Chapter 116 - NAUGHTY
I may never find the?words
beautiful enough to describe all
you mean to me, but I will spend
the rest of my life searching
for them.
***
Ace pulled me into his arms and cradled me into the warmth of his chest. I snuggled deeper then held him tight the way he was holding me. If only we could freeze time so we could stay like this forever I would do it... If only. But we are in reality and things simply change. But there's one thing I'm certain of—my feelings towards him will never waver.
He was like the air that I breathe and the sunshine that brings light to my once lonely days. He made me so happy the moment he came back to my life. It made me wonder how I managed to survive?all these years without him in it.
I could hear the wild sound of his heartbeat with my ears pressed to my ears.?My heartbeat was almost as loud as his. It's such a surprise he hasn't heard it too or perhaps he did but he kept it to himself.
His chest heaved while he chased his breath. I too was chasing my breath as I lay there in the dimly lit bed. It's as if I'd run a mile when I haven't even left my room.
"I love you, Phoenix. I will never get tired of telling you over and over again." He said when he recovered and lifted my chin so I could look into the depths of enchanting blue eyes that made me forget everything else every time I looked at them.
"I love you too, Ace." I replied softly, then sighed contentedly before I continued. "Despite everything we've been through and the pain you caused me before.... I know I should hate you.... But I couldn't just force myself to do so because no matter what you do my feelings for you could never change. I never stopped loving you all these years, Ace."
Tears glittered on the corners of his eyes. He smiled fondly, making his eyes crinkle at the corner. "Thank you for loving me. I admit I am not the most lovable man?but?you're the only person who looked beyond my flaws and imperfections and accepted who I really am."
"Nobody told the fish to swim, nobody told the birds to fly, nobody told the dogs to bark, they just did. Just like me .... Nobody told me to love you, I just did."
He grinned, then landed a quick kiss on the tip of my nose before his arms tightened around me in fear I would be gone if he let go. I didn't say anything more. He too kept silent. There inside the dimly lit room—on the top of the bed— we remained entangled in each other's arms until we both fell asleep.
It was around three in the morning when I woke up from a bloody nightmare. A vision of?a man lying face down on the cemented pavement appeared in my thoughts. Blood was leaking on his grievous wounds. When I turned the unconscious man, to my horror I discovered it was Ace.
All colors left my face while I trembled beneath the blanket. A shiver ran down my spine when I replayed the scene once more. I came to the scene too late to save Ace. I watched the flames engulf him.
It's just a nightmare, I told myself so my?shaking would stop. But it didn't help me one bit. I continue to shake with fear. When I turned on the other side of the bed I realized that it was empty. Panic seized me when I didn't see him anywhere in the room.
"Phoenix...What's wrong?"?Ace emerged from the bathroom and saw the panic look in my face right away. With quick long strides he reached my side and pulled me close. "I'm sorry, I must have interrupted your sleep when I went to the bathroom." He was so apologetic but it wasn't his fault.
His hands captured mine and wrapped them between his large hands. "You're cold... Gosh.... Are you alright, Phoenix?" He rubbed his fingers into my hands until it became warm.
I shook my head and searched for the right words to say. "I-I d-dream?about a car accident, Ace.... You-you died." My voice cracked until the tears I tried so hard to hold back gushed forth. Stream of tears endlessly fell down my cheeks as I looked at him.
Just the thought of him dying was enough to scare the hell out of me. I would rather choose for him to leave without saying goodbye rather than watch him hopelessly?die in front of me without me doing anything.
"Hush, my love. " He soothed my back with his palms and wiped the tears on my cheeks. "That's not going to happen. Okay? It's just a nightmare. I'm here."
"You are not going to leave me, right Ace?" My eyes pleaded as I looked at him. I know it's just a dream but I just want to hear him promise that he would not leave me.
"Take my word, Phoenix. I will never leave you. I will stay by your side no matter what." He vowed. Hearing him say it out loud made me feel better and I calmed down.
He lay on the bed and he pulled me close beside him. It felt so good to have him this near to me that nothing, not even air could come between us.
I flutter my heavy eyelids close. Ace will never leave me, he just gave me his promise and I'm confident he will fulfill them.
"Sleep tight, my love." He lowered his lips and kissed me on the forehead once before he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
The warm sunshine permeating through the open vinetian blinds and the soft kisses on my cheeks woke me up from a pleasant dream. When I fluttered my eyes open it was his handsome face I saw. He was smiling so brightly that I couldn't help but smile back.
"Good morning, my love." It's time for you to shower. We should be on our way home at nine am.
I look at the clock on the wall. Seven am in the morning. I groaned, and buried my face into the pillow. But Ace doesn't easily give up. He tickled me until I surrendered.?I pinched him on the nose and rose from the bed. His?playful laughter filled the room and I just rolled my eyes heavenward.
He was done with bathing, I noticed when my eyes landed on his slightly wet hair and the bath towel that was wrapped around his waist. My cheeks turned tomato red realizing he was wearing nothing?underneath.
"Okay, Okay... I raised my palms in mid air, "I will go and take a shower."
"I will wait for you here," He winked at me and pulled the bath towel from his waist.
I gasped and turned away before I could see him stark naked.?Ace was trying to tease me again. I grabbed the pillow on the bed and threw it back at him before I marched to the bathroom.
Once inside the bathroom, I quickly surveyed my reflection on the full length mirror. The remnants of our passionate lovemaking last night left a mark all over my body. My cheeks turned several shades darker at the memory.
I blinked?rapidly. There was a different glow in my eyes... It looked so large and bright... Telling me I'm indeed in love. I sighed contentedly and smiled at my reflection in the mirror before I went on with my business.
The shower starts running. After I peeled the bathrobe, I?hastily moved under the warm water allowing it to soak my skin. I quickly applied the floral shampoo on my hair and went on soaping my skin. When I finished, I?rinsed quickly.
Fifteen minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom wearing only a?scanty bath towel. My hair had dried and it cascaded past my shoulders down to my waist.
Ace was still lying on the bed with eyes closed when I emerged from the bathroom. The bath towel he used was hanging on the nearby chair. I gasped when I realized his naked body was covered only with a pillow.
Sensing my presence, his eyes snapped open. "Come here love." He said seductively with a naughty gleam upon his exquisite blue eyes.
"I will change first." I replied, ignoring him but he captured my fingers when I walked past the bed and I fell on top of him.
"We still have an hour, my love....Shall we make use of the remaining time?"
He captured my lips before I could even react. I couldn't resist the urge and I kissed him back with equal ardor. My fingers cling to his neck. The towel I wore loosened and it fell back to the floor. He pulled me on top of him until I was sitting astride his strong thighs.
It would be an hour of passionate lovemaking.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l