Unedited
***
I rush to the kitchen and take my purse before heading to the bathroom. Stefano must be still locked in the room since I did not see any monster chasing me.
I quickly take a look of myself in the mirror to find imprints of his hand on the sides of my neck.
Taking the corrector, I dab it on the marks and take out my brush to blend the concealer nicely.
You may think why I carry these products with me?
Well, make up is an essential.
I take a bunch of my hair and chop it with the scissor to shorten the length. Stefano definitely noted my hair length with the way his hand had grazed my waist.
I push back the thought and quickly tie my hair before flushing the chopped ones.
Calmly, I walk back to the kitchen to find him sitting casually on the chair with his long legs outstretched and ankles crossed. His hands easily fitting in the pockets.
His head slightly tilted addressing my presence.
The look on his eyes were a total opposite of his laid back stance.
Dark.
Intimidating.
And whispers of Sin.
“Where were you?” He asks with a blank face.
“I went to check on Esme.” I lie confidently.
“Do you needed something?” I ask changing the subject.
Paying no hid to my question, he continues. “And?”
“She wanted me to make something for her..”
“Hmm.” He hums nodding with a thought.
I open the fridge and take out some berries.
“And?” He continues.
I turn to him with a look of disbelief and try to avoid his rational yet unanswerable sets of And?
“I will make smoothie. Would you like a glass?” I ask nicely.
He nods again but he was not exactly replying to my question.
It was more like a judgemental nod.
A look when you are studying someone.
A look where you solve an equation.
Without a formula.
I prepare the berries and put it on the blender.
Stefano comes forward and stands too close for my liking. Instead of giving me the skimmed milk, he leans forward to keep it on the counter whilst his torso pressed my back lightly.
“I was looking for you.”
I clench my teeth and try to move aside swiftly. But disliking my movement, he blocks my path with his calloused hand.
“Why?” I lift my face to look at him but his eyes were fixed attentively on my neck.
Leaning a little too low he tilts his head at the angle of my neck making me feel breathless with his each exhale.
My toes curl involuntarily and my breathing hitches.
Slowly turning his gaze to me, he slides his hand to my bare neck, the pad of his thumb rubbing a weak spot somewhere at the angle.
“Am I in your space?” He asks, his voice husky and deep.
But suddenly, it was not my own beat I was hearing but a synchronous tune. His pulse. His heartbeat.
I could feel him tense up. His ragged breathing. His deep exhales.
“Tell me if I am.” His lips were merely an inch away. Traumatizing me.
I could feel his breath fanning my burning skin as he spoke.
I try again to get out if his trap as his eyes narrows in right at the place where he had earlier gripped me.
Although my brain was affirmed that my makeup was top notch I couldn’t help but play the process repeatedly in my head. When I was in the washroom. When I took the colour corrector. When I applied the foundation. The concealer. Did it blend well?
He swiftly pulls my waist entrapping any motion. His hold slowly turning into a gentle touch. The warmth seeping through the light fabric comforting me in a bizarre way.
His right hand slips to the nape of my neck and in a second the tie was pulled and my hair cascaded in it’s full form.
I gulp realising what he was doing.
His hand on my waist waited for a second- too-long for my hair to touch it but it never reached.
He twirls me so that he was now facing my back to believe his own examination.
However, I turn immediately to enjoy the reaction on his face, thrilled to watch the combination of doubt and suspicion morphing into clarity. Although not completely.
“Yes.” I coax into his ear gently keeping my palm on his shoulder. And gave it a light push.
“You are in my space.” And I take a step back.
My once rapidly beating heart quieted down albeit very slowly. I turn the blender on to diffuse my inner chaos totally disregarding his presence.
Pouring the smoothie on the glass, I give it to Stefano who was still standing with a lost look.
“I am sorry.” It was not a mumble. Not a whisper. But a clear voiced apology.
His gaze was fixed on me and the longer he looked, the quicker his expression changed.
His lips slowly pulled up in a smirk. There was a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
“Were you always this red?” He ask with amusement while pointing at my cheek.
I touch it on reflex to find it particularly hot on my own skin. I reddened further.
A chuckle left his lips and my heartbeat zoomed to a hundred in nano second.
Leaving me in my own puddle, he walks out of the kitchen. I watch his back moving far from me.
I was about to tear my gaze away but then something stopped me.
A yellow hairtie.
He just placed it in his pocket.
***
Hello again!
Did you enjoy?
I definitely did. 😉