Only us [LingOrm]

3

Orm's pov

The afternoon sun was beginning to wane, casting a warm glow over the city as I decided to make a trip to the mall. But I wasn't going alone—I had Ling with me, my ever-watchful bodyguard. I could feel her presence beside me, solid and unwavering, as we walked through the bustling corridors of the shopping center.

I had to admit, Ling had always been handsome, but there was something about her today that made it impossible to look away. She was hot. Her long, dark hair was loose for a change, cascading over her shoulders in soft waves that caught the light just right. Her face, with its sharp, sculpted features, looked like it had been designed by an AI, so perfect it was almost unreal. And even though she still wore her signature black, the color only served to emphasize her beauty, making her look even more striking.

"Can you stop checking me out?" she asked, her voice cutting through my thoughts.

"Actually, no," I replied with a grin. "Muses have to be appreciated."

"Stupid," she muttered, though there was no real heat in her words.

"Oh, cursing me now?" I teased, stepping closer. I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward me, closing the distance between us. "You didn't seem to mind when you were smiling at me in the studio," I added, watching as a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"Let me go," she said, trying to pull away, though there was a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "Sorry for cursing you."

"Good girl," I said, leaning in to plant a quick peck on her cheek.

"Orm!" she exclaimed, her tone a mix of surprise and frustration.

"What, sweetie?" I teased, unable to resist poking at her.

"You hired me on purpose, didn't you?" she accused, her voice always carrying that edge of anger that I found oddly endearing.

"Kind of," I admitted with a shrug. "I need protection, and you already protected me before."

"It's been years," she replied, her voice softening just a bit.

"I know," I said, reaching out to gently cup her chin, tilting her head up so I could look at her properly. My gaze dropped to her lips, the memory of that first encounter flashing in my mind. "But for some reason, I can't forget you."

She pulled away again, putting more distance between us. Why is she so hard to get over? I wondered, but I didn't dwell on it. There was something about Ling that had always drawn me in, and it seemed like I wasn't the only one struggling with the past.

We wandered through the mall, eventually finding our way to a clothing store. I immediately started picking out clothes, shoving them into Ling's arms without a second thought.

"Am I a hanger now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she tried to balance the growing pile of clothes.

"Actually... you're my future wife," I said with a cheeky grin, handing her another piece of clothing.

Ling rolled her eyes but didn't argue, dutifully following me as I made my selections. When I was satisfied, I headed toward the fitting rooms, Ling trailing behind me with the clothes in tow. As I stepped into a cabin, she followed, placing the garments on the small bench inside.

Just as she turned to leave, I caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks. "Aren't you going to be in here?" I asked, a playful lilt to my voice.

"Why would I?" she replied, clearly puzzled.

"In case someone enters and tries to do something to me," I said, pulling her back inside and closing the door behind us.

Ling sighed in exasperation but didn't argue, instead opting to sit down in the chair in the corner of the cabin. I smirked, amused by her reluctance to leave me alone. Turning away, I started to unbutton my shirt, catching her eye as I did so. I watched with satisfaction as her gaze darted around the room, from the ceiling to the door, anywhere but at me.

"Can you give me that grey one?" I asked, pretending not to notice her discomfort.

She hesitated for a moment before standing up and handing it to me, her eyes still firmly averted. I could see her silently praying to herself, as if she was trying to resist the urge to look at me.

As I slipped the shirt on, I turned to face her, my expression playful. "So, how do I look?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she muttered, still refusing to look directly at me.

"I want you to look and say," I insisted, stepping closer to her.

She finally relented, her eyes lowering as she took in my appearance. Her cheeks turned a deep shade of red, the brightest I had ever seen on her.

"Good," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Good? Be more specific," I teased, leaning in closer. Her eyes darted up to meet mine, and for a moment, she looked like she was begging for mercy.

"Ling," I said softly, my tone more serious now. "Look at me and say the first thing that comes to your mind."

She hesitated, her eyes dropping to the floor before slowly rising to meet mine again. "Pretty," she whispered, the word almost trembling on her lips.

"Thanks," I replied, my voice gentle. It was funny how easy it was to make her blush, just with a look or a few teasing words. But there was something deeper there too, something that made my heart beat a little faster whenever she was near.

After the fitting room, we continued to walk around the mall, though Ling was unusually quiet. The silence stretched between us, and I could sense that something was bothering her.

"Why are you so quiet?" I whispered in her ear, leaning in close.

"Fuck, Orm, I'm trying to focus here," she muttered, pushing me away with a hand as she scanned the area, her expression tense.

"Is someone looking for me?" I asked in a low tone, sensing the shift in her mood.

"Worse," she replied, her voice grim.

Before I could press her further, someone called out her name from behind us. "Look who it is! Lingling Kwong," a girl's voice said, dripping with mockery.

"Fuck," Ling muttered under her breath before turning to face the caller. "I knew you were following me," she said, her tone icy.

"We've been looking for you," the girl said, her eyes flicking over to me with a knowing smirk.

"I know, but I'm busy," Ling snapped, glancing at me quickly.

"Incredible she hasn't been kidnapped yet," the girl remarked, her words laced with sarcasm.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling a cold knot of fear in my stomach.

Ling didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the store, moving quickly through the mall. My heart raced as we hurried toward the exit, her grip on my hand firm and unyielding.

"What is happening?" I asked, trying to keep up with her pace as she led me to her car.

"Nothing you need to worry about," she replied tersely, though her jaw was clenched tight. I could feel the tension radiating off her in waves, but there was something else too—a kind of vulnerability that she rarely let slip.

Internally, I was screaming with excitement at the way she was holding my hand, but I kept my voice calm as I pressed her further. "Is someone after you?"

Ling sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she opened the car door. "My friends laugh at me because on my first day as a bodyguard, my client was kidnapped."

"Ling!" I exclaimed, my worry spiking. "Is that why you were so focused?"

"Yeah," she muttered, sliding into the driver's seat. "And that girl back there, Faye... she's my girlfriend."

I felt a pang of bitterness at her words, though I tried to mask it with a nonchalant tone. "She's pretty," I said, though it was clear I wasn't impressed. "But I'm more," I added, letting go of her hand as I settled into the passenger seat.

Ling didn't respond, but I could see the conflict in her eyes as she started the car. I wasn't sure what the future held for us, but one thing was certain—I wasn't going to let her go without a fight.