Page 67 of The Loathing

“No, it wasn’t, but I wouldn’t change it for the damn world.”

“Really?” she stops just before a large orchard full of apple trees, turning and facing me.

“Really,” I nod.

I watch as her ivory skin reddens over her cheeks and her head dips down to break the eye contact with me and I instantly miss looking into the windows of her soul.

I stand, bewildered and dazed. I have no idea why I am feeling like this, everything is new and unfamiliar. I loved Sharon… loved. But it never consumed me like this? She wasn’t my first and last thought of the day. I’m sure it’s nothing more than just a little crush, I mean I’m not even sure if you can call it a crush because I hardly know her.

“You just going to stand there?” her voice floats over me, snapping me from my thoughts. She reaches up onto her tiptoes, her cream summer dress which is dotted with sky blue flowers, lifts up her thigh a little more and suddenly all I want to do is dig my fingers into her creamy ivory skin, just to feel her under my fingertips. I hear a light rustle and she plucks a bright, red apple from the branch, her feet back on the ground as she rubs the red skin of the apple on the cotton of her dress and instantly, I am jealous.

Of a fucking apple.

I scrub my face with my hand, letting out a soft but low groan.

She presses the apple to her rosy lips, a wide smile spreading across her face.

“You’re trouble,” I let my hands fall, squeezing my hand into a fist before flexing my fingers.

“I have no idea what you mean,” she opens her mouth slowly and takes a bite of her apple, the crunch loud.

“I think you do,” my eyes hood, my tongue running along my bottom lip, my teeth gripping and pulling it into my mouth slowly.

“Honestly,” she rasps, her chest rising and falling a little faster, her fingers playing with the delicate frill detailing on her neckline of her dress.

I haven’t even realized that we’re in an apple orchard, surrounded by nothing but green trees and red apples.

“Honestly,” I smirk, stepping towards her, reaching and grabbing my own apple.

“They’re delicious,” she breathes, her fingers that were once playing with the frills are now on her stomach, her fingers crumpling the thin material.

“I bet they are,” I nod, rubbing my own apple against the material of my shirt then taking my own bite. Her eyes are wide, her mouth parted as she watches me.

I move another step closer, half expecting her to step back but she doesn’t. She stays grounded to the grass beneath her.

“What do you think?” she asks in barely a whisper.

“Delicious.” I nod, taking another bite and I hear her gasp.

We’re standing toe to toe, my eyes darkening as I gaze into hers. I watch as they dart back and forth between mine. I slowly reach forward, wrapping my arm round her back and pull her a little closer to me, then let my hand glide up the side of her body until my fingers brush against the soft skin of her cheek, an electrifying jolt vibrates through me, my stomach knotting. Her eyes drop to my lips, silently begging me to kiss her, before they flick back up to mine and I feel overwhelmed, my heart jack hammering in my chest as my stomach fills with anticipation. Letting my fingers spread and move to hold her cheek, my thumb brushing over her full, red, rosy lips my own breath catches in the back of my throat, my lips edging closer to hers, my eyes falling to her mouth before they flutter shut. Our lips are just about to meet when my phone rings, causing Amora to jump, her apple falling from her laxed fingertips and it hits the floor causing a light thud.

I swoop back, fisting my phone from my pocket to see Xavier’s name. I roll my eyes and lift the phone to my ear.

“Yes.”

“Bring her home.”

“Okay,” I cut him off, shoving the phone into my back pocket.

Her wide eyes are glued to mine.

“We need to get back to the house,” I just about manage to roll out the words.

She just nods, breaking her gaze from mine as she dips her head and walks past me and I fall back.

“Shit,” I mumble under my breath, dropping my own apple to the floor and following her back into the house keeping five steps behind.

I continue forward, Amora doesn’t look back at me. I fucked up. Did I? Did I read it all wrong? I watch as she rounds the corner, climbing the stairs and I am desperate to follow her but I have a niggling anger burning inside of me. I pause, stopping in my tracks and I watch as she disappears from my sight, and I instantly miss her. I turn to look at Xavier’s closed office door, I lift my hand ready to knock but then decide against it. I push the handle down with force and let the door swing open, the sound of the door hitting the wall not making me flinch at all. Xavier is sitting at his desk, his eyes follow the door before they glide back to mine.

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