Her eyes

Chapter 32

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the heavy warm body spooning me from behind, and the big arm that ran from my waist up to my chest where the big warm hand ended in front of my face, my own hand holding it against face so that it was cradling my cheek.

The difference between our skin in juxtapose curious, his hand looked even paler next to my own warm brown skin. I was in real trouble, I was clearly catching feelings for someone that didn't feel the same way about me.

The poetry he had recited to me yesterday painted a picture of tenderness and passions shared between two lovers. Clearly, he had feelings for someone, why else would he write such flowery words?

However I did not think that those words were for me, Archer was the type of man that was confident. If he did like me in that way I'm sure he wouldn't have any problems acting on his feelings, so that led me to the deduction method.

I hadn't seen him with a girl, or heard him talk about someone. His mom clearly shipped us, so it must be someone she hadn't met or I'm sure she would've pulled his ear off by now.

Maybe it was someone he had back home? He had said he'd never had a girlfriend before. But maybe it was unrequited love or a friend? That theory didn't seem that far fetched, the words he'd used last night alluded to separation. But if that was the case why would he cuddle me all night and rub my back when I was in pain?

Perhaps I was reading too much into it, and it was just that I had been in pain and he had wanted to soothe me. I sighed, I needed to sort myself out before I ruined our whole friendship because I was stupid enough to fall in love. Or it could be that I was so deprived of human connections I was getting confused in my feelings.

But no, I really didn't think that was the case Archer was easy to fall for. I sighed again deciding to get up and get out of my feelings. I disentangled myself from Archers warm body and he let out a soft snore. I decided to go to the kitchen and see if I could make something.

I checked the fridge, he had the usual breakfast foods but I was tired of eggs, I wanted something else. I decided to google how to make focaccia bread on my phone that lay abandoned on the counter.

I took out the ingredients and added everything in a bowl, I paused to check the instructions, apparently the dough needed to rest an hour. Maybe I should've read the recipe first instead of delving into the food bloggers life story...

Well, maybe I could skip that part? I was sure it was fine if I popped it in the oven now, I mean the dough was kind of fluffy already. I took out a pan and transferred the dough, making the indentations with my fingers and adding some toppings I knew Archer liked, before putting it in the oven.

While I waited I did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. After the timer went off I took it out and was thoroughly unimpressed. I sat it on the counter and just stared at it for a few seconds. I shouldn't have been so greedy, because now it was as flat as a pita bread and as unappetizing as a rock.

"What did you make?" I heard Archers voice behind me.

"Uhm, nothing." I blushed furiously, I saw him from the corner of my eye still shirtless. He approached the poor excuse of a bread and barked out a loud laugh.

After a few moments I interrupted "It's not funny, I wasted all this food for nothing now." I sighed, slightly amused at his infectious laughter but mostly disheartened.

When he calmed down he poked it and it was so hard I could see his finger bend, he chuckled, "I think we can still save it" he muttered under his breath what sounded suspiciously like "I hope."

Somehow Archer managed to save it and converted it into a somewhat edible breakfast. "I'm never making bread of any sort ever again." I muttered.

"Don't worry under my guidance you'll be able to make all the focaccia you want." He patted my head jokingly, I swatted his hand away.

"Don't be a swine."

By the time we had eaten and in the car on our way to go to my flat it was afternoon, I needed to get ready to go to the museum. Would it be weird if I told him to stay in the car while I had shower and got ready? I think that would be rude after all the hospitality he had shown me, but I really didn't want him to see my apartment.

When he parked the car, I had to make up my mind I figured I would rather him see my shame than be perceived as rude. I really hated being a people pleaser.

When we walked the hallway towards my door he was silent all the way. I didn't even dare look back to see his face. When I opened my door, I prayed I hadn't left something embarrassing out like the painting I'd made of his eyes.

I entered and took my shoes off, "Sorry, it's a mess." In truth there wasn't a single thing out of place, but the walls and some corners of the room had generous spotting of black mold the bathroom was worse though. And he was strictly forbidden from going in there if he had to take a piss he could do it in my dead plant that I had intended to throw out weeks ago.

"Don't apologize." He said after taking in the whole 13 square meters.

Maybe I should ask if he wanted some tea? "Do you want something to drink?" When he shook his head I hurried to my drawer pulling out a pair of jeans, a cropped light blue cardigan a white shirt and some underwear quickly. "Right, well I'm just going to take a quick shower and change I'll be back."

As soon as I closed the door I put my bathroom slippers on, I wanted to melt through the moldy tiles. I shouldn't have brought him here, he came from luxury and money and I had the cheek to show him my mold infested place. What if he didn't want to be my friend now that he realized that I lived in a rats nest.