[Chapter 515: Mature Woman with a Young Heart]
Sherilyn Finn had just come out of a trance-like state, still a bit dazed and slow to react. Seeing her silent, Linton reached out, gently pulling her into his arms, then pressed a kiss to her fiery red lips.
Sherilyn's heart was already stirred by Linton's presence, and she quickly got lost in his embrace. Her hands instinctively wrapped around him, responding passionately.
By the time she fully came to her senses, she realized she had become completely submissive. Worried that Linton might see her as just a one-night stand, she wanted to stop him, but found her voice drowned out by an eager anticipation deep inside. The word "stop" simply wouldn't come.
But the night had just begun. Sherilyn's breath caught as the closeness between them deepened, drawing her into sensations she had long forgotten. Years of emotional restraint and distance had left her unprepared for such intensity. Each movement, each subtle touch from Linton, seemed to dissolve the composure she had so carefully maintained.
She tried to steady herself, but her self-control faltered beneath the warmth of his presence. The tension that had built within her for so long found release in a rush she couldn't contain.
This caught Linton by surprise, and Sherilyn was mortified. She shyly explained, worried Linton might look down on her. "Linton, you won't think less of me, will you?"
Linton was filled with joy. Clearly, Sherilyn was a rare treasure of beauty with untapped depths. It was time for him to work his magic.
"Baby, never say that. I love you just the way you are right now."
Thanks to the miraculous effects of his essnce, Sherilyn's stamina was restored, and then skyrocketed...
...
The next morning, Sherilyn was lying softly on top of Linton. "Darling, I've never felt life could be this wonderful."
"Baby, that's mainly because you're so beautiful."
"Thanks for the compliment. Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's on your mind?"
"Do you think this counts as a date?" Sherilyn asked nervously, looking up at Linton.
"Of course. I'm happy to have you as my girlfriend."
Sherilyn's face instantly blossomed with a radiant smile. "Darling, don't lie to me -- I'm serious about this."
"Of course it's true."
"But... can we keep this quiet for now?"
"Why?" Linton was surprised. If it were any other woman, she'd be eager to announce it to the world. After all, revealing their relationship could skyrocket Sherilyn's popularity and open countless opportunities -- endorsements, business invites, and media attention would flood in.
"I'm serious about love," Sherilyn said softly. "We've just started seeing each other. I want us to take time, really build something first. We can go public when the relationship's steady."
Linton smiled warmly inside. Sherilyn truly was a mature woman with a young heart. "Okay, but you know I'm busy, right? I probably won't have much free time."
"I know you're busy. It's fine. Let's just have one date per week."
"No problem. But I should warn you -- media reports about me having 21 girlfriends are true. Can you handle that?"
Linton had planned to reveal more about his harem later, but since Sherilyn wanted to keep things quiet, he decided to keep it simple -- just the well-known fact about his numerous girlfriends.
"I couldn't have accepted that before. But with your abilities, I feel differently now. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel yet. Let's just take things slow. Also, I have a question."
"Shoot."
"I was born in '65, so I've missed my prime years, and I'm six years older than you. You won't mind, right?"
"Sherilyn, age isn't an issue. Among my current girlfriends, Madonna is about 7 years older than you. As for looks, don't worry -- come on, let's go to the bathroom and check."
"Why the bathroom? You're always up to something," Sherilyn teased, her mind wandering.
Linton didn't explain. With a princely lift, he carried her to the bathroom mirror. "Baby, look at yourself. See how beautiful you are now?"
"Wow, darling, what magic did you work on me? My skin looks so much better -- like I've turned back the clock!"
"You forgot who developed the Beauty Pills and Vitality Pills? Since we're dating, I want to give you special treatment."
"Darling, you're the best." Sherilyn couldn't help but kiss him warmly. "Darling, love me right here."
...
By the time they finished freshening up and packing, it was just after 9 a.m. Fortunately, in their five-star hotel executive suite, although the restaurant was closed, room service was still available.
After breakfast, Linton invited her to return with him to Los Angeles. "Sherilyn, Detroit is my final stop for the North America promotional tour. I'm heading back to Los Angeles this afternoon. Do you want to come along?"
Sherilyn hesitated, then declined. "No, since we're keeping things under wraps, I'll go back to Los Angeles on my own. But remember our weekly dates."
---
That afternoon, Linton returned to Los Angeles with Catherine and Michelle Reis.
Just yesterday, Monday, Mission: Impossible had smashed the North American box office again with $9.73 million, bringing total domestic earnings to over $308 million.
That same weekend, Mission: Impossible officially launched overseas, premiering in more than 20 countries and regions, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and more.
Unfortunately, the biggest overseas market, Japan, wouldn't see the film for another six months. Since Universal was acquired by Linton from Panasonic Electronics, the studio no longer enjoyed special distribution privileges there.
Thanks to Mission: Impossible's massive success in North America and its own stellar quality, it sparked a viewing craze as soon as it debuted abroad.
The overseas box office topped $103 million in its opening three days. While not as explosive as in North America, this still set a new record for a Hollywood film's overseas opening weekend.
...
After returning to Los Angeles, they planned to rest a few days before Catherine, Michelle Reis, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, and Ving Rhames split up to tour overseas for promotions.
Catherine would cover the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.
Michelle Reis was assigned to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.
The others, including Jon Voight, would handle Australia, Brazil, Spain, and additional markets.
Given the current sensitive political climate and Linton's status, it was inappropriate for him to travel internationally for promotions -- Washington wouldn't approve.
But with the film's soaring popularity, having Catherine and the others on the road was more than enough.
*****
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