Beyond The Gaze: A Love Unseen

Chapter 16

Elysia's POV:

My eyes widened like saucers and my breathing stopped for a moment. His face was just a few inches away from me, his warm hazel brown eyes fixed on my amber ones without blinking.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine.

What?

What was I doing? I felt like a deer caught in headlights, my breathing hitching, my mind blank.

"Huh?" I stammered, my thoughts scattered, unable to break my gaze away from him.

"Elysia, what are you doing?" he repeated, his voice low, his eyes searching mine.

My brain felt like mush, unable to form coherent words as I struggled to regain my composure.

"I, um, ah, p-p-printing," I stammered, trying to sound composed but failing miserably. I gulped and blinked, an attempt to clear my head and not to stare at his face but it went down the drain when he inched more closer. I took a sharp intake of breathe as my breathing halted again, heart racing wildly in my chest.

"Hm, printing," he raised his eyebrows and nodded with mock understanding, his lips twitching as if suppressing a smile. "From the wrong printer," he added, his tone serious despite the amusement in his eyes.

Wait, what? My eyes widened, and I followed his gesture to the other printer where my print job had already been completed. Mortified, I closed my eyes briefly and pressed my lips together, mentally berating myself.

Tell me I didn't just do that.

Moreover, he didn't just see me....

When I turned my face back, Ares turned at the same time, we both froze at the closeness. My heart raced, and my breath caught in my throat as his face came within inches of mine.

His eyes flickered down to my lips for a moment, and then back to my eyes, a playful spark dancing in his gaze.

"Why are you so red again?" he questioned, his head tilting slightly as he observed me closely.

Red?!!!

He... he could see it. I pressed my lips together, trying to control the heat creeping up my cheeks.

"Cheeks, nose, chin, ears, even your eyelids are flushing at this moment," he continued, the corners of his mouth lifting in an amused smile.

I mentally cursed my fair skin, which apparently turned into a neon sign of my embarrassment. I felt like I was burning up, my body betraying my attempts to act normal.

I must be looking like a cooker right now....

Immediately coming to my senses at this horrible thought, I tried to step away from him in a haste but in my nervousness and clumsiness, I accidentally stepped forward hastily without a warning and instantly collided my forehead into his nose.

"Ow!" Ares exclaimed, stepping back and holding his nose, surprise evident on his face.

"S-sorry, sorry, sorry," I rushed out, panic overtaking me when I saw a small trickle of blood at the tip of his nose.

"You have one of a strong head, woman!" He said, gripping his nose and tapped my forehead with his fingers, as if checking it.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, slightly stroking the red mark on my forehead.

"I'm not, but you are. Is it hurting a lot?" I asked, my hands reaching out in concern.

He looked up at me, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I'll survive, don't worry," he said, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.