Since that day, Kimberly had been trying to get closer to Harry. She even continued to ignore Nicholas, even though the man tried to act like before. Kimberly only spoke to Nicholas to maintain professionalism.
“Kim. Why didn’t you answer my calls?” Nicholas walked with long strides, intending to catch up with Kimberly, who was already far ahead of him. It was quitting time, and they were heading towards the elevator. Kimberly looked confused when suddenly Nicholas was behind her. Their rooms were on different floors, but why was Nicholas on her floor?
“I was busy, so I didn’t have time to read your message.” Kimberly replied without stopping. She didn’t even turn to look at Nicholas. She had been acting like this to him several times.
Nicholas, who did not get a good response from Kimberly, stopped. He was silent while his eyes continued to stare at the girl’s back. This was the umpteenth time he had tried to mend his friendship with Kimberly, but now she was the one who kept her distance.
When Kimberly was about to enter the elevator, Nicholas shouted and ran. “Wait for me, Kim!”
Kimberly sighed deeply but still held the elevator door for Nicholas. Nicholas smiled and thanked Kimberly, who only returned a thin smile.
“Have you been very busy lately? Why don’t you ever come to my room anymore?” Nicholas asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Hearing Nicholas’ question, Kimberly turned and gave the man a cynical look. As if to say that all this started because of him, but why did he act as if nothing had happened before?
“Can we just be professional? I’m an employee, and you’re my boss,” Kimberly said with a cold face. They looked at each other for a while until finally Nicholas answered.
“Come on, Kim. Why are you like this? What did I do wrong? We’ve been friends for a long time.”
Kimberly rolled her eyes lazily. How could he ask what he did wrong after all this? He was the one who avoided her first, and now he was the one who hoped everything would go back to the way it was.
Kimberly shook her head with disappointment. Apparently, she didn’t fully know her friend. “Isn’t this what you’ve been hoping for all along, that you keep avoiding me after that night?” Kimberly finally managed to vent what was on her mind. “You didn’t even reply to my messages and didn’t answer my calls.”
“Are you taking revenge on me for this, Kim? If so, I’m sorry. It’s all because—”
“You don’t need to explain. I already know the reason.” Kimberly paused for a moment. She swallowed hard and then continued. “You probably want to protect your boyfriend’s feelings, right? You don’t want him to get angry because of our closeness.”
“Kim! That’s not—”
Kimberly raised her hand, signalling Nicholas to stop talking. “Maybe it’s better if we don’t get too close. It’s for the sake of our respective partners.” With that, the elevator door opened, and Kimberly got out first, leaving Nicholas, who was still silent because he was confused about what to answer.
Kimberly quickened her pace because she didn’t want Nicholas to chase her. She still couldn’t bury her feelings for him. Kimberly even had to hold back her heart when they were both in the elevator.
“Kim! Why do you look so rushed?” Kimberly turned when she heard Harry’s voice calling her. She, who had initially looked gloomy, immediately smiled when she saw her lover. Even though she couldn’t fully love Harry, Kimberly’s attitude towards him became better.
Harry always picked Kimberly up every day and waited for her in the lobby. Kimberly, who had just passed Nicholas, forgot about Harry’s presence and hurriedly wanted to get out of the building.
“Oh!” Kimberly looked around as if she was looking for something and ended up looking at the man while holding his hand. “I’m afraid you’ll wait too long, so I walked quickly.” Kimberly was forced to lie because she didn’t want Harry to know that she was avoiding Nicholas.
“You don’t have to be afraid. I’d even wait a lifetime if it’s with you,” Harry said like a poet reciting a poem. Kimberly laughed out loud because she felt amused by Harry’s words.
Day by day, their relationship looked more and more like a normal couple. Even though she occasionally missed being with Nicholas, Kimberly tried to respect each other’s partners. Their friendship was no longer healthy like it used to be.
“Thank you for taking Kimberly home.” Liana greeted the arrival of the two with a smile. Kimberly immediately rolled her eyes lazily at Liana’s attitude. She always thought Liana was just pretending.
“It’s no problem. I—”
“Let’s just go to my room! It’s not comfortable here!” Kimberly pulled Harry’s arm because she didn’t feel comfortable staying with Liana for too long. Harry, who had never been to Kimberly’s room, felt awkward. He was confused because he thought it was rude.
