Love Bites

LOVE BITES Chapter 27 : Walking The Puppy

Chapter 27 : Walking The Puppy

"What are you reading?" I asked Alastair, wrapping my arms around his neck as I lent over the top of the sofa where he was sitting.

He tilted his head back, ash mauve eyes meeting mine. Our faces were close and I pushed down the butterflies setting flight in my stomach. Instead I smiled and gently brushed my fingers across his forehead, moving the dark strands out of his eyes.

"What?" I laughed when he continued to just look at me.

"Nothing," he said quickly and returned to his book. "You wouldn't like this book. It centres around death and destruction."

I peered at the pages but the font was too tiny. "How... lovely."

He recognised the sarcasm in my voice and chuckled. "That was a joke. It's actually a pornographic novel."

I didn't really know how to respond, feeling slightly uncomfortable, and so all I managed out was a simple, "Oh?"

"That too was a joke," he mused, like he were holding in his laughter.

I rested my chin on his shoulder. "Your humour is dry, you know that?"

When he didn't respond, to neither my words nor the way my breasts were purposely pressed against his back as I lent over the sofa, I snatched the book out of his grasp and stepped back, teasing him with it.

I wasn't expecting it to be as old as it was, the book's paper cover brittle and torn. I read the text on the front and frowned. "Whose.... Ernest Hemingway?"

Alastair closed his eyes briefly, as if my question had caused him emotional pain.

"I hope you remembered your page number," I said as my finger accidentally slipped from between the pages and the book clamped shut.

He walked around the sofa, standing in front of me with his hand out. "Can I have my book back, Nikki?"

I jogged back, a smile lighting up my face and jiggled the book in front of me. "Because you didn't say please, you'll have to take it from me."

Of course, silly me forgot that Alastair could teleport. Before I could comprehend his actions, Alastair disappeared in a puff of black smoke only to reappear behind me. My back bumped into his chest, one hand on my shoulder and the other reaching over to take the book back.

I turned over my shoulder, meeting his cool gaze and smug smile. "Thanks."

"Extremely... unfair," I breathed, forgetting my words. I turned the rest of the way in his arms, facing him properly. His hand moved from my shoulder to my face where he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

I didn't realise I was rising on my toes, Alastair leaning in too, until a knock sounded at the front door. I hung my head, damning the person who interrupted us.

"Brianna?" Alastair titled his head in question.

"Try Zac," I said, walking around him and mumbling profanities under my breath. So close. "Bri always rings the bell, remember? Multiple times too."

"And what is he doing here?"

He knocked again. "Didn't I mention I was going out with Zac today?"