Etched

Chapter 24

"You really do like maple syrup a lot, don't you?"

"You bet!" I said, swiveling around and pointing my whip cream drowned finger at Emily making her laugh, shaking her head at me.

"Want me to make you some juice?" she offered.

"Not that you'd listen even if I refuse" I mumbled, narrowing my eyes playfully at her,

"Come on Jenna! You've made the breakfast on your own without even letting me help you a bit. Preparing juice for you is the least I could do" I sighed.

"It's really fine Emily. Don't fret, here have some pancakes..." I placed a prepared plate in her hands. She shook her head, I whined "I made this for you. You can't refuse food" she moved me to the side and started cleaning up the mess I'd made.

"If I'd known you'd wake early I would've come to help sooner" I washed the spatula, took off the apron.

"Should I feel bad that you think I'm incapable of doing something alone?"

Emily shrugged, "The pancakes will tell."

"Yeah and to know about that, you have to eat them"

She didn't agree to it and it took me too long to convince her and she finally gave in but had put her condition that she would eat in her quarter since I should be having breakfast with Gabriel which reminded me that he was yet to woken up.

I blushed profusely when she lifted her brows and giggled at me. I huffed turning away from her as she poured freshly squeezed juice in my glass and brewed coffee for Gabriel. I chatted with Emily to know about her family unlike last time when I acted so horribly that I'm sure I must've scared the poor lady away.

When I apologized to her, she just laughed it away and pulled my cheek before continuing her work whereas I sat on the stool and listened to her speak as she referred to the incident when I was staying here and misunderstood myself to be trapped, "Everything was fine one minute then the next thing we have is Mr. White growling at the security and each one of us for letting you go and for being so irresponsible."

"Oh, I am so sorry, Em. I really...I didn't think..." I was now genuinely guilty at having them endure Gabriel's anger because of me. I know how bad it can get, I've seen him scaring people before and I can't even tell how much these people had to endure because of my immaturity.

"Oh no! it was nothing...his anger of course. Although it did scare us a big deal but it was a good feeling..." she said and looked at me before grabbing my hand with both of hers over the counter and continuing from where she left, when saw my face looking confused, "...it's a good feeling to finally see him care so much about someone...about you. He is a good man Jenna and it makes me happy that he's getting to bring that side out because of you...call him before these pancakes go cold"

With that she placed the mug on the table and left, leaving me sinking under the crashing emotions. My heart leapt in my chest thinking about him and last night. How he took care of me, comforted me in my lowest without judging or reprimanding, despite my accusations.

Waking up, I'd found myself snuggled against him. His muscly arms were tightly wounded around my torso. His warm breath fanned my forehead, spinning my head with his breathtaking smell, the musky scent that never fails to intoxicate me.

We were so close, it was as though we were glued to each other. Maybe it had been that way and I was too sleepy to notice but it appeared like we'd gotten much closer than how we'd slept the night before.

My cheeks were flushed and my hands were resting on his biceps, I didn't bother moving them because I was stunned at the closeness and the presence of him so close to me was well...nice.