Chapter 81
Axel’s skin crawled with discomfort as he regretted allowing her to come so close. Every inch of him seemed to react, a collection of bumps surfacing. Her proximity was unnerving, and he couldn’t escape the sensation of being too exposed. Her fingers, delicately cleaning away the dried blood, only intensified the unease. Leaning to the side, he silently observed her, realizing it had been a while since someone had come so close, touching him in such an intimate manner. It felt strange.
She’s so close, he mused, allowing himself to study her features up close. Her concentration was evident, with her brows scrunched seriously. She has long curly eyelashes, he observed, and glassy smooth skin, it looked incredibly soft.
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His gaze descended lower to her lips – soft and alluring. The lower lip was fuller than the upper one, boasting a plump, attractive allure. A sudden, intrusive thought crossed his mind: What would it be like to take a bite? Caught off guard by the lewd turn of his thoughts, Axel wondered, alarmed, where did that even come from?!
She moved in even closer, her lips now near his face, and he could feel her breath against his neck, a cooling sensation that carried the scent of peppermint. Axel gulped involuntarily. Sensing his quickened pulse beneath her palm, she paused for a moment then continued.
She smells so good.’ he mused.
Despite his general aversion to the overpowering scents that accompanied most women, her subtle fragrance proved to be a
captivating exception. It wrapped around him. He could feel his heartbeat quicken. She was so close to him her touch was doing things to him.
Axel, unable to endure the overwhelming sensations, rose abruptly, startling Jasmine. Surprise flickered in her eyes as they locked onto his.
“Did it hurt?” she inquired, genuine concern etched on her face.
“Is something wrong?” Her innocent probing brought a furrow to her brows.
“Yes. No!” Axel found himself fumbling over his words, a peculiar mix of tension and confusion clouding his response. “I mean no, nothing’s wrong,” he corrected hastily.
As Jasmine attempted to touch him again, he avoided her touch,
ting “It’s fine now. A subtle plea for her departure lingered in his words. You’ve done enough,” he added, ushering her out of his house.
Once she was gone, Axel leaned against the door, seeking solace in the solitude. His heart raced, and he took a moment to quell the unsettling turbulence within.
Despite his usual indifference towards women, found himself strangely affected by Jasmine’s innocent touches. Puzzled by this uncharacteristic reaction, he reasoned that a cold shower might clear his mind. After a brisk shower, he felt a sense of calm returning, reflected in the steadiness of his pulse.
–
Heading to the kitchen, he attended to the needs of his dog, only to be interrupted by a discovery on the counter a cellphone that clearly did not belong to him. Realization dawned; it must be Jasmine’s, left behind in her hasty exit. A mixture of emotions washed over Axel as he sighed and groaned, he wasn’t looking forward to meeting her again.
Axel hesitated before mustering the courage to go next door. The persistent ringing of the cellphone stirred a sense of urgency within him; perhaps it was an emergency. Sighing, he picked up the phone and decided to confront the situation head–on.
After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a surprised Jasmine on the other side. Caught off guard, she mumbled a hesitant “Oh,” attempting to shield her face and averting her gaze. The air seemed charged with a lingering awkwardness resulting from earlier.
“You left your phone,” Axel stated, handing it to her. She mumbled a quiet “thank you,” taking it slowly, her eyes avoiding his gaze. He couldn’t help but notice the hint of wetness in her eyes.
“Good night,” she mumbled as she shut the door. Axel lingered, a gnawing feeling in his gut. Something was off; she seemed upset.
He walked away from the door then walked back, acting on impulse he rang the doorbell again.
She opened the door almost instantly. Silence hung in the air as they exchanged intense gazes. He studied her silently while she still looked away. Her nose was red and her eyes damp.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” Axel stated sincerely. Reflecting on their recent interaction, he realized his abruptness might have come across as insensitive. As he looked into her innocent eyes, a pang of guilt tugged at
Chapter 81
him; he had ushered her out almost dismissively, like he couldn’t wait to get rid of her
Her glossy eyes sparkled, and a genuine smile appeared on her face. It was a small, hopeful expression that stirred something within Axel, a response he hadn’t anticipated.
Axel found himself captivated by her beautiful smile. “Ermm, what’s your name?” she asked suddenly in a low voice.
“What?” he replied, not catching her initial mumble.
“Well, you live next door, and I’ve attacked you several times, but I don’t know your name,” she stated. It struck him – she didn’t know his name.
But unknown to her, he knew hers, he had done his research the other time after her found her in his house.
“Axel,” he said, still gazing into her eyes, which seemed to have a magnetic pull. “Axel,” she repeated, and he liked the way it resonated with her smooth voice. Perhaps it was her accent, but his name sounded delightful on her lips.
“I’m Jasmine,” she introduced herself, offering another small, innocent smile. “Jasmine,” he echoed.
“I’m really sorry about those times. The first time when I attacked you on your way home. I really thought you were the stalker.” She explained.
“And earlier today, everything spiralled out of control.”
Axel only nodded.
As they stood in a brief but loaded silence, her smile gradually faded. “Well, goodnight,” she repeated, slowly closing the door. Axel remained rooted in place, running his hand through his hair.
What just happened?‘ he pondered.
