Strings

Chapter 24

Before I know it, I find myself darting towards the library. For some reason, I have a feeling he's in there.

When I make my way towards the area where he had last caught me in here, memories of him holding me flush against him flood into my mind.
The way he looked at me, held me, kept me at bay with the storm in his eyes and yet refused to let me go as his arm lay firm against my waist.

I walk in to find Hayden seated in one of the sofas, typing furiously in his laptop.
I wait for him to notice me on his own, not wanting to disturb his pace or him for that matter.

I watch him as he works. His brows tense, his entire concentration devoted to the task at hand. His shirts sleeves are rolled up to his elbows displaying the most sensual arms I have ever seen that somehow always seem to find a way to snake around my waist. The huge glass windows let the natural light in, kissing Hayden with the most beautiful glow of the sun and I am once again left to wonder how someone can look so insanely attractive without even trying to.

"You're staring." He says without looking up.
His smooth suave voice breaks me out of my reverie and I instantly turn tomato red on having being caught looking at him so blatantly.

"Err- no I wasn't?"
I say that ended up sounding more like a question than anything. The need to smack myself right in the face and then skedaddle the hell outta here hits me and I find myself forcing to not go for the run.

He finally looks up at me, raising an eyebrow at me.

"You saying that or are you asking that?" He says amusement scattered all over his face. He wasn't even trying to hide it this time.

Damn you, Hayden.

"I- no I am saying it to..you, you know so you don't umm misunderstand?"

"Is that so?" He responds back, with the ever-present smirk plastered over his god-like perfect face as he sets his laptop down next to him and strides over to where I am standing stiff, quite literally unable to move.

"I-"

I cut myself off there. I do not trust anything that could come out of my mouth at this point.

But he doesn't stop.

He walks all the way over to where I was until I am forced to take a step back, and another, and another until I hit a bookshelf behind me leaving me no more room to walk backwards as he stands extremely close to me, smelling delicious of pinewood and that distinct cologne he seems to always wear.

"Hmm?" He almost grunts, the smirk not leaving his face for a second as he dips his head down so we're at eye level and places his arms on either side of me, immediately blocking any means of escape that I was most definitely plotting.

And then just like that his face softens, he is no more smirking, he's just..looking?
There's this ever-so-soft smile on his face as he just looks at me with that weird look on his face.
His usually stormy and alert blue-green eyes looking unearthly calm and so incredibly soft.
I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of them. They were the most exquisite, most unique pair of eyes I'd ever come across.

I feel warm all over, as I feel the sunlight on my skin still peaking in its radiance from the glass windows and entrapped within Hayden's arms as he says nothing but just looks at me, stepping closer, something I didn't think was possible since he was already standing so very close.

His face hovers right in front of mine, and he bites his lower lip and I swear I thought I died in the action.

The green in his eyes darken a shade higher as he slowly leans in and kisses my forehead.
Ever so softly, ever so gently.

His lips linger on my skin for what seems like forever when he pulls away and although he doesn't move away, his gaze drops down and for some reason he refuses to look back up at me.

I stand there rooted, unable to move, still reeling in from the contact when I register he still won't look up.

Is Hayden Knight feeling...shy?

The warmest smile makes its way on my face at the thought. My hands move on their own accord and I find myself cupping his face and lifting it back up so I can finally look at him again.

"Hayden?" I find myself saying, my smile refusing to leave my face.

His eyes meet mine and the intensity takes me aback. He doesn't say anything back just rests his forehead against mine and we stay there for what seems like forever when he finally breaks the peaceful comfortable silence and warmth that we had managed to wrap ourselves with.

"Are you okay?" Is all he says. And I know he's referring to yesterday when he broke the news of Olivia and my family to me and of my meltdown I followed it with.

His voice is filled with thick emotion and I couldn't believe he was letting himself be so soft and vulnerable in front of me. For as long as I had known Hayden and as much as I had known about him; his stoic, firm personality was his screen of protection and the fact that he was willing to let it down, for my sake so I could put down my screens too said heaps about him.

He nudges me softly, prompting me to answer; like he needed to hear I am okay for his own sake and I couldn't help the smile that spread all over my face despite knowing the deep shit my family had put me into.

I pull away from him only to launch myself in his arms, wrapping my hands around his neck while I bury my face in the crook of his neck.

It takes him less than a second to encircle his arms around my waist, tightening it around me as I snuggle further into his neck as I find myself not ever wanting to end this hug.

"I am now." I finally say softly as he squeezes me tighter and it is at that moment that I feel so complete.
Despite everything that has happened against me, and in spite of everything that I will soon have to face, Hayden is right here, holding me, supporting me and I find myself falling for the man I never thought I could fall for.

*****

Hi guys!!!
It's been a while how have all of you been?!

This is a really important chapter since it makes progress in the storylines of both the Marshall family mess and the Hayden-Avery dynamics, which is why it took me foreverrrr to pen.
(But thank you all SO MUCH for being so patient;
and those of you who have been around since I published the very first chapter; I see you and I appreciate you)

And Olivia's big mess has FINALLY come to light!
I got so many messages from so many curious readers asking me what the whole mystery was about and voilá here you go!!

What do you think happens next with Avery and Hayden and how do you think they're gonna deal with the mess of the situation they're in?
Do comment and let me know; it makes my day having my readers interact with me!!!

Again, a big big thank you to each and every one of you who have stuck around with me and my little cozy story; you mean the entire world to me.

Keep voting and commenting, you have no idea the kind of impact it has on me.

Love always
xxxxx