LOVE BUG

CHAPTER 54: JEALOUSY

"I'm sorry."

Anastasia has always known words were powerful, yet she hasn't expected three little words wrapped in Nathaniel's smooth voice could have that much control over her heart rate; she hasn't expected those three little words to freeze her as she is currently feeling wrapped in heaven.

She can't find any reason for him to be sorry with his fingers softly massaging her scalp and soothing all her tensions, and every part of his body touching hers to create their unique cozy bubble of happiness.

"What?" She lifts up her head to meet his chocolate gaze, and his fingers instantly travel to smoothen her frown.

He is easily pulling her to relax under his touch, but the preoccupation in his eyes doesn't let her heart find back its peaceful rhythm.

"I'm sorry," he repeats, holding her gaze with so much sincerity in his dark turmoil. "For yesterday... I didn't get the chance to tell you, but I'm sorry for what I said, how I greeted you, and how I lashed out at you... I had no right to tell you what to do, and you've done nothing wrong..." He lets out a sigh, for once being the one with a pronounced frown.

"Oh, that?" She breathes out a sigh too, though hers is out of relief.

What has she even thought? She doesn't know exactly; it is something like a bad feeling leaving her shivering deep in her bones, but as long as she is in Nathaniel's warm arms, she is fine.

"That's forgotten. We were both stressed, and I think you made amends for it pretty well..." She offers him a sweet and devious smirk that he can't even understand.

He can't understand how she can look so devilishly innocent. He can't understand how she can be so kind when she has every reason to be mad, and mostly, he can't understand how things are flowing so easily with no awkwardness. They can fight; they can run away from each other, yet they always find their way back to each other, pulled by an irresistible force.

"You're sure?" 

"Yes, it's nothing. I won't be mad for a little fit of jealousy." She shrugs, the words sounding so casual between her rosy lips, while he repeats the three syllables, almost dumbfounded.

"Jealousy?"

"I don't know. You tell me?" Her doe eyes are staring at him so genuinely, not even expecting an answer. Maybe she knows already.

Jealousy, it isn't the word, rather foreign to him, that is catching his breath, but what it implies. His mouth is dry as if pronouncing this word has been talking a million others, and they're all clashing in his head.

However, Anastasia stops them all, giving him a simple answer with her lips brushing his.

The kiss is intense like everything they share, yet so light and almost fragile, and too soon, she pulls away with a small smile, satisfied to have shut his thoughts and messed up all his nerve-endings as she goes back to their previous cuddling position. 

Though this time, she keeps her gaze on his, offering him a heavenly view of all the enigmatic colors that he's never seen twice exactly the same. There is always a different amount of green, brown, and gray, always a new shade and so many emotions illuminating them. 

He has a feeling he could gaze at her eyes for the rest of his life and always be amazed by new nuances. It's too easy to forget their time is limited when she's in his arms like this, so soft and warm, wearing his tee-shirt and no tension on her features. Nothing seems to exist outside of their treehouse.

Jealousy, the word is still echoing in the back of his mind with other questions that appear less scary when his angel is so close to dissipate any dark cloud.