Always, Tulip

▫️ Eighteen

"Elle, you can call me Nana." She affectionately held my hands and I slowly loosened up, feeling much at ease now. She must have noticed how stiff I had been. Again, she was very observant.

"What can I do, Nana?" Her smile brightened as she turned to look at the table behind her while humming a soft song.

"Help me take out the rice from the upper cabinet." I nodded eagerly, opening the drawers as I stood on my toes. The cabinets were high though my height was better than Nana's, unless I climbed up.

I dropped my heel to the floor sighing after not reaching anything. I couldn't even see what the cabinets contained. Just as I attempted again, I felt a presence behind me and surely it wasn't Nana.

"The packets?" My forehead bumped into the person's chest and by the sweet yet intoxicating scent, I knew it was Grey. Stupid enough, I nuzzled into him as I held onto his arm.

My eyes jerked back to him when I felt his skin instead and it was then I noticed that he had changed into a sleeveless black shirt.

His arms were open for my eyes that wandered over his huge and rigid biceps. The arm muscles flexed as he pointed above me and that made him appear much stronger.

"Tulip," I had been staring and a massive blush spread over my face as I averted his gaze. He spared me no mercy as his thumb traced my left cheek enhancing my blush making me look back at him.

"How many rice packets?" His stubble had slightly grown and I smiled to myself liking how perfect he looked with the facial hair. I had a thing for sideburns.

"What has you smiling this much?" He lowered his head to my ear where he whispered huskily, shaking me to the core that I grabbed the sides of his shirt.

"Two packets!" I squeaked out while looking behind me to where Nana had been watching us. She turned around to busy herself when I caught her eyes.

"Uh-" Grey didn't seem to mind our proximity as he moved impossibly closer, sandwiching me further to the counter behind me. His eyes were darker now as he stared down at me, his thumb still over my face.

"Aah, the water will evaporate at this rate." I pushed him back at Nana's voice though he didn't move a bit. He blinked then shook his head as if trying to clear his head and took out two rice packets.

"You are distracting our cooking," Nana shooed him out as I washed the rice in a large glass bowl. Grey grumbled that he was only coming for a glass of water.

"He's stubborn isn't he?" Nana asked as she dried her hands and I shook my head in protest. Grey was anything but stubborn though he was too much distracting. I tended to block out everything else when I was around him.

"I have never seen him so carefree in years," I wasn't sure but her voice wavered and I could feel sadness in her tone. She seemed faraway in her thoughts even as she looked at me.

"Is everything okay?" The passive look disappeared as she replaced it with her witty smiles. She turned to stir the stew she'd been preparing and I pondered over her words. Had something happened to Grey when he was younger?

"Can I make a salad?" I was used to having one before meals so I figured everyone would like one. Nana happily told me to pick what I needed from the fridge.

I prepared the salad fast enough after asking Nana if the boys were allergic to anything. She laughed at my question as if absurd then told me that they ate everything.

"Though I wonder when did Grey develop a sweet tooth," she pointed out the ice cream tubs in his fridge shaking her head to herself and I was glad her back was turned to me.