Trust in You

Chapter 27 - Madeline

We strolling around the port; the weather is nice, a little windy, but the sun is warm. I'm glad that we talked in the cabin. Thanks to Ethan, he always knows how to persuade me to talk. I feel like I know him better, too. A small part of me, the selfish part, thinks that I guess I know him better than some people he knows longer than me. Whenever we are together, it's like we can talk about anything. We are always curious about each other's reactions. I can see the gleam from his eyes whenever I talk, and the feeling is mutual. He always gives me his full attention. It will be very easy for me to fall for him.

But another part of me. The part that still bruises from Thomas's betrayal is afraid to open my heart for Ethan. It's not Thomas that made me broken. I realize I don't love him. I'm trying to. I thought I almost love him. But now, after all of my affections toward Ethan, what I have from Thomas is far from love. The problem is, the part of me broken because of the betrayal makes me think that what if it happened to me and Ethan? I'm scared that Ethan will break my heart... because the effect will be far worse than what Thomas did to me.

"You cold, Sweetness?"

I shake my head. "Well, it's windy, but the sun is warm enough."

"Damn," he curses under his breaths.

"What?" I look at him. He shakes his head, but his lips twitch up. "What is it?" I ask him again.

"Nothing" he says.

I pout. "You cannot do that. I'm curious now." And he does the zip gesture on his lips, but his hazel eyes twinkle. Damn, I want to kiss him again. "Fine Ethan, it's okay if you don't want to tell me." I walk alone faster. He catches up with me and holds my waist, pulls me to him. Our body crush, I gasp. This close I can smell his Oakwood and faint of his aftershave. So perfect.

"Temper, baby, temper," he says, chuckling. He kisses my forehead. How can I mad at him if he always does something sweet like this? But still I fake my annoyance.

"Okay, okay," he says. "This morning, Christian called me. He asked me to have lunch together, so I told him I have a date with you. And of course my nosy cousin doesn't let it go. He asked where would I take you to. I told him here, and he said that's a perfect place."

"Why?" I ask and, still holding my waist, he takes me for a walk again.

"That was my question, too. I mean, this place is good enough for a date. But not perfect, right? So he told me that the weather here can be very windy. So there is a possibility that you will cold," he chuckles and I laugh.

"He said that I can use that to lend my warm body to you. He even advised me to make sure you wear a sleeveless dress, so you will need me faster." And just like that, both of us burst into laughter.

"So, Ms. Parker. Do you feel cold now?" he asks, still chuckling.

I shake my head and grinning. "Not a bit, Mr. Hall."

"Damn!" This time he says it loud enough for me to hear clearly, and he laughs.

In front of us, there is an ice cream stall. "Ah... you want some ice cream? Perhaps that will make you feel cold so I can lend you a warm body," he says with a flirty wink.

I laugh. "Well, let's try," I answer him, taking his hand to the stall.

I order the chocolate mint, and Ethan orders the strawberry. I insist on paying for the ice cream. He complains (of course) but I win after I give him my pleading eyes. The only words he says after that are, "stop looking at me like that, your aquamarine eyes are my weakness!" and he turns my head back to the ice cream stall.

***

We're sitting in Ethan's car after we finished the ice cream. Turned out I don't need his warm body after finishing the ice cream.