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Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Lip Print

As they walked into the courtyard, Ian Sterling headed for the parking area to get his car. It had only been allowed in the day before.

He had parked it diagonally at the entrance, blocking Mrs. Sterling and the chefs from going out for groceries.

Lynn Winslow suddenly called out to him. Ian Sterling felt a flicker of anxiety as he turned, thinking she was about to tell him not to go. Instead, Lynn stepped forward and planted a lipstick print on his cheek.

She was just about to pull away, but Ian Sterling wasn’t about to let her go. His hand firmly cupped the back of her head, and his kiss descended like a sudden storm—fierce and irresistibly aggressive.

The lipstick smudged. Lynn let out a soft noise; her lips stung slightly from the force of his kiss, but she still complied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her slender body against his.

Pressed so tightly together, Lynn sensed both his arousal and her own. ’If this goes on any longer, we’re definitely not leaving,’ she thought, raising a hand to lightly tug at his hair.

”That’s enough,” she said, her voice soft. To Ian Sterling, however, it sounded as sweet and cloying as honey. He looked down at her, fighting the urge to lean in even closer.

Lynn gave him a gentle push, her eyes sultry. ”Go get the car,” she chided playfully.

Ian Sterling didn’t move. His arm tightened around her slender waist. ”How about we don’t go?” he asked, his voice husky.

”You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, but I promised someone, so I’m definitely going.” Lynn blinked, her slender, fair fingers tapping lightly against Ian Sterling’s chest. ”Don’t push your luck,” she added languidly.

Ian Sterling pressed his thin, lipstick-smeared lips together. Resigned, he shelved his unspoken desires and turned to get the car.

Once in the car, Lynn took a lipstick and a compact mirror from her bag to touch up her lips. She snuck a glance at Ian Sterling, who was driving in silence.

A bright red lipstick print stood out on his pale skin, and the area around his thin lips was smudged with a faint crimson hue. He looked exactly like a man who had just finished an intense make-out session.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Lynn grabbed Ian Sterling just as he was about to get out. While wiping his face with a tissue, she asked, ”You left that there on purpose, didn’t you?”

Ian Sterling let her clean his face, a soft chuckle escaping him. His gaze fell upon the face he had longed for day and night, now just inches away. His fingers twitched, but he suppressed the urge to lean in again.

Once Lynn was done, they got out of the car and had lunch at a Western restaurant near the lounge.

After they finished eating, Ian Sterling gave his card to the waiter and said to Lynn, ”I’ll drive you.”

Lynn raised an eyebrow and nodded.

Chloe Clayton hadn’t arrived at the lounge yet, so Lynn stayed in the car, using a mirror to touch up her makeup. Ian Sterling rested his arms on the steering wheel and watched her. Lynn glanced at him, hooked his chin with a finger, and chuckled. ”What?”

Ian Sterling kissed her fingers and shook his head.

By the time Chloe Clayton arrived, Lynn was done with her makeup. Before getting out of the car, she suddenly pulled Ian Sterling toward her and planted a fresh kiss on his cheek. ”You don’t have to wipe this one off if you don’t want to,” she added thoughtfully.

She leaned back slightly, her voice full of mirth. ”So handsome.” She was acting like a seasoned flirt, her expression and movements exceptionally playful.

Ian Sterling pursed his lips and grabbed her hand. ”Tell me when you’re done,” he murmured, ”I’ll come pick you up, alright?”

Lynn blinked, a smile playing on her lips. ”Alright.”

Only then did Ian Sterling release her. Lynn got out and waved at him through the car window.

He smiled and lowered the window. ”Don’t forget to call me,” he said.

”Got it.” Lynn tossed out the two words and walked away. Ian Sterling remained parked for a long time before finally driving off.

Not wanting to go far, he drove directly to his cousin’s nearby company.

The employees were all familiar with him. They knew he was the boss’s cousin, the Sterling Family’s most cherished and coddled young master, and they greeted him with deference.

”You don’t need to show me the way. I’ll go up myself,” Ian Sterling said coolly to the receptionist who offered to escort him, before turning to get into the executive elevator.

The receptionist’s cheeks were practically smoking. Back at her desk, she poked her colleague’s arm and whispered excitedly, ”Did you see the lipstick on Finn’s face? My god, with that mark, he’s so hot it’s unreal!”

”I saw, I saw! My heavens!” The colleague was trembling with excitement. ”I knew Finn was pursuing someone, but I never expected things to move this quickly.”

They had all seen the trending news about Finn a few days prior. After clarifying the rumors, he had publicly announced he was still pursuing the person he liked. They never imagined he’d show up just a few days later wearing a lipstick print.

Jared Sterling was currently slacking off in his office. He’d been busy all morning and hadn’t even eaten lunch. While waiting for his personal assistant to bring his food, he’d lit a cigarette and was scrolling through his phone.

He heard a knock and, assuming it was his secretary, said without looking up, ”Just leave it on the table over there.”

Ian Sterling stood nearby, frowning. The scent of smoke wafted toward him, making him cough a couple of times. Only then did Jared Sterling look up and see him. He hastily stubbed out the cigarette, waved at the lingering smoke, and switched on the air purifier.

”What brings you here all of a sudden?” Jared Sterling asked, looking a little guilty.

”Do Uncle and Auntie know you smoke?” Ian Sterling asked as he walked over and sat on the sofa. The secretary who had followed him in suppressed a smile as she placed a cup of coffee from her tray in front of him.

Jared Sterling gave his secretary a look, and she turned and exited the office, thoughtfully pulling the door closed behind her.

Ian Sterling covered his nose and stared at him. Jared, noticing the lipstick mark on Ian’s face, tried to deflect. ”Not even going to wipe that off your cheek?”

”Don’t change the subject.” Ian Sterling wasn’t falling for it. ”I’m guessing Uncle and Auntie still don’t know you smoke, do they?” he said lightly.

A relative on Jared Sterling’s maternal grandfather’s side had died of lung cancer at a young age. The incident had scared Jared’s parents, and they had forbidden him from smoking ever since.

”I told them the guy didn’t even die from smoking. They’re just making a big deal out of nothing.” Jared Sterling frowned, then tried to negotiate. ”Just cut to the chase. What do I have to do to keep you from telling my parents?”

”I’ll let you owe me. I’ll collect later.” Ian finally lowered the hand covering his nose and leisurely took a sip of his coffee.

Jared Sterling was so annoyed he could grind his teeth, but since he was at Ian’s mercy, he could only grumble, ”And look at that lipstick mark on your face. Aren’t you worried about people staring?”

Ian Sterling held up his phone to use the screen as a mirror. The lipstick print was distinct, the lines of the lips that made it clearly visible. It was unmistakably a kiss.

He snapped a photo of himself and casually posted it to his social media. Only then did he turn to Jared and ask, ”So what? You jealous?”

”Ha,” Jared could hardly believe his ears. Through gritted teeth, he shot back, ”Jealous that you’re so whipped?”

Ian Sterling didn’t bother to reply, simply pulling out his phone to call his sister-in-law.

Sophia Shaw was at Aerie Garden arranging flowers with her mother-in-law when she was surprised by the caller ID. She showed the phone to her mother-in-law with a laugh. ”Finn never calls me first. He only shows up when he needs something.”

Nina Norton glanced at the phone, her annoyance still simmering. ”Answer it,” she said coldly. ”Let’s see what kind of trouble that precious boy is stirring up now.”