Chapter 7

I SHIFTED my gaze towards the falls, "Yes."

I started walking back to our hideout but stopped because he suddenly held my arm.

"You are the reason why I went all the way here, actually. I saw your pet, asked and he pointed out that you are here so I went uninvited," he said in a serious voice while his eyes are all on me. I do not want to believe him because Vivi denied his claim but my forehead formed a knot, wondering.

"And why do you want to see me, Mister?" I stopped when I realized why. "Are you still chasing me for picking a deep pocket I did a while back?" I asked in amazement.

His face turned more serious, removing his hold on my arm. "I did not come here for that offense but for the crime you did to me, Miss," he said emphatically.

My eyes narrowed at his words. "I do not remember doing anything wrong with you, Mister."

This immediately planted a grin on his handsome face, seems to remember something I have no idea what is. "Then let me help you remember the kiss that you stole from me." His hands quickly held both my arms so I faced him. My eyes widened and dropped the cloak that I was holding when his soft lips fell into mine.

My mind was telling me to push him away but my body says otherwise. I just stood there, stoned, heart ramming inside my chest in an erratic phase and I am certain that it is not because of nervousness this time.

He closed his eyes and gently moved his lips that almost made me insane. Strange. My eyes closed voluntarily and gave in. I followed the movements of his lips and equated our rhythm. Now I know that the stolen kiss I did to him was not his first.

I feel suffocated but I cannot stop. The kiss lasted longer than expected and I was catching my breath after. I opened my eyes when I felt him move away from me. I stared at his lips while I try to relax my hard breathing, deliriously sweet.

"What did you do?" I said in a whisper, regaining my consciousness. Shame seeping through my bones. Why did I answer his kisses? I want to be angry at myself but I do not feel any regret inside me. In fact, I really enjoyed it.

"Three nights," he started. "I cannot sleep for three nights after you kissed me, Miss. I searched for you for three days, and I finally found you today," he added seriously. "From now on, your lips are mine."

"What?!" I shouted in astonishment for I cannot seem to understand what he said. Three days. It has just been three days since we met. Our first meeting.

"From now on, you are not allowed to steal kisses from men other than me. I am ready to surrender my lips to you, my beautiful miss." His grin widened as he saw my shock reaction from what he said. He tucked some of my loose hairs on my right ear.

I tapped his hands away from me when I regained control over my emotions again. Impossible. You get a grip of yourself, Aliara!

"Are you out of your mind?" I uttered in disbelief. "You cannot just do what you want to do like taking possession of anybody's belongings. My lips are mine and yours are yours. Are you like that to every woman you encounter?" I cannot contain the anger I felt.

His head knotted slightly, not liking what I said. "You are the only one who tasted my kisses."

My jaw dropped at what he said. "What? you mean to say that I was your first, Mister?" I said with shock evident on my voice.

"Indeed. You are lucky," he said proudly with a grin on his face.

I snorted. "I do not believe you," I said solidly as I cannot hide my unbelieving expression to him. My attention currently laid at the falls.

'Just what in hell are you doing, Aliara? Why are you enchanted with this stranger when you should not have? He is handsome and his kisses are sweet but that is not all to a man. You should not be fooled. He is a stranger!' I scolded myself.

"I will not lie to you. Are you not thinking as to why I was stunned with what you did that time? You are making sure I never follow you right?" he said with squinting eyes which was probably because of suspision.

I lifted my brow and recalled his reaction from that fated day---Wait, is he supposed to be this open when talking about kisses? It is like he is used to this and he do this so often with anybody whose available to waste time.

"How can I forget such a beautiful lady who kissed me on broad daylight?" he added.

"To what do I call you, Mister?" Before I know it, I unconsciously asked him. I seriously cannot believe what just happened. I got to taste his sweet kisses for the second time but I do not even know of his name.

"Sevasti," he said almost in a whisper manner. "My name is Sevasti," he uttered much louder then the first one.

I nodded my head. "What a beautiful name..." I said unconciousy while I stare at his eyes. He smiled at my remark and the moment I realized, I was smiling too. "Aliara, that is my name."

He stared at my face for a moment before he finally spoke again. "Aliara, my beautiful lady," he said with a smiling face. And I was left staring yet again.

His smile is as beautiful as spring. Eyes glittering like a fine jewel. The more I stare, The more I realize how lucky I am to have his attention this much. Out of all the people who said that I am indeed a beautiful lady, only his can make my heart flutter. It was like a song to the ear I would gladly repeat for a whole lifetime.

I am not sure about what I feel for now, my heart is hammering inside my chest that I think he could hear it from the way he is so close to me. Too close.

Am I allowed to feel like this to a man I have met just a couple of times? I should stop this strange feeling sooner. I have no need for this.

'Earlier, you said that you should not fall for his tricks, Aliara. What are you doing in his presence? And should you be asking for his name?' The voice in my head says.

My attention was taken away from him when I noticed the scattering fireflies behind him. We were surrounded by blue flickering lights in seconds. This is what I like about this place. The fireflies lit blue. It only means that the sun has set.

"Are you not returning to your home? It was almost evening and the roads are getting dark," I asked. I heard no answer from him so I shifted my gaze from the fireflies to him. He was staring at me intently, like memorizing every part of my face. "It wil be a long journey," I added. He did not seem fazed.

"Will I see you again here when I come back tomorow... Aliara?" he asked, saying my name with an unreadable yet soft tone at the end, my name.

I took my time to stare at him so I answered him late. "Tomorrow afternoon..." I trailed while watching him. "I will come here tomorrow afternoon," I continued in a slow phase, not sure if it's the right words to say.

"What about the next day after tomorrow?"

Again, I stared at his face. Not sure if I am weighing my answers or am I just too hooked to look at him in this distance. He just stared back at me with seriuosness in his eyes. Waiting for me to answer. His voice full of hope.

"I come here everyday," I said.

A smile sprouted and his face brightens. Adding colour to the romantic scenery behind us. "Then it means I can see you everyday from now on."

I just smiled at the thought as an answer.

AFTER THE fateful meeting, I get back to the hideout and reach for the pouch full of coins that I picked in his pocket without noticing, Sevasti.

"Fool," I said with a grin on my face. "I got you last time with a kiss and you have not learned your lessson yet."

I peeked at the pouch and got shocked because the content was all gold coins. "I did not know that this lowly guard is loaded," I said out of curiousity leaving a knot on my head. "I am not aware if there is a guard comes from a royal family. Why do I only know of this now? Strange," I added to my rumblings.

I looked at my shoulders when my pet, Vivi landed.

"I never imagined that the man can behave so foolishly, Vivi," I said, the grin never leaving my face. "He is too strucked with my charm," I added with full arrogance.

"My dear mister! My dear mister!" he answered that quickly set a frown on my face.