“Kim. Isn’t this too much? I’m afraid your father will think I’m a bad guy,” Harry whispered when they were on the stairs. He kept looking back and smiling awkwardly at Liana.
“Don’t worry! My father doesn’t care about me.” Kimberly opened her room. After being in the room, she immediately released Harry’s hand. She sighed deeply and walked towards the bed.
“What do you want to drink?” Kimberly asked while taking her phone.
Harry shrugged. “I’ll drink whatever you give me.” Harry looked awkward. His eyes kept looking around the room.
Hearing Harry’s words, Kimberly immediately called one of the maids in the house to bring snacks and drinks. After that, she turned off the call and put her phone on the nightstand. But there was a message that made her frown. It was from Nicholas.
Be careful with Harry. I don’t like you being too close to him.
Kimberly clicked her tongue and flipped her phone so the screen faced down. She didn’t know why Nicholas sent a message like that. But all this time, she didn’t see anything strange about Harry. He was always kind and patient, even though the man was not like other men who carelessly touched women.
“What’s wrong, Kim? Why does your face look gloomy?” Harry, who saw the change in Kimberly’s face, asked. He was curious why Kimberly looked upset after looking at her phone.
“Nothing. It’s just a problem with my work.” Kimberly lied because she couldn’t tell the real reason. She tried to ignore Nicholas’ message and walked towards Harry. She pulled the man’s arm towards the carpet next to her bed.
“Do you want to watch a movie?” Kimberly said while pressing the TV remote.
“Up to you.” Harry shrugged awkwardly.
Kimberly smiled at Harry's funny antics. “Have you never been alone with a woman in a room?” Kimberly asked, moving her face closer to Harry’s.
Harry’s eyes widened when Kimberly became so bold. He blinked several times and ended up swallowing hard.
“Uhm… that—”
Kimberly burst out laughing at Harry’s funny reaction. Her boyfriend was apparently very innocent. “I’m just kidding. Don’t be so tense.”
Harry let out a sigh of relief. “Are you used to bringing men into your room?” Harry asked because he saw Kimberly looked relaxed with their closeness at this time. He became curious; how was his girlfriend's social life actually after he knew that Kimberly often went to clubs with Nicholas?
“Only one man has ever been in this room. Uhm... no! Two, because now there’s you.”
Harry’s forehead furrowed when he heard Kimberly’s answer. His heart felt squeezed because there was another man before him. “Who was the first?” he asked with a tense face. For some reason, Harry felt cheated if it turned out Kimberly often brought men into her room. Even though he had been trying to protect her all this time.
Kimberly took a long breath before answering. “Nicholas.” After mentioning Nicholas’s name, Kimberly sighed. It felt strange when their relationship became like this, even though they were very close before.
Hearing the name Nicholas, Harry’s hands clenched instantly. Why was it always that man who came first for Kimberly?
“But he’s just like my other female friends. We just watch movies, read books, and sometimes we even do facials together.” Kimberly fell silent with a sad expression. “He’s so different when we’re alone. He seems flirty and spoilt like other girls. You know?” Kimberly turned to Harry. “He only acts like a man in public; otherwise, he’ll be like a woman.”
For some reason, Harry didn’t believe what Kimberly said. Not because he thought Kimberly was lying, but he didn’t trust Nicholas. However, he didn’t want to ruin this day with his suspicions. This was a good step for their closeness. Harry didn’t want to make Kimberly uncomfortable if he acted too possessive.
Their conversation stopped when they heard a knock on the door. Kimberly got up and walked to the door. She took the tray carried by the maid and brought it inside.
They enjoyed snacks and drinks while watching a romantic movie that showed romantic scenes of couples in every scene. Kimberly calmly watched the scene while eating snacks in her hand. Unlike Harry, the man seemed restless and kept checking his phone.
“What’s wrong?” Kimberly asked, turning to Harry, whose face was red even though he didn’t drink alcohol. Kimberly held Harry’s forehead to check his body temperature. “Are you sick?”
Harry shook his head. “No.” He seemed silent for a moment until finally asking Kimberly for permission to go out for a while. “I think I need fresh air. I want to go out and walk around the backyard.” He immediately stood up and took a deep breath.
“Should I accompany you?” Kimberly asked, looking up at Harry, who had already gotten up from his seat.
