True Love's Bite

19 // Embracing Love

I was woken from a beautiful dream by someone calling my name. I pried my eyes open and struggled to keep them open for a full minute before I rolled out of bed, my feet tangled up in the blankie.

I'd decided to take a nap sometime after working on the painting for a few hours. It sucked not having a phone because I couldn't check the time or set an alarm. Tossing the blanket aside, I staggered to the bathroom and washed my face, scowling at the paint stains on my dress. I needed to get an apron as soon as possible.

"YVONNE!" Esra's urgent voice had me hurrying out of my room.

"Esra?" I called as I neared the stairs.

Esra stood at the bottom of the stairs and held out her phone. "There's a call for you?"

"Who?" I mouthed as I took the phone from her.

"It's Cas. I'll just finish setting the table and then I'll join you for dinner after showering. I hope you don't mind?" She said, looking uncomfortable. "But you can go ahead and eat if you are too hungry."

I gave her an awkward smile. "No, it's okay, I'll wait for you. Uhm... I'll take this now." She nodded and returned to the kitchen while I made my way to the living room and laid on the couch. "Sy?" I finally answered the phone.

"Baby, what took you so long?" He whined. "I couldn't even give you a proper goodbye when I left because you were sleeping so peacefully and I did not want to wake you up."

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"I miss you so much and I just wanted to tell you that I can't wait for us to start our new venture and that I am looking forward to many more firsts with you." Silas had such a way with his words, most of the time I didn't know how to respond other than turning darker from blushing. "Are you still there."

"Uh huh." I said in a velvety voice, my mind going over everything we've been through together. "I know what you mean. Esra will be joining me for dinner soon, and I wish you could join us. Or you know, have a romantic dinner for two."

He drew in a sharp breath and exhaled. "That sounds really nice. I'll be sure to add that on our to-do list."

I laughed, of course only he would say something like that. "A to-do list?" I asked.

"Yeah. We still have so much to do, I feel like I've missed out on a lifetime, and now that you are here, there's an endless list of possibilities. Life is not so dull anymore."

That much was true, I could honestly relate to that, while I wished my mother would be a part of my life, I did not miss her oppressive ways.

The voices in the background brought me back, and my heart fell when I realised what it meant. "Is it time?"

"Yep!" He said with a sigh. "I have to get to work. I hate this place."

That gave my curiosity a nudge, I remember how he had mentioned that his workplace was a hellhole earlier, but then when I think of the time I met him, I thought he loved his job.

"Do you hate the job or the workplace?" I asked.

His soft chuckled filled the line. "Both. Baby, I hate both! That room is always so full of women, if they are not throwing themselves at me then they are connivingly trying to get me to sleep with them, especially old ladies. It's so... euw!" I could see him shuddering and I couldn't stop laughing. "I didn't go through all that hell to be terrorised and traumatised like this. Do you know when was the one and only time I enjoyed my job?"

That made me swallow into a baited silence. "N-no."

"It was when I met you that night."

I found myself reminiscing over how his hands worked my body like a pro, reliving every moment, every touch, every feeling. I found myself longing for his touch, sucking a sharp breath when I felt the need knocking at my core.