24: Elise (iii)

24: Elise (iii)
But instead of moving away, his hand slid down my body, to the small of my back, and he pulled me closer. Our bodies collided and I gasped, looking up. Now our faces were so close… too close. “Where do you think you’re going? I told you, I’m going to kiss you.”
"I..." My mouth hung and I felt like an idiot. He had never held me like this. I’d never felt like this. I was in a robe and it was so large it covered me like a tent. But suddenly, I was so aware that I only had undergarments under it. It wouldn’t take much to disrobe me. And if I was thinking it, he must have thought it before I did. That was the Gian I knew. He wouldn’t do something he had not calculated first. “Gian…”
His lips lowered to my slightly opened lips. He kissed me, a mere touching of the lips. He raised his head and stared at me as if telling me, ‘There you go, I did it.’ 
And then he swooped down for the kiss, his lips meeting mine. Everything went blank for a moment. I was frozen like a statue, shocked beyond coherent word—if I could even speak. Scratch that, because I couldn't even think. 
But my feelings weren't suffering from any of that. They poured out like a raging flood. Rushing blood deafened my ears, spurned by overwhelming joy. My knees gave way but his arms were already around me. His body, against which mine leaned, anchored us both.
And I was kissing him back.
Oh my God... I'm kissing him back.
And it was all real.
He hugged me, tighter, lifting me slightly off the floor. His kiss deepened. He was so warm, and his kiss was, like, hungry like mine, and I was shameless, grinding my lips against his, opening my mouth, savoring the feeling of elation as our tongues met and played. The pressure was just right, the glide smooth, the connection familiar. He was so good.
It was perfect.
Finally, his lips stopped moving. But he didn't pull away. His arms stayed where they were, our lips remained almost touching as we both caught our breaths. I was pressed against his body so intimately that I could feel the racing of our heartbeats on our heaving chests.
His lips moved away when he finally raised his head. I could feel his eyes on my flushed face. But I didn't open my eyes.
"Hey..." There was amusement in his hoarse yet intimate voice.
My shoulders slumped as I opened my eyes and met his smiling lips. "Wow..."
His eyes warmed with joy. "You like it?" he asked, breathless, his cheeks tinged with flushes of redness. My Gian was blushing and it was so cute and I thought I was falling in love again.
I could only nod, my gaze fixed on his lips, waiting for what would come next. Then suddenly, worry crept in. "Are we okay?"
His eyes dimmed, and his face turned serious. "I hope so."
I bit my lower lip.
"Don't do that. It's so sexy and I'm barely managing. If my parents didn;t happen to be waiting for us downstairs, I'd have..." He swallowed.
Even the soles of my feet felt the heat of his implications. But I couldn't speak. I knew the weight of his decision. It went beyond what we both knew was right for us. And it was already sinking in... he kissed me. He really kissed me. I knew him more than maybe even he knew. This was going to cause a problem.
And I knew he would feel the brunt of it more than I would.
He sighed. "Elise... I know I'm not the man you're looking for. I'm not sure how I can... I've never had a relationship after Trina. I can't imagine how I can be like that again."
Knew it. He's having a heart attack. "Uh-huh. Please. Try not to strain yourself. Let's just settle with the kiss for now?"
He chuckled, and it was full of affection. "You realize we're in trouble?"
"You've already kissed me," I whispered. "You can't take that back."
He nodded slowly. "I know. I actually want to kiss you again."
I didn't waste another second. I raised my lips to his, and he kissed me again, as deeply and passionately as the first time. I melted into him. I was getting drowsy and really, really warm. Like, really, drowsy and warm.
I did hear when the door to my bedroom opened, prompting Gian to raise his head. I also heard Madam Soniah's worried voice. She was demanding an explanation for what was going on. Gian was telling her to get out and close the door but in a very, polite, respectful tone. Like, "Mom, please... this is a very private, special moment between me and Elise... so will you please close that door behind you when you go out?"
I should do something. But I couldn't—didn't—do anything. The room was spinning. My ears were ringing.
"Gian..."
His attention was instantly on me. "Elise, what's wrong?" I heard him ask.
"I..."
He still held me in his embrace, but the world was spinning. 
"Elise...?"
He was calling my name. Madam was, too, and she sounded very alarmed. I felt sorry for her. She had been stressed because of me for several days... and now, this. How was she going to explain this to my mother again?
But their voices grew distant...
Until they were just... gone.