“No need. You just continue watching the movie.” Harry left Kimberly’s presence. He looked hurried.
Kimberly looked at her bedroom door until Harry was completely out of her room. Her forehead furrowed until her eyebrows met. She felt a little strange about Harry’s behaviour, as if he was holding something back. But after that, she chose to go back to watching the movie and enjoying her snacks.
Kimberly sighed deeply throughout the rest of the movie. For some reason, what was in her mind was doing romantic scenes with Nicholas. Even though Harry was next to her, she didn’t feel anything.
“I shouldn’t be like this,” she muttered, raising her hands to cover her face. She felt guilty towards Harry because her thoughts kept going back to Nicholas. Kimberly sighed and stood up. She realised that Harry had been gone for too long. She was afraid something bad had happened to Harry.
Kimberly went downstairs and immediately went to the backyard, but when she was in the kitchen, she was surprised to see Harry and Deborah walking together from the back door. She stood silent and looked at both of them with suspicious eyes.
“Why are you together?” Kimberly asked, giving Deborah a sharp look. She knew Deborah’s feelings for Harry, and for some reason, she thought Deborah could do anything like her mother.
Harry was flustered and immediately approached Kimberly. “We met in the back and chatted. Deborah was looking for some air because she was bored,” Harry explained, trying to make Kimberly not misunderstand. But Kimberly’s attention was currently on Deborah, who was staring at her fiercely. She didn’t even hear Harry’s words.
“Are you deliberately looking for an excuse, huh?” A question with a high tone came out of Kimberly’s lips. But it wasn’t directed at Harry, but at Deborah. Her gaze hadn’t moved from staring at her stepsister.
Deborah raised one corner of her lips while rolling her eyes lazily. It was very obvious that Deborah hated Kimberly so much. Even her gaze seemed to want to eat Kimberly whole.
Harry, seeing where Kimberly was looking, then turned. “Not like that, Bora? We’re just chatting, right?” Harry asked, looking at Deborah with a look that was hard to interpret. They both stared at each other for quite a while until finally Deborah broke their gaze.
“Yes. We’re just chatting!” Deborah clicked her tongue. “Besides, why do you look jealous? Haven’t you been indifferent to Harry all this time? You even spend more time with your gay friend!”
Kimberly’s hands clenched, hearing Deborah’s words. “Harry is my boyfriend. I don’t like you being too close to him!”
Deborah snorted while showing a mocking smile. “You’re too greedy, Kim. I’m sure you’ll cry someday!” Deborah gritted her teeth with her index finger pointing at Kimberly’s face.
“Oh, yeah?” Kimberly approached Deborah. Her face showed arrogance. She smiled by raising one corner of her lips. “I can’t wait to see it.” Kimberly’s gaze was sharp, as if intimidating. It made Deborah only able to swallow hard.
Deborah’s hands clenched. She glanced at Harry and then walked again. She deliberately bumped into Kimberly hard, as if that was the only way for her to vent her frustration.
Kimberly, who had just stepped out of the elevator, stopped. Her eyes narrowed and her forehead furrowed as she saw someone walking towards her. She let out a harsh breath and immediately put on a cold face. She folded both hands in front of her, as if preparing to block the person."What are you doing here?" Kimberly asked in a firm tone. Her face showed an expression of dislike. She looked the person up and down and scoffed. "Who are you trying to seduce with that outfit? You're a real bitch!"Deborah suddenly appeared at the office where Kimberly worked, wearing very sexy clothes. A broken white crop top and a very short leather skirt. It was probably only as high as her bottom. Not to mention her black thigh-high boots that made Deborah look like she was going to a nightclub.Deborah rolled her eyes lazily when she passed Kimberly. She stopped and glared at Kimberly just to say, "None of your business!" After that, Deborah walked away from Kimberly.Kimberly snorted in annoyance b
"Thank you for attending our presentation on the products we offer. We are open to any questions and further discussions. Thank you for your time and attention."Applause accompanied a woman bowing to show respect to the people in the room. Kimberly had just finished presenting the products produced by the company where she works.Kimberly is a marketing manager at a small company in Materra City. This time, she was tasked with the presentation by her boss and best friend, Nicholas. They have been friends since high school, and their friendship has now reached seven years.Nicholas' company is a family business that has been running for over 20 years. He hired Kimberly not just because they were friends, but because Kimberly's abilities were unquestionable.After graduating from college, Kimberly worked as a salesperson for a real estate company, and her sales were the highest in the company. Recognising her potential, Nicholas immediately offered her the manager position when he took
