Chapter 53 - Like What, Esme?

As soon as she placed her hands in his, a golden glow appeared around their feet. Her mouth parted in disbelief and all of a sudden her vision blurred. She closed her eyes, her grip on his hand tightened and the next time she opened them, they were not in the garden anymore. 

They were standing on the seashore, ''...How?" was all she could utter as she stepped back from him. 

''Some of the powers that I have,'' Aleister grabbed her hand as he stepped towards her.

Esme glanced at him for a few seconds continuously before averting her gaze, ''You have powers that are never heard of....'' She sighed, ''Does anyone knows about this?" She asked, trying to retract her hand from his hold. 

''Other than Rowan and Leo, no one knows,'' He loosened his grip on her and just as she was about to take her hand back, he intertwined their fingers. 

''Then why would you show me?" Wasn't he worried that she would go around telling people?

The corner of his lips tugged up as he glanced at the shock apparent on her face. He knew she wanted to ask more about it but as stubborn as she was, she will never ask it after the last time when he refused to tell her anything.

''Because it's you,'' came his short reply that had her undivided attention within a moment. 

She tilted her head slightly, looking straight into his eyes as her teeth nipped on her bottom lips. 

His gaze moved to her lips as he stared at them intently, plump, soft, and enticing. He averted his gaze from her lips after a while as he looked into her eyes, ''Is there anything that you want to say?" His voice was lower this time. 

Her heart skipped a beat, having her doubt if there was really something wrong with it. ''I... I know you don't mean any harm to me but...'' Esme paused, not knowing how to phrase her words without fumbling here and there. As much as she wanted to deny, his intense gaze was making her nervous, ''Stop looking at me like that,'' She averted her gaze. 

He leaned closer to her, ''Like what, Esme?" 

She felt gooseflesh on her body when he whispered beside her ear, his hot breath stroked her neck. She pressed a palm on her ear as she glanced at him.

He stepped back from her, letting go of her hand. A whisper was able to get her to this, if only she knew the thoughts he had regarding her, ''Is it good now?" He asked. 

Esme rubbed her ear as she glanced at the sea that was sparkling under the moonlight, ''I was rude to you that day but you saved me. We don't have anything to do with each and I know that you can get any woman to pretend to be your lover. I am not needed...'' She was aware that her words were not coming like she had wanted them to. She sounded nervous...but why? ''What intentions do you have for you to keep coming after me when all I've ever wanted was to stay away from you?'' She turned to look at him. 

He glanced at her quietly. 

Esme did not take her eyes off him. The more she did not know about something, the more bothered she would be about it. And he made her confused at every point. She could not understand who he was, what he wanted. The man was uncaring and unfeeling of everything only except pushing her buttons.

He took a step towards her and she discreetly took a step back from him, hoping that he did not notice it. Her slightly sweaty palms rubbed against the material of her gown. 

''Don't take another step back since you are curious about my intentions.''

''Y-You can speak from there,'' She averted her gaze. 

He placed the tip of his finger under her chin, tilting her face upwards, ''No,'' His tone was firm and clear as his other hand moved towards her hand. He stroked her fingers, ''You are trembling. Why don't you tell me what it is?" He whispered, lowering his head such that his hot breath stroked her lips. 

She could hear her heart pounding in her chest, loud and clear. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. She tried to avert her gaze but the finger under her chin shifted as he placed his thumb there, his other fingers rested below her ear, weaving through her hair near her neck and her neck arched slightly, her lips parted, a layer of sheen covered her eyes.

She pressed her other palm on his chest, the one which was not held by him as she tried to push him away, but he leaned closer to her until she felt a cool sensation on her cheek. 

Her eyes widened slightly as she gazed at his face which was dangerously close to hers, his lips almost lingering on her skin. 

The palm that was pushing him away fisted the fabric of his shirt as her eyes closed slightly, her heart racing like galloping horses. A shiver went down her body, either because of the cold or because of him. 

She opened her eyes, feeling the lack of warmth on her body, ''You are cold,'' He grabbed both her hands as he took a step back from her, ''Let's talk in the room, shall we?" 

Esme glanced at him in a daze. Did she perhaps... misunderstand his intentions a moment ago? 

She slowly nodded at his words and he pulled her closer to her, her heart skipped a beat. 

...

Esme sat on the bed swinging her legs back and forth. As soon as they appeared in his room, he left for some work, and here she was, still thinking about... what happened. Was it her illusion that he...?

She broke the trail of her thoughts forcefully as she stood up before walking towards the window. Leaning back of the windowsill, she glanced at the moon that was partially covered in the clouds.. She hoped that he will be back soon because there were some things that she wanted to tell him.