Fool Me Once | T. Drake ✔

[15] Apocalypse

Tim knew Roxanne had gone to visit Romero and meeting him would be difficult for her. He had wanted to go with her but she refused so he decided to drop by her house in the evening to check on her.

He got a bit held up with his work as he was constantly in touch with Jason and the Outlaws who were looking after the Castellan case.

When he came to her house, it was almost dusk. The sky was darkening as he rang the doorbell and was ushered in by the housekeeper.

He was told that Roxanne was in her room so he could either wait for her to come down or go upstairs himself.

He knew she wouldn't mind if he came to her room as they were no longer that formal with each other. So he went upstairs and stopped by the door, knocking upon it.

A light reply came from inside so he pushed open the door. He was expecting she would be in a bad mood but he found her in an unexpectedly cheerful demeanor.

She was humming a song while arranging the books on her shelf and seeing him step in, a smile spread on her face.

She beckoned him closer, putting in the books one by one. He considered whether or not to hug her from behind. Despite getting much closer to each other, there was still a barrier between them due to the contract and its terms.

So Tim still hesitated to take the first step.

He stopped close to her, silently noting that she had a sweet voice as she sang the lyrics to an unfamiliar song. With all the books placed in, she turned to face him, pausing at the next lyric as her eyes sparked playfully.

"Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers, wrapped in your arms," her voice was lowered to a seductive whisper and she leaned closer, "you've been hiding them in hollowed-out pianos, left in the dark..."

She was so close to him that he could feel her heartbeat and he felt his stomach twist into knots from nervousness.

"Haven't you heard this song?" She remarked, taking in a deep breath.

"No."

"It was playing on the radio when I was driving back from the prison," she told him, her fingers trailing up to his collar, starting from the fourth button on his shirt, "Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex."

"I've heard of the artist but didn't hear this song," he replied, feeling that she had a hidden intention behind telling him all that.

And if it was going in the direction he thought then he should have prepared himself beforehand.

"It's lovely," she coaxed, leaning closer again.

He wanted to look away to hide the blush creeping over his cheeks and ears but it was hard to tear his eyes away from her. She held him under a spell.

"Got the music in you, baby, tell me why, tell me why," her hands held onto his shoulders as she sang, making him twirl with her lightly in the absence of music but with her lilting voice filling that gap. "You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye..."

Tim was unable to stop himself from getting lost in her brown eyes, her soft voice working like magic to lure him in.

"Your lips, my lips..." Her voice trailed off, eyes focused on his lips as she leaned in, "Apocalypse..."

Just like that, her lips met his and she kissed him passionately, lingering in the moment for as long as she could. His face was held in her palms, her body caving into him as she deepened the moment, feeling his chest rumble with his quickening heartbeat.

Right then he understood what the songwriter could have meant by describing a kiss as apocalyptic. That was exactly what he felt right then.

Despite his initial resistance, his hands reached up to hold her by the waist. Pulling her close, he could feel the shudders passing through her as his hand glided up her back.

Her legs crossed over his waist as she repositioned herself, letting him hoist her up against the wall.

As she broke the kiss at last, her forehead rested against his and she mumbled, "we should add another clause to the contract... For these kind of situations."

"And what should that clause be?"

"You'll find out soon," she cooed, her lips placing fluttery kisses all over his face and neck, making it hard for him to concentrate, "just don't get too used to this, we aren't supposed to catch feelings."

Her words were sharp as always but she said it all with such sweetness that it felt like a teasing remark made by a lover playfully. He could barely feel the cut it could have made on his heart otherwise.

"I won't," he breathed, seeing her smile widen.

She was about to kiss him again but he stopped her, his fingers resting over her lips.

"How about you tell me honestly what you feel right now?"

She paused, kissing his fingertips until he retrieved his hand. Her brown eyes melted into his blue ones, hands closing onto his shoulders.

"I love this moment," she breathed, "just the feeling of being held close, to get showered by affection, to kiss every pretty little feature of yours... I'm in love with this moment, with the thought of us being together."

He felt his heart melt at the thought but then the last line of the contract flickered in his head again. And so did her insistence that he could end up falling for her, not the other way round.

"You know what, Ro, maybe you're the one who should be warned not to fall for me instead," he chuckled lightly.

"Maybe," her eyes danced in amusement, "but who cares? Tonight, I have you all to myself. And tomorrow will be a new day."

He didn't object to that, bending his head to capture her lips in a kiss. Her grip tightened on his shoulders as she gave him access to deepen the moment.

She did not remember the transition from the wall behind her back to the soft mattress underneath. All she remembered was his hands on her body and his lips against hers, creating a beautiful apocalypse.

***