Page 63 of With This Kiss
I didn’t say anything to him as Makar went back to the stove and flipped the pancake.
It seemed Makar was the only one who could cook, as he was doing most of it, aside from the dinner we had last night. That had been prepared by Helen, Reign’s family cook, and frozen beforehand.
“Where’s Reign?” I asked. I hadn’t seen him since he woke me up thirty minutes ago.
“Outside, making a phone call,” Fabian answered, looking directly at me.
It took everything in me not to freeze on the spot. Luckily, I was used to dealing with men who made me uncomfortable, considering who my dad was and how I grew up.
I looked at Fabian and smiled, not showing any signs of my unease.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be back soon,” Fabian said, moving closer to me.
I resisted the urge to move back. Usually, I could keep my composure well, but there was just something about the way he was looking at me, as if he knew I was uncomfortable with his closeness, with the way it seemed like he was going to touch me, knowing I didn’t like to be touched.
I held still.
I wasn’t going to be the first to move away.
His eyes glinted with amusement.
A plate of breakfast was placed down in front of me, and Fabian moved away, smiling easily.
I looked up to see Makar in front of me. “Is everything okay?” he asked Fabian.
“Yeah,” Fabian answered easily.
Makar frowned and turned to me. I nodded. “Yup.”
It seemed like he wanted to say something but stopped himself at the last moment. He held out a fork to me. “Eat up. Reign should finish his phone call soon.”
“I’m finished now,” a familiar voice said from behind me.
I turned around and found Reign standing at the threshold leading into the kitchen. His eyes were focused intently on me, and for the first time since I left the room this morning, I felt like I could finally breathe.
I relaxed my tensed muscles, feeling my heart calm as he walked straight over to me. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. I didn’t say anything to him.
Since when did he become my source of comfort?
Since when did he manage to make me feel safe in a sea of uncertainty?
I didn’t like this. Not even a little bit.
He should not be anything to me.
He leaned forward and rested his chin on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked, as if he could sense things weren’t right with me.
I nodded, not saying anything.
But I didn’t push him away either.
I told myself it was because we were in front of his friends, and wouldn’t they find it weird if I shied away from Reign’s touch?
Which made me wonder if Reign ever found it weird that I had avoided his touch before. He was so perceptive most of the time—I was sure he didn’t miss that.
I speared the bacon on my plate and held it out for him. He took it without hesitation, and I didn’t want to think too much about why everything just felt so… natural with him.
A few dayshad passed since the weekend away with Reign.
