Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 273: Thinking Of Him

Chapter 273: Thinking Of Him

The view was perfect. The switchable smart glass was turned off and there weren’t any lights switched on inside, letting only a dim natural light inside the big room. The room had a warm glow and Talia admired the man above her.

His hair carried a nice sheen and the shadows contoured his face perfectly. His eyes, glistening with many emotions wanted to speak a lot. And looking at his thin perfect lips, pressed together as he contemplated his next move, Talia felt like banging her head.

Wasn’t he the one who made me cry sometime before? Why am I feeling like jumping on him now?

"Fred," her hands held his cheek and he buried his face in her hands and kissed her palm.

She winced unable to handle the warm sensations that originated from where he kissed her that travelled through out her body.

"You trusted a tabloid and thought I were cheating on you," she knew she needed to talk about it now. Otherwise she knew it would cause bigger troubles in the future.

"I accused you but I know you didn’t."

Without putting his weight on her, Arthur buried his head on her shoulders. He didn’t have the guts to face her. She wasn’t angry at him, but she was very hurt by his words. He knew that.

"And I should know that how?" Talia didn’t raise her voice. She knew he is feeling sorry, otherwise he won’t be here, after tracking and finding her.

And is he acting cute with me?

"You told me to be upfront with my thoughts, remember?" Talia asked running her fingers through his hair in the back of his head.

His warm breath was falling on her neck and tickled her and she tried to pull him back, but he stuck to her neck like a leech. She let him.

" You advised me, but you yourself sulked alone and hurt me with your words." Talia wanted to get everything off her chest. "What is the actual problem?"

"Iris..." he said in a whining tone, nuzzling her neck with his nose and took a whiff. He knew she is right and he felt ashamed of himself.

"I was honest with you; I told you when that guy confessed to me and that I refused him immediately. I even told him that I’m in love with you. I told you that there is corruption in his father’s Dukedom and that my friend is interested in him and so I’m going to take up his offer and visit his brewery. And you saw a tabloid picture and said that I was-"

" Amused with him? " Arthur interjected. His lips were grazing her ears and his nose was buried in her hair. Her mesmerising scent made him want to do stuff to her, but his mind wanted to stay in topic.

He knew she is not slightly in the wrong. Everything was his fault. He knew it because even his Iris could not find fault with herself. And that says a lot.

"You dumba**," Talia twisted his earlobe, making him shout in pain but she didn’t stop. "I was talking to a pair of siblings. They had very high aspirations to one their own brewery and it reminded me of you, idiot. Remember how proud you were about your basketball skills and said you’d become the highest paid athlete in the world?" Talia spoke gently rubbing his earlobes and chuckled remembering their first year in high school." You weren’t even that good. " she laughed some more.

" Hey! I was the best! " Arthur gripped her earlobes with his lips to stop him from slapping himself hard. She had that amused face remembering me? And I got jealous for no reason?

"Yeah, in our school. And there are other schools and other best players. I don’t think you’d be even in the overall top hundred best players." Talia spoke gently, indulging herself in the sensations given by his lips and tongue on her earlobes as he was nibbling on it.

" You coloured your hair? " he asked tracing his warm kisses to her forehead. He noticed it even in her pictures. He thought she dressed up for that guy.

Yeah... I’m a dumb idiot! Slap me!

"When I was preparing for my first official engagement, my stylist suggested I give myself a makeover. She wanted me to cut my hair to shoulder blade length. I was not interested. You know why?" she asked and Arthur paused and looked at her in the eyes.

He knew why. And he felt like he was slapped hard by her.

"Because I like your hair long?"

"Yes, because I know you like my hair long." Talia kissed the tip of his nose. "And then I felt like I should give myself some makeover for the Spring Ball. I am a little stressed about it and I wanted to feel confident. I wanted to experiment since I never coloured my hair. I told them to trim my hair and added caramel Balayage colour. I love it. Do you like it?" she asked with her eyes wide and filled with expectation.

Does he like it?

Arthur took a bunch of her hair in his hands and it slipped from his fingers like fine silk. He looked at her eyes expecting his answer. Every step of her life, she is thinking of him. And what did he do?

"I’d love you even if you shave your head, Iris," he kissed her forehead. He meant it. She need not have long hair for him. She knows it and still she decided that way.

Why am I feeling more and more like a petty person in front of her, after what I did today?

"I’m not shaving my head," Talia chuckled. She does not have much preferences about the length of her hair, but she doesn’t like very short hair.

"I’m thinking of you more and more these days, Fred." She said taking in a deep breath as she felt comfortable with him playing with her hair. "When I look around, anyone with red hair looks like you; when I close my eyes, you are in my dreams... It’s very torturous, Fred. It gives me a pleasant and weird feeling here..." she placed her hand on her heart and her face bloomed with a smile. " But when you say hurtful words to me, Fred..." Her voice broke and tears filled her eyes, clouding her smile and the corners of her lips twitched out of sorrow. Arthur watching her ever expression could see the change in her. " It feels like.... " her hand squished her coat wrinkling the fabric and Arthur held her hand and kissed it.

He could feel her pain. He had felt it. That wrenching pain as if someone is juicing your heart.

" I’m sorry, my love... I’m sorry I’m a fool..." he kissed her lips. He didn’t know what else he should do and so he did what he felt like doing.