Her Home, His Heart | ✓

☆*✿FORTY (40)❀*★

♪♪My heart stops

When you look at me, just one touch

Now baby, believe me, this is real

So take a chance and don't ever look back.  ♪♪

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ [Teenage Dream] - [Katy Perry]

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Words failed Kian when Esmé stepped further out of the house to meet him. She looked enthralling with the coral & black floral off-shoulder chiffon top she wore on dark grey skinny jeans. Her outfit heightened her curves gracefully and her raven black hair, now straightened, flowed smoothly down her back. 

He was very glad he took the step to ask her out.

A not-so-subtle clearing of the throat from Petra and bark from Archie jolted him from his trance. Kian bent his head with the corners of his lips curved upwards. After a moment, he looked up and stepped forward, covering the distance between them, and handed Esmé the bouquet in his hand.

"You look beyond gorgeous."

Esmé smiled, stepping towards him to collect the flowers. "Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself."

He let out a throaty chuckle with his gaze softening up. He took her hand to place a sweet kiss on it, his eyes focused on Esmé.          

The flush that crept onto her cheeks tugged a warm smile onto his lips. He looked away from her briefly and turned to Petra. "We'll be on our way now, mother. You wouldn't mind looking after our dear Archie, would you?" 

Petra and Archie looked at each other with a snare, but Petra turned back to Kian. "We'll manage... But you better not be late!" She called after them as Kian led Esmé to his car.

Esmé chuckled not turning back but she halted in her steps once they reached the car. "Isn't this...?" 

Kian ran his hand over the newly repaired Volkswagen Up. "Yes, it is," he said and paused. His eyes narrowed with a silent look, studying her. "I... I hoped to override the memory of what happened in the car... and the unfortunate scene after with a smoother ride for our first date."

 While the memory of the car and the accident hadn't steered up a calming atmosphere within, her lips quirked up at the thought behind his words. "A new memory is bound to be made. You're driving after all."

A slow smile built onto his lips and his narrowed gaze relaxed. "A smooth and safe one?" he asked, opening the car door for her.

"Definitely."  

He closed the door once she got it, breathing easier and made his way over to his side. He settled in and turned to her.  "You ready?"

Despite her flighty hand movements, she turned to him with a smile that didn't fail to stun him and nodded. 

It was all the push he needed to start the car. With the windows down, the car moved and a calming breeze swept into it, soothing their nerves a bit. Kian turned on the radio, letting the sweet tune fill in the air.

Esmé hummed along silently to the familiar tune. An amused smile formed onto Kian's lips while he listened to her voice, only to join her a few minutes later, intending to ease her up despite his lack of knowledge of the song.

Laughter burst out of Esmé once Kian joined in with his off-key hum.

The laughing temporarily ended once they got to their destination. With a grin plastered on Esmé's face, she placed her hand in Kian's as he helped her down from the car.