The One

Sweet Small Gesture

 As she flopped down onto the couch, phone in hand and apple in tow, Christian trailed her, plopping down right on her leg, forcing her to shift position uncomfortably—a clear offence in her book. "You know, you can sit anywhere else, right?" she quipped, exasperated by his choice of seating.

"I know, but I wanted to sit here—this particular spot," he replied with a cheeky grin.

"Suit yourself then. What a weirdo. And there's no need for you to come with us. Let's just say I'm trying to save your backside from an early grave by the end of the day." With that, she settled back into her comfy position, taking a small bite of her apple, relishing its juicy crunch.

Christian shot her a quick glance, fished out his phone, and ventured, "Can I have your phone number?"

"Sure. Your phone?"

"Here," he said, handing it over. She effortlessly saved her number and passed it back with the flair of a seasoned magician.

"Here you go," she chirped.

"Thanks, and I've called you, so save my number too."

Without much fuss, she replied, "Done," placing her phone back on the coffee table. In a moment of arrogance, she accidentally stretched her legs and inadvertently brushed against his thigh.

"Sorry," she muttered, a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Don't be! Let me repay my gratitude for yesterday's dinner," he said, eyes lighting up with mischief as he grabbed her leg and began to massage it. Karol protested half-heartedly, only for her protests to be swiftly silenced by the expert touch of his hands.

"No, no, you really don't have to do that—oh, hmm," she sighed, unable to stifle the pleasure bubbling to the surface.

"Gosh, that feels good," she admitted, almost shyly.

"You are good," she added with a low moan as he identified the sweet spot with pinpoint accuracy. Christian couldn't help but smirk, his inner champion shining through, especially when her moans took on a slightly louder timbre.

"How's this?" he asked, his fingers relentless as they worked their magic on her foot.

"Hmmm, that's it! Yes! Right there!" she exclaimed, joy spilling from her lips, and just then, the rest of the family—eavesdropping like the nosy bunch they were—stormed into the living room.

"What's this about amazing hands?" boomed William, bursting through the door like a scene-stealer in a soap opera.

"Which hands are amazing?" chimed in Anna synchronously, eyes wide with curiosity.

"What amazing thing are we missing?" added Sharon, all three of them looking like deer caught in the headlights, albeit with slightly more interest than they likely wanted to let on.

Karol rolled her eyes at the sight of their befuddled faces as she quickly extracted her leg from Christian's grip. "Eavesdropping again, guys? Thanks a lot, Christian, for the wonderful foot acupressure massage," she said, a cheeky grin plastered on her face.

"No problem at all! You can call me any time if you need a massage. I'm practically an expert!"

"Lots of practice, huh?" Karol shot back playfully, her smirk widening as she turned towards the others, who were shuffling awkwardly into their seats.

"And you lot really need to remember: eavesdropping is so last season! How old are you? If you're curious, just come in and join us. We'll keep you updated!"

Sharon cleared her throat, trying to suppress a grin as she pointed her finger teasingly at her sister. "We just didn't want to be rude and interrupt your adorable bonding time."

"What bonding time?! We haven't even graduated to that stage yet. We're in the 'getting to know each other' phase, right Christian?"

"Absolutely! We're merely understanding each other better. I was just giving her a massage because she worked so hard preparing dinner yesterday."

"Aww, look at the two of them, all lovey-dovey like a pair of old married folks; it's making me want to hurl," Sharon chimed in sarcastically, pretending to gag, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Please, at least I have a man who's willing to caress my weary feet and offer me a soothing massage because he truly appreciates my efforts. You know, cooking for fifteen people is no small feat, but it's all worth it since Christian gave me such a marvellous massage," Karol exclaimed, her voice spilling out in a surge of unintended praise for her friend. Realising she might have gone too far, she quickly adjusted, adding, "Erm, I mean, he's just a kind soul who helps others, and one of the ways he shows his gratitude is by offering a leg massage... am I right, Christian?"

Her gaze flicked to him, her eyebrows raised in a silent plea for validation. Christian met her gaze with earnest sincerity, his own voice steady, "But I've never done it for anyone else, just you." At that confession, Karol laughed, a hollow sound that echoed in the charged atmosphere, and she endeavoured to steer the conversation away from any awkwardness.

"Okay then, your parents. It's impossible you haven't offered them a massage too," she teased, trying to dispel the tension.

"Nope, never— not even my parents. Just you," he replied, his tone serious.

"Haha, haha, okay then! Ermm, it's ten o'clock, so I'd better get dressed. Bye!" Karol announced as she sprang to her feet, her eyes darting about as she searched for her phone, then quickly making her way out, not daring to look back.