Cuddling

Aaron used coal and log at the fireplace to warm the hut and heard her ask, "When did you see me the first time?"

Aaron didn't lie, "Nearly eleven years ago at our school." He purposefully didn't mention the cafe to avoid her stressing her mind and lose control unexpectedly.

Aarvi: "..."

She was remarkably speechless. She had thought he might have seen her pictures with Shawn hence she had thought it might be around five years.

Aaron who closed the hatch of the fireplace turned to see her blankly looking at him. Even though he always sees her serene or aloof, it was just a facade to hide her real emotions but not the blank gaze which made him realize she was wordless to voice.

He tapped on her nose with his finger, "So you better treat me good."

Aarvi's lips twitched hearing it, "Were you a coward? I didn't expect you to be milksop."

Aaron's EQ about his feelings or Aarvi's emotions is too high. It may be eleven years back or now. The moment he had realized she was the one he wanted, he had told her the same movement. 'Aarvi Evans, you will know if I was milksop or not when you remember everything.'

Aaron teased instead, "I didn't know you wanted to date me at the age of thirteen and fourteen." Aarvi found it reasonable and asked back, "What about when I was sixteen?"

Aaron looked away from her carrying a frown, "I was attacked..."

She asked the very next second she heard it without letting him continue, "Why? Were you injured? Who was behind it?"

Aaron sighed hearing her worry so quickly for the past, "No, I wasn't injured. Somebody saved me. Dad had received a threat and the same group attacked me. So he moved me forcibly to country U then the military wiped off the gang members. Hence I failed to be in your life for such a long time."

Aarvi understood the flow of events and flung his hand from pinching her cheek. "If Shawn had mentioned my name instead of 'Little heart', would have met me or chickened out?"

"I would have kidnapped you." He said as if he could have really done it. Aarvi continued to ask and he responded until she dozed off on the couch.

Other than mirth, lightheartedness, and amusement, he didn't see disappointment or annoyance in her. He was glad she didn't laugh at him instead she tried to perceive and understand him better.

Aarvi got to know why Shawn and Zain wanted her to be with Aaron but she was afraid if she would be able to reciprocate his feelings. She was scared to be judged by him if he knows about her.

Instead of her usual nightmares, she was ensnared in a dream about Aaron. She was living happily with Aaron but he gets to know what happened with her, how she had struggled. Even though she hadn't done anything wrong and became prey, he said something about his prestigious family and left her alone.

Being alone isn't difficult when you have nothing to lose, but giving hope and snatching it away would definitely break the confidence.

Aaron who was sitting on the same couch noticed her curling up. He thought she might be cold or she was again getting her usual haunting dreams. Covering his white coat and his jacket on her, he gently rubbed her brows seeing her sad and scuffling face.

Except during day naps, he never saw her peacefully sleep for even an hour.

He checked if they could leave but the night was colder and a snowstorm had started. He started to feel cold when the logs were burnt to ashes. He wanted to be fine to look after her than for himself.

Watching Aarvi curled up into a ball in a confined place, he couldn't understand how she could achieve it. "Will you kill me or break my leg if I sleep?" Aaron asked sleeping Aarvi in deep thought.

He decided as he took his jacket from her, "I am sleeping. you can punish me tomorrow."

---

In the guest house where the doctors were staying, Naomi was seething in anger when Aaron and Aarvi didn't return and it was windy. She had thought that she could have a lunch date in the afternoon and they could stroll around in the evening before dinner. She expected to spend a long time with him before going to sleep but it was all ruined due to Aarvi's presence.

She wanted to go to them so that if anything planned by Aarvi to fail. She hadn't even stepped out with a torch, the village chief stopped her, "Doctor Fisher, it isn't safe for you to go out."

Naomi's troubled expression was apparent on her face, "Chief doctor is in the resting hut. I will check on him if he is fine."

The village chief shook his head, "For that, you don't have to go, ask other men to check." Other villagers were in their homes so he couldn't be of any help.

Helpless, she quickly went to Secretary Wen's room and rabidly knocked on the door until he was annoyed and opened the door. Even though he had heard Aaron and Naomi grew up together, she was nothing but a stranger to him and Aaron always treated her invisible how much ever Naomi tried to show herself an important. "Doctor Fisher? How may I help you?"

"Secretary Wen, go now and bring Aaron back to the guest house."

Her demanding tone irritated him but he didn't show it on his face, "Doctor Fisher, President Rivas isn't alone and he asked for privacy when he left. Please wait until he returns."

Naomi's nails dug her palms deeper him. Her mind started wandering with dirty lewd thoughts. Her voice raised hearing the rejection, "What if he is in a problem? Check on him."

He calmly responded to her doubting if she is really the well-mannered socialite everyone speaks about, "That is very unlikely. I have asked the hut owner and he assured me that it is very safe. Doctor Fisher, you should stop worrying unnecessarily."

Naomi tried to be cautious while she worriedly said, "What if Ms.Evans is in trouble and Aaron can't reach us?"

Secretary Wen's face deadpanned. Now he understood what Naomi's real problem is. Her worry is leaving Aarvi and Aaron alone in the hut. But he couldn't understand her worry because they always stayed together in Mocon. 'Why will they come so far to do anything?'

"Doctor Fisher, nothing will happen to Ms.Evans when President Rivas is with her. If nothing else, I will get back to my work." Without waiting for the response, he closed the door on her face.

Even though Secretary Wen knows Aarvi started troubling Harmons and planning against some more, if he has to choose somebody as Aaron's companion, he would undoubtedly choose Aarvi who never raises her voice and be respectful of him if she instructs or asks anything.

Naomi cursed him in mind and quickly went to Aaron's bodyguards' room whose response was no different than Secretary Wen. Unless they receive orders from the Rivas family, Aarvi, and Secretary Wen, they wouldn't listen to anybody else.

Whole night she lost her sleep on baseless thoughts.

---

The next day early in the morning, the first thing Naomi did was to reach the wooden hut and peek in through a glass circular window.

As soon as she got the sight of Aarvi cuddling Aaron, sleeping peacefully in his arms, Naomi's breathing turned heavy and started pounding on the glass to separate them.

'Aarvi Evans, I will make sure you will regret crossing your path with me.'