"I"m sorry."Evangeline blinked. Didn"t get why Eric was apologizing. Is he apologizing because he kissed me?
Her anger melted the softness on her face, but her rage didn"t have the chance to burst when it completely dispersed when Eric pushed himself up enough to see her beneath him.
He soothed her anger when he saw she was about to burst. "Eve, I promise . . . starting from now on, I"ll fetch you at your place in the morning and go to the market with you to buy ingredients. I"ll cook your breakfast, lunch, and even your dinner if you like. I"ll not just do your school projects and a.s.signments and carry your things. I"ll also send you back home every day. I"ll do everything you want me to do . . . so . . . I"m sorry. . . I hope you can forgive me from what I did and give me another chance."
". . ."
After a period of silence, her hand caressed his left cheek, tracing the scab with the tip of her fingers.
"I"m sorry too . . . ," she said, starring straight at his silver eyes. "This will probably leave a scar. We should have it treated––"
He briefly shook his head and held her hand on his face as he leaned closer. Their forehead was touching while their eyes never strayed from each other.
"No. I don"t want it removed," he said. "This is a reminder that I had been a jerk to you. I want to keep it."
". . ."
". . ."
For a time, no one wanted to disturb the silence –– the comforting silence that not even the animals and insects wanted to disturb. As if they were waiting, quietly waiting for what will happen.
"Thank you . . . ," she said, barely a whisper.
"For what . . .?"
"For being you . . . ," she answered, her voice croaked.
He smiled, a gentleness in his smile and softness in his eyes . . . until replaced by the seriousness of his face as he hovered above her.
"Eve . . . About my work––"
She pressed her index finger on his lips, didn"t let him continue.
"It"s fine," she said, "I mean. Why haven"t I think of it before?! Since you won"t resign from your work and h.e.l.l-bent on working . . ." She trailed, in her eyes hidden mischief.
"Then I"ll go to you," she said, grinning from ear to ear. "I"ll work where you work. With my qualifications, it"ll be easy as making tea to get in Sparkle entertainment though I need you to resign as that bit––Angel"s a.s.sistant and be my personal a.s.sistant from now on. Isn"t that perfect?"
And she was back to her arrogant self with her raised brows and smug smile, oozing with nothing but confidence and self-praise for thinking a wonderful idea.
Eric was in a daze. Actually, he was going to tell her that he would quit Sparkle entertainment and be her servant twenty-four seven. Deciding it was time to man up and pick a future. A future he sealed the moment he went to Everland to find her.
But . . . Of course, somewhere in him still was hesitant. Not because of his inheritance and all the power and wealth that came with it, but because he was going to give up his family. Once he failed, he would be disowned. Cast out. Never permitted to go back to Frizkiel nor see his family. And for that, he was unwilling.
But if Evangeline did enter Sparkle entertainment and if he worked under her –– it would be absolutely perfect! Even if she didn"t have any projects and a n.o.body in the entertainment world, it was not important. As long as he was her a.s.sistant and be with her, all is fine!
When Eric didn"t reply, Evangeline continued –– determined to make her proposal a reality.
"Don"t worry. I"ll call Sparkle entertainment board of director or the president. I"ll ask her to transfer you to me as my personal a.s.sistant. You don"t have to worry about a thing. I"ll take care of everything!" she said, a rea.s.suring smile never left her face while Eric stared at her, his lips tugged at the corners, fighting a smile.
He leaned and kissed her forehead. The smacking sound bounced in every part of the room.
"Alright, I"ll leave it in your hands," he said, hiding his plans beneath a gentle smile. He wouldn"t leave everything to her though. He had his ideas to ensure he would be her a.s.sistant no matter what it took.
Evangeline bit her lips when a giggle threatened to escape her throat. It was prerogative and outmost important to maintain her image. Though her red face already gave everything away.
Eric suppressed a laugh. He laid down beside her, capturing her eyes –– silver irises staring intimately with lilac ones.
". . ."
". . ."
"Eve . . . ," he said, voice above a whisper, soothing its way into her heart. "I . . . I"ll be patient with you. I"ll be understanding, and I"ll always treat you in kindness and never grow angry with you. I know you"re not exactly a woman who needs protection, but I"ll do exactly that. And I know you"re far from perfect and have your flaws . . . still, I want to stay with you and care for you. I"ll be with you each and every day. I"ll make your breakfast, lunch, dinner. Talk about the little things with you. Watch silly movies with you. Embrace and protect you until you accept me . . . all of me."
