The battle continued from the elevator into the suite, more intense than ever before.
Catherine initially held the initiative, driven by a queen-like desire for conquest, but Landon quickly reclaimed dominance with his youthful stamina and increasingly refined skills.
Unabashed gasps and low moans echoed within the room.
Catherine shifted from her initial provocation and offense to immersion and compliance, until her consciousness blurred and she let out moans that were almost whimpers.
When everything finally settled, Catherine seemed to have all her strength drained, collapsing completely onto the messy bed, too lazy to even move a finger.
Sweat soaked the strands of hair on her forehead, and her cheeks were flushed with the crimson of extreme satisfaction.
With her eyes closed and her chest heaving, she felt as if she were floating on clouds, or like she had just undergone an ultimate baptism.
Landon lay beside her, steadying his breath.
Sunlight cast a hazy band of light onto the carpet through the gaps in the heavy curtains.
It took a long time for Catherine to recover a bit of strength.
She moved with difficulty, burying herself deeper into Landon's embrace, her cheek pressed against his sweat-dampened chest, her arms tightly encircling his waist.
"Don't move..." her voice was hoarse, carrying a heavy weariness and a trace of barely perceptible attachment.
"Just like this... stay a little longer."
She kept her eyes closed, monopolizing his embrace as if trying to extend this moment indefinitely against the impending separation.
Though her body was exhausted to the extreme, her spirit seemed to have reached some illusory and wonderful realm of bliss, making her unwilling to wake up or let go.
Landon didn't push her away; he just let her hold him, his fingers unconsciously stroking her sweat-slicked back, while his thoughts had already drifted to the afternoon flight and the film crew in New York.
After an unknown amount of time, Catherine felt completely comfortable and refreshed.
She opened her eyes, which shone with even more brilliance, and her skin had gained a bit more moisture and luster.
She turned her head to look at Landon lying quietly beside her, her lips curling into a satisfied and somewhat sly arc.
She sat up briskly, the silk quilt sliding down.
She leaned over and planted a kiss on Landon's lips that was no longer lingering, then lightly patted his cheek, her tone brisk:
"Alright, darling, you can go now."
Landon looked at her sudden transformation with some bewilderment.
Just moments ago, she hadn't wanted him to leave for a second, but now she had decisively drawn a line.
Catherine had already stood up, casually picking up her morning gown to put it on, and walked toward the bathroom. Her figure was graceful, and her steps regained that elegance unique to a big star.
Landon lay on the bed, watching her disappear into the bathroom doorway and hearing the sound of a hairdryer soon after.
In an instant, the intense passion that had filled the room receded like a tide, leaving only a messy room and the lingering atmosphere of romance in the air, a reminder of the reality just moments ago.
Landon stood up silently and got dressed.
As he straightened his shirt and looked down to tie his tie, the bathroom door opened.
Catherine had applied some light makeup, and her hair had regained its smooth luster.
She walked over and reached out to help him make the final adjustment to his tie.
Then, instead of letting go, her fingers gripped the tie just below the knot, pulling it slightly toward her, forcing Landon to lower his head.
She stood on her tiptoes, and they shared another deep embrace and kiss until they were both slightly breathless, then they parted.
She let go, her beautiful face tilted up with a bright smile, her eyes looking directly at Landon:
"Alright, don't miss me too much!"
With that, she gave him a gentle push, signaling that it was time for him to leave.
Landon left with a somewhat melancholy mood, unsure if it was annoyance at being summoned when needed and discarded when finished, or reluctance to be far from Los Angeles.
The time to depart finally arrived. Although Rachel would be going to New York in a few months, Landon's scenes in New York would be nearly finished by then.
The few of them couldn't help but find it hard to part.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Rachel went to open the door, and it was indeed Britney. Apparently, Rachel had mentioned to her that Landon was also about to go filming.
Today she was wearing simple jeans and a bright yellow T-shirt, along with a baseball cap and large sunglasses. As soon as she entered, she gave Rachel a big hug.
"Hey, Landon! I heard you're going to film a movie." Britney took off her sunglasses, her green eyes spotting the prepared suitcases and Zoe standing nearby. "Is your demo recording finished? How was it? Sorry, I finished work too late the day before yesterday and couldn't make it!"
"It went quite well, thanks for asking." Landon invited her to sit in the living room, and Zoe brought some juice. "The producer was a big help, and the final result was better than I expected."
"That's so cool!" Britney said sincerely, swinging her legs. "Writing your own songs, singing them yourself... that must feel amazing. Unlike me, always singing songs written by others, even though those songs are great too..."
This big star actually showed a somewhat dejected expression.
Rachel hugged her from the side. "Hey, Britney, you're a big star! Why are you jealous of others?"
Britney couldn't help but smile, and then she proactively brought up her recent troubles.
She suddenly sighed, her tone filled with confusion:
"Lately, I've been feeling so tired. You know, Landon, Rachel? Sometimes I feel like I don't even know what I truly want.
Everyone tells me what to do, what to sing, how to smile at the fans... even my relationships..." She paused, her gaze somewhat wandering.
Landon's heart tightened slightly. Rachel held her hand with concern.
Britney bit her lower lip, her voice dropping even lower:
"It seems Justin and I are having some problems.
He's always so busy with NSYNC's schedule and his own personal plans... we see each other less and less.
He came to see me twice recently in the morning, but both times he left in a hurry.
And when we talk on the phone, he hangs up after just a few words.
I ask him where he is and who he's with, and he always says he's in the studio or with the members... but a woman's intuition, do you guys understand? I feel like something isn't right.
Also, when he comes to see me, his clothes have... the scent of perfume."
She looked up at Landon, a hint of vulnerability in her eyes as she sought validation:
"Landon, if in a relationship, the other person starts becoming distant and always uses work as an excuse, does it... mean it's about to end? Or am I overthinking it?"
Landon looked at the doubt and vulnerability on Britney's face, and the photo of the kiss after getting out of the car that morning flashed through his mind.
He knew part of the cruel truth but couldn't bring himself to say it.
Tell her directly? His current friendship with Britney was far from the level where he could intervene in such a private matter.
"Britney," Landon chose his words carefully, his tone sincere,
"Trust is the foundation of a relationship, and trust comes from mutual honesty and visible actions. It's very important to respect your own feelings." He paused and added, "You deserve to be treated seriously, Britney, whether on stage or in a relationship."
She blinked her somewhat moist eyes and nodded vigorously:
"Thank you, Landon. You're right. I should trust my feelings more. Maybe I should find a time to have a good talk with Justin."
Then, Britney gave Landon a hug, and even hugged Zoe, before saying goodbye to the two of them.