⭐ Leona's POV ⭐

I woke up to find my face pressed up against Rafe's chest as I snuggled into him, my arm wrapped around his body tightly.

What the hell? Am I that desperate that I cuddled with him while sleeping.

But then I realised that Rafe's arm was also wrapped around my waist and his chin rested on top of my head.

So, he's the one to cuddle with me! How dare he?!

But...but this is comfortable. A sigh left my mouth as I found myself snuggling into him more.

Let me just enjoy this for a minute more. Then I will yell at him.

This is so good! I don't wanna get up now! This is the first time I cuddled with anyone.

I never had a boyfriend cause I didn't want to and all the men I slept with...well they were just a one night stand so I obviously never cuddled with them.

But this man is making me regret not having a boyfriend. But on the other hand, he's the reason I never dated anyone.

He broke my little, innocent heart indirectly and yet it always craved for him only which caused me to never fall for anyone.

He's my husband now yet he isn't mine.

Deep down I know I am falling for him. Again.

And I know that I will get my heart broken again because this marriage will end soon but I can't help but wish for us to be together forever.

Sighing, I glanced up at his face and smiled softly. Whish you could be mine, Rafe.

But he can't, I took a deep breath and tried to stop my heart from feeling all those emotions. Hating him is better, this way I won't get hurt.

With that in mind, I smacked his shoulder and shoved him away making him groan and turn on his back, his grip around my waist loosening.

Removing his arm, I shifted away from him. "You idiot! Why were you cuddling with me?"

He groaned once again and turned his back towards me and mumbled something which I couldn't understand.

I sat up straight and shook his shoulder. "Wake up! And answer me!"

He slapped my hand away. "Shut up, let me sleep." His hoarse voice did weird things to me.

But I quickly cleared that thought away. "Are you serious? Get up right now! And tell me why did you cuddle with me?"

He finally turned on his back and facing me, shot me a glare. "Do you know why you are alive right now?"

My brows furrowed together. "Because God wants me to...?"

His lips pressed in a thin line. "No. Because last night I decided it would be better to cuddle with you instead of letting you freeze to death!"

Um...

"What?"

"You were shivering and whimpering due to the cold especially because your stupid ass forgot to bring the sleeping bags and if not for me, you would have been dead till now."

My mouth formed an 'O' as I looked at him blankly not knowing what to say.

Then slowly a sheepish smile formed on my face. "Oh..."

He rolled his eyes at my reaction and stood up, running his fingers through his hair in a sexy way and I licked my lips.

He then continued to stretch up his arms causing his t shirt to ride up giving me a view of his V line and he bit his lips.

I wonder what his lips must feel like?Can I kiss him once? Just once.

My cheeks started to warm up at those thoughts. I want him so bad.

He suddenly glanced down at me and caught me staring and he raised his brow, even that looked sexy. "What?"

I snapped out of my trance. "Huh?"

"Why are you blushing?"

Fuck!

"I...I...am blushing...?" I placed my palm over my cheeks. "I am blushing...I...um...I... don't know...I..."

He shook his head slightly and started to walk out of the tent but not before I caught him blushing lightly too.

He is blushing!

God, he's cute. I chuckled softly to myself at that thought.

.

I felt like crying out loud because all my hair was tangled so badly and I have been trying to entangle it for the past five minutes but it's of no use.

I groaned out loudly, which Rafe must have heard since he was outside and he poked his head inside. "What happened now?"

I turned to him, tears in my eyes and pointed to the bird nest on top of my head. "My hair!" I cried out.

He ruminated for a moment before he came inside and stood behind me. "Let me try." And he gently pushed my shoulder down, telling me to sit down on the ground and I sat down cross legged and he kneeled behind me and started to slowly entangle my hair.

It took him ten minutes to do that and he let out a heavy sigh after that. "How do you want to make your hair?"

"Um...I don't know. But...you know how to make hairstyles?"

"I do. Now sit quietly and let me make it."

I nodded and sat silently while he worked on my hair, I picked up the hand mirror lying on the ground and holding it, saw him making my hair in the mirror, a sexy frown etched on his forehead as he concentrated, his fingers working swiftly through my hair and I had no idea what he was doing.

Finally, a few minutes later, he tapped my head. "Done."

"What did you make?"

"A fishtail." He smiled proudly.

He really made that? Even I don't know how to make that!

I wanted to see it from the back so I went over to my bag and pulled out my phone and handing it to him, told him to take a picture of my hair which he did and showed it to me making me gasp softly at how perfectly he made the fishtail.

