CHAPTER 169: DARE TO LOVE ME Don’t go
I watched my grandmother laugh as she opened the presents she’d received. The afternoon had been beautiful, but we’d come inside now because the breeze had turned chilly. My grandmother seemed impressed by the Alexa I’d brought her; I knew she loved listening to music from her time, and this would make it easier for her.
After witnessing everyone’s laughter and good spirits, I decided to go for a walk to the lake a few meters away. It was lit by warm lights installed by the residents. The night was just beginning to fall, and I sighed. Yesterday, I decided to come early to see my grandparents. I’d felt like Madrid was suffocating me; I needed a break, needed to forget what I’d heard, but it
seemed you couldn’t escape your mind.
I took in the landscape; it was relaxing. I could feel the warm breeze fluttering my dress. I
closed my eyes and smiled. I walked a bit further and sat on a small mound of stones, hugging myself. I gazed at the moon and the stars, which had never looked more beautiful.
I heard the sound of stones behind me and turned toward the noise, but I didn’t see anyone, so
I lost myself in the moment again.
I heard the stones once more and looked back. I saw someone walking toward me. Scared, I
stood up and tried to descend from the pile of rocks, slipping in the process. I braced for the
hard fall on the stones that didn’t come. Instead, strong arms caught me, and in an instant, I
was wrapped in Gavin’s embrace!
But what was he doing here?
“Thank you, you can let go now,” I said, placing my hands on his chest and looking into his
eyes. His chest rose and fell.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was low and sensual.
“I’m fine, please put me down,” I said, but he didn’t move. I wriggled, and slowly he did as I asked until my feet touched the ground, at which point I felt a pain in my foot.
“Ouch!” I whimpered as I fully placed my foot on the stones.
“What happened?!” Gavin asked, completely alarmed.
“Nothing,” I said, limping. Gavin quickly scooped me up again. “Let me go, I can get home on my own,” I tried to wriggle free.
“I’ll carry you. We don’t know if the fall caused a fracture; walking could make it worse,” he said, and although I didn’t want to admit it, I knew he was right.
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CHAPTER 169: DARE TO LOVE M…
Without understanding why he was here and not wanting to talk to him more than necessary, I let him carry me. But I stayed tense, and suddenly he slipped. Instinctively, I clung tightly to
his body.
“Sorry,” I apologized, letting go when he looked down at me.
“Don’t let go, I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he said, looking into my eyes. I swallowed a lump in my throat.
We reached the house, and Gavin started to climb the stairs when I remembered my whole
family was inside, and I didn’t want to explain why I was with him.
“Wait,” I said, and he stopped. “I can’t go inside with you,” I explained, and he raised an eyebrow
at me.
“I don’t want them to see me with you,” I said, and I saw him frown. “They’ll think there’s
something between us,” I pointed to myself in his arms, “and I don’t want them getting ideas
about something that’s not happening.”
“Loli…” he spoke in a frustrated tone.
“Let’s go back to where I was. It’ll pass, and I’ll return on my own,” I said. He stayed silent for a
few seconds. We looked at each other, and to my annoyance, my heart raced.
Good job, Loli, you never learn.
I wriggled to make him let go since he wasn’t moving.
“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth and started moving back. We walked in silence, accompanied only by the sounds of animals, the gentle movement of the water, and the beautiful moon, which I glanced at for a few seconds before noticing that the blond was
looking at it and then at me.
“There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing the moon’s reflection in your eyes,” he said with that manly voice that did something to me. I felt my body tremble, but I shifted in his arms so
he wouldn’t notice.
I stopped tensing when I realized we’d reached the spot on the stones where I was before seeing him, but he changed direction.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we moved away from my intended destination.
“I rented a small house,” he nodded in that direction, and I saw a light on in a house a few meters away, not far from my grandparents‘ house.
“Oh no, I’m not going there, no way,” I wriggled, and my foot hurt. I let out a groan.
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CHAPTER 169: DARE TO LOVE M…
“You are. I’m going to check your foot. We need to make sure it’s not serious and doesn’t
require a hospital visit. I promise I’ll let you go once I’ve checked you if that’s what you want,” he said seriously.
But what was this crazy man saying?
He maneuvered the door open while holding me. We entered, and I saw it was like a modern country house.
Gavin set me down on one of the couches, and I noticed the table was set with a small
bouquet and a couple of unlit candles.
He returned, having taken off his shirt. I swallowed hard. After being distracted by the view, I noticed he was carrying a cold compress and what looked like a cream. He knelt before me, gently taking my foot. My skin tingled.
“It’s not a fracture,” he assured me, and I saw a slight purple tint on one side of my foot. “It’s just the impact; you’ll be fine soon.” He caressed my foot from the top of my ankle down, and the tingling made me suppress a soft moan.
He applied a cold gel to the injury.
“You shouldn’t move; you could hurt yourself more,” he said, and I just watched as the muscles in his arms rippled with each movement. When I realized it, I was wrapped in a knitted blanket on the couch.
I saw him moving something in the kitchen, giving me a view of his broad back. He soon returned with a plate in his hands, with a filet mignon, truffle escalade, and potatoes. It looked more than good. I looked up at Gavin.
“It’ll take a while for your foot to get better,” the aroma of the food tempted me, and I decided to accept. I hadn’t had dinner.
Gavin returned with a plate for himself, and we ate in silence. I watched him when he didn’t notice, and oddly enough, I felt like he was doing the same. There was a certain familiarity and tranquility in this silence.
He took the plates to the kitchen, and I stood up, feeling the pain had lessened. I walked toward the bathroom, guessing the way. I rinsed my mouth and thought about what I was doing here. Had I been under some kind of elven spell or something?
I came out, not fully putting weight on my foot.
“Thanks for helping me,” I said, stopping in front of him. He was leaning against the dining table in the middle of the living room. “I feel better. I think it’s best if I go; it’s getting late,” I
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CHAPTER 169: DARE TO LOVE M…
turned toward the door.
“Don’t go, please,” I heard his voice and looked at him.