Queen of my Heart

22

I'VE GOT A NEW JOB.

Three days in London and I was already more than prepared to start a brand-new life.

“I'm happy for you,” Bryan said, pulling me beside him.

The sofa cushioned my fall. “Me, too.” I peered at him from beneath my eyelashes. “It's all thanks to you.”

A soft smile grazed his lips. “I just provided you shelter—you did this all on your own.”

I placed my head on his shoulder, linking our fingers together. “I'm excited about this new life,” I admitted with a small grin, focusing on how well our hands fit together. “I can't believe I'm finally leaving everything behind.”

“I hope you're not leaving me,” he said lowly, almost as if he didn't mean for me to hear it.

Raising my head to meet his searching gaze, I squeezed his hand. “You're here. You're the part of my past life that I'll never leave behind, Bryan.”

His eyes were full of light. “That's got to be the sweetest thing anyone ever told me.”

He reached up and twirled a lock of my hair around his finger, his intense stare never leaving mine.

The atmosphere changed. The tension was so thick you could slice through it with a knife, but none of us spoke for a while, and before I knew it, we were leaning in close enough to kiss.

I didn't know where our relationship stood, but somehow, in the span of a few days, I've become more intimate with Bryan than I did with anybody else.

It was like we had our own bubble of joy where only the two of us existed. It wasn't like when I was with Shane at all. This—this one was more special. This was the kind of relationship I know will last, not because Bryan and I loved each other, but because we trusted each other.

We were together—miles and miles away from our home country—not because of a lust-driven passion, but because we wanted to start over again. We did it subconsciously, but now I realized that somehow, we mutually agreed on having a clean slate.

We may not fall in love with each other, but just knowing that you have one true friend you can always count on—that more than sufficed.

And maybe that was why instead of crashing his lips against mine, Bryan simply smiled, his dimples showing, and kissed my forehead.

I closed my eyes. He lingered a second or two longer, but I didn't mind. This was nice—this calm, taking-things-slow stuff we had going on. I've always been jumping into opportunities and rushing to the processes that I forgot how amazing it felt like to just enjoy the present and let things fall into place in their own pace.

“We should rest,” he said as he pulled me up with him. “Great day tomorrow.”

I stood on my toes and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. He froze in surprise. “I had a great day today, too.” I laughed at his stupefied expression, dragging him by the hand towards our room. “Come on, let's sleep.”

• • •

I woke up with the lingering dream of a pair of hazel eyes at the back of my mind.

I blinked, and sparkling blue filled my view. Bryan smiled at me, his bright orbs staring right into my soul.

Forgetting about my dream, I let a small grin stretch across my features. “Hello, you.”

“Good morning.” He suddenly sobered up. “You were crying last night.”

“What?” I was stupefied. Did I talk in my sleep? I tried to remember what exactly it was I dreamed of last night, but I can't conjure up a clearer image than the one filled with hazel blur.

Hazel. Shane.

My mouth tasted like cardboard. “I don't know what you're talking about,” I lied, averting my gaze. Of course I would be dreaming about Shane and cry about it. Of course.

If Bryan could tell I was bluffing, he didn't show. Instead he took my hand in his, his body spreading heat through me despite the one foot space he put between us. His eyes held mine without hesitation, and I found I couldn't tear my attention from him even if I wanted to.

“If you ever need to let out your problems, I'm here.” A slow, blinding smile found its way to his lips. “You know I'm always here at your service.”

Warmth covered my aching heart, and I wondered for the umpteenth time what did I do to deserve someone like him.

I gave his hand a grateful squeeze. “I know, Bry. And thank you for that. Thank you for being by my side.”

He sat up, ruffling my hair in the process. I glared at him, he chuckled. “We already established that—I'm not going anywhere.”

I mimicked his position, shifting so I was leaning my head on his shoulder. “I know.”

He kissed the crown of my head and tightened his hold on my hand, my heart skipping the tiniest bit. “Get ready. I'll take you to your new job.”

“Can we stay like this for a while longer?” I mumbled against him, inhaling his natural scent and everything him. He smelled like sunshine, like mornings, like Bryan.

He smelled like home.

A squeeze on my hand. “Of course,” he said in a whisper, and I can hear the contented smile in his voice even though I can't see his expression.

And we stayed like that, in the peaceful company of each other, not saying a word.

It was the most splendid thing in the world.

____________________________________

I've been writing many chill scenes and I don't know why lol. It just seemed appropriate with all the drama Juliet went through, don't you think?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this cute chapter. The next one will be more exciting, I promise. Spoiler: new character!

~G