Husband With Benefits-Chapter 796: A Dream Date

So, Lily," Cai began, leaning back with an exaggerated stretch as if he’d just completed a monumental task, "now that I’m finally dressed..." He paused dramatically, giving a pointed glance down at his neatly buttoned shirt, acting as though it had taken sheer willpower to accomplish it.

Lily nearly choked on her water, fighting back a laugh as she shot him a side-eye. The waitress, who had been walking past, clearly wasn’t amused either, casting him a look of mild disapproval. There was definitely no need to talk about nudity in public.

Completely unfazed, Cai grinned mischievously and continued. "And considering this is officially a date now—because, you know, we’re out here dining in public—" he emphasized, lifting his eyebrows at her with playful drama, "how about you tell me what you’ve been up to all these years? And more importantly, what in the world brings you to Petrovia? Don’t tell me you came all this way to become a housekeeping staff at a hotel?"

Lily smiled, grateful he wasn’t steering the conversation in a more awkward direction. She had been half-expecting him to bring up Jasmine or dredge up some old memories that would have them spending the evening in a somber mood. Instead, she found herself relaxing, ready to engage in the playful banter Cai always seemed to encourage.

"Well, Petrovia has one of the best hospitality management programs, and with tourism growing, it’s the perfect place to gain experience. More people are flocking here every year, and I want to learn from the best. I plan to run a BnB back home someday," she said, sounding both confident and hopeful.

"A bed and breakfast, huh?" Cai cocked his head, visibly intrigued. It wasn’t exactly a plan he’d expected from her, and he tried to picture it. "Wow... I don’t think I know anyone with such a dream."

Lily shot him a mock glare. "What, are you looking down on me because it’s a simple dream?" she teased.

"Absolutely not," he said, raising his hands in defense, eyes widening dramatically. "I’m just trying to wrap my head around why a young woman like you would want to spend her life running a BnB when you could be out partying, living it up, you know?"

Lily leaned forward, laughing and poking his arm. "Hey, I’m all about partying and living it up—for now. I said it’s a future plan, not something I’m jumping into right away."

Cai chuckled, picking up his glass and raising it in a mock toast. "Touché! So, you’re here to build experience and prepare for your BnB empire... fair enough."

She clinked her glass against his. "Exactly."

Cai’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and he leaned in. "But what about you, Dr. Cai?" Lily asked, returning the favor. "What brings you here? And don’t tell me you came here to scout for hospital patients."

Cai raised a brow, taken slightly off guard. "You know about my work?"

Lily smiled and shrugged. "I know you’re some sort of doctor, but not much more than that. So... what kind of doctor are you, really?"

Cai grinned, clearly amused. "A very good one," he said with a smug smile.

Lily burst into laughter, shaking her head. "Wow, so humble! You really know how to sell yourself."

"Hey, I never said I was modest," Cai shot back, raising his chin proudly. "But if you really want the details, I’m a surgeon. I came to Petrovia for research and development of a new procedure, and these days I’m just hanging around, trying to soak up the local culture."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "A surgeon, huh? Now that sounds impressive. Wow. I didn’t expect you to become a doctor. I always thought that..."

Lily trailed off..." You are Dr Caius Frost, the one who is setting up the hospital... you are a neuro-surgeon."

Cai grinned at this and nodded,"Yep! The one and only."

Lily looked down then as her mood plummetted. He was a neurosurgeon. Why did he become a neurosurgeon? Could it be because of Jasmine? And that reminded her of the picture he had shown her manager...

"You’ve gone quiet all of a sudden." Cai murmured, as he looked at her carefully.

Lily shook her head before glancing up at Cai," Its nothing."

Cai sighed and shook his head,"Well, it doesn’t look like nothing. You suddenly look as if you are gaving bad thoughts."

Lily looked away. This man was still as all seeing now as he was in the past. She was about to ask him about Jasmine but before she could, they were interrupted by an announcement, inviting everyone to dance to the local songs...

As the announcement echoed through the bustling restaurant, a lively tune began to play, inviting everyone to the dance floor. The hosts, beaming with enthusiasm, beckoned guests to join in.

"Come on, Lily!" Cai said, a grin spreading across his face as he stood up, extending his hand toward her. "Let’s learn some local dance moves!"

Lily hesitated for a moment, looking at the crowd gathering on the floor. "I don’t know if I’m ready for a dance lesson.. I’ve got two left feet" she teased, biting her lip, but the spark in Cai’s eyes was infectious.

Cai made a show of looking under the table as he sighed and answered," Nope! Those are two very pretty normal feet. So, come on! I promise I won’t step on your toes. Much."

She laughed, rolling her eyes, and took his hand. "Fine! But if you do, I’m holding you responsible for my broken toes."

Cai led her to the dance floor, where a group of other patrons was already forming a circle. The energy was infectious, and Lily felt her pulse quicken with excitement. As they joined the throng, the hosts began to demonstrate the steps, guiding everyone with cheerful instructions.

"It’s simple!" the lead dancer shouted. "Just follow my lead! Step to the right, clap, step to the left, and turn!"

Unexpectedly, it was Cai who turned out to have two left feet and she giggled as she watched him try to keep up. She never expected Caius Frost to not be able to keep up with the dance moves but what he lacked in skill, he made up in energy, keeping up with everyone else as they all bumbled through the dance moves.

Finally, as the music came to an end, they caught each other’s hands and bowed before they returned to their table.

As they returned to the table and Cai pulled the chair out for her, he felt an immediate sense of loss. It took him a moment ot realise that he had been holding her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. As if her hand was made to fit his.

He shook his head at the absurd thought but as he walked around to his own seat, he could not help but look at her even more carefully. She was still breathing hard but her face was all red and shiny from the exhertion. It made him think that this is what she would look like after a bout of love making.

She clicked her fingers in front of his face," what are you thinking? You looked all lost."

Cai shook his head and sipped a bit of water,"You don’t want to know what I am thinking."

"Hey! I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t."

Cai gave a slow smile then as he said," Then, if you must know, I am thinking if you would look this beautiful after you’ve just made love..."

Lily’s eyes widened in surprise, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she registered Cai’s words. "Wow, Cai," she stammered, trying to recover from his unexpected boldness. "Is that how you always charm your dates?"

Cai leaned back, a smirk on his face, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Only the ones who can handle it. Besides, it’s the truth. You looked radiant out there, completely lost in the moment. I couldn’t help but think about how amazing you must look when you’re in the throws of passion."

Lily looked down then, out of her depth, wondering how to answer this. She had not expected Cai Frost to be this big a flirt...

Thankfully, the server arrived with their food then, and she shifted the topic immediately asking him about his favourite foods...and the most hated ones.

Later, as they walked towards her house, Lily could not help but wonder if they would ever meet again. She wanted to ask him out again but she’d already done it once so she could not possibly ask again. They had already exchanged numbers so maybe this time he could ask her...

As she was debating this, Cai suddenly stopped and she looked up in confusion before realizing that they had already reached her hostel. She gulped and looked up, ready to say goodbye when he suddenly caught her by the waist and pulled her close.