Where Iris Bloom

Ch. 45 Skin tone

A/N: I hope you guys are ready for this 😉😉😉

Anyway, timeline for this will be more clearer on the next chapters.

_______________________________

Iris hoisted herself onto the marble countertop in the older woman's kitchen, as she lifted herself up, her skirt riding up as her feet dangled from the top, revealing her slim, porcelain legs. She was patiently waiting for Kim to finish cooking who's so engrossed in her tasks, Kim moved around with meticulous attention.

Days have passed since their return from Purawan, and a multitude of unexpected twists and turns have reshaped their lives. Nestled in Kim's place, they relish the comfort and coziness they temporarily left behind, savoring the moments that have rewritten the chapters of their shared journey.

While Kim was concentrating in cooking, Iris was meticulously watching her move around. Iris's eyes roamed her physique from the way her hair tied up in a messy bun,  the apron hugging tight around her waist, the way her lips twitched when she's unsatisfied with the taste, from the way her body sways with every motion. There's no denying how she missed Kim.

Upon their return, Iris ached to stay as humanly close as possible to the older woman. The absence of competition for the older woman's heart plunged her into the depths of security. No longer did she fret about Kim vanishing intermittently and a newfound reassurance settled within her.

"If staring could kill, I'd be on the floor by now." Kim uttered not bothering to turn her head around.

Iris giggled after getting caught red handed. "It's coz I miss you so much. We haven't compensated the time that we spent apart coz we were both ridiculously busy and occupied at the village. There are a lot of people around and I can barely hold your hand." Iris stated her argument baring her hidden frustration. If Kim has mustered all of her self-restraint to keep distance from Iris, the younger woman was no foreign to the same struggle.

They were both testing the waters and weren't in any rush to dive in, trying to avoid the same mistake they have committed in the past. They hadn't crossed the line of intimacy even when they were left to their own devices. Holding hands and hugging suppressed their deeper needs thinking they need to slow things down but not until the biggest plot twist of their life happened.

After staying for another week in the community, Iris needed to go back to work and Kim couldn't bear the idea of being left behind in the community so she made the decision to leave. There's no way on earth she'd let go of Iris after their biggest turn around. The dreadful feeling of being apart is off of her chart. Just the mere thought of it scared her to death, not to exaggerate but there's no way to put it.

Right after they got back, Iris needed to report to the hospital and so was Kim. She itched to go over all the paperwork she had left behind even though she entrusted it to her sister. Her workaholic nature pushed her to visit the office though she's not needed in there given that Genevieve has been so great in managing the whole business.

Them falling into their busy schedules hindered their chance to spend alone time to make up for their time apart. The two deliberately made sure that their duties have been fulfilled before finally settling into each other's arms.

Just when Kim was about to lean in and capture the young woman's lips, the door opened revealing Genevieve holding a medium sized pink box with a mischievous smile on her lips. It annoyed Kim beyond words with her unannounced appearance.

"God, Viv! Has the concept of ringing the door bell left your consciousness?!" Kim scoffed taking a step back, away from Iris who didn't even flinch at the counter.