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“It looks amazing,” Chester says, puffing out his chest. He grabs his glass of red wine and sips from it, before throwing me a wink. Small gestures like that make my heart swoon, and my lips automatically turn up into a smile.
Who knew my neighbour is such a romantic? Only this morning, he called to ask me over for dinner and promised me it would be a meal I’d never forget. So I snuck out of my house to spend the night with him.
Chester is both cocky and silly, making a smile magically appear on my face every single time he boasts of being great at something. I have high expectations of the food he’s preparing, but my mind struggles with staying in the moment. It wants to wander far away to my possible future.
Chester walks from behind the kitchen island and drops on the barstool next to me. His glass of red wine is still in his hand. He turns sideways before grabbing my knees and moving me to face him. With my legs between his, a smug smile transforms his handsome face.
He leans in slowly, closing the distance between us, and his cedar and cardamom scent hits my nose straight away. It fits him so perfectly and creates an aura of relaxation. I’ll always match this scent to the man who tried to pick me up the first time we met.
“What are we going to eat?” I whisper, closing the distance even more. My lips touch his, and I slowly press them against him.
“Only the best for my princess.”
“So, pasta then?” His face falls, and a chuckle leaves him before he nods. It vibrates between us, and I drop my hand on his cheek, letting my fingers move over his stubble. My heart is so far gone in the world of Chester Boyd, and I don’t want to ever leave it.
My smile fades as the future looms over my head. As much as I try to push away the emotion, to try to lift my spirits and pretend we still have oceans of time, it doesn’t mean my future isn’t knocking on the door.
So many plans and appointments have been made. One for my haircut, the other for the cake… It’s happening in a few weeks, and here I am, pretending there’s not one thing wrong in my life.
Chester’s smile falls as well, and he reads what’s on my mind. What a terrible way to ruin our dinner. Thoughts like that kill any vibe, and it takes a long time to push them to the back of my mind. Chester sighs loudly before he runs his hands up my legs to my thighs, squeezing them lightly.
“Where’s your head at, princess?” he whispers. I wish I could tell him the truth. That I can’t let go. My heart will break the moment I wear another man’s ring. I wish I could tell him about my insane idea. But I’ll keep it to myself.
“Nothing,” I mutter, trying to fake a smile, but Chester sees right through me. He doesn’t try to paint a smile on his face too. Instead, he grabs me tightly and lifts me up before setting me down on the kitchen island.
He moves forward until his chest is pushed against mine. I put my hands around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair. He stares at me with those soulful eyes, and I see exactly what’s on his mind. The realisation that time is ticking away and the desperation we feel wanting to stop it.
But even then, we ignore it or don’t dare to talk about it because then, it becomes real. Painfully real, and I don’t think we’re ready to call it quits. I’d rather pretend than say goodbye to this magical setting, but how healthy can that be? It’ll make things worse in the end.
There’s a certain type of pain in his eyes. One of defeat. Chester opens his mouth as if he wants to say something but can’t find the words. My heart feels heavy, and my mind is stuck on the near future. It hurts. It destroys all those dreams I had.
I don’t want to ever say goodbye.
Chester drops his forehead against mine, and his hands run from my thighs to my hips.
“I want to stay here forever,” I whisper the words of my heart.
“Then stay,” he whispers back before kissing my lips softly. Those two words make my heart skip a beat. It’s what I want to hear, but I don’t know the depths his answer can reach. How far would he go to make them come true? I have a solution. One that will keep me here in the arms of my neighbour.
“Well, I can’t stay here forever, that's for sure.” I swallow, feeling a weight drop on my shoulders. A strong hand runs through my hair before his fingers stroke my neck. His touch is soft and soothing but does nothing to quell my fear of losing him. It only intensifies.
A sad smile covers Chester’s face before he clears his throat.
“But you do have to stay to at least taste that weird, coloured paste sauce. I’m pretty sure Bolognese sauce shouldn’t look like that.” My mouth falls open, and I glance behind me, staring at the boiling pot of sauce.
“You don’t know what you’re doing?” I realise.
“No idea, princess. I never cook.”
“Oh Lordy, what are we going to do with you?” I sigh, staring back at the sauce, which does have a fishy look to it. I chuckle, darting my eyes back to him. Chester could convince anyone of his skills and talents, even when he hasn’t mastered them. A large smile is on his face as if he can’t believe he didn’t succeed in such a simple task.
His hand on my neck goes to my shoulder before he puts it on my hip, and with one pull, I’m plastered against him. Air leaves me, and I straighten my back. The fluttering in my stomach slowly awakens.
“I have other ideas on how we can pass the time,” he answers suggestively, and that smug look grows.
“I’m curious. What do you have in mind?”
“I think I should ravish my neighbour and then kick her out, so I can give her the full Chester Boyd experience.”
