Chapter 19

     *Chapter 19: Do you prefer the towel?

    Gavin's POV

    I watched Lyric's eyes widen as she took in my living room. It was modest, but clean and cozy. The only property left by my grandmother to me. It was a three-room apartment at the fringes of the town. Even my teammates were not aware of where I lived.

    "Make yourself at home," I said, trying to sound casual. But it felt awkward, having her here in person. I thought about how we would meet, but never in this situation.

    Lyric nodded, her eyes scanning the space. She looked fragile, vulnerable. Her eyes were two empty wells, drained of all joy and filled with a deep, aching sorrow. A pang of sorrow pierced my heart, leaving me breathless.

    "Can I get you something to drink?" I asked, ignoring the storm of emotions twirling in me.

    Lyric shook her head.

    "Food, then?" She hesitated before nodding. I smiled, trying to reassure her. "I'll make something simple." Luckily, I mostly ate homemade food, hence I had enough in my fridge to make something decent.

    I washed my hands after gathering the ingredients. As I cooked, Lyric sat at the kitchen table, her eyes fixed on me. I felt a pang of guilt for my earlier thoughts. Who was I to think those things about her?

    Soon, I was done. I made scrambled eggs, fried plantains, and brown soup. I served it to her along with mine. Her eyes were stuck on mine throughout. I took a bite of her scrambled eggs to prove I added nothing to the meal. "You are safe here, Lyric." I assured her with a smile.

    Lyric Spencer mirrored my smile. We ate in silence, the tension between us palpable. When we were done, I picked up the plates for washing. Lyric grabbed my arm, my eyes searched her pitiful face. "Thank you," she mouthed. I smiled back at her. "You're welcome."

    After washing the dishes, I brought Lyric to my grandmother's bedroom. Even though I felt hesitant to let her sleep in there, I didn't let my fears win. I left her in there and went to my room. I couldn't stop thinking about the happenings of today. Lyric Spencer was in my house! She was scared and sad. The mere thought of seeing tears in her eyes, I felt like beating my boss worse than before. I couldn't bring myself to ask her any questions.

    Suddenly, I heard a scream. It was coming from her room. I rushed in there. Lyric lay in bed, tossing and turning. Cold sweats dropped down her face, her lips quivering. I went on one knee, holding her hand. Slowly, I began caressing it until she stopped crying. It was a trick I learned from Grandma.

    As I watched Lyric Spencer sleep, gripping my hand, one thing was sure. If I came in contact with my boss again, I would be signing off to prison for life.

    *Lyric's POV*

    I was not sure if it was a dream or not, but I woke up last night, and Gavin fed me water. How was that possible? We slept in separate rooms, right?

    On this thought, I felt the other side of the bed to check if he slept next to me, but it was straight and cold. What was I thinking? Sharing a bed with Gavin Hawkins could only happen in my greatest fantasy.

    Gavin saved me yesterday and brought me to his house. This thought weighed on my shoulders.

    I hopped off the bed and made it. It had beautiful green satin sheets. The room had a coconut smell to it. Next to the bed was a little wooden stool, and opposite, a wardrobe. There was a small black couch in the room, too, but it still had more space than my empty room.

    Where was he? As I headed for the door, I recalled something. I had not brushed or even washed my face. What if I drooled all over my face? Nightmare.

    Without giving it another thought, I raced to the bathroom. The bathroom was spotless clean and void of pointy toys on the floor or fingerprints on the mirror.

    Later, I came out of the bathroom with a towel tied around my chest. Then, it hit me. What was I going to wear? My clothes were dirty and had an alcoholic and sweat stench to them. Should I ask Gavin? No, it was too embarrassing.

    I sat on the edge of the bed for a while, and when the water droplets dried from my skin, I decided to step out. A corridor led down, and I followed the path, hoping it would lead me to Gavin.

    On the walls, hung pictures of a young handsome boy with an older woman. The boy had similar features to Gavin, so I could tell he was the one.

    As I descended, the smell of fresh pancakes and vanilla enveloped the entire house. I reached the living room, and rays of sunshine stole in from the raised curtains. It showed the light in another view. The sofas were white and spotless. I guess this was how a house looked, void of four kids. Even the curtains had no markers written on them, the wall was painted purple, green, and white. His TV did not have scratches from top to bottom, unlike ours.

    "Good morning," a voice said, and I jumped out of my skin.

    "Did I scare you? I am sorry," Gavin apologized, his lips falling into a thin line. His eyes scanned my body, and I squirmed in discomfort.

    I shook my head, gesturing it was okay. However, we didn't have my phone, it would be too awkward to hold a conversation.

    "Hold on," Gavin said. My eyes followed him as he went to the kitchen; soon, my legs were tracing him. A tower of pancakes covered in maple syrup stood on a plate. Gavin switched off the cooker and poured tea into a cup.

    "Tea or coffee?" I pointed to the tea pot.

    "Okay, dokey," Gavin replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

    My eyes roamed over Gavin, and he was shirtless, with only an apron around him. The soft fabric hugged his hips, emphasizing his narrow waist. The ties dangled tantalizingly, begging to be secured. With a sly smile, he tightened the apron, the movement accentuating the muscles in his back. The apron's playful design – a subtle pattern of utensils with balloons and spices – seemed to mock the intensity of his gaze. Yet, it only added to the allure.

    Every time he flipped the pancake, it accentuated the muscles on his back. His chiseled torso reflected the light. Broad shoulders, defined abs, and a strong jawline made him a sight to behold. My heart skipped a beat when our eyes crashed for a brief second. Did Gavin Hawkins get hotter in an apron? A lasting smile plastered on his lips. It made me wonder what made him so happy. I liked seeing this version of him – the version of him making tea and smiling. His smile could light up a stadium.

    His eyes locked mine, and my cheeks flamed from staring. When I looked back at him, he was also staring. We both laughed. His smile grew wider. "I hope you're hungry, Lyric Spencer, because I made a little too many pancakes."

    To that, I nodded. I followed him to a small dining table, the only furniture that was smaller than ours. It had only two chairs, fitting it. It might have been built for only the two of them – Gavin and his grandma.

    I pulled a seat, but Gavin placed his hand on mine. My breath left me, leaving me feeling like my lungs had collapsed. I cast a glance at him. "You..." his cheeks turned a shade of red. "Wear some clothes." Wear... My eyes widened. I was still in the towel; I came to ask for clothes, but... How could I tell him I came in search of clothes? He didn't even understand sign language.

    Gavin must have seen the confusion on my face. "Wait, I'll get you some of my clothes. It won't fit, but at least you won't be in a towel." He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Or do you prefer the towel?" His tone rising on the mention of the towel did not escape me. Did it make him uncomfortable? His clothes? I raised three fingers to create the okay sign.

    Was I going to wear his clothes? The thought of it made me giddy. He returned with a shirt and shorts. "I'm sorry; I could only find these. Don't worry, the shorts are new, only the shirt isn't, but it's clean."

    I examined the clothes; the purple short still had tags on it, while the white shirt smelled clean when I secretly sniffed it.

    "You should go and change. I'll wait for you." Nodding, because it was the only sign I thought he would understand, I accepted the clothes and went to change.