CHAPTER 44: Sweet Cuddles

KATE’s P.O.V.

Elijah take me in his small apartment, and it feel great, being in this place once again. I look around the inner part of his home. It’s so good to know that he didn’t even thought about changing his address for the past few years of his life. Because if he did, I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be able to find him anymore if ever that I did came back here myself.

“What are you thinking?” I nearly squeal as I suddenly feel his lips on my temple.

“Shit! You startled me!” I complained.

“Sorry,” was his short response. Though he managed to wrapped his hands around my waist.

“Elijah?” I called him, badly wanting to tell him something that is been bothering my mind ever since we became an official couple... Which is one thing that I didn’t expect to happen. Who would have thought that my friend way back in high school would be my lover, right?

“Yes?” he asked, before pulling me down to sit on his lap as he did to the couch.

“I was just wondering... Since we are officially... You know,” I trailed off, and he chuckled.

“Officially love birds?”

I laughed at his statement, before turning around to face him. And then with a serious expression plastered upon my face, I gentle caressed his cheeks.

“You know... Mom is asking if what is the real score between us...”

“And what did you tell her?” he curiously asked, teasing me for a kiss as he lean closer to my lips.

“I told her...”

My voice trembles, before I finally closed the gaps between our lips. I couldn’t contain myself anymore. What did I ever do for him to seduce me like this?! After our short but very passionate kiss, he pulled away, both of us catching our breaths.

“And what did you told her, Ms. Frias?” he asked, his voice was deep and raspy, but I could see that he is trying his best to prevent a smile from forming out of his lips.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized.

“Sorry about what? Why are you apologizing to me?” Elijah asked, his brows furrowed and almost touching in intense confusion.

“About kissing you.”

He laughed, before he gave me another smack on my lips.

“You don’t need to apologize for doing that, Kate. Always remember that I am officially yours now.”

I smiled, before giving him a hug. I heard him chuckled, and so I pulled away, trying to remember our conversation earlier. Mom needs to know about our relationship... Because that is the only way that I could finally claim Elijah as mine.

“Elij... Would you come home with me? I mean... Would you help me tell my Mom about this?”

He stared at me for exactly five seconds, before I decided to looked away and avoid his gaze. Damn. Maybe now he’s thinking that I’ve already gone crazy. For Pete’s sake, we are twenty nine years old now, and yet, Here I am, asking him to join me in admitting to my Mom that we are now in a relationship.

“Hey...” I heard him chuckled, before lifting up my chin for our eyes to met once again.

“I-It’s fine if you d-don’t want to, Elijah... I mean...” I trailed off, stuttering.

“Hey, hey... Why wouldn’t I want to meet the person who raised a beautiful and fine woman like you?”

My eyes lit up, as I instantly stare at him intently in his deep and hypnotizing orbs.

“Really?!”

“Of course, Ms. Frias. I love you, and I will do anything for you–”

My lips instantly crashed onto him before he could even finish his statement. And then after that conversation, the two of us continued to share some sweet cuddles on his couch.

Until time passes by. The day that I’m going to formally introduce her to my Mom finally came. I was playing with my own fingers, being nervous at the thought that Mom and Elijah would be sitting on the same dining room later on. I sighed, thinking how Mom supported my decisions about Elijah. Though I can’t help but to panic as I remembered that Elijah’s Dad and my Mom were once lovers before.

“Pssst!”

I turned around, facing Elijah who’s now plastering a goofy smile on his face. I’m currently at our mansion’s gate, waiting for him to arrive to have some dinner with my Mom. Finally, he came. I thought he wouldn’t, but he’s here now, so I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.

“Elijah!” I came towards his direction, before giving him a hug.

“Good evening. I love you.”

I pulled away, staring intently into his eyes.

“I love you too... Let’s get inside, now. Mom is already waiting for you.”

“Sure, sure. But wait...”

I was about to walk away and pull him alongside of me when he said those words, making me stop for a moment just to face him once again.

“What?”

“How do I look? Do you think I’m presentable enough to face your Mom?” I chuckled, hearing the nervous tone of his voice.

“Of course you are. As always. Now come, take my hand.”

He smiled, before he did as I told him to do. He quickly kissed my forehead before the two of us entered into our mansion. When we got inside of the dining room, Mom instantly stood up, before smiling at our direction.

“Good evening, hijo! You’re here now. Come, take a seat.”

“Good evening, ma’am.”

“No need to be so formal. After all, I know that sooner or later, you and Kate–”

“Mom...” I gave her a meaningful look before she smiled and nodded.

I don’t want Elijah to be pressured, that’s why. I don’t what to force someone to marry me once again just like what happened before because if I do, bad things will surely happen.

The three of us finally sat down, before our maids serve our dinner. Mom cooked most of the foods on our table. Elijah seems to enjoy the food, not until I secretly tapped his hands under the table, making him stopped and look at me for a moment. He gave me this teasing looking before smiling jokingly. And then he cleared his throat, finally ready to say anything.

“Excuse me, ma’am... I just wanted to tell you something about Kate and I,” he started.

Mom stopped eating as well, before paying her whole attention to us.

“You can tell me anything, hijo. Specially if it concerns my daughter,” Mom stated, before glancing mischievously at my direction.

“I don’t want to be a man just like my father... I want to be a man who’s ready to take full responsibility, love, cherish, and take care of your daughter, forever. A man who’s willing to see your daughter walking down the isle while wearing a white gown... A man ready to be a good husband to his wife. Someone who’s imagining his future being an old man sitting on the rocking chair while watching the sunset together with your beautiful daughter...”

From the corners of my eyes, I could see how Mom suddenly filled her own eyes with tears just because of Elijah’s words.

“Please don’t cry, ma’am. I promise I wouldn’t take your daughter away from you... All I’m asking is for your permission... To let me love her, for we are officially a couple now.”

“Why are you even asking me about this!” Mom complain, trying to laugh her tears away. “Of course I will let you! You two deserves to be happy more than anyone else in this world!”

Elijah smiled, same as me. I couldn’t believe the fact that Mom accepted him wholeheartedly. I’m already expecting this to happen, though I’m not really sure how to react.

“Thank you for entrusting you daughter to me, ma’am. I promise I wouldn’t broke her heart,” Elijah stated, before he held my hands at the top of the table.

“I know you wouldn’t, hijo.”

And with that, we finally ended our conversation. We finished eating our lovely dinner, before Elijah bid his farewells to my Mom. I decided to walk him towards the exit of our mansion, just to be able to make sure that he will get in of his car safe and sound. While walking, he suddenly grabbed my hands, before showering it with a hundred kisses.

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he stated, smiling.

“I know, Elijah. I love you too.”

“I can’t believe your Mom supported our relationship,” he said, still smiling.

“Now I couldn’t ask for anything more, Elijah...”

“Me too...”

He was about to say something when his phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting our conversation. He checked it out, realizing that it was just a text. And then he smiled, before looking at my direction.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“Tomorrow is Cloey’s birthday. Darren and Claire are inviting us to have a dinner with them.”

I gulped, thinking several times if I should accept the invitation or not. The past is still haunting me, I guess. But I know that I still couldn’t be able to move from it if I continue to ignored it. I need to face it now, I need to agree to fate, if I wanted to be finally happy and contented.