Between The Lines and YOU

Thirty Three

"Baby, wake up. We are here."

Baby. I did not know what kind of magic was hidden in that word, but it was enough to pull me completely out of sleep. I remembered how full I had been after all the street food we bought. I was the one who finished almost everything since I could not convince him to finish the kwek-kwek. He might have kicked me out of his car if I kept pushing. A smile tugged at my lips when I remembered him calling me Baby.

"What was that again, Knox?" I teased, grinning mischievously, but because he was a great coward with the temper of a dragon. Always. The one time I asked for a little sweetness, he refused to repeat it.

I pouted as I unfastened my seatbelt. He was already outside, so I had no choice but to follow and help unload the things from the trunk. It surprised me that he had prepared so much, while I had not even packed a single undergarment. If I really ended up sleeping without clothes, he would drool, because I would never lie down next to him. Hmph.

"Stop pouting like a duck, Pria." His words made me pout even harder. Really, he compared my cute lips to a duck? As if he did not secretly want to devour them. I rolled my eyes in secret.

I followed him quietly. We were still only in the parking lot. Where was the Palace Del Rio? All I could see was the road. I wanted to keep sulking instead of asking, but after we carried everything down, I finally approached him. I was startled when he wiped my back with a towel, and only then did I notice how sweaty I was. I turned to look at him. I could not tell if his flushed cheeks, like mine, were from the heat or from something else entirely.

"Where is the Palace Del Rio, Knox?" I asked, hoping to hide the giddiness rising inside me. He avoided meeting my eyes before answering. Was my cuteness too much for him to handle?

"We will take a carriage. The Palace Del Rio is not too far, but to fully experience everything, we need to try their method of teleportation. Does that not sound like a great idea?"

"Of course it does. I do not really care about anything else. I just want to spend this weekend with you, Knox." I smiled at him, and he stared at me before gently taking my hand and giving it a soft squeeze.

The truth was I no longer wanted to return to the city. I wanted to forget everything that could ruin the connection we had right now. It was selfish, but knowing how complicated our situation was, there was a chance he would not treat me the same once we went back. The thought made me want to cry, and at the same time, laugh bitterly. With everything I had discovered, part of me wanted to just run away, disappear from all of them.

I quickly shook my head. I should not think like that. I was with Knox Ares Sandoval, whatever name people chose to call him, he was still the man I adored. Even if his nicknames revealed different sides of his personality, he was still my Knox. I knew he was hiding something from me, but I would still hold on to what I felt. He would not hurt me.

"Have you ever wondered what it feels like to wake up in the morning with someone you love?" His question brought me back from my thoughts. I looked at him as if memorizing every curve of his face. When our eyes met, I saw something he tried to conceal. Before he looked away, I caught the sadness in his beautiful eyes. Was he not happy to be with me? Why was he sad? Before my thoughts could drag me under again, I offered him a sweet smile.

If only I had woken up beside you after that night we shared, I would have known the answer to your question. I wanted to say it aloud, but instead I only nodded. After what happened that night, we never spoke of it again. I was afraid of what his answer might be, afraid that maybe he was only confused, that maybe he never truly felt anything for me. My thoughts stilled when he kissed me on the cheek.

“Stop thinking about other things, Pria. I’m here, and I’m the only one you should be thinking about." I could hear the sulkiness in his voice. I let out a soft laugh, which only made his frown deepen. He was just too cute, honestly.

“I was just thinking that the other guy who was sitting there beside the street food stall earlier was kind of cute.” The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to take them back. It disgusted me, because clearly, I was supposed to be the only cute one. His lips parted slightly, as if he couldn’t believe what I had just said. His brows shot up higher than I thought possible. He let go of my hand and crossed his arms tightly across his chest.

“So the reason you’ve been spacing out all this time is because of some random guy you saw earlier?!” I flinched at the sharp rise in his voice. I didn’t even know his tone could get that loud. Normally, when he was upset, he either ignored me or snapped at me.

“Ye-yeah?” My answer came out unsure and stupid. I only wanted to tease him, but now he looked ready to snap my neck.

“You’re unbelievable. How dare you! I’m the one with you, and yet you’re thinking about someone else?!” He was practically stomping in frustration, and I half expected him to punch me out of sheer annoyance.

“Good day, Sir.” My attention shifted to the coachman waiting by the carriage. I glanced back at Professor Sandoval. My throat tightened as I saw his flushed cheeks. I knew it wasn’t only from the heat. He was furious with me. I managed an awkward smile at the coachman, though I was sure he’d overheard Knox’s words.

He was the one assigned to take us to Palace Del Rio. He also helped load our luggage. At one point, I almost fell because the carriage handle wasn’t locked properly, and of course that was the one I grabbed onto. Luckily, Knox caught me by the waist. Even though he was angry, I knew he still worried about me. He refused to sit beside me, though, deliberately placing a bag between us so I wouldn’t get close. If I ever decided to go home and leave him here, I was sure he would cry. Or maybe it would be the complete opposite.

Neither of us spoke during the ride. Even the coachman, who must have sensed the tension, stayed silent. I promised myself I’d talk and apologize to him later. For now, I pulled out my phone and started taking pictures of the animals we passed by. There was no signal, so this was the best distraction I could find. At least it kept me from feeling like he was plotting my demise in silence.

