Chapter 15. Feather Light
1351 Words
"So how did I end up here?"
Milly asked him again.
They were just done with "brunch" and he was already washing the dishes. She offered to do them but he ignored her, as usual.
"I was passing by when I saw you with a guy on the sidewalk."
Laurence answered with his back on her.
"So Theo was with me...and then?"
Milly was trying to piece her memory together.
She already knew from the past that she could barely handle alcohol, that was why she told Claire last night that she was going home first.
But apparently, the few bottles of beer and some shots of tequila surely did a number on her and she slept right away.
"Well, I didn't know him...and by the looks of it, you were too drunk to even remember who he was, so I brought you home instead."
Laurence faced her, wiping his arms with the dishcloth.
Milly blinked in embarrassment.
Way to make a lasting impression, right?
She must have looked like a drunkard or something.
Ugh.
"So what did Ryan say?"
She asked, too concerned about her cousin knowing she was drunk with some guy.
Laurence sighed. By her reaction, he knew she worried about not going home and her aunt looking for her.
She was still at the dining table, both hands clasping her chin like a kid being scolded for messing up.
"I told you I called him, but I didn't say he knew you were here."
He said softly.
"I just told him that I came across you at a restaurant and you couldn't call him 'coz your phone died."
Milly looked up, her expression was both confused and slightly relieved.
"I told him you wanted him to know you were gonna sleep at your friend's house."
Laurence moved to the living room nonchalantly, expecting her to follow.
She did.
Upon hearing his explanation, Milly felt she could finally breathe freely. She had been mulling over that since she woke up and how glad she was he quickly thought of her situation and resolved it without her even knowing.
Letting out a relieved sigh, Amelia moved on to another thing that she was scared to ask.
"Um..."
Milly started, standing in his living room while he picked up the pillows and blanket he probably used last night.
"I'm not wearing my clothes..."
She continued, feeling more and more embarrassed.
How could she be so careless?
Laurence looked at her and a smile broke on his face.
"I can see that..."
Looking her up and down, his gaze lingered a little longer on her bare feet.
Milly fidgeted in place. She would probably feel a lot better if the ground would just swallow her up that instant.
"But I didn't see anything else...last night, I mean."
His tone was obviously teasing her, she was beginning to feel frustrated again.
"I was careful."
Those three words hit her so differently that she stood dumbfounded by his revelation.
"Wow, I can't do this."
Milly bit her lower lip in discomfort.
She was now pacing the living room back and forth, both her arms on her waist.
"How could you do this to me?"
She asked, frustrated and upset about him invading her body like that.
"I didn't do anything..."
Laurence answered.
"Yet."
Milly huffed, ready to throw hands at him.
But he held his right hand up to pacify her.
"What I meant was, I had to change your clothes because you vomited on them."
Milly's mouth almost dropped to the ground.
"I did not!"
She exclaimed in denial.
He was exaggerating, for sure!
Was he?
Oh, God. She wished she could just disappear and never see him again, ever.
"Your clothes are in the washer."
He could see how embarrassed she was and although it was always fun to tease her, he didn't want her to feel completely gloomy.
"You can use the bathroom in my room."
He coaxed softly after seeing her stand frozen in place.
"I'll go get something from the store nearby and be back after maybe half an hour to pick you up."
Laurence moved in front of her to get her attention.
"Okay?"
He playfully tugged at her arm sleeves until she looked him in the eye.
"Sorry about the mess..."
She whispered, feeling utterly shy and shameful.
Laurence looked at her face, a gentle expression playing in his eyes. He moved just an inch closer, and to her surprise, planted a quick feather-light kiss on top of her nose.
"Get yourself cleaned up."
He easily grabbed her head with his palm and ruffled her hair into a tangled mess.
"Hey!"
Milly was taken aback by how forceful it was but before she could kick him in revenge, he already sprinted to the front door and shut it noiselessly.
Shaking her head in annoyance, she stomped her way back to the bedroom and closed it with a bang.
It was only about forty minutes later that she heard him back in the house. She could be annoyed at his antics and his teasing, but deep inside, she was grateful for his quiet understanding of her needs. It somehow didn't matter that they barely knew each other. He just seemed to have that keen understanding of what to do and what not to do.
Milly stared at herself in the mirror, refreshed that she finally had her clothes back. Good thing she had a pair of stick-on bra pads and another piece of underwear in her bag. She always put them there when she went out just in case she needed them for emergency purposes.
This was definitely an emergency!
Good thing she saw an unused paper bag beside his closet, she had something to put her clothes in before leaving. Conscious about everything he had already done for her, Milly even brought his sweatshirt with her so she could wash it before giving it back.
She was still haunted by the fact that he washed her skirt and blouse last night. But she couldn't do anything about it anymore, it was just she felt she exposed herself too much to another person, a guy at that. Something even the closest of her family hadn't even seen her in.
Letting out a steadying breath, she squared her shoulders and went out of the bedroom.
"Ready?"
Laurence asked.
He was leisurely turning the channels on the television.
Milly didn't have any idea how he spent his weekends, but for a guy like him, he probably had plans to do. She had to get out there if she wanted to at least save her face.
"Yes."
She quipped.
"I borrowed your paper bag."
Milly felt awkward standing there and him manspreading on the sofa.
He didn't look disturbed in any way that she was there, while she was utterly uncomfortable invading his space.
Laurence nodded, casting a glance at her, before standing up to turn the tv off and grab his keys.
Milly followed him in silence out the front door. She didn't know earlier which floor they were in, but now she knew that they were on the third. The elevator dinged open.
Riding with him in that enclosed space felt suffocating enough even in silence. It was already after noontime but the scent of his aftershave was still distinct, he oozed with undeniable masculinity. They were standing just a foot apart but for some reason, she felt a hot tension between that space it almost sparkled. When the elevator opened again, Amelia sighed in relief. Strangely, Laurence did the same thing too and even squared his shoulders upon getting out of the lift.
Did he feel that too? Milly wondered.
He went straight to the main entrance of the building. His pick-up was already parked in the front and proceeded to open the door for her she almost tripped by how cheesy it was. Her face must have shown her clear discomfort that his face split into a wide-ass grin.
Ugh.
Classic.
He always laughed at her misery.
Amelia rolled her eyes at him and slid inside.
- Writer
