When Everything Fails (De Chavez #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I COULDN'T breathe. Really. I was stunned for a moment. I sucked a breath but I could feel the knotting in my stomach. I felt the dampening of my palms as I waited for my brain to function those words that slipped out of his lips.

He wanted to court me. The cold wind gusted against my bare face, ruffling every lock to dance along my face. With the cold whisper of the wind, the hammering of my chest accentuated the sharp wedges trying to hole the bubble of fear that lodged in my chest. A sigh flew out of my slightly parted lips. Honestly, I didn't know what to do. The thudding of my chest electrocuted any rational senses left in my body, leaving me breathless, lost for words, dumbfounded.

I watched Kei as he titled his head to the side, accentuating his sharp angular jaw. As I stared at his strong features, goosebumps rippled through the sweet sheet of skin that covered my flesh. I gasped as I fumbled for words that seemed to slosh out of the box in my head. Before this conversation, I felt the emptiness in my chest but after hearing those words from his lips, I felt full; assured; certain. I wanted to try. I wanted to take a step forward. Knowing Kei was ahead of me, looking for me; guiding me. I felt safe. He was right. I couldn't just willow into my fear of the unknown.

Looking at him, I closed my eyes and nodded slowly. When I opened my eyes, I saw how his eyes gleamed with so much adoration and satisfaction. The side of his lips stretched into a playful smirk that summoned the chills to ripple down my spine. Kei closed the tiny space between us with one step. The gap between us was just an inch. I could feel his breath brushing across my face. My palm was still pressed onto his chest, feeling the fast and aggressive thuds of his heart. I was so enthused by knowing that I had this effect on him; that this love was never a one-sided one. He felt something for me— something strong that I barely felt mine. It was so strong it overshadowed the little thumping of my heart against my ribcage.

"I will court you, Aisha..." He informed with the softness on his voice sashayed down to my ears like a mellow song luring me to sleep.

"I don't know what to do..."

I was clueless about the dating department. I barely read a romance novel, let alone watching a romance drama. As of now, I was not yet engrossed in reading romance novels, nor was I in reading erotica. I didn't know how to show my emotions, I didn't know if I was already stepping the line or not. I guessed I could check some romance novels in my Goodreads. I cleared my throat as I realized that I was already stepping into that department and I felt something heavy burdened into my chest. But it wasn't as heavy as before nonetheless. Maybe, they were the residual of my fear that dissipated the moment I hear the cooing voice of Kei that sank into my mind like a whisper of coaxing, parting the central gate in my mind, letting the inhibitions fly out of my wake.

"You don't need to do anything, Aisha." Kei whispered, his breath shamelessly brushing my face. I smelled the waft of his breath, minty and addictive.

"What if you'll lose interest because of my lack of knowledge regarding this department?" I asked, the concern in my voice kicked in, making Kei's eyebrow shot up.

"I've been waiting for this to happen, my Aisha. Do you think I'll lose interest even a single tad bit?" He cradled my face and when his thumb grazed the bottom of my lips, I felt the surging of ache like fireworks crackling in every nerve-ends of my body. "I've been dreaming your lips on mine while you are doing this useless game you started, babe."

"That's not useless!" I hissed, I glowered at him but a smile curved at the side of his lips, "I was just afraid of falling deeper for you."

At the short transition of time, I saw his eyes sparkled with so much happiness, "Then where did it bring you?"