Chapter 95 - MINI DATE
They asked him,
How is your life?
He smiled and said
She is fine.
***
The motorcycle lurched forward, my hands tightened their hold against his waist until my nose was pressed into the hard muscles of his upper back.
Ace smells so good, almost heavenly, a perfect combination of fabric conditioner, soap, and his natural sweet scent. The result is a unique, intoxicating scent that?I get accustomed to inhaling whenever he's within my radar.
As the motorcycle traversed the wide, spacious highway, I gradually relaxed. The embarrassment that consumed my cheeks and turned it a deep shade of crimson faded slowly. Ace had a point when he told me not to feel embarrassed. He was right when he said we did more than holding hands before, and definitely did more than just a hug. Faith Vienne was the proof we once were intimately involved.
Yeah, we once were intimately involved. I repeated inside my thoughts and my heart fluttered wildly inside my rib cage. We've been husband and wife. The realization was overwhelming. The handsome demigod in front of me was once mine…. Yeah 'once' means past tense but it didn't affect the soaring spirits inside me.
Having him this close?was overwhelming. I have everything I ever wanted within my grasp. I couldn't think of anything for a moment except how his body felt against my own. I felt safe, secure, and protected as if no one would come and dare hurt me as long he's here.
The trip to the coffee shop seems to take forever. Not that I mind. The truth is I enjoyed it.?It's the best trip I ever had in my twenty-fifth years of existence in the world. I would go anywhere as long as Ace would stay here by my side.
Just when I wished we could stay like this for another while,?the motorcycle finally pulled into a stop in front of a small, yet cozy coffee shop. A pang of disappointment hit me as he maneuvered the motorcycle on the last available parking space and stopped the engine.
He climbed out of the motorcycle first. He then helped me get down by holding my fingers firmly until I'm steadily standing on the hard, cemented pavement.
I tried to take my helmet off but the fastenings refused to break free. I fumbled more but failed to take it off despite my best efforts. Ace on the other hand successfully took his helmet off and?placed it on top of the motorcycle. Seeing I?was having trouble taking it off, he moved a step closer until his powerful thighs were almost touching mine, and helped me fumble the lock. It clicked easily. Before I knew it, he pulled it from my head and secured it beside his helmet on top of the motorcycle.
His big hands captured mine and I suddenly took a deep intake of breath. Surprised to feel the return of tingling sensations. Ace was the only man who could make me feel differently the way no other man did. He will always have this profound effect on me which makes him stand out among everyone else. Even if I'm in the middle of a room full of strangers I will still recognize him. One touch is all it
takes and I will instantly know if it was him.
"Is something wrong, Phoenix?" He asked with eyes filling with worry. He must have noticed I lapsed into silence all of a sudden.
"Nothing had ever been this right, Ace." I wanted to say but didn't. "I'm fine. This is?beautiful, Ace." I mumbled instead while staring at the elegantly decorated interior of the coffee shop. It looks so lavish and welcoming despite the small space it occupies. The atmosphere feels like home too.
"Glad you like it." He said, his hands possessively tightened around my fingers. The delicious sensation his hands burned to my skin was making me a bit uncomfortable but I didn't pull away.
He ushered me inside the glass door without letting my fingers go. A sudden hush fell into the room when we entered. If something is dropped into the room it will surely be heard as it landed in the bottom. Ace on the other hand didn't seem to notice the sudden shift in the atmosphere. He continued to act as if nothing happened. I wonder if the people inside the room recognize him.
The stunned small crowd finally recovered. The conversation continues but it was not as loud before.?When we reached the vacant table near the glass walls that overlooked the streets, Ace pulled the chair for me. "Thank you," I mumbled and perched on the soft cushion of the chair. When I settled on the chair, that's when he moved to the vacant chair across from me and occupied the seat.
"Madam Stella referred me to this place. I agreed it was excellent. They don't just make well-blended coffee but this place is also popular with their cakes and ice cream."
I didn't have time to respond. The waitress wearing a black and white uniform came to our table. "Good morning Ma'am and Sir. Welcome to Les Amore Cafe. Please take time choosing your orders. Here's the menu."?She handed Ace the menu card before she retreated to welcome the newly arrived customers sitting on the far corner of the room.
"Have you decided what to order?" Ace finally asked after reading the menu card for a while.
"I want to have Ice cream cake. I haven't eaten one for quite a long time." I replied without taking my eyes off the mouth-watering image of food on the menu. Just looking at the picture was enough to make my saliva drip down my mouth.
"I would order the same as yours."
"And for our drinks, I recommend we have Mo—" I didn't finish the words and shut my mouth tight. I couldn't tell him I would order coffee. He would undoubtedly think his ex-wife was weird. Who would want to pair a cold ice cream cake with a piping hot coffee? That would be an unusual combination.
"Don't be embarrassed. He said, his eyes glowing with amusement.
I bit my lower lip hoping my cheeks weren't as red as a ripe tomato. I reluctantly raised my head to his and when I did, his lips slowly curved into a smile, flashing me a perfect set of pearly white teeth that strongly reminds me of a toothpaste commercial model. Every time he uses that smile on me, my knees turn to noodles.
"We've been married for long five years, Phoenix." He continued, "If there is someone who knows you better it would be me. I?know about your weird addiction the way I know every mole in every part of your body." He said the words in a hoarse whisper. I don't know if it's just my imagination but he said the words in an intimate way.
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out of my lips. I was saved by the bell when the waitress arrived to take our order.
"Can I get your order, Sir?"
"Two Ice Cream cakes and two Caffé Mocha, please. That all would be." He said and handed the menu back to the waitress who retreated back to the counter after taking both the menu and our order with her.
"I know Ice Cream?cake and coffee is a weird combination." I managed to say weakly, after the waitress was gone and I recovered my voice. "But you don't need to take the same order as me," I added, cheeks burning with chagrin.
"Of course not, I wouldn't order that If I don't like it. We've been married for long. Whatever strange appetite you have, I managed to adapt them." He smiled, his eyes glowing with fascination.
I don't know if I should be thankful or not because of it.
These past few days after the confrontation we have on the balcony, things have changed greatly. The thick layer of the wall that separated us seems to collapse making us closer the way we've never been before.
It wasn't just an intimate kind of closeness but there's something more than that as if we've finally arrived into an understanding that whatever had happened in the past should stay there. It caused us nothing but pain and bitterness after all.
We've suffered enough. Until now we're praying for the price of our recklessness. The best thing for us to do now is to live today without regrets. Whatever mistake we did in the past could never be undone. However, we could use the lessons we learned from our mistakes to build a bright future ahead of us.
We must slowly rebuild our lives together. Not as lovers but best friends. Though the feelings we have for each other are still there, we're not ready to enter on to the next level yet.?We're better as friends. We're still healing deep old wounds.
Only time would tell if we would be more than just that. But for now, whatever we have.... It's more than enough.
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