Chapter 834 - An enchanted apartment

~ Fairfield ~

Sarah and Aiden reached the apartment just before sunrise.

Sarah looked around and everything was in its place, just how she remembers it. She thought how that apartment is like a time capsule, never changing while preserving happy memories. Everywhere she looks, she can see flashes of images which warm her heart… two of them sitting on the sofa and working on their laptops, two of them at the desk in the corner looking at the PC screen and discussing some designs, two of them at the dining table and sharing a meal he cooked, two of them…

"What do you want to do?", Aiden asked after keeping the suitcase in the closet.

"How about we sleep? I slept in the plane, but I know you didn't. And based on your look, it seems you are not sleeping well for a while."

He scratched his head shyly like a kid who was caught in a mischief. "That obvious?"

Sarah bit her lower lip nervously and nodded. She knows that he didn't sleep well because of their situation. But she does not want to feel guilty. They came here to fix things… and fixing they will do.

…

Aiden was so happy about the fact that they are holding each other in the bed, that he had difficulty calming down his restless heart in order to sleep. It seems like forever since they did that last time. There is a small difference: they are fully clothed, but that does not matter. He gets to hug Sarah and she is hugging him back, and that is a big progress.

"I am glad that you think of this apartment as our happy place.", he said before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"When did I say that?" It's not that it's not true, but she does not remember saying it.

"Just before you slept off in the plane."

"Oh…", she didn't know that she is talking when half-asleep. Who knows what else she told him, and she does not remember? "It's true. I find this place to be full of positive energy, and it's helping me recharge."

Sarah knows that it's not just the place. The thing that makes this place magically-healing is a combination of good memories and Aiden's presence. Without him in her life, nothing works.

Within seconds, Sarah felt that Aiden's hold on her loosened, and his arm on her rested limply. She observed that his breathing is steady and when she looked up she could see that his eyes are closed… he slept off. His expression was relaxed and there was a faint smile lingering on his handsome face.

'Poor thing, he is truly exhausted.'

Sarah slowly scooted higher and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

She felt guilty at the thought that it's technically September 22, and that last time she kissed him was one week ago. And now she did it while he is sleeping… stealing a kiss so that he does not know about it.

"I'm sorry for blaming you…", she whispered. "It was my choice, and you ended up suffering because of that. I'm sorry for forgetting what is important… I will fix it, I promise. Thank you for not giving up on us."

Sarah settled in his arms and slept off.

She didn't see that he smiled when she turned around.

Aiden struggled not to tighten his hold on her. If he does that, she will know that he is awake. And he knows that she said those words only because she thinks that he is sleeping, at least the blaming part.

…

Aiden woke up and found that he is alone in the bed. That is unusual… he almost always wakes up before Sarah, no matter how much he likes to sleep in.

It is afternoon.

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise when he smelled a mouthwatering aroma seeping in from the kitchen.

Aiden leaned against the wall and he is sure that he never saw anything more beautiful than the sight of Sarah busying herself in the kitchen while preparing a meal for him. For him. She actually cut her sleep short, did the grocery run and is cooking for him. He knows that she does not like to cook, and she is always the one to stay longer in the bed, unwilling to get up. But she did both of those, for him.

"It will be done in ten minutes.", Sarah said with a gentle smile when she noticed his presence.

She saw his blissful expression and it reminded her of the videos she watched previous day. He always looks at her like that when he thinks that no one is watching.

"Can I help?"

Sarah looked around while thinking what to give him to do. "You can mix the salad. Everything is in the bowl already… And you can set up the table."

Sarah tasted the almost finished sauce. It's a bit sour. She frowned slightly.

Aiden noticed her displeasure with the sauce. "Is it off?"

"A bit." She offered him a spoon with a smidge of sauce in it.

Aiden bit the spoon before his lips wrapped around it. A second later, he reached for the spice rack.

Sarah thought that he never looked so sexy… with a spoon in his mouth, focused, his fingers lightly touching containers with spices while picking the perfect one. But he was always breathtaking in the kitchen.

He took a pinch of sugar and something else that she missed while staring at him and sprinkled it inside the pot. "This will do."

Sarah was not sure why butterflies filled her stomach when Aiden stood behind her and held her hand while she stirred the sauce. It was such a simple thing, yet her whole body trembled because of his proximity.

"Make sure to mix it well before you taste again." His breath kissed her ear and Sarah realized that she spaced out only after observing that fire under the pot is off.

She smiled. Yes… this is that familiar feeling. How can she forget that he makes her lose herself?

Sarah was in a daze while they ate. She is almost confident that Aiden praised the food, and then he switched the topic before realizing that she has something else on her mind.

"Are you not hungry?", he asked after tapping her nose lightly.

Sarah smiled when she saw that he finished food from his plate, and she is only halfway done. "I was thinking how this apartment must have some enchantment cast on it, because I forgot why we kept the distance between us in last few days."

Aiden walked around the table sat on the chair next to Sarah. He observed her soft expression while gently brushing his fingers over her cheeks.

"I missed you.", he said in a low voice.

Sarah is not sure if it was his soothing touch, emotions in his voice or the depth of his dark eyes, or all of it together… but it made her heart ache when she realized that in these last few days he suffered a lot. Maybe more than she did.

She moved to sit on his lap, straddling him and buried face in his neck.

"I missed you too."

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