Taken In

Chapter 45

Javier's POV

Standing in the kitchen I watch Bre intently as she rambles on, curls in her big puff of hair bouncing with her in excitement as she paces around the living room, telling me about the highlights of our day together.

"An- and do you remember the froggies too? They were so cute!" She exclaims, fists tightened in enthusiasm.

"Yeah I remember." I respond with a smile, putting the leftovers we brought from the restaurant we went to earlier in the refrigerator. She wanted me to introduce her to new types of food she hasn't had before, so today we picked Vietnamese, it seemed to be one of her favourites.

"Remember the reptile house?" I tease, knowing she didn't like the snakes there and wanted to leave immediately, she almost pushed me out of the way once she saw some snakes moving closer to the glass, it was hilarious- to me anyway.

"Yeah." She nods, sulking a little, "I know I like animals but I don't like snakes, they're scary." She continues.

"I know." I console her, trying to switch the topic back to something more exciting, "The drawing that lady did was nice though."

"Yeah it's so pretty!" She says with a grin, looking around the living room to pick it up from the couch.

"I like the hearts you have in your eyes in the picture." She says to me as I leave the kitchen to join her. "I wish I had them too so we can match!"

"Yeah? You have heart eyes for me?" I play around again, childishly trying to gauge her feelings for me.

"I'm not sure what that means." She continues, giggling again. I laugh too, remembering I need to be more straight forward with her.

"Would you like to keep it?" She says innocently, but my heart drops.

"What, the drawing?" I clarify.

"Yeah!" She responds, unaware of my change in tone. She probably didn't mean anything by it, but it makes me think for a moment- maybe she doesn't see me the way I see her, maybe she doesn't plan to stay with me for much longer too.

"How about we keep it?" I suggest, trying to keep the mood light.

"We can share?" She asks with wide eyes, and I laugh again, she's the most pure hearted person I've ever met.

I smile at her again, getting comfortable on the couch as she walks around the coffee table slowly. "Of course we can, we live together, why wouldn't we share?"

"That's true." She places the picture on the coffee table next to her, picking it back up again not long after to trace the details of the drawing with her finger slowly. I don't think I've ever felt love like this, and it kills me more and more every day to keep it to myself. I wish I could tell her how I feel but that would only complicate things.

I'm the only person she truly trusts right now, and I can't take advantage of her vulnerability, even if it's unintentional. What if she's only reciprocated my acts of kindness because she's nervous I'll tell her to leave?

I can't expect her to suddenly have feelings for me two months after all the shit that happened with her ex either, she's still healing- and I need to respect that. Whatever I want, or think I want comes last, I just want her to be happy, even if it's at my expense.

Bre sits close to me, laying her head on the backboard of the couch.

"You good?" I ask, realising I've probably been zoned out while trying to think through all the bullshit going through my head. It's crazy how with all the shit going on with Arturo, Saco and Gabriel, the only person I can think about is her. She's my everything, and that's not a feeling that's easy for me to admit. As much as I want to have her I know how much I'm scared to lose her.