Upon reaching her room, Kimberly immediately slammed her bag on the floor. She grabbed her phone and called her father. Her face looked tense, with her breathing fast and erratic. She was no longer hiding her feelings at this moment. She only pretended to be calm in front of Deborah, although she felt like scratching the girl's face."Why is that woman's child in this house, Dad?" As soon as her father answered the call, Kimberly protested. Michael, her father, should know that Kimberly never liked Deborah."Oh, come on, Kim. You're not kids anymore. You're adults now. Forget about the past and learn to get along with each other." Michael sounded desperate. In his old age, he just wanted his daughters to gather and forget the past.Kimberly dropped her jaw upon hearing her father's words. How could she forget the past that led to her mother's death?She shook her head in disappointment, even though Michael couldn't see her. "I can't forget how that woman destroyed our family and cause
Kimberly changed into a white crop top and a short black skirt before stepping out of her car. This was the nightclub she often visited with Nicholas since their college days.Many say that men and women can't be friends without involving feelings, but in reality, they can. That's because Kimberly knew that Nicholas's preference wasn't women. So even when she got drunk, she felt safe in Nicholas's hands.Passing the bouncers, Kimberly could enter immediately because they were familiar with her.The loud music echoed in her ears. Unconsciously, Kimberly moved her body, enjoying the music played by the DJ. The smell of alcohol grew stronger over time. But it didn't bother Kim at all. It seemed to pump her up even more.At the end of the hallway, she paused to look down at the dance floor below. Hundreds of people gathered, dancing as one. There were no boundaries between men and women. They blended into one, accompanied by the music that grew more spirited as the night progressed.She s
“Kim, you're safe now. The man has left.” Nicholas's gaze followed until the man's back disappeared from his sight.“Really?” Kimberly scanned around, relieved not to see the man anywhere. “Thank you for coming just in time.”“Can you stop doing this, Kim? Don't tempt them with your revealing outfit like this,” Nicholas scolded angrily, realising Kimberly's attire was very provocative and would certainly attract unsavoury attention.Kimberly rolled her eyes lazily as Nicholas started commenting on her appearance. “There's nothing wrong with my outfit, Nick. It's their dirty minds.” Kimberly turned and strode towards the bar.“But, Kim—”“But what, Nick?” Kimberly turned and locked eyes with Nicholas mid-stride. She walked with a sway in her step towards Nicholas. “How do you know what goes on in their minds when you don't know how they feel seeing a woman's body?” Kimberly pushed out her chest, as if trying to tease Nicholas, knowing it would be in vain. Nicholas was gay and wouldn't
Nicholas couldn't focus on driving because everything Kimberly did was distracting him. She even started to lean in and try to kiss him. Feeling angry and frustrated, Nicholas pulled over and stopped the car. He then reached for a rope he had placed in the back seat the day before."Come on, Nick. I want to have some fun. Aren't you attracted to this body of mine?" Kimberly laughed."Shut up, Kim!" Nicholas snapped as he tied Kimberly's hands behind the seat. He swallowed hard when his eyes accidentally landed on her chest. It was so round and full, showing that it had never been touched by any man.Kimberly was wild. She loved going to nightclubs and getting drunk. However, Nicholas knew that she was still a virgin. Kimberly had even told him that no man had ever kissed her. Although she had had many boyfriends, none had managed to steal her first kiss.After tying Kimberly's hands, Nicholas pulled her towards him. Just as his face was in front of hers, he froze. But something unexpe
Until it was time to go home, Kimberly still couldn't meet Nicholas. Even the messages she had sent since earlier had gone unanswered. Kimberly also asked Clara about Nicholas's whereabouts, but the woman insisted that he was out of town.After tidying up her desk, Kimberly visited Nicholas's office once more before finally giving up. It seemed like something she had done the night before had made him avoid her. Kimberly realized that she had been too much, so she tried to apologize. In fact, all the messages she sent were full of apologies.Because Kimberly had other things to take care of, she left the office after failing to meet Nicholas. Taking a taxi, Kimberly returned to the club she had visited the night before. She wanted to find out who had dared to mess with her. Even though she suspected one person, she had to find proof.Arriving at the club, she went straight to the bar. Ben's face immediately tensed up when he saw Kimberly arrive. But he quickly m
