Elation flooded her soul. And invaded her countenance. It was no stealthy approach. Rather, joy bloomed like a bright sunrise suddenly infiltrating her face. From her chin to her forehead. Even her eyebrows were happy. And that little divot above her lips. Yoongi had the strongest impulse to kiss it.
“Right now?” she begged.
He nodded. Then he walked around the island and reached for her hand. His fingers slipped around hers as their palms touched, and he pulled her towards his piano room. In anyone else’s life, it would have been a living room, but Yoongi hadn’t set up a television and couch in his. Only a piano and its bench filled this tiny room.
“This is already an improvement,” she smiled.
Though, if she had been completely honest, she would have admitted she liked it when he tugged her close to him.
“What?” Perplexed, he glanced her way.
“You’re holding my hand. Instead of grabbing my wrist.”
“Yeah, well, I know your appa would definitely disdain me if I ever did that in his presence again. And he’d probably cane me too.”
She nodded sagely. “Most definitely.” But a smile was tugging at the corners of her lips.
“What is it?” he asked, confused yet curious.
“I like your intensity. You don’t feel anything by half-measures, do you?”
“Only when I’m drunk.”
“Ahh…hence, all the wine. You’d prefer not to feel, eh?”
His eyes tangled with hers. How did she understand him so well?
“Not everything is worth feeling…” he murmured. Then his eyes caressed her lips. “Although…”
She could feel that gaze hot on her mouth. She swallowed. And nervously licked her lips. Which just increased the tension between them.
“…when I’m with you, I want to feel everything…”
Her heart was pounding again. His intense gaze was stirring the waters of her soul. And pulling her close to him. It was scary. And wonderfully tantalizing.
Should she go all in? Or proceed cautiously?
Just because Yoongi intended tonight to sober up – just because he wanted to impress her appa – didn’t mean that he’d go the distance. Did he really have what it took to live out his convictions? If they were even convictions. Perhaps they were simply the means to overcome the obstacles that stood between him and his possessing his objective. But once he had her, who would he decide to be?
It was easy to be on his best behavior when he was trying to woo her heart. And win her appa to his side. But if Yoongi attained his goal, would he fall back into old patterns? Would his long-held habits resurface to torment them all?
She swallowed as her doubts swamped her. It was easy to feel attracted to him. It was shockingly easy to lean towards his kiss. But would their future together be as straightforward? Would he always cherish her heart, or would his fears end up breaking her heart? And tearing them apart?
She stood up straight, leaning away from him. Even as his fingers stroked her palm and sent tingles all the way down into her core. She ignored them. All.
“So…what song are you going to play for me?”
He stopped walking. His fingers stilled on her palm. His eyes locked with hers. She’d just withdrawn from him. He had clearly felt it. She’d just locked herself away behind some hidden door in her heart. But she was expecting him to expose his own heart to her now?
He hesitated. What was he doing? Changing his entire life for a girl he’d met three weeks ago? Just because he wanted to taste those pale pink lips? And hold that cute body in his arms? Was he crazy?
Ouch, fear in relationships is always hard to overcome