."

She gathered the items from the floor with trembling hands and returned to cooking, her back rigid.

Gideon narrowed his eyes slightly.

’So... does that mean she wants to continue somewhere else?’

A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Sure," he said easily. "Let’s continue at home."

He laughed quietly as the red creeping across her cheeks spread all the way to her ears and down her neck.

Gideon moved to the other room, humming under his breath. He was in a good mood, confident he had won this round.

In the center of the room was another hatch. When he opened it, a staircase descended even deeper underground.

He didn’t hesitate. The space below was surprisingly well lit, and once his boots touched the floor, he found himself standing at the start of another hallway.

"Hmm... left," he muttered.

Still smiling, he followed the corridor and soon reached a door. When he opened it, he found a small, windowless room.

There were bunk beds, a cupboard, and a table with a couple of chairs. Despite being underground, the room didn’t feel gloomy at all.

The walls were covered in drawings of aberrants, along with old band posters that had clearly survived the end of the world.

"This must be their room."

He stepped inside and stopped at the table.

Three picture frames were lined up there. One showed Summer and Freya together. Another had Delilah standing between them. The rest included a man.

The man had hair like Freya’s and eyes like Summer’s. He was handsome, wearing a wide, easy grin.

"So that’s their father," Gideon murmured.

"Wonder what happened to you." He paused, then shrugged. "Still, thanks for stepping out of the picture, good sir."

He got to work.

Inside the cupboard, he found two suitcases. The colors alone told him which belonged to whom.

He carefully packed their clothes, the framed photos, the drawings, and even the old bunny-shaped doll tucked into one of the beds.

Once everything was ready, Gideon figured it was time to head back up. Still, curiosity tugged at him, and he glanced toward the door on the right.

Locked.

"Figures. Delilah’s room," he muttered. "What a shame."

The hallway stretched farther than he expected. He followed it until it ended at another staircase leading down.

A quiet sense of unease settled in his chest. Whatever was down there was something Delilah didn’t want him or anyone to see. Maybe it was tied to the government. Maybe it was something else entirely.

Without thinking twice, Gideon went down.

It was dark. He ended up buying a flashlight from the system, but what caught his attention first was the room ahead, its entrance barricaded by two wooden boards nailed into an X.

"Huh," he said quietly. "Not like that would stop me."

He reached forward, ready to pull them down.

"Gideon!" Delilah’s voice echoed from above.

"The food’s ready!"

His heart jumped. "Yes! Coming!" he shouted back.

He didn’t waste another second. Gideon turned and hurried up the stairs, grabbed the two packed suitcases, and made his way back to the kitchen. He set them down and dropped onto the stool as if nothing had happened.

Delilah glanced at him. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why are you sweating?"

He grinned. "From getting tired. You know, kissing you counts as exercise."

As expected, her attention shifted instantly.

"Ugh, forget it," she muttered, turning away as she set a bowl down in front of him.

The dish was simple. Clear soup, noodles, two slices of meat, and fresh greens.

"Oh wow," Gideon said. "Is this ramen?"

"Something like it," she replied. "It’s cold, though. Just eat."

She sat beside him.

"Well," he said easily, "I will."

They ate in silence, comfortable this time. Once they finished, Delilah gathered what she needed, and together they headed back to the Cinders of Dusk.

The bunker wasn’t destroyed yet. There were still things left behind and needed to be moved next time.

Before leaving, Gideon glanced once more at the hatch, now carefully covered with sand. Delilah had done it herself.

He knew he would return.

Whatever was hidden down there might become important one day or valuable enough to sell.

Either way, he made a mental note.

’I’ll ask Summer and Freya about it later.’