After failing to find Harry anywhere, Kimberly decided to go home. Perhaps she had been mistaken, because when she called Harry, he said he was still at the office. Kimberly also didn't hear any noise like she had at the nightclub. She actually didn't want to go home, but if she didn't, Liana and Deborah would feel like they had won. She wouldn't let that happen. After all, this was her house. Kimberly wouldn't let anyone take it from her.Kimberly entered her house and continued walking towards the stairs leading to her room. She didn't care that there were two people sitting in the living room. As far as she was concerned, she was the only one in this house."Kimberly!" Michael's shout sounded ordinary to Kimberly. She even continued walking without paying any attention to her father. "Kimberly Spencer!"Kimberly took a deep breath as she stopped walking. Although she didn't want to consider Michael as her father, she couldn't erase the blood ties between them. So, she stopped, espe
Kimberly, who had just stepped out of the elevator, stopped. Her eyes narrowed and her forehead furrowed as she saw someone walking towards her. She let out a harsh breath and immediately put on a cold face. She folded both hands in front of her, as if preparing to block the person."What are you doing here?" Kimberly asked in a firm tone. Her face showed an expression of dislike. She looked the person up and down and scoffed. "Who are you trying to seduce with that outfit? You're a real bitch!"Deborah suddenly appeared at the office where Kimberly worked, wearing very sexy clothes. A broken white crop top and a very short leather skirt. It was probably only as high as her bottom. Not to mention her black thigh-high boots that made Deborah look like she was going to a nightclub.Deborah rolled her eyes lazily when she passed Kimberly. She stopped and glared at Kimberly just to say, "None of your business!" After that, Deborah walked away from Kimberly.Kimberly snorted in annoyance b
Since that day, Kimberly had been trying to get closer to Harry. She even continued to ignore Nicholas, even though the man tried to act like before. Kimberly only spoke to Nicholas to maintain professionalism.“Kim. Why didn’t you answer my calls?” Nicholas walked with long strides, intending to catch up with Kimberly, who was already far ahead of him. It was quitting time, and they were heading towards the elevator. Kimberly looked confused when suddenly Nicholas was behind her. Their rooms were on different floors, but why was Nicholas on her floor?“I was busy, so I didn’t have time to read your message.” Kimberly replied without stopping. She didn’t even turn to look at Nicholas. She had been acting like this to him several times.Nicholas, who did not get a good response from Kimberly, stopped. He was silent while his eyes continued to stare at the girl’s back. This was the umpteenth time he had tried to mend his friendship with Kimberly, but now she was the one who kept her dis
Kimberly took a deep breath. Once again, she woke up in Nicholas's apartment. Even though she had just opened her eyes, she already knew where she was. Nicholas's room was so familiar to her that she could recognise it at a glance.Again and again, Kimberly always ended up in this apartment when she was drunk. It made her realise that she had been too dependent on Nicholas all this time. She always troubled him with her personal matters."I guess I’m too much of a burden," Kimberly muttered with a small laugh. "Maybe it’s time for me to keep my distance from Nicholas. We both have partners." Kimberly stared at the ceiling, her memories swirling back.Looking back, Nicholas knew almost everything about her, but Kimberly didn’t know anything about Nicholas. She had never even met her best friend’s family, even though Nicholas was very close to her father."Am I a bad friend?" she asked herself. Whenever there was a problem, she would seek Nicholas to listen to her stories. Yet Kimberly
Kimberly turned around, ignoring Nicholas calling her name. She didn't know how to explain her feelings at the moment. She was devastated and disappointed when she saw Nicholas's intimacy with the man. She had seen the man who was with Nicholas before. He was the man rumoured to be Nicholas's lover. He had come to this office a few months ago.Kimberly had never met the man personally, and Nicholas had never introduced him to her.Kimberly took a deep breath as she entered the elevator. She stepped back until her back was against the side of the elevator. Her hands clenched her chest, which felt so painful. Kimberly knew this would happen, but she wasn't ready.Kimberly's eyes felt hot as clear tears forced their way out of the corners of her eyes. This time, she could no longer hold back the tears that had been dammed up in her eyelids. But she quickly wiped away her tears when the elevator door opened. She got out and went straight to her room. After grabbing her bag, Kimberly went