I accidentally pointed the camera at Knox, only to find him already staring at me. I smiled and asked him to smile for the picture. Of course, when had he ever listened to me? As usual, he just turned away. Pretentious as he was, he still looked more handsome than anything we were passing by. Feeding my own delusions, I secretly took several pictures of him anyway. He was just that breathtaking. When we finally reached Palace Del Rio, my mouth dropped open. I knew this was the only hotel in Balban Del Rio that looked like a real palace. Directly across from it was a resort, run by the same owner, so it didn’t even have a separate name. It was simply considered an extension of the hotel. I stared at the massive structure and the vast expanse of its grounds. I didn’t even realize we had stopped until I noticed both the coachman and Knox were already off the carriage. Clearly, I was the only one left behind.

He still seemed angry. He wouldn’t even glance my way. I only heard him say something quietly to the coachman. Moments later, the man began carrying our luggage inside the hotel. That left the two of us alone. The afternoon breeze had grown cooler, and I instinctively hugged myself for warmth. Knox noticed, but the only thing he gave me was a cold stare.

“Knox,” I called softly. He immediately turned his back to me and walked ahead without a word. He really was mad. All I could do was sigh and follow after him.

How could I possibly enjoy this when he was angry with me? I was so stupid. If Knox ever told me he was thinking about Celine while he was with me here, I would probably get upset too.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt the weight of several gazes turn to me. Guests in the lobby looked directly at me, some even eyeing me from head to toe. They all looked so elegant and refined. Even those dressed simply carried an air of wealth and confidence. Maybe they were looking at me like that because I was just too cute. Yes, that had to be it.

My eyes immediately searched for Knox, and I spotted him not too far away. He was speaking with a gorgeous woman in a formal dress, slightly taller than me, and together they drew every bit of attention in the room. How could they not? When Knox smiled, it was as though his lips might split from the force of it. Had he forgotten he was here with me? He must have known the woman, because he wouldn’t waste a smile on some random stranger.

A sudden tightness gripped my chest. That familiar ache returned, the one that whispered he could replace me so easily, that I was nothing compared to the people who liked him. Tears threatened to spill as the pressure in my heart grew unbearable. I was ready to walk away, to find a place where I could cry unnoticed, when his eyes finally landed on me. I turned away quickly, afraid he would notice the softness in my gaze. He said something to the woman before him, excused himself, then walked toward me.

“Pria.” His voice carried the weight of impatience. The corners of my lips curved up. For once, it wasn’t me apologizing. It felt like he would be the one explaining himself to me.

“What is it?” I asked, still avoiding his gaze.

“This is so frustrating. Are you still thinking about that guy?”

“What guy?” I feigned ignorance.

“The one you called cute.”

“That wasn’t true. That guy looked like a pogo stick, not cute at all. I’m the only cute one.”

“You’re acting childish again.” His words froze me in place. Was he getting tired of this side of me? But I only acted this way with him. All I ever wanted was for him to baby me.

“Sorry.” The word slipped out, my voice soft and a little sad. Embarrassment swept through me as I realized how small I sounded before him.

“You’re giving me the cold shoulder. What’s wrong?” His voice rumbled low, while my heart pounded so violently I thought it might burst. My brain was spinning with all sorts of indecent thoughts, even though I was just sitting on his lap.

“My shoulder isn’t cold, Knox.” I hid my nervousness behind a joke, though my pulse was racing out of control.

“Stop giving me that attitude when I’m still asking nicely, or I’ll punish you.” Every hair on my body stood on end when his hand slipped beneath my shirt without warning. His palm moved slowly over my stomach, caressing me in teasing strokes. My heart wasn’t the only thing going wild, even my insides seemed to quiver at his touch. Then he began to trail soft kisses across my shoulder, making me melt.

“I didn’t like what I saw in the lobby earlier. I hated the feeling. I don’t want you smiling at anyone else like that.” He paused for a moment, then a rich, alluring laugh escaped his lips.

“You’re cute.” I groaned when he bit my shoulder again. Was he turning into some kind of dinosaur?

“You’ve been biting me too much,” I complained as his hand moved once more.

“If so, what are you going to do, hmm?” His tone was pure temptation, as though daring me to answer.

“I’ll bite you too.” Heat flushed my cheeks as soon as the words left me. That wasn’t me, I was innocent. It was his voice and his touches, they were pulling things out of me I didn’t even recognize. A soft moan slipped out when his lips pressed to the back of my ear and he nibbled gently.

“Baby,” he whispered seductively. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I turned and claimed his lips with mine, feeling him smile into the kiss at my boldness.

“s**t,” I cursed under my breath. I kissed him again. I let his hands roam wherever they pleased. Heat burned between us, desire tangled in every breath, until both of us froze at the exact same moment. Our stomachs growled in unison.

Only then did I remember that after leaving the restaurant and traveling here, the only thing we’d eaten was a bit of street food. He hadn’t even finished his share, so he had to be starving too. We both looked at each other, cheeks flushed, before smiling, and then laughter spilled out from both of us.

“Gosh, this is so embarrassing!” I covered my reddened face with my hands, and he only laughed harder.