Passionate Exchange

Chapter Fourteen

My hands find their way on his forearms instinctively, electricity shooting up my fingertips at the contact. I let out a shaky breath at the effect he has on me. All it takes is for him to stand less than a metre away and my hormones go haywire.

His gaze moves from my face to my hands resting on his arms. When his lip's part, I have to rip my eyes away from them. I could study his face for eternity but that wouldn't do me any help. Right now, I need to say this.

I stare at his shoes, embarrassed at my racing heart. "Why won't you just let me in?" My voice comes out barely above a whisper.

We stay like that for a while. Our chests rising and falling in unison and my hands wrapped around his arms. It's as if I'm clutching onto him to prevent him from going out of reach and closing himself off again.

Even though he hasn't moved an inch, I feel him slipping through my fingertips already. My heart screams at me to pull him close to me, as close as I possibly can, but my head warns me otherwise. I stand rigid instead, unable to decide which one to trust.

"Archer?" That little word is all it takes for me to lose him completely. "Are you in there?" Penny's voice travels towards us and I'm suddenly aware of her incoming footsteps.

My body moves before my head can catch up as I duck under his arm, so I'm out of his hold. I don't look back to catch his reaction out of fear that I'll see something I don't want to. Relief, maybe? Guilt that he didn't step away sooner.

Penny opens the door connecting the garage to the house moments later. Her eyes flash at the two of us, way closer than necessary as I continue to shuffle away.

"What are you doing in here?" Her eyebrow raises, her judgment spilling out of her gloss-coated lips. "I heard something fall."

I take this as my chance to sneak a look at Archer. He's already leaning over his bike, continuing to replace the air filter. He doesn't spare me or Penny a glance. "Nothing, Madison was just leaving." His voice is now emotionless compared to earlier.

A dull ache in my heart settles at his cold gaze but I try to conceal it. I chew on my cheek to distract myself and blink a couple of times. Despite my attempts, my lips still purse into a line.

I continue to stand there, processing his words. I don't take my eyes off him for what seems like forever. I know he can feel me looking but he remains unphased. Finally, I rip them away from him and follow Penny into the kitchen.

She takes a seat at the table. I run my fingers through my hair when she isn't looking. Why do I do this? I don't know. After, I pull the chair out opposite her.

"You look terrible," I state.

She places her hands over her chest, where her heart is and attempts to look hurt by my words. "If you two didn't make so much noise I'd still be looking terrible in my room." She grunts. My heart rate steadies when she doesn't mention anything about us being together.

*

"Can you take some of these sunflowers outside, please?" Melissa requests and I do as she says. To say this is my first shift, I'm doing pretty well. Well, in my opinion, I am anyway. I've served a few customers so far and they all left the shop seeming satisfied. That's a good sign.

I pick up the tan-coloured pot and proceed to make my way through the shop. My feet carry me outside despite most of my vision being blocked. I'm surprised I didn't trip over my feet. That's definitely something I'd do.

My relief is short-lived.

"Hi." A voice startles me, and my hands involuntarily release their grip on the pot. My eyes widen as I leap to catch it, but another pair of hands get their first. They hover centimetres away from the ground, having narrowly missed it smashing.