Illicit Affair (Published With Etluxocpub)

21 - What Now

We walked in silence. The wood floor, soft against our bare feet, led to the open space layout in the center of my home. Of course, he was used to seeing beautiful homes. Probably grander and more stately than my shabby house. I could've had built something like that, but I prefer homey place to home to. I choose this house because it reminds me of him. I chose warmth over stark. Every little detail in the house I'd thought of—him, even the painting here are inspired from his paintings.

The furniture, picked for both comfort and style yet affordable, dressed each room.

I led him to the guest room. I turned the knob and opened the door. "This will be your room for tonight. It is not much but I think you can be comfortable in it."

He stepped past me. His bare arms grazed my chest. "This is nice, Zander. Not what I expected at all."

What did he expect? I didn't want to get into a conversation with me standing outside his room and he's looking like that.

"So, where's your room?"

"There on the other side of the house." And well way away from you.

"Well, do you have something I can wear?"

Oh, shit. All of the clothes hanging in the closet in his room were for him."Ahhm. There are unsued new set of clothe in the closet. You can use that."

I started walking down the hallway, but when I turned, I found him behind me.

"Do you need anything Noelle?"

"Are you going to leave me alone in that room Zander." He smiled. His grin sent a lifeline to somewhere I don't want to be alive right now. No. No. No. Three ways saying the same thing meant the same answer. No touching Noelle at this state. You're no good for him right now, and he definitely do not need that right now.

I heard him follow me inside, and without looking back, I quickly made my way to cabinet where extra blanket store, I just grab one blanket to give to him.

Turning around, I expected to find him in the doorway. Instead, he stood at the wide opened windows facing the vast ricefield in the far corner. The moonlight shone, catching his wavy hair. From here, I could make the outline of his body.

What the hell, man. You got to stop thinking about like that.

"This is magical."

"It's a beautiful view indeed," I said, my tone clipped. "I've got some blankets for you, it gets cold by dawn here."

"You built this place, right?"

"Yes, I did. When i decided to tranfer here, I have to have a place to stay. I built this from memory." I answered him.

He turned to face me and took the blankets. His hand brushed my thumb, and it sent a current down the base of my spine. I stood taller than him, a lot taller without his shoes too.

He stood on his toes and wrapped his arms around my neck. "Thank you, Zander," he said, kissing me on the cheek.

My arms wrapped around his lower waist, and his chest brushed against my chest, his smell intoxicating like candy apples. We stayed like this for too long. Letting my arms fall to the side, I said, "I think you should get some rest, Noedlle. We'll figure the rest out tomorrow."

He turned on his heel without looking back. Grateful for his exit, I exhaled. Having him this close and all to myself was testing my strength.

Control. Control it, Zander. I kept that mantra while I was trying to sleep.

After a lengthy call with Connor with me telling him all the details Noelle told me, I went for a long run to clear my head. When I'd left, his door was closed. Presumably, he was still asleep. Connor's words played in my memory like a rerun as I pounded the hard ricefield. "Take care of my princess," he'd said on the phone.