Chapter 108: An old friend
Anne didn’t move. Her body remained taut against him, tingling from the feel of his warmth, his scent, his nearness. Every nerve felt heightened, alive.
"I wanted to leave the meeting midway and come straight to you," he murmured, hugging her closer, pressing her body snugly against his.
Her heartbeat thudded against his chest, wild and uneven. She felt the fabric of her robe shift slightly with his embrace and reminded her of what she wore underneath. Heat rushed through her, pooling in her stomach. Her toes curled against the carpet, and her fingers clenched at her sides, the anticipation and nervousness dancing within her like fire on her skin.
Augustine immediately noticed something was off. Anne stood rigid in his embrace, her arms unmoving, her body unnaturally still—so much so that it unsettled him. He gently loosened his hold and moved back just enough to study her face. Her cheeks were bright with color, her expression taut.
A crease formed on his brow. "Are you alright?" Reaching up, he placed his palm on her forehead, checking for a fever.
Anne tensed even more. A jolt of sensation rushed through her, and she abruptly stepped out of his reach.
"I–I’m fine," she stammered, quickly turning her face away, avoiding his gaze as if it would betray her racing thoughts. "You must be tired and hungry. Go freshen up. I’ll serve dinner." She darted out of the room before he could say another word.
Augustine remained standing where she had left him, stunned and motionless, the warmth of their earlier connection suddenly cooled by confusion. His brows furrowed deeper, his thoughts racing.
’She was acting strange... like she was avoiding me. But why?’ he pondered, a faint ache settling in his chest. ’Didn’t she say there was a surprise waiting for me? What changed between then and now? Why did she look so nervous?’
The joy of seeing her began to dull beneath the weight of uncertainty as he stood in the quiet room, trying to make sense of the shift in her behavior.
Augustine raked his fingers through his hair, his mind clouded with confusion. ’Why is she so hard to figure out?’ he thought. ’Sometimes, she looks at me like I mean the world to her, and the next moment, she won’t even meet my eyes. What am I supposed to do with you?’