Chapter 22


    A burst of heat was felt on the right side of me, as Iid there all snug and warm upon his couch. Tired


    limbs stretched themselves outwards, toes perked high enough for me to see the scarlet red nail polish


    I was currently wearing. I wiggled my toes tiredly, and thenid my weary head upon a plush pillow


    behind me. Ever so slowly my eyelids closed, while I attentively listened to the song that came from


    Teddy’s piano. He was seated on a slim ck bench, his fingers pressing upon the keys in an elegant


    manner as he performed a song for me. When I opened my eyes I could see the tall white cafe styled


    mug resting on the top of his piano, light wavy lines of heat drifting over his hot chocte. The window


    was open just a crack, enough for me to hear the ocean’s waves crashing against the cliffs.


    The sound of a music sheet being turned struck the air, but it was not long before Teddy had his two


    hands upon the nched white keys again. I watched his quick movements, the intense focus he


    demonstrated for anything that had to do with the arts. A small white coffee table was on the right of


    me, with a clear flute vase made out of ss at its center. A cluster of yellow irises rested inside of it;


    petals as bright as a midday sun blooming wondrously under the dark vescent glow of the fading


    sunlight. Crimson skies hovered over the horizon for the sun was losing thest of its colour as we


    neared the end of the day. Teddy had promised me he would take me home before it became too dark,


    so I knew we had only a short time left before I would have to leave his ce.


    The music was slow and somber-like, though it was beautiful all the same. It reminded me of the still


    peacefulness you get when there is a light drizzle of rain. My imagination ran away with me, and I could


    picture glossy cobbled streets with darkened silhouettes of people stepping under a shower of rain.


    Teddy may have had the gift of painting imagery with a paintbrush and a good set of paints, but I had


    my imagination, and a vivid one at that.


    Teddy had reached the end of the song. A long arm outstretched itself to grasp at the pure white mug.


    He drank his hot chocte deeply before settling it down. I watched him turn an easy gaze towards the


    fire, observing the sunburnt orange mes flickering in the darkness. He suggested putting on a fire to


    make the room more cozy, assuring me that once the sun had fully set the house would descend into


    an ufortably cold temperature.


    I rolled over the couch to lean onto my side, pulling a pillow downwards to ce itfortably against


    my head. It felt so easy to watch him, to take in this man that was so mysteriously alluring from the


    start.


    “Nearly time to go.” Teddy lifted up a leg and straddled the sleek ck benchpletely. “S?”


    “I heard you.”


    “I enjoyed it,” he mentioned with a raise of his right hand.


    “I enjoyed this evening too, Teddy.”


    “We had a bit of a rough day, but things worked out in the end,” he wisely remarked. “And I think we


    should do it again sometime.”


    I smiled at him, and then buried the front of my head into the pillow because my grin was bing


    much toorge for me to even fathom. There was a strange feeling at the bottom of my stomach, a


    wave of happiness that was beyondprehension. I retained my position for a little bit, trying to


    compose myself in front of Teddy. I felt childish and girly, and this was not the kind of thing I would


    normally do.


    “While you areying there like that,” Teddy taunted with a cunning edge to his voice. “Would you like


    another cup of hot chocte?”


    I rolled over to my left, revealing my face to Teddy atst. My wavy chestnut hair had be wild and


    untamed after lounging so long upon his pillow. I brushed it back quickly, but I could feel my cheeks


    zing with embarrassment from the look in his eyes. “No, I am alright.” I brought my hand downwards


    and stroked my bottom lip, remembering he had not kissed me since we had lunch together. I was


    dying to ask him toe over to the couch, but I thought that would only spell trouble.


    “You’ve gone quiet,” he observed, while he continued to stare at my telling visage.


    “Have I?”


    “Yes, you have.”


    I pursed my lips tightly; dark eyes darted to the ceiling as I tried to control my facial expressions. This


    would be a perfect time for a distraction, but unfortunately Luna was off somewhere fast asleep in


    Teddy’s house. I let out a yawn while covering my mouth. It was clear it was time for me to go to bed. “I


    think I should go.”


    “It’s gettingte,” he agreed with me.


    “Thanks for letting mee here.”


    He let out a smallugh that brightened his face. “Thank you for epting my invitation,” he cleverly


    quipped. “And for joining me for dinner. I hope you liked it.”


    “You’re a good cook.” He bowed his head in open approval. “And pianist.”


    “And you are,” he began, as he did his best to get off the narrow bench. “A good gardener.”


    “I get paid for it,” I taunted with a quick wink in his direction. “But thank you.”


    He unconsciously licked his lips as he strode towards me. By the time he was standing in front of the


    couch, I could tell he was deliberating what he should do next.


