Chapter 6

• Poppy examined her reflection in the mirror, realizing that she probably shouldn't have brought this particular sleepwear to New York. In her opinion, it was too sexy to wear around Harvey, especially considering they weren't romantically involved. However, it was the only sleepwear she had brought with her to New York, and she hadn't packed many clothes as she intended to fill her suitcase with souvenirs for her family.
• Yesterday, she had thought they would be staying separately from Harvey, so she had chosen this satin sleepwear with a low-cut neckline. Poppy looked at herself in the mirror, seeing her face without any makeup, wearing just a sleeping mask and lip balm. She took a deep breath and examined her attire again. She thought it was still relatively normal sleepwear, made of soft satin and not transparent. However, it was thin and smooth, which meant it could easily ride up when sitting.
• Poppy gathered her courage and stepped out of the bathroom, finding Harvey in the room. He was shirtless, revealing a perfectly sculpted body that she hadn't expected. His chest was broad, his biceps were tempting, and his stomach had well-defined abs. It looked like he had been carved from stone.
• Poppy was quite certain that Harvey was intentionally showing off his physique to her. He was wearing only black boxers that clung to his body. He was sitting on the sofa, sipping from a bottle of Coney Island beer. Their gazes met for a moment.
• Harvey took in Poppy's appearance. She was wearing a sexy nude-colored pajama set, and her bra inadvertently peeked out. Every man had their own fantasies about women, and Afgan's song lyrics, "Wajahmu mengalihkan duniaku" (Your face distracts my world), rang true for him.
• Harvey was well aware that the opposite sex's attractiveness was relative. As a man, he had his own preferences when it came to a woman's appeal. Right now, he was facing a woman who had captured his attention. It was incredibly difficult for him to ignore such a beautiful creature on Earth.
• Harvey's gaze shifted to Poppy's chest. Like many men, he seemed to appreciate women with larger breasts. However, he personally didn't favor overly large busts; he believed that a cup C size was the most ideal.
• Oh, Jesus, why did Poppy look so sexy and alluring? Even though she was wearing pajamas, not transparent sexy lingerie, he couldn't deny that she looked incredibly sweet to him.
• Harvey took a deep breath, his lips slightly curved, though not into a smile. "Want some beer?" he asked Poppy, who was near the bed but didn't seem inclined to approach him.
• "No, thanks," Poppy declined.
• "Come sit here," Harvey directed his gaze toward the sofa in front of him, inviting Poppy to sit there.
• "I'm tired," Poppy refused.
• Harvey squinted his eyes. "I just want to chat with you, nothing more. Let's enjoy the night in New York. We don't come here often, you know," he said.
• When Harvey spoke like that, she couldn't say no. Poppy walked closer to Harvey and sat on the sofa in front of him, feeling a bit nervous.
• "Would you like a drink?"
• "Hmm."
• "The beer is refreshing, it won't make you drunk."
• "Alright, then," Poppy agreed.
• Harvey poured the beer into a glass and handed it to Poppy. She stared at the caramel-colored liquid in her glass. She didn't deny that she had indulged in all kinds of alcohol before. She didn't need to pretend to be innocent or act like she had never tasted alcohol before—she had tried apple martinis, vodka, brandy, Bintang beer, wine, and many others. She found them refreshing.
• Harvey smiled as he watched Poppy take a sip of the beer. He just wanted to relax and enjoy the evening with his secretary. He observed Poppy as she finished her beer in a few gulps, not expecting her to down it so quickly.
• Poppy directed her gaze out of the window, looking at the skyscrapers from this height. She knew that when Harvey traveled out of town or abroad, he always stayed in upscale hotels in the city center.
• "Are you jetlagged?" Harvey asked.
• "A little. How about you?" Poppy replied.
• "Just a bit," Harvey said, choosing not to bring up the kiss they had shared at the airport to make Poppy feel more comfortable being near him.
• "What do you think of this room?" he asked.
• "It's quite nice," Poppy replied.
• "Sorry, we have to share the same bed tonight. Tomorrow, I'll make sure we have separate rooms."
• "It's okay, really," Poppy reassured him.
• Poppy didn't pretend otherwise; she had previously stayed in a hotel room with her ex-boyfriend when she was younger. She had first become familiar with hotels when she was studying at UPH (Universitas Pelita Harapan). At that time, she had a boyfriend who was majoring in architecture. He used to live outside of Jakarta, and it was quite a hassle for him to commute back to his place because it was far away.
• So, they decided to stay in a hotel for a while because she had been sleep-deprived for two days due to a pile of coursework. Being a supportive girlfriend, she happily accepted her ex-boyfriend's invitation to the hotel. Plus, she didn't have any work or assignments to worry about at that time.
• They stayed in bed together, the weather happened to be cold, and they were both in the mood, so it happened. Since then, she became addicted. Every two weeks, they made time for a staycation at a hotel, even though she didn't actually spend the night there. She wasn't the kind of woman who frequented bars or had multiple partners. Her family at home only knew her as someone who was dating casually, holding hands, going out to eat, and then returning home.
• No one suspected what she had done with her boyfriend. Fortunately, they always used protection during their encounters, so there were no unwanted pregnancies. Her boyfriend wasn't a bad boy or a playboy; he was quite smart and the son of a local government official in Kalimantan. Perhaps no one would have guessed that she engaged in such activities, but that's what had happened to her.
• After finishing her studies, she returned to her hometown, and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend ended abruptly. She also didn't particularly like men who were involved in politics. Since then, she had not been intimate with anyone until now. Finally, she had a boyfriend named Nathan, who was a devoutly religious man and believed that intimacy should only occur after marriage. He followed his beliefs faithfully. They had never done anything more than holding hands and kissing on the forehead.