In Love With My Rival

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: my mother likes you

            “Why are you still awake?”

            Ava’s voice almost startled Zephyr in the middle of the night as he stood in her room. His hand froze on the picture he was holding. His back was to her. He climbed down the bed when she finally fell asleep, but he never thought she would awake. The muscles on his back tensed a little, but he managed to relax before she could even suspect something.

            Clearing his throat, he put the black-bordered picture in a wooden frame back on the table and turned around to face her. He was greeted by a calm face, but he knew she was curious behind that façade.

            “I can’t sleep.”

            It sounded so real and honest coming from his mouth, rolling off his tongue flawlessly. He should be proud of himself for being able to lie smoothly. He towered Ava with his more than six feet height, but he felt like she did not seem intimidated at all. In fact, it was he who felt intimidated sometimes by a woman shorter than him by one foot.

            “Oh. Is it because you feel new to the bed?”

            Why is she innocent?

            Zephyr thought as he almost felt guilty just staring at her cute innocent face. The room was dimly lit, but he could make out her best features. So stunning.

            “Maybe.” Zephyr shrugged, sitting back on the bed crawled on the bed next to her. He had taken off his shirt earlier. That was how he slept—shirtless. “Don’t get me wrong. This is really comfy. I guess it’s just felt new to be right here on your bed.”

            “Mister Hernandez, are you feeling shy?”

            “What? No. It’s not that. Why would I be shy?” He asked, twisting on his side to face her. A smile almost crept to his face when he saw how cute she looked as she laid her cheek on the back of her hands. Really cute.

            Ava shrugged, an adorable pout was staying on her lips as she stared at him. “I don’t know. I thought you were being shy. I guess you’re not.”

            “I’m not,” Zephyr repeated. “I even showed up at your office door.” He chuckled, just to lift the mood.

            He was glad he saw her now smiling while just staring at his face.

            “Right.” She muttered softly. “How can I forget that you’re unique?”

            “Are you saying I’m one of a kind?”

            “If that’s what you think I’m saying, then so be it.”

            Why is her voice so soft?

            “I am your one of a kind then.” He poked the tip of her nose, making him let out a good chuckle when she scrunched it up. So f*****g cute.

            It’s becoming my favorite word. Damn it. CUTE.

            As they just stared at each other comfortably without saying anything, his eyes softened when she yawned right in front of him.

            “You’re sleepy.” It was obvious but he commented anyway. He was changing. He noticed it himself because he was normally not a talker. He was usually quiet as a person but he slowly found himself every time he was with her.

            Ava just nodded her head in response. She was starting to feel her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. They were drooping.  She had a long crazy day with him and she loved it. In her sleepy state, she absentmindedly lifted her hand and laid on his cheek. She felt his rough stubble tickling the soft skin of her palm. Her thumb started rubbing against his cheek. The motion was slow as she was drifting to sleep. Doing that, she finally fell back to sleep.

            How can a woman be so innocently adorable?

            Zephyr could not fall asleep no matter how hard he tried to. He could not take his eyes off the woman who was slowly changing him. She was snoring softly and he did not move her palm that was laying on his cheek. It felt too good to put her down. He decided to just keep it there.

            If I am your one of a kind, then you’re my one of a kind too.

            Zephyr thought as he laid on his hand on top of hers that was on his cheek. He instantly felt the jolt of electricity running through his veins when their skin touched. It was always like that and he found it annoying. A good kind of annoying and he did not know why he could think that.

            Is this weird?

            Still keeping his eyes on her, he found himself taking her hand in his and entwining their fingers together. He put them right beside his face and slowly closed his eyes until he finally fell asleep.

***

It was bright. The morning sunshine was so beautiful. Ava slowly opened her eyes and squinted them when the sunlight hit her face by the windows. She felt bare and she realized she was literally naked on her bed. A blanket was draped over her. When she finally adjusted her vision, she opened her eyes again to see someone’s face close to hers.

So beautiful.

She thought as the corners of her mouth lifted into a content smile. Her hand slowly touched his face, starting with his thick brows, caressing them with her fingers and down to the bridge of his nose. Her finger stopped on the tip of his nose as her eyes focused on his lips. The lips she once kissed and wanted to kiss again.

He suddenly moved, kicking the blanket down and showing off his beautifully sculpted body. Her fingers traveled lower and stopped on his lips for a few seconds before she continued down to his jawline and his chest. There were moles on his body and she found it so damn sexy. One near his right n****e, another right in the middle of his chest, little ones on his arms, and one near his navel.

When her hands reached down his abs, a hand suddenly stopped her own and when she looked up, a pair of beautiful dark brown eyes were staring back at her.

“Good morning, Queen.”

This is not a dream anymore.