He smiled when tears brimmed in her eyes. His finger gently wiped the sparkling drop of water before it could fall on her cheek.
"You don"t have to believe me now. I"m not even asking you to. I will prove it every day, every time, every hour, every minute, every second –– always . . . I love you."
". . ."
Blurs, everything was blurring . . . Why was it blur? Evangeline thought.
It was strange. His smile, which rarely on his face, was itched in her head even if she couldn"t see it with all the blurs. His pleasant voice, which she barely heard, caused even her tiniest nerves to jump in excitement. The feeling of satisfaction every time he stared at her, peeked at her, or just glanced at her.
She never experienced anything like it. Like all the air was taken away from her lungs with just his look. With just his simple words, he was untying all the knots in her heart. And when they kissed, it was like the billions of stars collided, forming an entire universe.
What was she feeling? Was it love? She didn"t know.
Before him, she was whole. She was all she ever needed. Now, every time he was far, not hearing his voice made her heart squirmed in agitation. Not able to feel those sparks and breathtaking sensations every time his silver eyes stared at her, she felt that something was missing –– she was incomplete.
Yet somehow, she . . . she was more than she was ever before.
Her mind flashed a memory under the summer sky where she watched a man wiped his gla.s.ses and when he looked up . . . she imagined love to be the color of his eyes.
"Eric . . . I . . . ," she croaked, throat dry.
Whatever she was going to say was stopped at the sensation of his finger against her lips. She was tempted to stick her tongue out, itching to have a taste of the fine specimen of his coa.r.s.e skin. She held herself eventually when he spoke with a tone that was like a caress of a lover.
"You don"t have to reply . . . You don"t have to define our relationship. I"m already happy and contented to be by your side and just be with you."
". . ."
Her lips that were in the mercy of his finger gradually puckered, and Eric found himself bewitched looking at it. His finger unknowingly pressed those plump flesh before lightly tracing its shape. Enthralled and mesmerized like he was drawing the constellations across every line and contours of her lips.
Evangeline didn"t know what he was doing, but she had no intention of stopping him. Even when he leaned closer, eyelids half-closed and lips parted, she didn"t back away. Instead, she welcomed it with open mouth and closed eyes.
He was so close. His breath warm on her skin, and his smell pulled her in a new world. His scent of ancient wood, raspberries, and fresh morning dews from the forest after a rain intermingled in a harmonious fragrance which calmed her rampaging hormones. Intense, sweet, a little salty but fresh.
Their lips touched. It wasn"t fierce and pa.s.sionate. It was slow and barely touching. But it was enough to make her heart beat many times per second. One that made her forgot reality –– forgot the world. One that was very comforting more than the comfort of her pets and her favorite warm quilt and hot chocolate on a rainy day.
He traced the top of her lip with his tongue, slowly moving to her lower mouth. And when she stuck her tongue out to do the same to him, his lips were gone.
The sensation of loss forced her eyes open. Her vision was filled with nothing but him. Thick lashes, closed eyelids and the steady stream of hot air rising from his parted lips, shoulders rising and falling.
He was asleep!
". . ."
She wanted to continue kissing. If possible, she wanted to kiss all night. But the bag under his eyes and the patches of purple around it prevented her from disturbing his slumber.
She carefully stood to her feet and ransacked her mountaineering bag for her newly bought comfortable outdoor bed and some thick comforters. Though the room was cozy and the fireplace provided warmth, it was still a bit cold even with all her thick fleece coats.
She arranged the bedding near Eric and turned off the lamp before she casually laid beside him and covered themselves with the comforter.
She snuggled closed to him. Pressing her head against his shoulder, her arm nestled on his chest. His steady heartbeat was like a lullaby in her ears, and not before long, she fell asleep with a smile on her lips.
At this moment, small and big creatures peered their heads from their nests. Insects stopped and stared over the night sky where sparkling dust of white and blue shoot across the sky until hundreds of glowing clouds of dust blanketed the night.
Wishing the two unsuspecting sleeping couple a good night.