Chapter 27: Among the Books

Fiona held her breath. She felt the books fall from her hands as Leonard pressed himself tighter and tighter.

Their breaths were intertwined. Her whole body felt hot and stiff. Leonard's hands locked her movements and Fiona could only feel the adrenaline starting to rise when Leonard's mouth opened and the kiss became a heated struggle. It was as if there were messages and feelings he wanted to express in that passionate kiss. Feelings that Fiona found difficult to believe through Leonard's clichéd words, in the hope that she could understand them.

When Leonard's hand pressed against Fiona's head, Fiona realized it was a forceful and demanding gesture. This squeeze was not a squeeze like the last one. It wasn't the teasing that drove her crazy. But every lip that pressed, and every tongue that intertwined was so emotional and full of bluff. It almost touched the bottom of Fiona's heart which was so cold, melting in that sensation.

"Leon...ard..." Fiona tried to speak between Leonard's rough tugs. The man slowed his movements and then let go.

Fiona's head slightly dizzy, she looked up, staring at Leonard's swollen lips with intense, fiery eyes. The man's breath hit her face, so hot and demanding.

"Don't be like that..." was all Fiona could manage to say. Fiona had never felt the strange feeling that rolled through her chest every time Leonard touched her. Ever since Leonard had intoxicated her with passionate kisses, all Fiona had felt was blindness and the mindless demands of passion. Then after Fiona sobered up, she hated Leonard so much that she swore in her heart that she would never see him again.

But why is it different now?

"What is it, Fiona?" Leonard's voice wiped away the coils of passion that lamented Fiona.

At that moment, Leonard's gaze was very different.

Far different from anything Fiona had ever seen before.

"A kiss..."

Leonard smiled slightly. He stroked Fiona's cheek gently. "What else do I have to do to make you realize you're not my toy, Fi?" As he asked, Leonard kissed the corner of Fiona's lips lightly. His hand gently rubbed Fiona's back. Making goosebumps rise. Leonard only kissed her lightly, but why did her heart keep jumping crazily?

With all her might, Fiona pushed Leonard's body. This time, the body moved easily and Fiona escaped from the grasp of Leonard who was staring deeply at her.

"If it wasn't for Marionette, would you still believe in love at first sight?" asked Fiona with a shudder because as she pushed Leonard away, regret set in. She was craving for Leonard to be by her side again.

This was strange.

Her nerves are malfunctioning.

She might have gone mad.

Leonard approached again with a faint smile, "If it wasn't for you, would we be here today?"

"No. If I hadn't gone to Jakarta in the first place, if I hadn't written-" Fiona's throat was instantly choked. The memory of her being blasted by some of the other writers in Paris, who had tarnished literature by hiding behind erotica, instantly made Fiona feel guilty. So guilty that she wanted to turn back the clock.

She loved writing so much. She was so alive in her imagination that she strung together sentences. But when that world rejected her, there were no worse memories than that rejection. Unconsciously, Fiona's breath caught, and her eyes heated up. Something she had been hiding surfaced. She doesn't know what foolishness she was thinking that she let herself look weak in front of Leonard.

"Fiona," Leonard interrupted slightly. He stood next to the shelf where the outdated document folder that Fiona had picked up was located. Slowly, Leonard took out the letter he had been reading. Fiona glanced at it, slightly restraining herself from focusing on the man.

"No regrets are painful. But while you can fix it, time will heal everything. Just like what happened to my father." Leonard shook the letter in his hand as if to show proof.

"Your father is not cured. He's still hopeful," Fiona said, recalling the letter.

Leonard let out a small sigh. There was an invisible disappointment on his face. "Maybe he does. But at least now he's trying to let go by using you."

Fiona refrained from slapping Leonard's face again. Because for some reason, suddenly a serious atmosphere surrounded them. Leonard put down the letter and looked straight at Fiona.

"Ever since my father saw you arguing with a literary writer in Paris at Paris Literature 2023, he's seen the hidden talent in you. He immediately monitored you, finding out what kind of books you actually wrote until the world blamed you. My father wanted to know the truth. And he was right. You were a talented writer but in erotica. And erotica, it's not something to be ashamed of. They're all just too idealistic to admit that you're more talented. They were threatened.

"From then on, my father felt that you were not wrong. All artists should express themselves. Just like my father who was an artist in architecture. It was the night he came home from Paris Literature that I know you."

Leonard's words stirred Fiona's consciousness. She looked up, staring at Leonard's face which showed no expression other than his intense and immersive gaze.

"What my father said about you, I feel that you are starting to be defeated by public opinion. From a long time ago, every time I saw my father drawing and making his work into a real building, I always thought that nothing could beat an artist's idea with the opinions of other people who don't even know us. It's the same with you. No one can beat your ideas and talent, aka, no one can blame you for what you want to create."

Fiona's breath caught. She was mesmerized. This was the first time she had seen such a wonderful side of Leonard, one that made her chest heave just from hearing his warm words. How long had it been since she had touched her manuscript because of her plummeting confidence and guilt that had become like a parasite during her escape to Jakarta?

And all those feelings dissolved in Leonard's words that embraced her so much.

"This is also how I got to know you first, rather than our first meeting," Leonard said as he drew closer. His eyes narrowed with a small smile, "our 'hot' meeting," he confirmed.

This time Fiona let Leonard's hand touch her cheek gently, rubbing it as if to give support to his words just now.

"What's been bothering you all this time, is not preventing you from your love for writing. But what's been bothering you is support. Is that enough, Fi?"

Fiona's eyes focused slowly on Leonard's sweet face. For some reason, this was the first time Fiona could clearly see the shape of his oval face, with almond-like eyes framed by thick eyebrows and a sharp nose as if sculpted by a great artist, wrapped in a firm jaw and slightly disheveled hair bangs.

How mesmerizing that look would be if only...

Leonard pulled Fiona's face closer and kissed her lips lightly.

Once, twice, three times.

The sensation that vibrated Fiona's skin seemed to spoil her. As if showering her with romantic feelings she had never felt before.

Was this the moment she would fall into-

Leonard's kiss turned intense. He tilted his head, scooping up Fiona's lips that had been led slowly earlier deeper and deeper. He pulled Fiona's body even tighter. He rubbed her back until Fiona let herself dissolve into the growing passion. Unconsciously, Fiona closed her eyes, her hands wrapped around Leonard's higher neck. She looked up, letting the warm caress of the tongue intertwined with her burning breath surround her.

"You understand, right, now?" Leonard asked softly as he broke the kiss.

Fiona looked into his eyes. Fear, warmth, and doubt suddenly struggled in her mind. She let go of his embrace and walked backward. She grabbed the book that had fallen and turned to leave Leonard.

"It takes time. For me, this is not an easy problem that I should face alone."

After saying that, Fiona walked out of the library. Leaving Leonard who smiled wryly and rubbed the corner of his lips.

***