    I pulled my legs inwards, providing him enough room to take a seat as well. He stared at the spot for a


    moment, but the temptation was too strong for him, and soon enough he took a seat on the small spot I


    had left for him. An arm rested over the top of the couch, and then he rxed his legs enough for it to


    be outstretched in front of him. I watched Teddy’s left hand stroke the bottom of his chin, while a


    thought seemed to overtake him. “When will I see you again?”


    “I’m free tomorrow. Unless that is too soon.”


    “Tomorrow will work for me.”


    “What do you want to do?”


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    “It will be a nice day,” he sighed out in exhaustion. “I am sure we could go for a trail walk. Most of them


    naturally lead to the sea, so you will be able to walk along the sandy coastline. How does that sound?”


    I leaned forward in my seat, drawing my arms around my bent legs. “That sounds nice.”


    Teddy dragged the tip of his fingers along the front of his outstretched neck, and then let it rest over his


    bow-tie. “We should leave,” he dered aloud.


    I looked past him to see the red sky darkening over the horizon, a shame really, for I should have liked


    to stay longer. My feet slid off the side of the couch and plummeted to the floor. My arms stretched


    themselves wide while I let out a short exhale in exhaustion. My body was crying out for sleep, so it


    was about time that I headed home.


    Teddy rose from thefortable couch first. A hand was offered to me in return, something I eagerly


    epted so he could pull me back upon my feet. I stood in front of him now, recognizing the stark


    differences in our height when he was so close. He made no sound, but the earnest look in his dark


    brown eyes said it all. I lowered my gaze slightly, feeling shy when we were standing so close together.


    My hand was taken up, and then a delicate kiss was pressed to the back of it. In an extremely low


    drawl, he said: “Thank you foring.”


    I nodded my head timidly. Lips curled inwardly until my cheeks had small dimples in the center of them.


    An immense sexual tension filled the air, especially when he still had the back of my hand hovering just


    over his lips. The look in his eyes was unmistakable, but would he give in?


    “We should go,” he uttered with some difficulty.


    “Uh huh.”


    It was unfortunate that neither of us were willing to move. My lips pursed together tightly, for the energy


    radiating from him was too much to bear.


    The inside of his right cheek poked outward, for his tongue was jabbing the inside of it fiercely. I had


    never seen him so conflicted so before, so tortured by his inward thoughts. His jaw rxed, and soon


    he opened his mouth only to find that no words woulde. Distraught, he turned his eyes away and


    settled it over the fire.


    “Do I make you happy, Teddy?” I asked in a light tone of voice.


    “More than,” he stopped himself short. He nodded his head willingly, before uttering: “More than words


    can say.”


    “If it helps, you make me happy too. I am d I did not take other people’s advice.” He blinked


    quizzically. “To stay away from you.”


    “And who told you that?” he asked with distrust.


    “Daphne.”


    “Daphne,” he repeated in a steely tone of voice. My hand was instantly lowered, and I found his hand


    recoiling from mine until it fell into his trouser pocket.


    “I ignored her. I wanted to judge you…” I paused because the look in his eyes was quite dangerous.


    “Based on your own character.” Teddy’s jawline rxed substantially to the point that the dangerous


    look in his eyes slowly ebbed away. “I don’t go down to the vige for a reason. Besides, even if they


    told me the most horrible things about you,” I paused toy a hand over the side of his arm. “I still


    wouldn’t believe it. I can tell that you are a good man, Teddy.”


    “Even the purest of men have done wrong,” he countered. “But no, S, I have done nothing to cause


    such…” His eyebrows lowered over the hoods of his sockets. “Condemnation.”


    “Then why do you fear going down there?”


    The grandfather clock struck, sounding loudly enough to gather our attention. I looked down at the


    watch on Teddy’s wrist, surprised to see it was eight o’clock. In a matter of seconds he reached for my


    hand, and pulled me away from theforts of his living room, determined to bring me into the


    hallway. “We have to go,” he urged. A finger was pointed to my sandals and tote bag next to the door.


    “Put it on.”


    “Why the rush?”


    “Please,” he begged, which was not his normal manner of speaking to me. “Do as I say.”


    I walked away from him to slip on my sandals, deciding it was best to listen to Teddy’s instructions. I


    could hear him patting the front of his trouser pockets frantically, searching for something that was out


    of sight. “I need my keys,” he said with desperation. “And wallet!” The back of his hand dragged over


    his brow, while he closed his eyes profusely. “Where did I put it?”


    “It could be somewhere in the kitchen,” I suggested.


    “Stay here,” hemanded with a pointed finger directed to the floor. “And don’t


    move.”