LOVE BUG

CHAPTER 40: WHATEVER

"Cheater!"

Nate widens his eyes at the index finger pointing accusingly at him, and more than the loud intonation, it's the word he hasn't expected, making his victorious grin turn into an O. "What? Me?"

"Yes, you! I see you." The crease between her eyebrows is more serious than a prosecutive lawyer at the court, and even if he's glancing from left to right, her gaze is piercing through him.

So he can only surrender and let her reach his soul, staring back into her eyes. "What did I do?"

"You can't win so easily again!" She squints her eyes. "You must have marked the cards or shuffled them badly... I don't know!"

He can't take it anymore; he bursts out laughing in front of Anastasia's stern frown, which could frighten most people, but he only finds it meltingly cute. 

"I'd never seen a sore loser as bad as me!"

"I'm not a sore loser. I just always win." She shrugs, still looking as serious, although her frown is slowly smoothing.

"Me too." He grins, leaning close so her warm breath is tickling his lips, giving him ideas for other games. However, his gaze just dives into hers, letting her see sincerely that she indeed always wins.

"We do a rematch?" He teases with his lips barely brushing hers.

"Of course. And this time I will win!" A smile stretches her lips and his follows in a mischievous smirk.

"How about we raise the stakes?" The sparkle of challenge in his eyes and the dark promise in his low voice arise her interest as he gathers the cards and starts slowly shuffling them. 

"If you win, you can do whatever you want with me, and if I win, I can do whatever I want with you."

She raises an eyebrow, her heart rate picking up at this unusual prize. "Whatever?"

"Whatever," he repeats, making sure to be very clear with his sultry tone and unwavering dark gaze, and the shiver he is sending down her spine is already his first victory.

"I let you lay the cards to be sure I win honestly." He hands her the deck of cards with a confident smirk, and another shiver rushes lower this time.

She could easily surrender without playing in the darkness of his penetrating eyes. Yet she won't let him win that easily.

So she takes the cards, holding defiantly his gaze without blinking away. "Let's make it even more interesting... Every time we do a double pair, the other has to strip one layer."

"Deal."

The electricity is flying in the air around, crackling and sparking, but it is also so light and easy.

Her smile is wide as she deals the cards face down on the blanket, and his gaze is solely on her; she feels it piercing through her skin. Though she doesn't dare to look up, and she takes this moment of silence to simmer down and focus. 

With each card laid down, a new thought pops up in her mind, all revolving around Nathaniel. He has really succeeded with his goal for the day because she doesn't remember her worries; she doesn't even remember the world outside. 

Slowly, from his kisses to his sweet attentions, from the unique picnic to the playful games, from his laugh to his dark promises, he has won his way to make her light and relaxed. 

Now, the appointment for the wedding decoration she has canceled is the last of her worries, and the fear of someone suspecting their disappearance for the day has evaporated. Despite her doubts and reluctance for today, he has got what he has planned, and it could intimidate her for the 'whatever' to come, but it only sends more thrills down her spine.