He opens his eyes. Looks up at me. And there’s something in his expression that makes my chest tighten unexpectedly.
“What?” I ask, quieter than I intended. He studies my face for a second. Like he’s memorizing it. Like he has time.
Then he lifts his head slightly—Just enough to press a kiss to my cheek.
It’s gentle and entirely unfair. “You look good like this,” he murmurs.
My fingers still in his hair. My guard somewhere behind me, trying to catch up.
“Like what?” I ask, because I need something to hold onto.
“Not fighting everything.” I withdraw my hand before I can think about it.
“I’m not fighting anything.”
He doesn’t argue, only beams at me. Which is worse.
Because it means he’s choosing not to push. And that feels more deliberate than any argument.
I shift slightly, trying to regain some sense of control over this situation.
“You should get up,” I say.
“I will,” He smirks, “Only if you promise to eat?” I nod reluctantly.
“And you promise to run your hands through my hair later?”
I feel my cheeks redden, “Are you a dog?”
He chuckles, his eyes turning a playful shade of green, “I will be that if you want me to be.”
CHAPTER 43
ARYAN
I don’t tell her where we’re going. Partly because I know she’ll overthink it. Mostly because I like the way her brows pull together in that tiny frown when she’s trying to figure something out and failing.
She’s been side-eyeing me for the last ten minutes. “You’re being suspiciously quiet,” I say, glancing at her.
“I’m observing,” she replies without looking at me.
“Observing what?”
“You.”
I grin. “And what have you concluded so far?”
“That you’re planning something unnecessary.”
“That hurts.” He feigns hurt.
“It shouldn’t. You do unnecessary things all the time.”
“Excuse me,” I scoff, “this is effort.”
She's quiet for a moment and I wonder what's going on in her pretty head. “Thank you,” She murmurs so softly, I almost think I imagined it, “I am sorry…” She looks at me, guilt flashing inher eyes, “I am rude to you when all you do is do things for me that…” She shakes her head as if she can’t believe she’s saying all this, “only makes my heart beat faster.”
For a second, I don’t respond. Not because I don’t have something to say. But because I’m trying to hold onto the moment exactly as it is.
