Chapter 21 Sweet kiss

The bizarre smell that traveled to her nose awoke Nica. She did not open her eyes and simply feel her surroundings. She sniffed the thing that sticks to the bridge of her nose. It was the first time in her life that she smelled it and it was her pillow.

"Pillow?" Her eyes widened when the thing she thought was a pillow sunk in through her mind. When she recalled where she is right now, she blinked her eyes twice just to be surprised.

"Shit!" She cursed in her mind when she recognized the man's chest in front of her face. She carefully lifted her head up to look at the face of the man he treated as a pillow. She sighed with relief when she saw that he is sound asleep. Her cheeks reddened as she slowly lifted her right arm that was wrapped around him. With their position, she can say that she was the one who took advantage of him while he was fast asleep.

The sleeveless shirt he is wearing is thin that she can trace what is underneath it. Both of his hands are behind his head, treating those like a pillow as if it was his way to restrain himself from touching her while she was asleep. She stared at his lips, his mouth was slightly open. From there, her eyes went to look at his pointed nose and into his eyes next. His eyes nonetheless look languid even though they were shut. She bit her lower lip when she again looked at his chest where her head was pillowed on a while ago. She feels like she wants to go back there to sleep again. Before her whole mind could be engulfed in a worldly desire, she distanced herself from him.

"Where are you going?"

"Goodness!" Nica exclaimed in surprise, her attempt to go down the bed was delayed. When she looked at the young man, his eyes were still closed.

"It's too early to wake up," Chris said in a husky voice. He felt that she was already awake. He also knew that she was staring at him.

"Have you been awake since a while ago?"

Chris opened his eyes and stared at the young lady. "No." He lied for her not to be embarrassed. "Do you have a fever?" He got up and touched her forehead when he noticed that her cheeks were red.

"No!" Nica quickly distanced herself from the young man. "I mean, I'm not sick." She explained when his forehead furrowed.

Chris looked at the clock that was hung on the wall when the lady left the bed. It was only four AM. He watches her, she went to the bathroom in a hurry like she was escaping from someone. When she was out of sight, he smiled as he remembered how she hugged him last night. She was turning from time to time and he had a hard time restraining himself not to hug her back.

Nica has washed her face a few times, but she feels that it was still hot. She does not know whether or not he was awake when she hugged him in her sleep. She stayed inside the bathroom for a few minutes before she decided to go out. The young man was not on the bed anymore, so she quickly jumped and covered her body with the blanket.

Chris looked at their room when he heard a sound, probably from the door of the bathroom. He smiled as he watches the young lady's movements. He thinks she did not notice that he is on the veranda. He smoked the cigarette he was holding twice, before leaving it in the ashtray. He carefully closed the sliding door and went to the bathroom to brush. He did not want her to smell him like cigarettes.

Because her sleep was not complete, Nica woke up late. The young man was no longer beside her and the surroundings were already clear because of the sunlight. Yesterday, she had a good day at this house. She spent most of the day outside with Chris to fix what needs to be fixed at their wedding. She could not talk to his parents because the young man's father had a check-up and they also ate outside.

"Good morning, Madame!" Nica greeted Chris' mother when she encountered her in the staircase.

Luisa stopped in front of the young lady and just stared at her for seconds. "It's good that you're awake. Everyone is waiting in the garden to have breakfast."

"I'm sorry that I woke up late, you should've eaten first." She still showed politeness even though she was sarcastic to her.

"If in your household, you are used to that no one cares, my family is dissimilar to that. You're going to be my son's wife and I don't want you to neglect his health."

Nica felt like she was slapped on both sides of the cheeks because of her bluntness. She was right, she does not care about the people with her in their house. But the lady does not know her reason and she does not plan to explain it.

"I will remember that, Madame!"

Luisa lifted up an eyebrow because the young lady remained polite. But when she remembered what Margaret said, that she is good at pretending, she turned to face a different direction.

"Go in the garden now, your sister is also waiting there."

Nica could not move right away when she heard what her soon mother-in-law said. What she knows is that they are supposed to follow them the day after today. She quickly took steps to go outside when the Madame was out of sight. She thought she was just joking, but her half-sister was really there. As if she will be Chris' wife and she was sitting in the seat that was for her.

"What time did you arrive last night?" Chris asked Janice as he stirs his coffee.

"I'm not sure, but I think it was past midnight. I didn't call you to pick me up because I wanted to surprise you when you wake up." Janice answered Chris softly.

Nica smirked when she heard her sister's flirty line. Even though she cannot see her face because she is facing her back, she knows that she is grinning from ear to ear.

Chris smiled at his friend before sipping on the coffee. But he almost spits out the coffee when someone spoke from behind him.

"Have you not seen each other for a year or two for my fiancé to be surprised with your presence?" Nica asked. She is thankful that Chris' parents are not there yet because she can bring out her temperament which her sister fully deserves.

The beautiful smile on Janice's lips faded and it was replaced by a forced smile.

Chris quickly stood up and looked at Nica. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, Babe!" Nica said in a tender voice. She can see the surprise in his eyes because of her sudden endearment.

Chris could not help but smile at the young lady. He was moved when she called him that.

"Good that you're already awake, you shouldn't do here what you usually do at home, you know."

Nica sneered at her half-sister who was acting as a good sister and she rebuked her. Instead of talking back to her, she changed her mind.

"It's because Chris tired me last night that I wasn't able to wake up early." She smiled at her half-sister and she heard the young man coughed. She wanted to laugh when Janice's eyes almost came out.

"You agreed to sleep beside Chris even though you aren't married yet?" Janice angrily asked her half-sister. "What would Dad say if they find this out?"

"Of course they'll be happy, especially your Mom because I can give them a grandchild." She continued to mock her sister. "How about you? Why can't you wait for Dad and your Mom and went here alone?"

"Stop playing nice and innocent because I know you just want to ridicule me!" Janice said when she noticed that. "I know Chris can't do what you're saying because he knows how to respect ladies."

Chris did not know what to act in front of the two who are exchanging bad words.

Nica shrugged her shoulders before she went near Chris. "Believe what you want to believe in. I don't care about what's on your mind."

Chris swallowed his own saliva when their eyes met and he could see something mischievous playing on her mind, though he does not know what is it.

Nica clasped Chris' arm and she slightly squatted. "All I care for at the moment…"

Janice's eyes widened when Nica kissed Chris on the lips in front of her.

"Is about how to make him happy," Nica added after she gave him a quick kiss.

Chris felt as if his time stopped temporarily when the young lady's lips touched his slightly parted-open lips. He watched how her lips moved as she looks at Janice.

"What a sweet couple!" Gregory commented happily.

"Janice, hija?" Luisa called the young lady. She feels bad for her because she clearly saw how she got hurt by the sweetness of her son and her half-sister. She knows how her son truly feels, but she still hopes that it will change because his feelings for Nica is still not that deep yet.

It was as if Janice's heart was stabbed because of what she saw and she also knows that the young man liked what her sister did. She forced herself to look cheerful when she talks with Chris' parents.

"Oh, Janice, hija. Why did you wake up early?" Gregory greeted her when he noticed her.

"Good morning, Uncle!" Janice kissed him on the cheek. "I'm just used to waking up early. How are you?"

"Let's chat later, let's eat first while the food's hot." Luisa clapped her hands to get their attention. The food has just been served by their maid, so it was still hot and the pleasant smell can be smelled.

Janice wanted to throw everything on the table in anger when Chris helped and even pulled a chair for Nica. It was as if she is not there and he sat beside her half-sister. Chris' mother sat next to her and talks to her sometimes while they eat.