Leo followed me to my room. I tried to shut the door of my room but he placed his foot between the door, jamming it open.
"Will you listen to me, please?"
I didn't really have a choice, did I? I was tempted to stomp his foot but didn't.
He took that opportunity, and put his arm inside the door and pushed it open.
"What?"
He planted himself between the door and me. Damn his killer reflexes.
"You have one minute." I sniffled, trying to hide my tears. It was a pathetic attempt because literally my entire face was drenched with tears.
Leo gently wiped my tears with the sleeve of his sweater. He lifted my chin to face him. His eyes were moist too. It was now that I noticed that he'd cried too.
"Do you really think I don't love you?" His voice choked. I felt his hand cup my cheek. A feeling of warmth rose from the pit of my belly. And again, my heart betrayed me by beating so fast. Having him this close to me made my mind go blank. He was getting closer and closer before I knew it his lips pressed on mine.
Normally whenever he'd kiss me, it'd be so tender. But, today there was something raw about him, something so wild and fierce. He had this way of kissing so passionately that made me feel like he was pulling my life out of me. He made me feel things I've never felt and taken me to heights I've never been. Sometimes, it terrifies me how our bodies know each other so well... like the way sounds and rhythm blend to create music. Every touch and every sigh happened at the perfect time like a choreographed sequence. Yet, the thrill of it all was so spontaneous.
I didn't realize when he had pulled me out of my room and pinned me to the door. Perhaps he didn't realize it too. He pulled away to catch his breath. I tried my best not to linger my eyes over his swollen and recall the salty taste of the kiss. I was still crying. Crying reminded me that I was supposed to be angry at him, yet anger was the last thing on my mind.
He smirked at me and asked cheekily, "Is this enough to prove you that I'm trying my best?" Apparently it was a rhetorical question because he did not wait for my answer and began nuzzling and kissing my neck.
The ticklish sensation made me chuckle. That chuckle turned into a moan. Damn, why does he know all my weak spots? God, does he have a remote control to my body or something? My knees trembled. He realized it too because I felt his hand move behind my back to hold me still. These were the little things that made me fall in love with him more. He always knew what I wanted and he paid attention to those little things that others tend to ignore.
"Your one minute ended a long time ago," I said. I made no attempt to wiggle out of his grip. Hell, I liked it.
"Then I'd request for an extension." He whispered.
His fingers already began to unbutton the shirt. Seriously, I couldn't believe it that I'd chosen a pink shirt and PJ set with cute pandas printed on it. I love it because its comfortable and all but I desperately needed more seduction appropriate outfits.
I slid my arms behind his neck. "Hmm... and what would you prove in this extension?"
"Dolcezza, I know I'm not the most emotionally expressive man—"
"Expressive, ha. You're emotionally constipated."
Leo rolled his eyes. He hated being interrupted. He was used to being a don, he knew his words were important. He'd get sorely irked when anyone would interrupt him while he was speaking. Sometimes I feel that if someone else did the things I did to him, he'd surely shoot their brains off.
"Don't ruin the mood." He sighed. His other hand reached for a strand of my hair and caressed it. "I'm sorry about the proposal misunderstanding. But, I have to be honest with you. I never thought about marriage. Sure I've dreamt of married life as everyone else has. But, given my profession, I was certain I'd find no one willing to marry me. And even if I did find that unfortunate soul who wanted to spend their life with me, I'd still avoid marrying for their safety. I vowed I'd never drag any other person into this life."
I could understand where he came from. I guess, I was so impulsive and caught in the moment that I didn't even spend a moment to consider his rationale. It warmed my heart that he was considering the practical aspects of marriage. Perhaps, I was wrong to assume that he never thought about it. Maybe he did.
"I'm sorry too... It was immature of me to get angry at you. I mean, it was a misunderstanding and I should've respected your decision when you said that it's too early. I never want to push you into anything you wouldn't want."
Leo arched his eyebrows. A menacing and foxy scowl played on his lips. "Can we argue and apologise later? My girlfriend is flying tomorrow morning and I'd really like to make the most of my night with her. I'd miss her terribly when she's gone."
He had a point. We could definitely pause our arguments for a while.
#
Leo let out a frustrated groan when my alarm rang. "Is it time already? That's not fair, we weren't even done."
I leaned and kissed his forehead. "You are never done." It was true. He can never get enough. In the bedroom, he's like a spoilt and hyperactive child on a sugar rush.
"I have the most gorgeous woman in my arms can you blame me? I can't get enough of her."
He pulled me closer. I buried my face in his chest. The warmth of his body and the warm blankets were so blissful. I wished I could stay like this forever, wrapped in his arms.
I felt my eyelids drooping. Thanks to Leo I'd barely slept. Out of all our attempts to resolve our arguments, this was the best and most effective one. No wonder there's so much hype around make-up sex.
I wiggled myself out of his arms. As much as I loved staying in this tangle of limbs, I had a flight to catch. As I turned to go, I felt a sharp pull. I found myself in his arms again. He held me tightly against him, burying his face in my hair. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to say, I felt what he meant. My heart was being tugged. I had to restrain myself from crying.
I was probably the only person in the entire world who he felt comfortable enough to reveal his vulnerable side. He had the weight of responsibility and guilt on his shoulders. Sometimes, his burden is so much that it makes him forget that he is just a man after all. His burden makes him cold like death. He whispered to me that I make him feel alive. Because the bedroom is the only place where he feels alive and normal.
Awkwardly, he let me go. Even when he released me, I couldn't find it in my heart to leave him. It felt so painful, like getting a part of me cut off. Fuck, I love him. Not like romance kind of love him, more like the raw, tearing your heart kind of love.
A ring doesn't matter. A vow doesn't matter either. I feel what we have, and he feels it too. There are some things that are unsaid and felt. Those are the most important things in a relationship. Promises can be broken, words can be twisted to deceive, but feelings don't lie; energy doesn't lie.
Our love isn't the kind of love they show in romance movies. We aren't perfect, we aren't ideal. We didn't transform for each other, we learnt to accept each other. It doesn't matter that my proposal wasn't anything the way I'd expected it to be.
I learnt through my stained dress that life is hardly ever the way they show in movies. I learnt that my assumptions could be wrong when I realised a lock is picked with two bobby pins, not one. And lastly, I learnt that a proposal isn't a sudden surprise, it is a mutual and consensual discussion. Real-life is a lot different from stories and that is not a bad thing. Reality might not be as interesting or even dramatic, but it has its own quaint charm.
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A/N:
I love this chapter so much! I was planning to write in a completely different way and it turned out to be totally unexpected. That's what I love the most about this story, it keeps taking different turns on its own.
Anyway, this update was super special for me because I'm a sucker for cute and awkward situations. Also, I prefer awkward to perfect. As a romance writer, I feel like I must get rid of the notion of perfection and unattainable standards and write more realistic relationships.
I hope you guys enjoy this update as much as I did.