"That's so good, Rafe!" I smiled widely at him. "How did you learn that?"

He shrugged. "Dad taught me. I used to make Addison's hairstyles too when we were young."

"You are quite talented." I told him honestly.

He took a step forward all of a sudden, his arm coming forward to encircle my waist and pulled me towards him, making my body press up against his, my eyes widening. "What...what are you doing...?" I stammered.

His lips twisted up in a smirk and he leaned closer, placing his lips near my ear and he spoke in a husky whisper, "They are many other things I am quite talented in too, want me to show you, Mrs Andrews?"

Oh Lord! Yes! Yes, please show me!

Before I could say that, I said, "N-no! Get away, idiot!"

He removed his hand from around my waist making me stumble back a few steps and I took in a deep breath to calm myself down.

He shrugged nonchalantly, still smirking. "Your loss." And he walked out of the tent.

The things he is doing to me, please God, save me!

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.
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We had packed up our tent and all the other things and we started to walk towards our destination walking beside each other in silence.

Earlier, we agreed that it would be better to sleep like we did last night, every night here since it's cold and we only have a single blanket.

It was my idea...to which he agreed without any questions.

We continued walking, the silence which surrounded us was soon broken because there was an explosion!

I don't know from when or where, it just happened which sent us flying in different directions, the impact thankfully was not that dangerous yet it threw us at a distance making me fall down on my face but I happened to protect my head with my hand before it could hit the ground.

Dust flew around us, a defeaning silence followed, I laid on my stomach, too tired to move.

At a distance, I heard Rafe cough loudly. Thank goodness he is okay!

"Fuck you, Carl! You are going to pay for all this once I get my hands on you!" He cursed loudly.

I stayed where I was and I heard him walking towards me. In a mood to mess up with him, I decided to prank him.

"Leona?" He called out, coming closer.

He must have crouched down near me as he shook my shoulder slightly. "Leona? Hey...get up. Are you okay?"

I held my breath and pretended to be dead.

I wanted to know his reaction. Will he be worried?

"Leona..." He turned my body on my back and gently patted my cheeks. "Wake up."

"Leona..."

"Leona!"

You could hear the panic in his voice. "Baby? Please, wake up."

Baby.

He lifted up my hand and held it against his cheek. "Wake up, Leona! Please! You...you can't..." I felt some wetness on my hand.

Oh my God! Is he crying?

This is getting too much now.

In order to lighten the mood, I started to laugh and I opened my eyes to see his shocked face.

There were so many emotions swirling in his eyes.

He dropped my hand from his hold as I continued to laugh at him. "You panicked so much! Wish I could have seen your face."

I finally got up on my feet while he stayed in that position, crouched down on the ground, still not believing what happened.

I went to a nearby tree and rested my back against it still laughing at him. "You are still so shocked."

That's when his head snapped up to me, his jaw clenched tightly as he got up.

For a second, I felt scared as he looked furious and scary. His eyes glaring at me, not leaving my eyes once as he took long strides towards me.

"What--"

My words died in my mouth when he grabbed the back of my neck and slammed his lips upon mine.

My eyes widened, my brain and body freezing completely. He is kissing me!

Only when his lips started to move against mine, my eyes closed on their own. He kissed me hard, fiercely. You could taste the anger on his lips.

His lips worked on mine hungrily and roughly. It took me a few seconds to respond. I placed my palms on his chest and I kissed him back, butterflies exploding in my stomach, my heart skipping several beats.

With a groan, he pressed his body to mine, his other hand cupping my cheek and tilting my head for better access.

He nibbled on my lower lip making me gasp softly and he shoved his tongue inside my mouth making me moan into the kiss and a growl rumbled in his chest.

I tried to fight for dominance but it was of no use as his tongue explored each nook and corner of my mouth rendering me breathless.

I started to run out of breath and he pulled back abruptly.

I was breathing heavily. His lips a breath away from mine. He gripped my jaw firmly in between his fingers; his eyes were dark and blazing with rage.

When he spoke, his voice was low and sounded dangerous and husky. "You pull this trick ever again and I am going to fuck you so hard, you won't be able to walk for a fucking whole week."

Is that a threat or a promise?

Should I pretend to be dead again to see if he really meant what he said...?

Giving me one last glare, he pushed himself off me and started to walk away.

Fucking hell! He kissed me! And I kissed him back! We kissed!

Still not believing what happened, I touched my swollen lips with my finger. We kissed.

Chapter completion on: 27/11/21