Before Take Off

23. well played, birdie

"I remember loving the grey clouds gathering together, crashing into one another with a clap of thunder, as eventually causing the rain droplets to gradually trail down the window. Yet, quite a lot of time has passed since the last time I saw a downpour, as I've been only staring at you since you've barged into my life."

*

When we were finally finished with baking, there was a mouth-watering pile of crispy apple fritters lying on my side of the large platter. I glanced at Lewis to notice that he was staring directly at the tasty mound of goodness that I had baked, as his earlier self-assured expression had already broken off.

He was perched upon a bar stool by the kitchen counter, hunching forward and propping his chin up with his knuckles as he rested his elbows on the counter. After leaning my back against the kitchen table that was in the middle of the kitchen area, I watched his slightly strained aura as he scratched the back of his neck, a half smile playing across his lips.

His side of the platter didn't look as alluring as mine did, since he initially couldn't get a grasp on the frying duration. Because of this, some of the beignets that were prepared by him were a bit too crispy or a lot mushier than they should have been.

I perked my chin up to smile at him cheekily. "I'm so going to win against you," I stated simply and he narrowed his charming hazel eyes at me.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," He replied back, settling back in his chair leisurely. "For all their pear-shaped appearance, I'm pretty sure that mine tastes better." He reached out to grab one from his side of the plate and closed his eyes, making a, "Mmm" sound as he chewed the deep-fried treat.

I couldn't help myself but smile at his goofiness. "We'll see," I challenged before pulling my hair out of the messy bun and allowing my curls to flow down over my shoulders. "Let's head out to the café and let me watch you collapse onto the floor, breaking into tears of defeat."

He bolted onto his feet and walked over to me, going around the kitchen counter that served as a firm barrier between us. I backed away a few steps until my back hit lightly against the fridge, causing him to smirk wickedly down at me. I gulped down anxiously as I craned my neck up to force myself to look pointedly into his darkened eyes.

I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason of my quickening heart rate but it was an inevitable fact that it did. I didn't know why I started off trusting him this much in the course of a short period of time but I was in no place to object if he wanted to lean in and kiss me right at that moment since I was already sucked into his cocky British boy charm.

"Whoa, hold your horses stranger," I blurted out, after reminding myself that I couldn't possibly trust a man that I had known only so little about. I literally knew nothing about his friends, family, likes, dislikes or childhood as he was always avoiding talking about himself, distracting me by cocky remarks and mischievous implications.

Lewis studied me, his eyelids drooping over his dazzling hazel eyes in a luscious way before reaching out to trace my jawline lightly, with the inner side of his index finger. "You're going to insist on that title, right birdie?" He muttered in a deep tone.

I was pretty much gawping at him by that point, as his enchanting accent swirled around me, having me immobilized, before he abruptly broke off my trance by speaking up.

"I don't care if I lose against you," He stated before stepping back and winking at me teasingly. "Since I've already gotten my prize, which is apparently your sheer entranced gaze, whenever you look straight up at me with your tempting, coffee-brown eyes of yours."