Chapter 306: a confession IV

Chapter 306: Chapter 306: a confession IV

By the time she reached the entrance, she was trying very hard to act normal.

She failed almost immediately.

Christopher was standing just outside the residence hall.

The moment she saw him, she stopped.

He was wearing a dark overcoat that fell almost to his knees, the collar turned slightly against the cool evening air.

His platinum-blond hair was a little tousled from the wind, and his gray eyes found hers almost immediately.

Vivienne forgot how to breathe.

He looked—

Really handsome.

No.

Ridiculously handsome.

There was something about him tonight that made him look even more like a man.

Polished.

Composed.

Effortlessly attractive.

He didn’t look like a twenty-two-year-old university student standing outside a residence hall.

He looked like the sort of man who belonged in an expensive office somewhere, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and making everyone around him nervous.

Vivienne stared.

Oh my God.

This was her boyfriend.

She had just spent the last several minutes worrying about her hair and brushing her teeth twice.

And now she was standing in front of that.

Christopher watched her for a moment.

She looked different.

Not dramatically.

Just...

More natural.

Her hair was still soft from the shower, falling loosely around her face. There was only the slightest hint of makeup, and without all the effort she sometimes put into her appearance, there was something almost disarming about her.

She looked beautiful.

Perhaps even more beautiful like this.

And then he noticed the expression on her face.

She looked completely stunned.

Christopher smiled.

"Hello?"

Vivienne blinked.

"Oh."

She swallowed.

"Hi."

She didn’t move.

Neither did he.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other.

Vivienne suddenly became very aware of everything.

The cool air.

The quiet entrance.

The fact that they were alone.

The fact that he had come all the way here because she had asked to see him.

And the fact that, less than twenty minutes ago, she had asked him if she could kiss him.

Her face turned warm.

Christopher’s eyes lingered on her face.

"You’re very quiet."

"I..."

Vivienne cleared her throat.

"I don’t know what to say."

Christopher smiled.

"You talk a lot more on the phone."

Vivienne stared at him.

Then she laughed softly.

"I know."

She looked down, suddenly shy.

"But... It’s different when you’re actually standing here."

Christopher shook his head slightly, amused.

"Apparently."

Vivienne glanced up at him.

Their eyes met again.

And suddenly she didn’t know what to do with her hands.

She had imagined this moment.

Running toward him.

Hugging him.

Kissing him.

But now that he was actually standing in front of her, she felt strangely frozen.

Christopher seemed to understand.

He didn’t say anything else.

He simply reached out his hand.

"Come here."

Vivienne looked at his hand.

Then at him.

"Oh."

She slowly placed her hand in his.

Christopher’s fingers closed around hers.

Then he gently pulled her closer.

Vivienne’s breath caught.

She barely had time to react before his other arm came around her.

He pulled her into a warm embrace.

Vivienne went still.

She had wanted to hug him.

She had imagined it.

But actually being held by him felt completely different.

Her hands hesitated for half a second before settling against him.

Christopher held her close.

He could feel the slight tension in her at first, the way she seemed almost afraid to move.

Then she relaxed.

Just a little.

He smiled.

She was so nervous.

And yet she had been bold enough to call him tonight and ask him to be hers.

Christopher looked down at her.

Vivienne’s cheek was warm against his chest.

Her heart was beating so fast she was certain he could feel it.

He was actually hugging her.

She closed her eyes for a moment.

This was real.

She was really dating Christopher.

And somehow, standing there in his arms, that felt much more real than saying it over the phone.

She slowly opened her eyes.

Then she lifted her head.

Her eyes met his.

And immediately, she looked somewhere else.

Christopher noticed.

The faint flush across her cheeks.

The way her eyes flickered away.

The way she suddenly seemed very interested in absolutely anything except looking directly at him.

His lips curved.

He knew what she was thinking.

She had asked him about kissing less than twenty minutes ago.

And now she was standing in his arms.

Vivienne swallowed.

She glanced at him again.

This time, she didn’t look away immediately.

Her heart gave another nervous flutter.

Christopher smiled softly.

Then he lifted a hand.

His thumb and index finger gently caught her chin.

Vivienne went still.

His fingers were warm against her skin.

He tilted her face up toward his.

Her breath caught.

For one suspended moment, neither of them moved.

She could feel his breath against her face.

Then Christopher tilted his head slightly—

And kissed her.

Vivienne’s eyes fluttered closed.

The first touch was soft.

Warm.

Gentle.

Then his lips settled more fully against hers, and a sudden weakness went through her knees.

Her fingers instinctively tightened around his coat.

Her heart was racing so hard it almost hurt.

She could feel the warmth of his body against hers, the steady arm around her waist, the light touch of his fingers beneath her chin.

His cologne filled her senses.

Everything felt close.

Too close.

And yet somehow, not close enough.

She wanted to kiss him again.

More.

She wanted to stay like this.

But she didn’t know what she was supposed to do.

Was she supposed to kiss him back more?

Should she open her mouth?

Should she deepen the kiss?

Was that too much fpr their first kiss as a couple?

She had no idea.

So she simply held on to him and let herself feel it.

The warmth of his lips.

The softness of the kiss.

The flutter in her stomach.

The dizzy happiness spreading through her.

And beneath all the nervousness was one simple thought.

He had agreed to date her.

Exclusively.

He was holding her.

He was kissing her.

The realization made her heart flutter all over again.

When Christopher finally pulled back, it was only slightly.

Their faces remained close.

Vivienne’s eyes stayed closed for another second.

She seemed to forget that she was supposed to open them.

Then she slowly did.

Christopher was already looking at her.

Vivienne stared back.

Her lips still tingled.

Her knees still felt a little weak.

She was happy.

Ridiculously happy.

So happy that she almost wanted to laugh.

She had actually kissed Christopher.

And now she wanted to do it again.

The thought made her cheeks burn.

She lowered her gaze, pressing her lips together in an unsuccessful attempt to hide her smile.

Christopher watched her with quiet amusement.

He gently brushed his thumb along her chin before letting his hand fall.

Vivienne looked up at him again.

Their eyes met.

And this time, she smiled without trying to hide it.

She really was his girlfriend now.

And somehow, that felt like the best thing in the world.

--

Tbc