Ava thought as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight that crept through her windows. When finally everything was clear, she realized she was right—that it was not a dream anymore. This time, it was real. So real. Well, except for one thing—they were not naked. She could say because she clearly remembered what happened yesterday and everything last night. She was still in her green thin spaghetti strap dress. He was shirtless, though, and only had his sweatpants on. What she remembered the best was having dinner with him and his brother in their place. It was the best proper meal she ever had.

And he called me ‘Queen’. I am pretty sure I am not dreaming anymore. If I am, then this has to be a nightmare.

“Good morning.” She mumbled, her voice a little bit groggy. She pretended to yawn, putting her hand over her mouth, smelling her breath. She was always conscious of it.

“Are you worried about your morning breath?”

Ava’s widened as she stared at him, her hand still covering her mouth. How did he f*****g know about it? Can he read minds?

She fell silent, not because she was embarrassed but because she was just surprised about how easily he could read her.

Am I that obvious? Bluntly vulnerable?

“I’ve been awake for almost an hour now. I was staring at you so close and with your breathing fanning my face. It was the best.”

This must be a dream. This must really be a dream. No one would say that.

Ava was too shocked to say something. She thought it was just unbelievable because she also remembered not brushing her teeth before going to the bed.

I am freaking weird.

“Come on. Why aren’t you saying anything?” Zephyr chuckled, lifting her hand off her mouth. “You worry too much. Aren’t we going to see your mother today?”

“We are.” She finally spoke again. “You don’t have clothes here though.”

“Let’s have breakfast at my place.” Zephyr wiggled his brows.

            She nodded her head in agreement. “Fine. But, let’s cook here and just pack them. I want to make something for Xavier.” She smiled, feeling so excited about it.

            “You two are close already, huh?” Zephyr shook his head, smiling.

            “Well, I wish we’ll become closer I really like his attitude. He’s so not boring to be with.”

            “Are you saying I am boring?”

            “What? No! Of course, not. Well, maybe?” Ava was screaming, but now smiling at him sheepishly.

            “Oh.” Zephyr’s eyes widened a bit, not taking as offensive at all.

            “I mean, you don’t really talk and you have that serious mode most of the time. Kinda boring when you are so serious.”

            “That’s just me.”

            “I know.”

            “Do I have to change that?” Zephyr quirked a brow at her.

            Ava smiled. She was finding the morning conversation with him really awakening. “No. No, not at all. Just be yourself.”

“Go shower. I’ll start making breakfast.”

“Now, you go shower first. I’ll be cooking, remember?”

“I don’t have clothes here and I don’t want to smell like a girl.” Zephyr rolled his eyes, finally sitting up on the bed.

Ava found herself staring at his back which was looking so sexy with all those ripped muscles. Breakfast. She swallowed at the thought. Clearing her throat, she spoke, “I guess I’ll go shower first then.”

“Sure.” Zephyr gave her a thumbs up before standing up from the bed and walked out of her room and downstairs without saying anything.

Sitting up, Ava yawned and climbed down the bed after doing some satisfying stretches. She headed straight to the bathroom and stripped off her clothes before stepping under the shower. She lathered and pampered herself with her favorite essentials. After a good twenty-minute shower, she was finally out of the bathroom with a white skimpy towel wrapped around her body. She got changed into a pair of faded blue high-waist skinny jeans and a black high neck racerback crop top.

Barefoot and with her still wet, she headed downstairs, humming a song and jumped on the last step of the stairs. She headed to the kitchen and stopped on the doorway when her eyes landed on her sexy bodyguard who was still shirtless while cooking fried rice. She knew it was fried rice because of the smell.

Ava’s stomach grumbled, staring at his back.

I am so freaking weird.

She shook her head when she found herself looking at his back again. Clearing her throat again, she walked deeper into the kitchen and stood right beside him by the countertop.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Ava’s mouth watered when she saw the delicious-looking fried rice on a pan over the heat. “I thought you can’t cook.”

“Xavier told you that.”

It was not a question but rather a statement and he did not look at her while he turned the heat off and served the fried rice on a plate.

“How did you know?” Ava asked as she took the plate from him.

“There was only one person in this world who doesn’t trust my cooking skills and that’s my brother.”

“I trust you.” Ava almost moaned at how good the fried rice was. Yes, she could not help trying it.

“Oh, you’re already eating.” Zephyr chuckled when he turned around and see Ava nodding her head and giving him a thumbs up while eating the fried rice.

“It’s good.”

“So good. Xavier was a liar.”

“Yeah, don’t believe him.” Zephyr smiled, happy that she liked it.

“My turn,” Ava said and started moving around the kitchen like an expert. She was a great cook. Living alone for seven years already taught her that. Now, it was her turn to make him the judge.

“Impress me, Ava Lauren.”did you know plate. off and s