Beside me, Zioh’s laugh slipped out. A wide smile broke across his face, though his eyes remained fixed on his work. I noticed he’d slipped one of his AirPods out, listening as I rambled on.
He turned to me with a smile so deep and calm. It softened his whole face. “I’ve missed it so much.”
I stared back at him, raising my brow.
“I hope I can hear it forever.” His fingers brushed my cheek again, slowly moving down to my neck. “It’s good to hear you ramble again like your old self, thetrueyou.”
I smiled, familiar warmth seeped back into me.
We are going to be all right, aren’t we, Zioh?
I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug. “And the office feels so stuffy, you know? There’s nowhere to unwind. We often work late, and my team sometimes struggles to find a proper spot to make content.” I exhaled. “The rooftop would be nice, but it’s freezing and usually raining, plus the wind’s too strong.” I groaned.
“Once, I went to Google’s office, and you know what? Their office is amazing!” My voice rose with excitement. “They had rooms full of games, snacks and drinks, gardens, and many cozy, relaxing spaces. It was incredible. I kept imagining that if my team worked there, we could shoot content literally anywhere!” I shook my head in disbelief, recalling my visit years ago.
Zioh nodded along, his eyes focused solely on me. His arms folded now as he watched. Then it hit me:Oh no. Hadn’t I been talking far too much?
I must have been distracting him. And my recording… it must have been full of nothing but my voice, chattering away.
Biting my lip, I lowered my gaze. “Am I bothering you?”
Zioh frowned. “Did I say that?” His voice was low, steady. He pressed his thumb against my lips, firm enough to stop me biting them. My heart stumbled into a frantic rhythm, but I gathered myself and regained focus.
I shook my head. “No.”
He nodded, his expression softening. “Then you aren’t.”
I grimaced, whispering. “But I’ve been so noisy… sorry.”
“Have you seen me complain?”
Again, I shook my head.
Because he’d been smiling the whole time, his face calm, focused, serene.
“Then I don’t mind your noise, Tshabina,” he said with a reassuring tone. “I told you earlier, I’m glad to hearyouagain.”
He let out a quiet breath, smiling softly. “That’s it, then?”
I blinked. “Hm?”
“All your grumbles, finished?”
My cheeks heated up. I smiled, letting out a tiny snort. “Yes…”
That made him chuckle. “Feature wall,” he said, leaving me utterly confused.
My face crumpled into a frown, making him laugh more. “The wall you described earlier is called a feature wall. It’s designed to be the focal point of a room.”
“Oh…” I nodded, murmuring my little “oh” as if enlightened. His smile lingered as his hand rose again, tenderly brushing my cheek. “Do you fancy some food?”
I looked back into his eyes, watching him glance at his watch. “Andi beat you to it,” I teased, and the pair of narrowed eyes snapped back to me immediately. “Andi beat me to it?” The sharp tone echoed my words, heavy with challenge.
I nodded. “Yes, he already asked me first.” Resting my hands on his shoulders, I added. “You know how he is; otherwise he’ll start bitching again.” I pulled a face at the thought of Andi’s eccentric ways before smiling at Zioh, who still stared daggers at me. “So… another time?”
One corner of his mouth lifted. His hand slipped to my waist, tugging my chair until my thigh collided with him.
Gasping, I clutched his shoulders as our bodies were alarmingly close. Zioh’s gaze bored into mine before he lowered his head, aligning himself with me. My heart sped up, wild and unsteady, while the heat of his hand on my waist seemed to burn through my clothes.
