Always, Arlo [Published]

Chapter 9

Saint

"She's beautiful you really have yourself a gem here, Mr. Saint."

"I know." Arlo confesses looking down at me with proudness. He looked at me like one looks at a prize. A look i've never seen anybody have for me before. A look only Arlo can convey in the most addictive way.

♥

Arlo kept me by his side almost all night, he was like a babysitter watching me closely making sure I was in his line of vision at all times. We walked around half the living-room as he introduced me to various different people, a lot of people whom he worked with.

Once we got to the center of the living room there was an array of people dancing and drinking, chatting it up and just having a good time. I decided I wanted to also let a little loose and detach from Arlo for a little while so he can do his business in peace.

"I'm going to go get a drink." I say but he can't hear me over the blaring music. He pauses his conversation and leans down to my height putting his ear next to my lips. I can reach him a little better now with these boots but our height difference was still pretty drastic when he was standing straight. 

"Hm?" He hums, his minty breath hitting my neck as he tries to get me to repeat myself. The distance between us is slim now and between our touching shoulders and his warm breath tickling my skin I tense up with shyness.

"I'm going to get a drink." I repeat after a beat and Arlo's cologne feels like its about to consume my lungs the way the aroma keeps lingering into my nostrils after every breather. He looks me in my eyes for a minute, our faces merely inches apart.

"I'll come with you." He offers and I shake my head. He still has so many people who want to speak to him and interact. So many people who have questions for him, and want his attention and time yet he's stuck watching over me. "You have people to tend to!" I gesture over to the crowd of people we're currently in.

He shifts his gaze onto them and then back onto me with nonchalantness, giving me a shrug. "Let's get you that drink." Arlo finalizes, excusing himself from the group and he guides me with his hand still on my waist over to the kitchen. I roll my eyes at his stubbornness, it's been like this all night. He has been watching me like a hawk.

I've reassured him countless of times that i'll be okay and that I am okay. Surprisingly enough I have felt at ease all night, my anxiousness was all for nothing.

Though it feels nice, i've never had someone so focused and worried over me despite how much business and chaos is going on around them. All the people crowding around us and Arlo was still managing to keep me his eyes on me.

Although I barley focused on the ongoing conversations because the music was so loud i'd have to force myself to read lips, I still tried to converse when the conversation would shift onto me. Everyone was nice to me and curious about who I was and what I did. I told them all I was joining a new line of work which revealed a little bit about myself but still kept them curious.