Black Angel

Chapter Eight

Zola / Derrick

Zola

    "Mmmmhhhhh... This... This is very good. You were right with being confident. I don't think I ever ate something as good as this. And I also don't think I can go or cope life without your cooking skills anymore." He moaned and said afterwards.
    I loved it when my work and efforts were appreciated.
    But I think I won't recover from that moan so fast since it sent a shiver down my spine immediately.
    "I'm glad you like it. Bon appétit." I said and we continued eating. After we were finished, Derrick helped me cleaning the table and I forged on with the dirty dishes.
    I ushered him back to the living room and cleaned the dishes, when I felt a piercing pain in my neck. When my head was cast down for too long, my neck started hurting. I guess it was the lacking exercise, because I had this problem for years now.
    I moved my shoulders and turned my head a bit, until I heard steps behind me and felt two strong hands on my shoulders.
    "What- Ohhhh, that feels good." I couldn't recognize myself and my voice, it was so hoarse. I had to say thank you, but you don't need to, yet I didn't. When I turned my head, I saw how concentrated he was while massaging my shoulders and neck and I melted away at how careful and sensual he did this.
    I continued with the dishes while Derrick massaged my shoulders and neck. After I was finished, I washed and dried my hands and tried to turn around to face him, but he didn't let me. Instead, he picked me up bridal style which made me squeal and walked into the living room with me on his arms.
    I wouldn't have imagined someone – anyone – could ever do this. Although I am overweight, he scooped me up his arms like I weigh nothing. I was duly impressed. Really. But also ashamed.
    He was carrying me in his arms. Me. Me who is heavy. Me who weighs 242 lbs. Me who was supposed to be a guest here. And me who turned into a tomato.
    He lowered me on the couch in a sitting position and walked behind the back of the couch, continuing my massage.
    "Derrick, you don't need to... oohhh..." I wanted to stop him because, normally, I can't do this massage thing. Whenever someone touched me anywhere, I flinched and started laughing since I was the most ticklish person I know.
    It did feel good. But I was still feeling some kind of guilty because first he carried me of all people and with this weight in his arms, and now he was massaging my neck and shoulders.
    I had a feeling that he wouldn't stop until I told him to, so I placed my hands on his, causing his movements to still.
    "Thank you, really, but you don't need to go on. That's perfectly enough. Why don't you join me, and we watch a movie?" I said smilingly. He did stop and caressed the back of my hand with his thumb.
    Smiling, and with those gorgeous dimples, he walked around the couch again and settled next to me, leaving a bit of space between us.
    "Okay, what movie are we watching?" He asked, taking the remote for the TV in his right hand and stretching his left arm over the back of the couch, his hand grazing my hair.
    "What about you choose the movie and I prepare or get some snacks?" I asked and got to my feet. He chuckled and before he could say anything, I walked to the kitchen with fast steps.
    Opening a drawer I found some pans, so I forged on to the next drawer while I made sure to be careful and not to leave the kitchen messy.
    Three more drawers and two cupboards later I finally found a bag of salted microwave popcorn, so I took the bag and placed it in the microwave.
    While I waited for the corn to pop, I walked over to the fridge and took out a bottle of water together with two glasses I got from another cupboard.
    Since I couldn't carry everything at once I decided to bring the water and glasses to the living room, where I saw Derrick was still searching for a movie. "Do you like action?" He asked and I said "Who doesn't?" which made him chuckle.
    I heard a ding in the kitchen, so I went back in there and took the popcorn out, filling it in a bowl.
    After I returned to the living room, I saw that Derrick already chose the movie and poured us some water.
    I settled myself next to him again and realized we were closer than before since his hand touched my shoulder now. Goose bumps spread over my whole body, and I glanced over to him just to see that he was already looking at me.
    I cleared my throat and said "Good choice. I love that series." He selected The Fast and The Furious, which was the first movie in the series. "Yup." He said and pressed play.

Derrick

    Instead of watching the movie, I was watching her. The way her eyes sparkled with a slight sadness when she saw Brian – the actor, Paul Walker, died on Nov 30, 2013 – or the way she slightly flinched when the TV was too loud because of an explosion.
    I loved watching her.
    When I carried her in my arms earlier and she let out a squeak, I wanted to brand that sound into my chest because it sounded so cute.
    I felt that she was feeling uncomfortable in my arms because of her insecurities about her weight and her body, but I really just adored what I saw when she was in my arms, and I wished she could see herself from my eyes.
    Those thick, long lashes, those shining hazel eyes and her perfect flush lips I even started dreaming of.
    I guess she felt the heat of my stare because she lifted her head and our eyes collided.
    For a moment we just stared at each other. She leaned her head on the back of the couch, so her right cheek was touching the fabric, but also my arm and electricity sparked at the point where she was touching me.
    Not breaking eye contact, I pulled her closer to me and she snuggled into my left side, smiling intently. Then, her head turned back to the TV.

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    When the movie ended, I felt steady breaths under my left arm and looked down to find a sleeping Zola.
    She was sleeping in my arms.
    I wanted to carry her to her room again, but when I went to the toilet earlier, I walked past her room and saw that her clothes were still spread out on her bed. I don't think she'll want to tidy up right now.
    Just as I thought about whether I should offer her to sleep in my room and me sleeping on the couch, she woke up. As the light of the TV was too bright for her, she snuggled her head even deeper into me.
    I didn't complain, but as she realized what – or rather who – she was snuggling into, she straightened abruptly, her eyes wide with alarm and her cheeks turning a light shade of crimson.
    "I'm so sorry. I- I'll just go and tidy up the kitchen a bit." She said hastily as she tried to stand up and take the items on the table, when I stopped her.
    "You don't need to apologize. Please, come sit down again. When I said 'I want you to feel comfortable and at home', I meant it. Relax a little bit, come on. We can tidy up later, together."
    She hesitated, but as she tried to sit back down, she stumbled over my foot and I couldn't thank it enough for being there, because she fell right on my lap as I tried to steady her. It felt nice, though.
    She blushed again and tried to stand up immediately, but I stopped her, placing my hand on her hip. One more time, there was an intense eye contact. Her lips parted, letting out a breath, as we stared into each other's eyes.
    My eyes darted between her right, then her left eye, finally landing on her lips. She was so close, our faces slowly nearing each other. I repeated that triangle-gaze two more times and saw, that her eyes were pinned on my lips too.
    Taking her chin in my hand, I made her look me in the eye again, silently asking for permission to kiss her. She smiled and that was the only invitation I needed.
    Placing my hand on her neck, I pulled her towards me and, finally, our lips connected.