During the Thunderstorm (Natural Disaster) ✔

Chapter Forty

Allegra couldn't get over what had happened.

No, someone had to pinch her because she was starstruck, bemused. Discombobulated. Her head was spinning and floating. And it had a weird effect, more powerful than any drug.

She somehow had her sister's blessing to date Federico.

Great.

That was good.

What wasn't so good at all was the fact that he thought it was a good idea to go behind her back, talk to Nina, and ask for said blessing.

What if Nina wasn't okay with it? Would Nina hate Allegra now?

It was the most accurate possibility—even though it didn't happen.

However, after feeling a shower of relief, Allegra felt a whiplash of fear and anger at Federico.

Strict manner of being too correct and honest her ass. She could have lost her sister because of Federico's impulsiveness.

With a decisiveness to scold him, she rang his doorbell and waited for him to open the door.

Her eyes were already narrowed into slit and she tugged her hands under her armpits in case they had the urge to fly to him and accidentally hug him or grope his chest and bicep. Or assault his mouth with a kiss for another taste. Because that could happen. Her body was a traitor.

When he opened the door, his eyes were wide open in surprise to see her there.

"Hey," his raspy voice made her hands tingle. "I thought I wasn't going to see you for at least another month."

His statement confused her. Her frown deepened. "Why?"

He shrugged. His shoulders were calling for her to—No. Nope. She was not going there.

"Last time you were avoiding me because of the kiss..." he trailed off. A small smile curled on his lips.

Oh.

She stuck to her anger, even though it started to weaken around him and his small smile. "Last time I didn't want to kill you," She answered with a growl.

He raised his eyebrows. "Ah. The hateful glare is back," He said with a sigh of satisfaction. "I missed it from the last time I saw it on the plane."

"Not funny," She grunted, curling her lips down. It was actually funny. She wanted to smile. How did he manage to cajole a smile out of her every time?

She needed fury. Not surrender.

Federico leaned against the doorframe and tilted his head. He was laid-back, unaffected by the hateful glare. "Not funny but charming. I really like it when you pout." And his eyes moved down to her lips, and she felt a paralyzing shock in her system when he licked his lips like he could summon her taste.

She tried to breathe in.

Focus. She needed to focus.

Her eyes narrowed so she could only see his blurry face because his entire, clear face was a distraction.

"What did I do now to regain your dislike and hatred? And how can I solve it?" He asked.

"You can't solve anything." Because you didn't break or screw anything. But you might as well.

"Then, how can I make it better?" His voice was serious as he stared back at her. He seemed impatient to make it better, to solve it. To be back in her good graces. "What does it take for you not to hate me? Because honestly," he sounded tired. "I don't want to wait another whole month before I can see you again. I miss you, Ally. A lot. Every day it gets worse. Each time I see you, I'm more addicted to being with you, and when you put this distance between us...Not very good for me to say the least."