Eyes So Blue I Drown

19| Bathtub

ARABELLA

"She isn't a mafia princess, Maria"

"Well, if she's related to you, she surely is one"

"How many times do I need to tell you I'm not a mafia boss?"

"You are nothing less than that, though"

I keep my eyes close and listen to their voices. I can't dare to view what's around me. I can't think of anything. I don't know what to think anymore.

I slowly open my eyes and glimpse at my hand, my fingers locked with Luca's -- tightly and protectively.

Sooner, or later; I don't really know anything about time but the lady left after talking with Luca. She was talking with him as if they're very good friends.

Luca darts down at me and sees my eyes opened-staring at nowhere with lack of focus.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, caressing my head.

"Cold."

He gets up and walks to my closet. He takes out a pair of comfortable clothes from it and comes back to me.

"Take... whatever you're wearing off, and wear these" he says after gathering a towel and the clothes near my head.

He begins to walk to the exit door but I sit up and grab his hand. I can already feel fear consuming me back with the thought of becoming all alone.

Even if it's for one moment.

"I don't want to be alone" I say honestly.

His face becomes blank.

Having the correct moment, I stare inside his deep blue eyes.

Somehow, I don't find them terrorising me. Instead, they're doing to me what I have always felt under their gaze. I'm finding them comforting, and captivating.

"I won't leave. Do you have a hair dryer?" the sudden confidence in Luca's voice makes me snap out of my thoughts.

I point my eyes at the drawer on my nightstand.

I slide the sheets down my body and unhook my bra from behind. My body is nothing he has not seen before.

Every inch of my body is familiar with his gaze; with his touch. I shake my head, why am I reminding myself of that?

I pull it away from my chest, feeling the coldness inducing. I stare at Luca biting down his lower lip, not so lightly to be called as gentle. He's focused on the drawer as he takes out the hair dryer. He's intentionally delaying the process.

I pick up my top and wear it.

Without removing the sheets much from my legs, I change my wears and relax, fixing two pillows against my back.

Luca's gaze never turned on my side. He had been holding the dryer still in his hands since last two minutes. "I'm done" I tell and he finally blinks twice before darting at me.

He switches the dryer on, letting its buzzing sound fill the air between us. "Let me dry your hair then" he insists.

I nod and he takes tendrils of my hair in his hand, causing the warm air blow on my head. Tendrils by tendrils, Luca is carefully drying my hair, making a small smile touch my lips. It will take whole half an hour like this.

But it's not bothering me. I've enough self awareness not to add 'I wonder why' next to my sentence. His presence is comfy.

~~~