Chapter 23 Tightly Embracing
How could she possibly be his support?
Maybe this was just his way of dealing with loneliness.
Alison leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat so close to her.
Suddenly, in the quiet, Jack's stomach growled loudly.
The abrupt sound broke the silence in the living room, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Jack, you glutton, are you craving the noodles I promised to make?" It was his suggestion earlier, but they hadn't gotten around to it because of the bandaging.
He lowered his head, rubbing his chin against her dark hair. "Yeah, after the noodles, I'll have the energy to 'devour' you."
She silently protested, considering she was still injured.
"What? You don't want to cook for me?" He asked curiously when she looked down.
She laughed again, turning to look at him in the dim light. "Jack, has anyone ever told you that you're a rogue?"
"No way, I'm a new-age gentleman," he retorted.
A new-age gentleman? She had already met three of his female friends in this apartment and knew about the elusive Emily.
Seeing her silence, his hand sneaked under her arm. She immediately pulled away, seriously saying, "Fine, you're a new-age gentleman, and I'm your personal maid."
"No way, you're my woman," he countered as soon as she finished speaking, clearly displeased with the "maid" title.
"Hey, a new-age gentleman can only have one woman, so I have to make sure you stay true," she teased, lightly tracing his face with her finger while he gazed at her intently.
"Alison, are you saying you want me to stay single for you?" He blinked, quietly watching her.
She enjoyed these light-hearted moments with him, temporarily forgetting all her worries, remembering only his goodness now.
But his words made her a bit sad.
She wasn't worthy.
Really not worthy.
She approached him only to retrieve her photos.
Her clear eyes looked at him, her fingers still gliding over his face. She loved touching his face and his focused gaze on her. But all this might just be a memory three days from now.
She and he were destined to have no future.
So, she wanted to cherish these three days.
Now, she suddenly wanted to extend their time together, even not hating the person who forced her to come to the apartment.
"Jack, if I ever did something to hurt you, would you still treat me like this?" she asked softly, feeling uneasy. Because the person who made her stay in the apartment surely had more in mind than just keeping her company; there must be some plot.
But she didn't know what it was.
"Alison, would you still do that now?" His eyes flashed with panic. "What you did before made me hate you, but now I've let go of that hate. If you hurt me again, the pain would be unforgettable, I'd be in agony, and I might even kill you." He paused and added, "Tell me, would you?"
His hand on her body tightened, as if to tell her that if she did, he really would kill her.
In that moment, all the light-heartedness vanished, and the air grew heavy.
Her hand slid to his chin, stroking it to ease the tension.
She had said the wrong thing, bringing up such topics in a beautiful moment.
Why leave regrets in their last three days? It should be filled with joy and beauty.
She shouldn't have asked those questions.
Even though she vaguely felt there would be problems after leaving, she should give him happiness now.
He lowered his head, kissing her fingers, speaking dreamily, "Alison, tell me you won't hurt me, never again."
She smiled gently, deciding to give him the happiest three days. "Jack, hold me, let's go to the kitchen." She loved his kisses on her fingers, and even more, his embrace.
In that moment, she forgot about Jackson Harvey, seeing only Jack.
He continued kissing her fingers, then scooped her up in his arms. "Alright, you teach me to cook noodles, and I'll help you."
She thought he was joking, but when he set her down on the kitchen floor, he really started preparing. He took out the noodles, opened the fridge, and froze. "Alison, look, the fridge is empty. You've been slacking off." He pointed at the empty fridge, spreading his hands. "How do we cook? There's not even any meat."
She laughed, "We still have eggs."
"Hey, you always mention eggs, but I prefer meat... and of course, you," he said, turning to her with a playful look.
Her face turned red instantly. "Let's just cook the noodles first, or your stomach growling will ruin the mood."
"Are you saying that after the noodles, you'll agree?" he asked directly.
"Hey..." How could he be so blunt? Couldn't he be a bit more subtle? She looked down, feeling her face burn.
"Hey what? You're my woman, right?"
She kept her head down, completely defeated by him, urging him, "Hurry up and cook the noodles!"
"But there's no meat. I don't want to cook. How about we go out for a late-night snack?" he suggested.
"No." She suddenly just wanted to be alone with him, enjoying this time.
If there were others around, she would unconsciously think of the person who took her photos, and her mind wouldn't be at peace.
"Then how do we cook?" He looked at the fridge again, shaking his head.
"I'll cook."
"Alright." He stepped aside, watching her walk to the fridge.
She wasn't short, but reaching for the eggs on the top shelf might touch her wound. Seeing this, he quickly grabbed two eggs before she could. "Here, let me get these."
She took the eggs, grabbed a handful of noodles from the fridge, and added water to the pot. Once the water boiled, she added the noodles and cracked the eggs into the pot. Just like that, the noodles were ready.
"Jack, your turn."
He instinctively leaned down to smell the noodles, then grabbed two bowls, filled them, and placed them on the dining table.
The aroma made him even hungrier. He couldn't wait for her to join him and took a bite, saying, "Alison, these noodles are delicious."