After dinner that night, Kimberly didn't see Harry for a few days. They didn't contact each other either. Kimberly understood because Harry might be having problems with his work."Why has it been so quiet lately?" Kimberly, who was going down the stairs, stopped in her tracks. She looked around as if she was searching for something. Kimberly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "The air is really fresh. I haven't smelt that foul odour for a few days. No wonder I feel so good."Kimberly opened her eyes. Her mouth broke into a wide smile. She realised that Deborah had not been within her reach for a few days. Although she didn't care about Deborah's whereabouts, Kimberly always ran into her at home. And that made Kimberly feel bad.With a cheerful face, Kimberly continued her descent down the stairs. She had to get to the office soon because there was a departmental meeting this morning. Kimberly hoped that Nicholas would show up this time so she could scold the man to her heart's c
Days went by so quickly and Nicholas still hadn't appeared before Kimberly. Even the message from a few days ago hadn't been read. However, Kimberly was a little forgetful because she had a lot of work. There were some new products that made the marketing team work overtime. They had to think about how to innovate in sales.Kimberly sighed deeply. She had not left her room since morning, and she had not even had lunch. Usually, Nicholas would bring her food when she was busy.Kimberly put down her glasses. She rubbed the bridge of her nose because it felt very stiff. Her phone rang and she turned her gaze. Harry's name was displayed as the caller. Although she was a little lazy, Kimberly still answered the man's call. Kimberly had been ignoring Harry for quite some time. Maybe this was the time to mend their relationship.“Hi, Kim. Finally, you answered my call.” Kimberly had opened her lips, intending to greet him, but Harry spoke first. The man's voice sounded happy, like someone wh
After failing to find Harry anywhere, Kimberly decided to go home. Perhaps she had been mistaken, because when she called Harry, he said he was still at the office. Kimberly also didn't hear any noise like she had at the nightclub. She actually didn't want to go home, but if she didn't, Liana and Deborah would feel like they had won. She wouldn't let that happen. After all, this was her house. Kimberly wouldn't let anyone take it from her.Kimberly entered her house and continued walking towards the stairs leading to her room. She didn't care that there were two people sitting in the living room. As far as she was concerned, she was the only one in this house."Kimberly!" Michael's shout sounded ordinary to Kimberly. She even continued walking without paying any attention to her father. "Kimberly Spencer!"Kimberly took a deep breath as she stopped walking. Although she didn't want to consider Michael as her father, she couldn't erase the blood ties between them. So, she stopped, espe
Until it was time to go home, Kimberly still couldn't meet Nicholas. Even the messages she had sent since earlier had gone unanswered. Kimberly also asked Clara about Nicholas's whereabouts, but the woman insisted that he was out of town.After tidying up her desk, Kimberly visited Nicholas's office once more before finally giving up. It seemed like something she had done the night before had made him avoid her. Kimberly realized that she had been too much, so she tried to apologize. In fact, all the messages she sent were full of apologies.Because Kimberly had other things to take care of, she left the office after failing to meet Nicholas. Taking a taxi, Kimberly returned to the club she had visited the night before. She wanted to find out who had dared to mess with her. Even though she suspected one person, she had to find proof.Arriving at the club, she went straight to the bar. Ben's face immediately tensed up when he saw Kimberly arrive. But he quickly m
Nicholas couldn't focus on driving because everything Kimberly did was distracting him. She even started to lean in and try to kiss him. Feeling angry and frustrated, Nicholas pulled over and stopped the car. He then reached for a rope he had placed in the back seat the day before."Come on, Nick. I want to have some fun. Aren't you attracted to this body of mine?" Kimberly laughed."Shut up, Kim!" Nicholas snapped as he tied Kimberly's hands behind the seat. He swallowed hard when his eyes accidentally landed on her chest. It was so round and full, showing that it had never been touched by any man.Kimberly was wild. She loved going to nightclubs and getting drunk. However, Nicholas knew that she was still a virgin. Kimberly had even told him that no man had ever kissed her. Although she had had many boyfriends, none had managed to steal her first kiss.After tying Kimberly's hands, Nicholas pulled her towards him. Just as his face was in front of hers, he froze. But something unexpe