Burning Eyes

“Koa...please listen to me when I say this…there was nothing that you could have done. I couldn’t leave the darkness that haunted me both during the day and at night.” I pleaded quietly with him. He slowly reached out his hands toward my face and using his thumbs, he wiped away my tears. I opened my mouth to speak again but couldn’t find the words that I desperately wanted to say. 

“Then stay. Stay here. Stay with me.” His voice broke as his eyes searched mine imploringly. I looked down, hesitating a moment too long because he took the opportunity to lift me up and place me onto his lap. I went to stand up when he firmly held me in place, straddling his lap. “I’ll do whatever you want and tell you everything you want to know. Just don’t leave…” I looked at him, my eyes widening slightly in shock. This was not the Koa that I remembered.

“Koa…” I quietly began. He cut off what I was about to say as he crashed his lips desperately onto mine. I was caught up in the moment as I automatically began kissing him back but after a moment I pulled away. “Koa. I can’t do this again.” I quickly wiped the stray tears from my cheeks. “I can’t keep falling in love with you when I know it’s not the same for you.” I moved his hands from my sides and stood up. “I’ll stay for the night on the couch. You should get some rest too.” I walked over to the couch after setting my things on the table and before he could protest. 

He stood, walked over to take a seat on the table where my things were, and faced me. “I have a guest room…You should have a bed so that you're not hurting tomorrow.” I shook my head no and he gave up quicker than I thought he would because he left, walking up the staircase. When I heard a door open then lightly shut again, I relaxed into the couch and released the breath I had been holding in. I was feeling exhausted after all of the drama and events of the night.

That night, it didn’t take me long to fall asleep. Though, when I woke up the next morning, I was in a plush bed, the covers covering my body, and the window blinds drawn shut so the sun wouldn’t easily wake me. I stretched briefly as I took in my surroundings. I was definitely not at home in my bedroom and I was no longer on the couch in Koa’s living room. I stood then felt the panic begin to grow. I looked down to where my top and shorts had been to find myself wearing a large button-down shirt. I could smell Koa’s body spray still lingering on the clean shirt. When did I get changed and when did I move into this bedroom? 

I began searching the room for my clothing when there was a light knocking coming from the bedroom door. “It’s me. Can I come in? I have food.” I was going to deny him entrance but my stomach was growling. I couldn’t deny that I was starving since I hadn’t really eaten anything the day before.

“Fine. I need answers too.” I dashed towards the bed so that I could hide under the covers but was a moment too late because he opened the door with a food tray in one hand and my clothes, now clean, draped over his other arm. I felt the blush quickly flood my cheeks. My blush darkened as I noticed the small smirk on his lips and the hunger flash in his eyes. “Hey!” I shouted, holding out a finger pointedly at him. “Don’t even get any ideas!”

He laughed, his mood seemingly lighter than it was last night. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue. “I do miss you wearing my shirts though. You look beautiful in them.” He quickly turned serious but then smiled as he handed me the tray and layed out my clothes on the chair in the room. I could feel my mouth watering as I looked down at the food resting before me. There was a fluffy waffle, an apple, water and coffee with sugar and cream, and some bacon. 

“This looks delicious!” I declared as I began pouring the syrup over my waffle and a little on the slices of bacon. He chuckled as he watched me begin to devour the food. I gave him a questioning look.

“Nice to see that you still smother your food items in sweetness.” His voice was smooth like silk and he was dressed for business except his tie was hanging undone around his neck. I rolled my eyes playfully as I sipped at the hot coffee. My eyes widened as I realized he made the coffee exactly how I like it. Strong with one cream and four spoonfuls of sugar. 

“You remembered how I like my coffee?” I asked him after swallowing the warm liquid. He nodded simply while fumbling with his tie in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. I laughed quietly, causing him to look at me in the reflection confused. “Do you even tie your own ties normally?” I saw his reflection smile as he shook his head slightly embarrassed. 

“I never learned.” He whispered his confession. 

“Who ties your ties then?” I asked as my eyes widened in disbelief. I used to always help him with his ties which he fought wearing when we were younger. I surely thought he would’ve learned now though.

“My cook or my assistant. Just depends on who is around at the moment.” He answered back honestly. I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, ‘figures he would have a cook...and of course the assistant with her seeking ways out in order to touch him’. I felt myself growing jealous and envious. He must’ve noticed the expression on my face because his next response was, “I wouldn’t know what she looks like. I don’t pay much attention to her, if I’m being honest. I never really have cared to.” When I looked up at him, he had given up on his task and was now leaning over the bed so that our eyes were at the same level. He smirked, then his voice was confident and dripped with a seductive tone as he asked, “Want to help an old friend out?” I rolled my eyes in order to hide the fact that my heart rate had begun to expediate. 

He held out his hand for me to take while moving the tray off of my lap with his other. I took his hand and he gently pulled me out of the bed, pulling me close to himself. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks along with other parts of my body as he looked me up and down. I pulled at the hem of the shirt I was wearing but found it unhelpful as it rested just below my rear. I rolled my eyes and tried my best not to meet his stare while I reached for the tie. I was finished fixing his tie when I mistakenly looked up into his eyes and was met with a hungry look. Koa reached up and plucked my lip from between my teeth and smirked. 

He leaned forward so that his lips were resting beside my ear and whispered, “If you keep wanting to bite at that lip of yours, I might just have to bite it for you.” He laughed and winked at me before turning on his heels. I groaned, making my way back into the bed when his voice startled me. “Oh, and don’t leave until I’m back. We’re going out for dinner tonight and I’ve already made sure that your family as well as that boy at the bar know. See you tonight!” His tone when talking about Sal turned to malice. I rolled my eyes with how he reacted to my friend.