Soft Lips

It had been a long time since someone cared about Jackson like this, so long that it often felt like he was all alone in the world.

He had a big luxurious apartment, filled with expensive furniture, but it felt empty and cold. Today was the first time it actually felt like a home.

Why did this woman make him feel this way?

"Are you OK?" Halia asked gently.

Her voice was so soothing.

"I'm fine," Jackson replied.

Halia removed the rest of his sleeve and put the shirt aside. She then opened up a sterilization kit and put on some gloves.

"I'm going to clean your wounds a little. It's going to sting, but we need to make sure they don't get infected. After that, I'm going to stitch them up for you, I see you've already got the necessary tools in here, you must have done it before," she said as she scanned her eyes across the man in front of her. The apartment was dimly lit, so only now did she realize how many scars he had on his body.

Jackson nodded.

Halia picked up some cotton pads with a pair of tweezers, soaked them in some saline solution and started dabbing the two cuts on his arm and the one on his shoulder. She could see the man clench his fist in pain, but he kept his composure. Thinking that it would help ease the pain, Halia gently blew on the cuts as she cleaned them.

Jackson felt Halia's breaths on his skin and it was surprisingly soothing. As she kneeled down beside him to get to the cut just above his elbow, he was drawn to her lips again.

Why did she have to kiss him that day? Now he couldn't stop thinking about how soft her lips were. The worst thing was, he knew she had a boyfriend, so he had to control himself. Plus, she had only accepted him as a friend not long ago, he couldn't ruin things.

Halia was soon done with cleaning his wounds. She then opened up a new packet of needle and suturing thread. Her hands trembled a little as she went in for the first stitch.

"Have you done this before?" Jackson chuckled, trying to ease her nervousness.

"Of course," Halia lied.

"Don't be nervous, if it leaves a scar...I'll have something to remember you by," he said gently.

Halia felt her heart skip a beat.

"How are you going to attract girls if I leave too many scars on your body?" she joked.

Jackson laughed. "You're still thinking about those two girls you saw at the club, aren't you?" he teased.

Halia blushed a little, "What girls? I don't know what you're talking about."

Jackson's lips curved upwards slightly. Why were her reactions so cute?

"I'm not interested in girls. I'm only interested in work," he explained.

Halia rolled her eyes.

"I heard from my colleagues that you practically have a new girlfriend every month," Halia said as she tied off the stitches on Jackson's shoulder and started on the first wound on his arm.

"Those are just rumors...I started working at 18. I've never had time for girls," he said.

"Unlike you, I bet you've had plenty of boyfriends."

"Tch, I'm a hard worker too," Halia replied.

"What's your boyfriend doing today? Isn't he worried that you're inside a single man's home so late at night? Or have you not told him yet?" Jackson asked as he watched Halia finish off the second set of stitches.

Halia paused before she started on the last wound. She looked up and her eyes met with the man seated on the black leather sofa.

"I don't know where you got the idea that I have a boyfriend from...but I don't have one," Halia replied.

Jackson looked down at the woman that was knelt beside him and he felt his heart tighten.

"You really don't have a boyfriend? What about the man that picked you up from the police station the night you were spiked at the bar?" he asked.

"He's just a friend," Halia laughed as she started on the last wound.

Jackson suddenly felt a mix of emotions; if she had no boyfriend...did that mean he could kiss her again? He lowered his eyes past her nose, down to her lips and held his breath.

As she finished the last stitch on Jackson's arm, Halia looked up and noticed the man staring at her. How long had he been looking at her like that? She felt her body heat up a little and her heart race. She noticed his gaze was focused on her lips and her gaze slowly fell on his too. Although she was spiked on the night they kissed, she could still remember bits of it: she remembered the smell of his cologne, his warm breaths...and his soft lips...