CHAPTER 23 “UNEXPECTED KISS"

SHE would have wanted Joaquin to just drop her in front of the mall entrance like what he did yesterday. But he didn’t listen and instead he still took the car to the building’s parking lot.

"What is the reason and why do you have to bring your car here?" Lara asked.

She didn't want to be noticed but the truth was she couldn't deny the nervousness that was slowly living in her chest at those moments.

"I'll just talk to you," he said, taking off his seatbelt and then staring at her intently.

Lara's heartbeat intensified from what happened and she saw that the young man had already acted.

She didn’t know what Joaquin was saying that they were going to talk about. But the truth is even though the discomfort she feels is intense she still wants to hear everything he has to say.

"All right," she nodded.

The corner of Joaquin's mouth lifted at what she said. He then moved and removed the seatbelt she was wearing. She forgot to unbuckle it because of the many emotions that were simmering in her chest at those moments.

"Do you remember that I said earlier while we were on the road?" he asked her in a tone that seemed reminiscent.

Lara's eyebrows met immediately. "W-Which of the many things did you say?" she asked laughing softly afterward.

In those moments Joaquin's habit of staring at her did not change. But she was still trying to ignore that even though, in fact, the throbbing in her chest was not really a joke at those moments.

"I told you earlier that I'm not young anymore, so I have no plans to prolong all these," Joaquin replied.

Lara's chest heaved because of Joaquin's action. She opened her mouth to speak but instead more than she expected happened.

She sighed violently, at the same time suddenly, Joaquin finally crossed the short distance between the two of them. Because suddenly he crushed her lips with a fervent kiss.

Lara's whole body seemed paralyzed because of the man's audacity. Even to say that wasn’t the first time Joaquin had done that to her. In fact, the discomfort should have been reduced a bit and it seemed like electricity was now flowing through her body.

But she also had to look at the fact that she had long missed Joaquin’s lips. So maybe this is the reason for the strong beating of her chest.

"I want you, Lara," that's what she heard the young man say after he let go of her lips.

Their faces were less than a span away. And because of that, she was free to smell the young man's fragrant breath, which in turn added to the intense but delicious flow of electricity in her body.

"W-What are you saying?" she was still confused when she asked the question.

That was when Lara saw the corner of the young man's lip rise. He then carefully stroked her cheek and then pinned her hair to her left ear.

“Do I still have to prove myself to you? Do you think you can't give me what you can't entrust to that jealous man because he thinks I'm your boyfriend?” Joaquin asked then he again touched her slightly opened mouth with a gentle suppression.

Lara sighed violently again because of what the young man had done.

He still didn’t change because she could tell this style was the one the young man had used on her before. And she could tell it was still effective on her. So that explains what is happening to her now.

"Why do your lips taste familiar?" he said when he stopped kissing her.

Lara was stunned to hear that. She was unprepared about the matter, so she was shocked and abruptly distanced herself from Joaquin.

"Stop it!" she said then slapped the man hard.

But what she did not cause the young man to be afraid or shaken by her. Instead, his next move gave her a reason to regret what she had done.

“Of course, you have to pay for that, you know?” Joaquin immediately pulled her.

This time she could say that Joaquin's lips were giving her wonderful torture. This is the type who made her feel completely exhausted and was able to lose all the courage and resilience that she quickly accumulated so as not to give up completely.

She wanted to think that the young man knew her through her lips. That is also in accordance with the word he released earlier. Because there was a part of her heart that secretly rejoiced. The man hadn’t really forgotten her. It was just like what he told her in the letter he left.

All that thought was like a warm hand caressing Lara's heart.

All of that thought also gave her ample reason to respond to Joaquin's heated claims to her mouth.

The suppression of his earnest kiss on her was also reciprocated in such a way that she knew the young man would like it. Until they were completely carried away by their own emotions.

They hugged each other tightly as they struggled to exchange passionate kisses on their lips. And Lara did not back down from that fight.

After all, she really has every reason to do so. Because she was so excited for Joaquin and all that he had done to her and her body, she never forgot.

This man is the father of her daughter.

And he wants to be a part of her life now.

And just like the last thing she said. Now that Joaquin is here and back in their life, she has only one dream. And that is to for their family to be whole. That was despite the fact that she did not yet have enough courage to tell the young man the whole truth.

“I really like you, Lara. And I know, I feel in your kisses that you like me too. Is it not?" Joaquin asked her in a tone that was full of longing. That was as he gaze at her face with so much tenderness.

"B-But, you don't know me very well and the same for me to you," she replied.

It was a big stupidity for her to say that after all.

What reason does she have for refusing what Joaquin is asking of her?

While she already has the most important reason to accept his offer?

"Oh please, if that's what you're worried about, you'll get to know me more easily if you would accept me now," Joaquin insisted holding her hand and then gently touching it with a kiss.

Lara was stunned then stared at the perfect handsomeness of the man in front of her now. The father of her daughter.

If there's a reason she wants to look, maybe it's just the last one. That’s more important because that’s for Callie.

"A-All right," she replied nervously after a while of thinking.