Is this destiny?

Chloe woke up and smiled when she realized that the warm body next to her was Noah. He didn't leave like on the previous night, and it seemed that he was still sleeping.

She took this chance to observe Noah's face up-close and admire his perfectly chiseled features.

That handsome man is Noah Bennet, her boyfriend. For today, at least. It's not that Chloe thought about breaking up with Noah but she didn't dare think beyond today, fearing that happiness can slip through her fingers at any moment.

Noah stirred a bit, pulled Chloe closer to him, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Good morning, my little rabbit…", he spoke lazily. "Did you sleep well?"

Chloe wanted to ask him about the rabbit reference, but her hair stood on ends because his lips moved against the skin on her neck, and she struggled to talk.

"Good morning…", she responded in a whisper. "I slept well. You?"

"Mmm…", he hummed. "Never better."

Chloe was unsure what to do with her hands. She didn't want to appear too desperate and cling onto Noah, but she didn't want to push him away either.

He was too close, and she could feel his body against hers and his scent made her dizzy, and she knew that the thing pressing on her hip was his erection. Oh, God! She was blushing profusely and she needed a distraction.

"Noah?", Chloe called.

"Hmm?"

"Do we have anything planned for today?"

Noah smiled, happy that her question implied they will spend the day together.

Do they have anything planned? Absolutely! However, if he speaks about his plans for dealing with her family, it might spook her or make her retreat into her shell or maybe run away. Of course, there was also a point that he didn't want to leave that bed, and lose the warmth that Chloe provided. And it was more than spending a day in bed, he wanted to spend a day in Chloe as well, but again… he reminded himself not to rush things. Chloe is not some casual hookup, she is his girlfriend, and he wanted to show her that this is long-term by moving gradually in slow steps.

"I have many things on my mind, Chloe and right now, I want to do this…"

He touched her chin, lifting her head up, and then his lips covered hers.

Chloe moved toward Noah like a sunflower that craved for the sun. Her hands snaked around his neck as she returned his kisses.

Noah's lips had minty flavor which told her that he brushed his teeth recently. Didn't he sleep when she woke up? Ah, she should brush her teeth! But he already deepened the kiss, and her thoughts scattered, leaving her only with Noah's presence that was all around her.

Chloe was not aware that Noah woke up at 5 AM (as usually) and read reports that Aaron and Mishi sent about Mr. Baldeo and the Long family. Noah started forming a plan to deal with the situation, but he needed more information, as well as collaboration from several individuals. Unfortunately, it was too early for most of the people, and the phone calls had to wait for later in the day.

When Noah returned to the bedroom, Chloe was still sleeping soundly, so Noah used that time to do his morning routine, and then he returned to bed to enjoy additional time next to sleeping Chloe. His girlfriend.

She was enchanting and the bed was comfortable and warm, and he was relaxed like never before and he dozed off.

Chloe's whimper pulled Noah out of his thoughts.

She was kissing him passionately as their bodies stuck together without leaving any gaps like they are made for each other, and everything about her was right. How was he supposed to hold back like this?

He inched a fraction and spoke into her lips, "What do you want for breakfast?" It was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Really? At a moment like this, you are thinking about food?", Chloe asked breathily.

Noah chuckled, happy that he is not the only one thinking about going all the way. He saw that Chloe lowered her head and he regretted his blunder. How did he forget that his rabbit is easily embarrassed?

Chloe tried to move away from Noah, but he tightened his hold on her.

"Don't.", he said pleadingly, and she stopped her struggles.

"I like you, Chloe. And against my instincts, I don't want to rush things.", Noah admitted his thoughts.

"Why?", Chloe asked.

Chloe is not a person to throw herself at a man, no matter how handsome he is. However, Noah was special, Chloe never felt this way and she believed that at any moment her seniors might show up and she will need to run. Every minute with Noah might be their last and she didn't want to have any regrets. Now that they expressed their feelings, not experiencing Noah's intimate embrace definitely sounded like a big regret that will echo in her mind for the rest of her life.

"Chloe, the two of us don't have an expiration date.", Noah said, and Chloe (again) wondered if he can read her mind.

"Do you trust me?", he asked after some time.

"I don't doubt that you mean well.", Chloe responded politically. She believed that he means well and that he wants to help her, and she hoped that his feelings for her are true. But that is a totally different thing compared to if he can actually do anything about her situation.

"That's a start. But I want you to trust me at least for this weekend. Can you do that?"

"OK.", Chloe agreed. It's Sunday so they are talking about one day. "I will do my best to focus on now and not worry about tomorrow."

Noah smiled and gave her a small kiss. "That's my little rabbit."

"Noah…", Chloe called. "Why are you calling me 'rabbit'?"

Noah caressed her cheek. "You are cute, easily flustered, and ready to run away at any moment. Like a rabbit."

She liked the 'cute', and she couldn't deny the 'flustered' part, but she had a question about his third point. "Do you want me to stop running?"

"No. But I hope that you will run towards me."

Chloe's chin trembled and she buried her face in his chest, hoping that he will not see her ugly expression as she was fighting against her tears. It's not that she didn't want to be with him, but she didn't see how can that turn into reality. The last thing she wanted was for Noah to be harmed in any way because of her.

Chloe wanted to believe that Noah can change things, and free her from her shackles. But it was hard to change the mindset that was molded under two decades of harsh reality where dreams don't come true.

"Don't do that…", Noah's voice sounded close to her ear.

She looked up at him and blinked. "How do you know what I'm doing?"

"Maybe I know you better than you know yourself…", Noah murmured and covered his lips with hers, initiating another steamy kissing session.

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