I could feel his warm breath against my ear, and without realizing it, I let out a small moan under my breath. He seemed taken aback for a moment, but then he placed a sweet, gentle kiss on the side of my ear and released me.
I sighed. Truth be told, I wasn’t ready for him to let go just yet. I wanted to feel his warmth a little longer, but I couldn’t let him take advantage of that. After all, he was still in the wrong. He nearly drowned me, and earning my forgiveness wasn’t going to be simple. He needed to work hard for it.
I turned to face Japen, noticing immediately that his face was flushed red. I furrowed my brows in confusion. Why was Japen blushing?
Clearing my throat, I stated firmly, “You’re not forgiven yet, so leave and try again tomorrow.” He nodded silently, just staring at me. I rolled my eyes. “Come on. Get out now, Japen.”
“I booked this cottage for you. Can’t I stay here for tonight?” he asked.
I furrowed my brows, about to respond, when a cold breeze swept in through the still-open door. I had almost forgotten it was open. As I moved to close it, Japen walked over and shut it for me.
Crossing my arms, I declared matter-of-factly, “You’re free to leave.”
I heard him chuckle softly before he turned to face me. Then, he stepped closer until he was standing right in front of me. I sneered at his audacity. “Do you have plans to leave? I want to rest.”
“Didn’t I say I booked this cottage for you? I want to stay here tonight.”
I scoffed, hiding any hint of enjoyment from our conversation. “You know I arrived here first. Don’t flatter yourself.”
He grinned and moved even closer. I didn’t back away, knowing Japen wouldn’t do anything unnecessary. “So you don’t trust me, Azora?” he teased with a wide grin.
I nodded, smirking back at him. “You want to claim this cottage?” He nodded in response. I shook my head in disbelief, though deep down, I knew I was just playing along. “You’re dreaming, boy.”
He chuckled softly and stepped closer still. There was only a centimeter between us, so I had to look up at him-Japen was taller than me.
In that proximity, I could feel his body heat enveloping me. I gulped as I gazed into his eyes. They looked weary and restless, lacking the sparkle they once had when I stayed at his house for weeks. I wondered what had caused Japen’s eyes to lose their luster.
I snapped back to reality when I felt his hand gently caress my cheek. When I looked at him again, there was longing and adoration in his eyes. I furrowed my brow. “What are you doing?”
Japen didn’t answer but instead lowered his head. His warm breath tickled my cheek. “Can I kiss you, Azora?”
I blinked at his question, feeling my cheeks flush. I looked away. “You have a girlfriend. Go kiss her if you want a kiss.”
I felt him grin at my response, then a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Japen pulled me closer to him, pressing my face against his chest. I had to tilt my head to the side to avoid his chest, but I could hear Japen’s racing heartbeat.
“You don’t know how beautiful you are, Azora,” he murmured.
I gulped at his words, feeling my cheeks burn even hotter. “I-I already knew that,” I retorted.
“Mmm…” He kissed my cheek softly, then planted another gentle kiss on the side of my head. “Do you know my secret, Azora?”
I lifted my hand to press against his shoulder, finding myself holding onto him for support as my knees weakened. But did I have to hold onto him when both of his arms were wrapped around my waist, keeping me pressed against his body?
“Who cares about your secret?” I asked.
His other arm moved to my upper back, pulling me into a hug. He sighed. “You should be curious about my secret.”
“Why should I?”
“It involves you,” he whispered.
Before I knew it, Japen lifted me up and carried me to the small lounge area of the cottage. He set me down on the couch and reached for the towel I had discarded earlier, then sat beside me.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Can’t let you sleep with wet hair,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes. “I was drying my hair for minutes before you knocked on my door. It’s not my fault this cottage doesn’t have a hair dryer.”
He hummed and continued drying my hair with the towel, his movements gentle enough to almost lull me to sleep. I closed my eyes and yawned. “That’s enough,” I mumbled sleepily. “My hair’s already dry.”
He muttered something in response, then pulled me closer. Once again, I found myself pressed against his warm, solid body. I smiled and leaned into the comforting hug. I knew it was Japen. I hugged him back, and after that, I didn’t remember what happened next.