Chapter 200 Tensed dinner

Chapter 200 Tensed dinner
PRESENT

Lisa

Something was definitely wrong with me.

There was no other explanation for whatever had possessed my brain tonight. It refused to behave. It refused to focus on anything remotely important. Not the food spread neatly across the dining table. Not the soft music drifting through the speakers. Not Sally, who was animatedly telling Justin some ridiculous story that had both of them laughing beneath their breaths every few seconds.

Even the smell of roasted chicken and buttered potatoes, delicious enough to make my stomach growl only minutes ago, barely registered anymore. Instead, my mind insisted on dragging me back upstairs. Back to that bedroom. Back to the way Tobias had stood in the doorway, saying almost nothing while looking at me like I was the only thing in the room worth seeing.

Every time I remembered it, my pulse skipped, my skin prickled, and an embarrassing wave of warmth spread from the tips of my ears all the way down my neck. I had never been looked at like that before. Not once. And somehow... I couldn't stop thinking about it.

It only became worse because he was sitting right beside me. Close enough that I could smell his cologne every time I breathed in. Close enough that I could hear the quiet scrape of his fork against his plate. We weren't speaking. Neither of us seemed willing to disturb whatever strange thing had settled between us after leaving that room upstairs. Yet the silence didn't feel awkward. It felt... loud.

Every tiny movement he made seemed to pull my attention toward him against my will. When he leaned back slightly in his chair, my eyes noticed.

When he reached for the bread basket, the sleeve of his sweater brushed lightly against mine and every muscle in my body immediately locked. His knee bumped mine beneath the table for the briefest second before he shifted away again, but the phantom warmth remained long after the contact was gone. I quietly adjusted in my seat, hoping no one would notice how strangely restless I'd suddenly become.

What was wrong with me?

This certainly was not the first time Tobias and I were in a closed place together. It also wasn't the first time we had touched each other or kissed each other. So why did this time feel so overwhelmingly different?

Because this time, you're ready, a quiet, treacherous whisper echoed from the dark corners of my mind, making my breath hitch in my throat. Before, there was fear. There was distance. But now... you want him to touch you. You want to give in. You're ready to take this further with him.

The sudden truth of it hit me so hard my stomach flipped. My imagination certainly wasn't helping either. Every few seconds it replayed the moment upstairs when he'd stood watching me in silence, his eyes slowly travelling over my face until I could barely breathe. I stabbed another piece of potato with my fork a little harder than necessary, silently begging my thoughts to give me a break.

I coughed unexpectedly after swallowing too quickly.

Before I could even reach for my drink, Tobias was already sliding the glass of water toward me.

"Easy," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I heard it. "You're going to choke."

I accepted the glass with a tiny nod. "Thanks."

Our fingers brushed.

It wasn't even a proper touch.

Just the lightest graze of skin against skin.

Yet warmth shot through my hand so suddenly I nearly dropped the glass.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, his brows drawing together.

I nodded far too quickly, my cheeks already burning. "I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

Unable to trust myself with actual words, I lifted the glass and hid behind it, taking painfully slow sips while pretending to be far more interested in water than the boy sitting beside me. The cold drink did absolutely nothing to cool the heat climbing higher into my face. If anything, it only made me more aware of the fact that Tobias was still looking at me.

I placed the glass back onto the table and reached for my fork again, determined to ignore him.

I lasted all of five seconds.

Slowly, almost against my own will, I turned my head.

Big mistake.

His eyes were already on me.

They searched my face with quiet concentration before drifting lower... settling on my lips.

My breathing faltered.

Without saying a word, Tobias lifted his thumb to his own mouth, brushing lightly across his lower lip before looking back at me.

"You've got something..." he said softly.

His hand rose between us.

Every instinct told me to move.

Instead, I sat perfectly still.

His fingers approached cautiously, giving me every opportunity to pull away.

I never did.

The pad of his thumb brushed gently against the corner of my mouth before sweeping across my lower lip with impossible care, removing what must have been the smallest crumb in existence. The touch lasted barely a second, yet it sent a shiver racing down my spine so quickly I had to grip my fork tighter beneath the table. My blood caught fire. My lips parted on instinct, a tiny breath escaping me before I could stop it, and Tobias's hand lingered there for the briefest heartbeat longer than it needed to.

Neither of us moved. Neither of us looked away. The sounds of cutlery, quiet conversation and music seemed to disappear until all I could hear was the frantic pounding of my own heartbeat. His expression darkened almost imperceptibly as his eyes flickered from my lips back to my eyes, and the air between us became so heavy it felt almost impossible to breathe.

"Get a room, you two." Justin's voice shattered whatever had settled between us. "I swear I can feel the tension from over here."

The spell broke instantly.

Tobias withdrew his hand so quickly it was as though he'd only just realized where it was, while I snapped my attention back to my plate, convinced my entire face had caught fire. Even my fingertips felt hot against the cutlery in my hands.

Beside me, Tobias cleared his throat once before reaching for his drink, suddenly finding it fascinating. Across the table Sally glanced between us, pressed her lips together to hide a smile, then cleared her own throat.

"I'm exhausted," she announced, pushing her chair back. "I think a hot bath and a very long sleep are calling my name."

Justin stood immediately. "Right after you, firecracker."

She rolled her eyes, though the smile on her face betrayed her completely, and together they disappeared upstairs, their laughter gradually fading until silence settled over the cabin once again.

Leaving just Tobias and me.

Alone.