17 A single word: love

It was now eight, Lucy was preparing some light dishes for dinner since they ate their lunch late. Aubrey was at the guest room, Lucy had prepared the new sheet and a set of pillows for Aubrey to sleep for the night.

The guest room was downstairs while her room was upstairs. She didn't have a choice, with how her face heated up whenever she remembered the hug, she would find herself unable to look at Aubrey in the eye.

'I need some distance from him..', she said to herself. She then threw some green vegetables into the pot, simmering them.

She was making some chicken broth. Her Pasta e Fagioli was then perfected with some fried onions on top. The two dishes were then put on the dining table. She was done!

Lucy looked around the house, Aubrey was nowhere to be seen.

'Must be at his room..', she went there.

Lucy opened the door without knocking first. It was hard to knock when it was her house.

"Aubrey, the dinner's ready- wahhh?!", she jumped in surprise. Blocking her eyes with her palm.

Aubrey also jumped in surprised, he was just about to wear a shirt she gave him. Lucy tried to look away, but her 'woman antenna' wanted her to keep taking some glances. He was just out from the bath, there was a towel hanging low to his waist. He smelled nice too.

'He smells just like me.. he used my body wash..', she felt like having a nosebleed right there and right now.

Her eyes then unconsciously went to his chest, she unknowingly was counting his packs.

'What am I doing?!', she screamed inside her head. She was gradually becoming a pervert!

"I'm sorry!!", she dashed away. Leaving the perplexed man behind.

Aubrey was just out from the bath, but now he suddenly felt hot again. He noticed her eyes that trailed after his body, he couldn't stop thinking about it. His cheek became slightly red. What was happening?

Lucy ran to the kitchen again, she fanned her face with her own hands. Trying to cool herself down. She saw them! He had a six pack! Damnation! He looked fragile when she first found him. She easily brought him inside with her own strength at that time. Perhaps he had lost some weight when she first saw him.. Now he was eating properly, he should gain his normal weight soon..

The idea made Lucy want to dig a hole to hide in. Was he actually stronger than her? Of course! He was still a man for goodness sake! When she first touched his hand, it was rough and bigger than hers..

Lucy came to the conclusion that Aubrey Lee was a man! Living in her house! Together!

"How could I be so careless?!", she banged her head on the kitchen counter. But later regretted it when she hissed in pain.

A hand touched her forehead from behind, she turned around, only to see Aubrey completely dressed in a brown shirt. He made a gesture asking if she was alright. She couldn't say anything. His big hand was on her forehead, it was cold.. the sensation seeped through her red bump on the head. It felt nice.

Lucy closed her eyes to let the coolness spread around.

"Hm.. I'll be alright if you lend me your hand.", she pointed towards his hand that was glued to her forehead.

Aubrey frowned but he later got the meaning. His cold hand must have been soothing. He chuckled when he realized that he himself, could be of help to someone else. Though it was just a small favor of lending his palm.

Lucy heard him chuckled. Her eyes opened quickly to see that Aubrey had a very gentle expression on his face. She stared at him without blinking, she was intimidated.. he looked so serene and more handsome than he really was. Was this his real face when he was free of the burden of life? Was this how he was supposed to be like?

She couldn't stop staring, she raised her hand towards his face, Aubrey saw her gaze that was set on him. He stood like a statue, He could feel the command in her eyes, telling him to not move a muscle. So he stayed.

Her hand reached his face, his cheek and his fine jawline. It stayed there for a moment. Time was ticking slowly but surely.

"Have I ever told you that you are a good looking man? But now.. I think I like you better this way.. I like to see you smile.", she confessed.

She didn't have a single clue on what her words could do to Aubrey. Their impact was much more fatal to his heart. His chest started pounding faster and faster. He didn't know what had become of him.

He thought he was having hyperventilation, the common thing he experienced when he was confined there. But it felt different. It was completely different. Though his chest hurt, it was not in the same way..

They stood there, facing each other. His hand on her head while her hand on his face. Both didn't realize that a single word was to describe their feeling right now; love.

•••

Lucy was now on the bed. She kept wriggling nonstop and she found it hard to close her eyes to sleep. Her mind was full of one man, Aubrey.

They were able to have dinner after the awkward silence, though each of them didn't say a word while at the table. They didn't even look at the other in the eyes. But sometimes each of them would notice the other's stealing glances.

It was hard to keep being oblivious to the matter of her own heart. Lucy started to notice that what she felt for Aubrey was not just simple adoration. She wanted to help him not because she was a psychologist, or because he was a patient to her. Lucy had never felt this way before. She didn't even have any experience regarding people of the opposite sex.

It was the truth that Lucy was known as a beautiful girl, charismatic and wealthy. Many men out there wanted to have a try and asked her out. But none were accepted.

She was strict when it comes to relationship. No one could force her and change her mind. And as a defense mechanism, she tried to appear cold to other men who have their eyes on her. And she stayed single for her whole 27 years of her life.

But today, she found out that she was just waiting for the right person to enter. It was not because she was hard on relationship, she wanted to love too. And be loved in return.

'Someone that I want to love..', her face turned red when Aubrey's face popped up in her mind. She was reminded of his gentle demeanor earlier.

She turned and twisted on the bed. She was suddenly becoming hot. Aubrey had invaded her mind like it was natural! Lucy bit her bottom lip in hope it could calm her nerves. She was starting to notice her feelings slowly..

•••

Aubrey was in the room downstairs, he also couldn't sleep. He then decided to wash his face in the bathroom. The guest room was huge, it was equipped with a bathroom, a queen size bed and a resting area, where it have chairs and a coffee table at the corner.

Aubrey walked to the sink, he faced the mirror, the first thing he saw was the black choker around his neck. It had stopped functioning since he decided to crack it with the knife. It looked old now. Like a rusted chain in the cell.

Remembering something unpleasant from his past, Aubrey shook his head and closed his eyes. He could feel his fingers trembling just at the thought of seeing that man again. His mind was full of bad thoughts with many what ifs scenarios. He was afraid.

He looked at the reflection of himself, he could clearly see the bleak future deep in his eyes, where all of them were engraved severely by that man. A man he once knew as a family. A man together with him, was known to have a greatest bond every person could wish for. But that was around 17 years ago.. and it stayed as fleeting memories and nothing more.

That man was his older brother. He was someone dear to Aubrey. But he killed them, he killed their parents right in front of Aubrey's eyes. That day was the starting point of his hell on earth. Aubrey was also known to be dead in the fire along with his parents. Only his older brother survived.. only Adamson Lee.

His gaze then stopped by his cheek. He stared at his own face. A woman's smile then ignited his once dead heart to fire. He could still feel the touch of Lucy's delicate hand. Her hand was small but was able to bring colors, tiny but was able to soothe an aching pain, slender but was able to move a heart..

He started to realize that there existed a raw and unknown feeling inside him. Though it was new and yet to be bloomed, he knew one day he would be able to guess what it was. He just needed time.

A small smile appeared on his face, he noticed it while he was staring at himself. He saw himself being happy for the first time in ages. He was surprised. Lucy had the power to heal him. And he didn't reject it.

From that point on, he decided to stick close to Lucy, because now she was the only person he trusted with his life.