Declan came to the study and slumped on the sofa. Bitter memories from the past filled his mind.
"Uh…" He buried his face in his hands and dropped his head on the back of the sofa.
Several minutes later…
He sprang to his feet and walked back to the bedroom. Yasmin was still in a deep sleep.
Declan took his phone from the bedside table and crept back out of the room. He scrolled down the numbers from the contact list and dialed a familiar number while entering the study.
"Hello…" A hoarse voice came out of the phone after a long ring.
"Sorry to disturb you in your sleep." Declan sounded mortified. He sagged on the sofa.
"What is the point of apologizing now when you have already disturbed me?" The man on the other end of the phone said, sounding vexed. "What is the matter?"
"Baby, who is calling at this time?" A husky female voice rang out.
"Shh…"
"…"
Declan felt even more down about calling his friend, who also happened to be his doctor, at this hour. He thought of disconnecting the call.
"Hey…" his friend said again. "Are you alright?"
"Nah…" Declan sighed deeply. "I'm having the nightmare tonight again. Why is it reappearing? I mean… It stopped haunting me."
"Relax… breathe in and breathe out."
Declan followed the instructions docilely.
"Tell me what happened recently."
"I met her early this afternoon."
"I see." There was a brief pause. "Listen… I came on a vacation with my girlfriend. I'll be there in a few days. Try not to overthink things and keep your cool."
"I know…" Declan pinched his brow and let out a throaty groan.
"I am hanging up now. Take care."
"…"
Declan dropped the phone aside and leaned back on the sofa, his eyes closing.
The next morning…
When Yasmin woke up, she didn't find Declan on the bed. She wondered why he woke up so early.
"How can someone work so much?" she mumbled as she got out of bed and proceeded to the bathroom. "He came late to bed and woke up early. Huh…" She sighed dejectedly. "My life will end waiting for him."
Thump…
The door slammed shut.
She exited the bathroom after some time and went into the closet. She changed into a blue flared knee-length skirt and a white sleeveless top.
Creak… Thump…
She craned her neck to look at the door and saw Declan coming in and entering the bathroom. Wrinkles formed on her brow.
"Why does he look so down? Is everything alright?" She stared at the bathroom for a while before going to the vanity mirror. "I hope everything is alright."
When Declan stepped out of the bathroom, he found Yasmin grooming herself. A wicked thought crossed his mind. Last night, she slept peacefully, leaving him uncomfortable. How could he let her get away easily?
He entered the closet with a faint smile.
The makeup brush slipped out of her grip when she saw his bare torso in the mirror. Her face instantly turned crimson. Yasmin felt like the tendrils of smoke were coming out of her ears. She stared at him as he buttoned up his white shirt. It was as if he didn't care about her presence.
She wondered why he was not going into the changing room.
'What is he up to?'
Meanwhile, she noticed him tossing the towel wrapped around his waist.
Yasmin closed her eyes, burying her face under her hands. Her breathing caught up in her throat. Her skin pricked with a burning sensation. When she drew her hands down, she met his blue eyes in the mirror. Her heart thumped loudly.
The first thing she looked into was whether he was fully dressed. She breathed a shaky sigh when she saw him in his grey trousers.
Declan reached into the drawer to take the hair gel. He kept his face indifferent, not bothering about her uneasiness.
Yasmin didn't know why she remained glued to the spot, instead of moving aside. She watched him in the mirror, applying the gel to his lush gold hair.
When he reached out to put the gel back into the drawer, he purposefully brushed his hand against her right arm.
Yasmin shivered, her body covered in chills. She shifted to the left.
Declan reached for the comb with his left hand, brushing her arm again.
Since she was wearing a sleeveless top, the goosebumps were visible on her arms. Yasmin tried to walk away, but he put his hand on the counter of the vanity mirror and blocked her path. She turned to him, intending to ask what he had on his mind. Nothing came out of her mouth when she met his eyes.
She stepped back subconsciously without breaking eye contact. Her back hit the edge of the counter, causing her to gasp. Her heart started pounding even more wildly when she noticed him coming in closer.
Declan stood right in front of her and combed his hair with the same indifferent expression. He was calm while Yasmin was palpitating.
"Can you step back?" She asked, her voice shaky.
Declan set the comb down and reached for the bottle of cologne. He stepped back a little and sprayed the cologne on his neck. He didn't bother to respond to her.
Yasmin kept staring at him, forgetting to walk away.
Declan went in closer and leaned towards her as he put the bottle down. "Help me choose a tie," he murmured, his voice hoarse.
Yasmin's eyelashes fluttered when his breath fell on them.
"Come on." He put his hand on her waist and led her to the side of the closet where he kept his belongings.
Another wave of shivers crossed her spine.
Her skin burned where he placed his hand. The heat gradually spread across her body.
"Which one would you like me to wear?" he asked, pulling out the drawer.
Her entire concentration was on the specific spot on her body where he had his hand. With her muddled mind, she was unable to think straight.
She kept looking at the various ties meticulously placed in different small chambers in the drawer.
Declan's lips quirked a little as he sensed her shudder. He enjoyed watching her flushed face.
He took a navy-blue tie with strike patterns. "Will it look good with my grey suit?" He asked, leaning toward her.
His warm breathing fell on her neck.
Yasmin tilted her head and rubbed her shoulder against her neck. Her stomach was full of butterflies.
"Will you help me tie it?" He gave her the tie.
With her shaky hands, she started tying the tie. She kept her gaze fixed on him the entire time.
Declan wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her in closer. His sudden move caught her off guard, causing her to skip a few beats. She gasped, putting her hands against his chest.
He lowered his head as if about to kiss her.
Her breathing became erratic, and her lower lip quivered with anticipation. But he paused right when his lips were about to touch hers. The tips of their noses were almost brushing.
"Thank you for the pendant," he whispered. "I like it."
He curled his lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he drew back. After putting on his grey jacket, he turned around and walked out of the closet.
Yasmin blinked and gaped at his departing form. A spark of anger sizzled inside her.
"Such a tease," she muttered, gritting her teeth. She hurried after him, her fists clenched.
It was a now or never moment. She couldn't let him go after teasing her every time.
She yanked on his wrist and pulled him back. She then clutched his jacket on his chest and pressed her lips on his in an instant.