A Kiss of Crimson

Chapter 2

"DAMMIT..!?"

"Ava....?" Levi questioned tentatively, leaning on the marble table that was positioned right across the kitchen counter top. Raising his attractively arched eyebrow slightly, he started towards me.

"Uh, Yea! Yes I'm fine, I just cut myself on........on the Blade......" I stammered quietly, darting my eyes away from the questioning emerald rays that were beaming into my face.

Blade.

I could not get the Grey-eyed, pale skinned absolute stranger out of my mind. The way he sunk his cool gaze into me, the radiation from his body that seeped into mine, his ice cold touch...

"You keep zoning out like that, you will cut much more than your finger, besides, your bleeding onto the counter.." Levi commented with a sarcastic chuckle, leaning over to take my hand way from the food I was failing to prepare.

"YES! Levi, I got it okay?!" I snapped, jerking my bleeding finger away from the helping hand before me.

Levi's bewildered expression, and cool adjustment away from me, hinted at the fact that I was distracted by something far more important than the food.

"Okay..." Levi responded throwing his two hands in the air before folding them across his chest.

"Sorry, I just wanted to.." I couldn't find the energy to come up with an elaborate lie, so I let the silence take over the tense moment. After a few seconds of glueing my eyes to the marble counter I told myself that Levi would just forget about my outburst.

Dead wrong.

"Wanted to what?" He shot back, in his low tone that indicated he knew that I was thinking about something....or worse, someone.

"I wanted to prepare the food like a semi-useful girlfriend Levi!!" I blurted out, slamming the knife in my hand down hard on the counter. I couldn't quite meet his fiery emerald eyes, so I glared down into an object with my jaw clenched to indicate my irritation.

With not a word in response, I watched as he slowly made his way behind me. Snaking his strong arms around my waist, and pulling me impossibly close to his seductively warm body, Levi pressed himself into me.

I almost got lost in his unbearable warmth when I heard his whispered question that proved he knew I was not telling the truth.

"You sure, Ava?"

"God, Levi..!! What is it with the 21 questions tonight?!? Are you saying that I'm lying?" I responded indignantly, prying his arms away from me and turning around to face him for the first time.

"I did not say that." he responded curtly, searching my face.

"Well you're acting like it..!!" I yelled back, pushing past his muscular figure, storming towards the bedroom.

"I could say the same for you,"

His icey tone stopped me dead in my tracks.

Did he know...? Did Levi see me talking to Blade when he kissed my hand? How could he know..?!

"Goodnight Levi," I spoke through a clenched jaw and gritted teeth as I turned to him one last time.

The very last time.

------

With a heavy sigh, I clicked off the bathroom light and climbed into bed. Alone. Ever since the argument Levi and I had earlier, the mood of the entire suite was as welcoming as a room full of rabid squirrels. He wasn't speaking to me. I wasn't speaking to him. And that meant we were damn sure not sleeping in the same bed together.