Desire Me If You Can-Chapter 93

An awkward silence fell between them. Dein looked at Grayson as if he couldn't believe what was happening, while Grayson, on the other hand, gazed at him with a bright expression, his eyes shining with anticipation, like a child waiting for candy.

What the hell is he thinking...?

Dein felt a wave of disbelief and his vision blurred.

“What the hell are you... Never mind.”

He was about to speak but stopped, shaking his head as he turned to leave. He didn’t want to waste any more energy on someone with whom conversation was pointless. There were far too many immediate problems in front of him that needed solving.

Of course, Grayson didn’t give up easily.

“Think carefully.”

Grayson, who had caught up to Dein in just a few jumps, continued speaking.

“In three months, it will be over. If you still feel the same, I’ll leave. I’ll even quit the fire department.”

When Dein hesitated, Grayson added, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“I’ll disappear from your life forever.”

Dein looked at Grayson’s face in silence. His brother was a con artist, and he himself was a man who lied at the drop of a hat—how could he trust him? With a gaze full of suspicion, Grayson grinned and tested Dein’s resolve.

“Aren’t you tempted? In just three months, you could get rid of me forever from your life.”

You think you know how long I have left to live?

Dein thought, but it was true that his heart wavered. This wasn’t the first time he had been given such an offer. He had always firmly rejected it before, never once accepting, but...

At that moment, by some coincidence, he saw Darling lying in the back of the ambulance. Turning his head, there was Grayson. The soot covering his face and his blond hair, singed and patchy, were still there—Grayson Miller himself.

Sighing deeply, Dein finally spoke.

“Really? You’ll disappear from my life?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll quit the fire department too?”

“Of course.”

Grayson answered each of Dein’s questions immediately. Though there was still a hint of doubt, Dein had no other choice. There was nothing to lose, after all. The outcome was already set.

“If that’s what you believe, fine.”

Finally, Dein made his decision. He extended his right hand to Grayson and continued speaking.

“Three months. No more than that.”

Grayson grabbed Dein’s hand with a bright smile. Dein was about to release it quickly, but suddenly Grayson pulled his hand sharply. ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Caught off guard, Dein was dragged toward him, and Grayson wrapped him in a tight embrace, whispering into his ear.

“Now you’re my lover.”

“Hey...”

Feeling Grayson’s hot breath near his ear, Dein opened his mouth.

“Don’t forget you said ‘three months as an experiment’.”

“I know, of course.”

Grayson tightened his embrace again, pulling Dein in so forcefully that for a moment, Dein couldn’t even breathe. He was startled but, fortunately, Grayson soon released him. Quickly backing away, Dein heard Grayson speak, as though he had been waiting for this moment.

“So, what are you going to do now? Since I’m your lover, I should know.”

Grayson stepped over the line and made his move swiftly. Dein grimaced, but it was already a situation of his own making. He rubbed his forehead with one hand and answered.

“First, I need to take Darling to the hospital. Then I need to find a place to stay...”

“Let’s go to my place.”

Before Dein could even finish his sentence, Grayson immediately proposed the idea. Dein stopped in his tracks and glanced at him sideways. Grayson continued.

“If you stay at my place, you won’t have to spend a penny. Plus, it’s comfortable. There are nine rooms, so you can pick whichever room you want. After work, you can relax in the spa, or in the evening, you can have a drink on your balcony while watching the sunset. There’s a wine cellar in the basement, and if the outdoor pool gets too cold, I can heat up the indoor pool. You can enjoy it inside...”

Grayson listed the advantages like a real estate agent, almost too much to take in. Dein simply listened, his face drained of emotion. Grayson, noticing that Dein wasn’t fully engaged, quickly changed tactics.

“Darling would like my place too. There’s a room with lots of sunlight. Darling likes to sunbathe on the cat tower, doesn’t he?”

As expected, Dein’s focus returned when Grayson mentioned Darling. Every time Grayson said Darling’s name, Dein froze instinctively. Of course, Grayson knew this very well. He had noticed that Dein’s gaze wavered whenever Darling was mentioned. It was a fleeting movement, but Grayson never missed it. All his attention was on Dein.

This was also part of Grayson’s calculation. He knew that mentioning Darling would make Dein falter, and his prediction proved correct. Watching Dein’s face as he hesitated for the first time, Grayson quietly waited. He knew better than to push too hard at this moment. He just had to wait for the right timing.

Darling.

Dein, with a serious expression, lost himself in thought. It was hard for him to believe that Grayson Miller truly cared for his precious cat. It was equally difficult to accept the fact that Grayson had even risked his life for him. But when Grayson spoke Darling’s name, it became hard to refuse, and Dein felt like he was caught in a dilemma.

No, but that’s not it.

“Enough, that’s enough.”

Dein steeled himself and spoke.

“I’ll take care of where we stay, so you don’t need to worry about it. Thanks for the offer, but I’ll decline.”

The last part was a formality, but for Dein, it was the most polite refusal he could muster. He was already struggling to tolerate the situation, which was quickly becoming tiresome. Grayson, sensing his discomfort, quickly pointed out the practical issue.

“But you don’t have a place to stay right now, do you? Then, just until you find somewhere, why not stay at my place...”

“What are you talking about, idiot? There are plenty of motels.”

Finally, unable to hold back, Dein snapped. The three-month trial wasn’t an excuse to let Grayson control him. Above all, he loved his freedom, and there was no way he was going to hand himself over to someone who wasn’t even truly his lover, just to settle a “debt.”

“It’ll take years to build a house. Are you planning to stay in a motel the whole time?”

Grayson tried to convince him, as if it were absurd, but Dein didn’t back down.

“Three months with you, it’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

At this, Grayson paused. He gave a slightly surprised expression before smiling.

“Ah, I see, you found the gap.”

This guy, he knew all along.

Dein scowled. It was the same old story. If you let your guard down even a little, Grayson would exploit the gap. He had taken advantage of the disaster unfolding in front of Dein and suggested something utterly unreasonable without a hint of hesitation.

Dein’s refusal was clearly communicated to Grayson. Thoughts like, “It’ll save money if you stay here for three months, and who knows what will happen afterward?” did cross Dein’s mind. But Grayson dismissed those half-hearted words and casually added.

“If you need help, just let me know, Dein. I’ll always be here.”

Grayson’s sudden willingness to back down made Dein feel suspicious, but he still went to fetch the cat. Just as he carefully lifted Darling into his arms, Grayson spoke suddenly from behind.

“From tomorrow, we’re meeting as lovers, Dein.”

For a moment, Dein froze and turned around. Grayson was smiling brightly, waving his arm as he turned to join the others who were tidying up. Left behind, Dein stood for a while, feeling a bad premonition.