6. DAHLIA HARPER

 SLOW KISSES OR HOT RECKLESS ONES?

Stillness weighed heavy in the air. The only sound was the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze. It was a peaceful moment before the hustle and bustle of the day began. I opened my groggy eyes but closed them again because I am still sleepy. It's still dark outside and the world seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for the first light of dawn to break through. I let out a contented sigh, relishing in the quiet serenity of the early morning. It felt so warm in here. Dad's arms surrounded me and gave me a sense of safety and love. No one could ever hurt me here. But his scent is different this time—it's of mint and pine, a departure from his usual cologne, which Mom gifted him. I snuggled closer, delving deeper into his embrace, feeling grateful for this moment of peace and comfort before the day begins. But why is he here? He was there when I was a teenager due to my nightmares. It's been years since he held me like this at night. Not because he didn't want it, but because I didn't want him to be worried, and also because I wasn't a child anymore. He would have thought something was wrong if I let him hold me like this again.

Did I had another nightmare?

I must have screamed for Dad to be here. But on a closer look, it doesn't feel like its dad here holding me. Aside from the different scent, I can also feel broad shoulders, light stubble grazing my cheek, and hair longer than my dad would have. Its someone else who feels just as safe as my father.

So I try to remember last night. I had a little chat with Uncle Dante, then watched a movie with Josie. I smiled when I remembered how scared she was when the monster popped up. I slept only to wake up with a devastating nightmare. Someone held me, asked me what happened. It was a rich timbre with an Italian accent that was faint but familiar. Wait! The fuck!!! Don't tell me it's him. FUck I snapped my eyes open. Yes, thanks to my luck, it was him. God, of all the people in this world, you had to send Marco. I appreciate that he gave me comfort while I needed it, but still.

i I looked up and realized that he had been in this position all night for me. Sitting ramrod straight while I latched onto him like a lifeline in my sleep.He must be so sore today. This man is going to be the death of me. No matter how much I try to hate him, I always end up admiring him more and more. I poked his cheeks. He doesn't respond. He is fast asleep. It's 5:30 in the morning. I have an hour before he gets up. He is so disciplined that he gets up exactly at 6:30, takes a 10-minute shower, and whatnot. He is so detailed oriented and organized, it's almost intimidating. I wonder what it would be like to live life with such precision and control.

And now, don't ask me how I got to know about his morning routine. Let's just say that curiosity got the best of me, and I may have done a little investigating. But it's all in good fun, right?

No matter how much I deny it, I might have been attracted to him in my teens when I met him, and that curiosity never really went away. He left for studies, and I went on with my life.

I quickly unwound his arms from my body. He slept well. The broad expanse of olive skin across his shoulders and muscled chest made heat rush to my core. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and god, he looks magnificent. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to run my fingers over those defined muscles, to feel his warmth against my skin. The temptation was strong, but I knew I had to resist. Suddenly, he made a sound between a snore and the snort of a pig. It took every ounce of my willpower not to laugh out loud here. Once I reached the bathroom and locked the door, I let go of my laughter. It was clear that he was in a deep sleep, completely unaware of my presence. I took a shower, got ready, and sneaked back into my room. Marco was still asleep. I went close to him. He was adorable. Looking like a cute panda while asleep and a dragon when wide awake. Dark strands of hair fell over his forehead messily, and his peaceful expression gave him a more innocent look. I couldn't help but smile at the contrast between his sleeping and waking selves. I noticed the visible stiffness of his muscles and a blurry spot on his shoulders where my head rested all night. Was my head that heavy? I needed to thank him and do my part to lessen his soreness. I felt obliged to do this. I knew he worked out religiously but I don't know. STELLA ALLONSO GENES!!! My mom once told me that essential oils are great in it. She does this to Dad all the time, which in most cases ends up being something I would rather not choose to imagine my mom and dad doing. I always carried some essential oils with me; I guess now is the time to use them. I shuffled in my bag, and at last I found it. lavender. I went and sat beside Marco. I took some drops of the oil and rubbed them between my hands. I hesitated, my oily fingers twitching as I debated whether or not to offer some to Marco. Finally, I decided to take the risk and gently placed my hands on his shoulders, hoping the lavender scent would bring him some comfort.

I touched my hand on his shoulders and started to massage him. One moment I was massaging him while he was asleep, and the next fucking second I was pinned beneath him. Those beautiful chocolate eyes pierced my whiskey eyes. Like I said, he was a fucking dragon when awake. "What do you think you were doing?" He asked, his voice low and dangerous. My heart raced as I tried to come up with an explanation, but all I could manage was a nervous laugh. His grip tightened on my wrists, making it clear that he wasn't playing around. "I was just helping you because your muscles seemed to be sore from sitting like this all night." I answered. My voice is strangely breathy. "I never asked for it, diamond, or you might care about me after all." He smirked. "Hey, I did this because I felt that I should thank you for comforting me last night. Banish all those thoughts you have of you and me." I tried to push him away. keyword=tried. "Sweetheart, If you think that you are going to escape me, let me remind you that it's not going to happen." He pinned me with a stare. "Now let's resume your thank-you session." "W-What?" I stammered; it's the second time in my life. "You were thanking me by massaging, so let's continue." He said with a wicked smile. I felt a chill run down my spine as his words sunk in. This was not a thank-you session, it was something else entirely. Fuck all those things I said about him being admirable; he was fucking evil.

"You are evil. Finding ways so you can touch me." I scowled at him as he released me.

"You were touching me, first." He said.

"I was offering my gratitude." I countered. It was better to massage him while he was asleep, atleast then, I won't have to deal with his annoying smirks and sarcastic comments.

"Gratitude, huh? More like an excuse to get close to me," he replied with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, realizing that this massage session was going to be more challenging than I had anticipated.

"You think too highly of yourself ," I retorted, trying to hide the fact that his words were getting under my skin. But deep down, I knew he was right - there was something about him that made it hard to resist his charm.

"That's because I have a godly charm, devilishy handsome face and a cocky attitude to match," he said with a wink, making me both annoyed and intrigued at the same time.

"Now, don't you think it's time to resume our massage, or are you scared of what might happen next?" he teased, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"I am not scared of anything." I mumbled. I balanced myself on my knees and started to massage him again. His muscles were smooth under my skin, warm and relaxing to touch. I worked on his neck muscles and his shoulders. His muscles were stiff, but they relaxed as I continued. I tried to move my hands towards his chest, only to massage him there. It was a half-truth, by the way. "Enough, my diamond. I will give you plenty of opportunities to touch me, but not now." He smirked with a smug expression that was annoying. I wanted to knock that expression off of his face. My face was burning, and I knew that I might be looking like a tomato. I quickly withdrew my hands and forced a smile, pretending to be unaffected by his comment.

He stood up with a lethal grace of a predator and walked towards the door, leaving me feeling flustered and confused.

"Just for your information, that stiffness or spot was due to my boxing session with taehyung." He winked at me before slipping out of the room, leaving me stunned and unsure of how to react.

That freaking bastard.

As I watched him leave, a mix of anger and admiration swirled inside me. I couldn't decide whether to be impressed by his boldness or furious at his audacity. Either way, I knew this encounter would be etched in my memory for a long time. 

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