"Surprise," Luke said and handed her the bags. And he walked in, closing the door behind him.
"Luke," Naila did not know what to say.
"What's you doing? Drinking?" He casually asked.
"No, no, I'm not," she replied immediately, keeping the bags down. Luke picked up both the bottles and checked. Naila tried to grab them back but he lifted them above his head.
"You don't drink, do you?" He asked. Naila sighed. She nodded.
"I don't but I wanted to try," she gave in.
"But you were afraid," he checked the labels.
"This is definitely not the preferred one if you do not know how to handle it," he said pointing the vodka and placing it back on it's previous position.
"Maybe try this," he said handing the wine bottle. Naila smiled. "Or you don't have to force yourself," he pulled the bottle back. "Why do you wish to try it all of a sudden?" He felt suspicious about her.
"Oh nothing," she did not wish to tell him the truth. "It's Christmas and my colleagues said they all made the wine and stuff, so I was curious," she lied. They indeed discussed about, but that was not the reason she got it.
"Fine," Luke gave the bottle to her. That's when she really noticed him.
'Woah, he looks good, again,' She thought as she noticed his face. She could tell that he had a shoot and he ran out of it. She noticed that his hair has changed again. And this blonde suited him so much.
"I am in a great mood for some drink," he said and took his cap off. He corrected his hair and walked to the kitchen to get the bottle opener and an extra wine glass.
The two settled on couch, next to each other. He opened the bottle and poured her the wine. She looked at him, as he did it. He looked like he knew what he was doing.
"Do you drink often?" She asked.
"I'm not a fan of drinking, but my work demands a little bit of social drinking. Ceremonies, meetings, gathering, sometimes stress. But I can live without it. I'm not alcoholic at all. Hot is my least favorite. I mostly stop with wine, champagne, beer, very rarely whisky. I can have vodka and soju, but that also not often," he gave the whole information. "So you have never tasted anything?" He sounded curious. She nodded looking at him. "So this is you first? With me?" He asked. She nodded, now staring at her glass. "Do you really wanna try?" He asked. And she nodded again looking back at him. "A glass won't do any harm. Try," he said. "You are not allergic to alcohol, are you?"
"How would I know?" She replied. 'Wah he sounds so concerned all the time,' she thought.
"Cheers," he said lifting his glass and took a sip. But he lowered the glass soon, watching her curiously. She lifted the glass, and slowly touched her lips, she then sipped very little and tasted it. She then looked at him. He raised his right brow.
"And," he waited.
"Not filthy," that's all she could say with an expression that clearly said she did not love it. Luke laughed lightly.
"People will get offended," he reminded her. She then sipped again.
"Not bad," she stopped him. He smiled. Then unexpectedly she gupled down half the glass together.
"Naila," Luke moved closer.
"Not bad," she said again and licked her upper lip. She then immediately poured another cup.
Luke couldn't guess whether she is genuinely enjoying it or forcing herself. He just sat there wondering, his supporting his head, as she poured another glass.
"Cheers," she said clinging her glass with his and drank in one shot again like it's a cough syrup. Luke placed his the glass back on the table.
"I guess I should restrain myself from drinking when I'm around you," he smirked and sat watching her. She picked up the bottle to pour another but he stopped her.
"First day right, let's chill a bit. Two glasses are fine," he said and took the bottle away.
"One gave me nothing. Two has given me a mild tipsy feeling. Is that normal?" She asked.
"So one is the limit for you, for now," he said and got up from the couch, carrying the glasses and bottle with him.
He returned back around ten minutes later and sat on the couch again.
She was scrolling through her phone. "Did you check gift?" He asked her. She looked up and shook her head. "Here," he handed the bags again to her.
"You go so many," she remarked. She took out the boxes from each and she places all 3 on her lap, balancing it. He sat facing her, waiting for her reaction.
Naila opened the box carefully. The first she opened was a floral fragrance in a fancy bottle. "Wow," she said. She used it on her hand and slowly smelled it. It felt so good. A sensational mixed floral smell that definitely would elevate the mood. She closed it carefully and kept it on the couch. She then opened another package. It was from one of her favourite watch brands. "Are you serious?" She almost yelled.
"You like it?"
"Oh my god! You gotta be kidding me," she shouted this time. Then she realised. "You should not get me such expensive things, I'm already liv...." but Luke stopped her.
"It's Christmas and it is my wish what to give you and not," he concluded.
"But this.. this is too much," Naila had no idea what to do.
"Next," he said, asking to open the last package.
Naila opened the third box. It was the perfume set. A set of 4.
"Luke, this is too much," Naila said.
"Nothing is too much. It's just a gift. Naila you must learn to accept good things," Luke told her directly. Naila stuttered. She did not know what to reply back.
She picked up the perfume bottle and turned it in her hand, trying to figure out which way the nozzle was facing. Without looking closely, she pressed it.
A fine mist sprayed directly across Luke's face.
He flinched, turning his head away and squeezing his eyes shut.
"Oh my God!" Naila gasped. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
She immediately moved toward him, her panic taking over. "I didn't realize it was facing you."
Luke raised a hand, instinctively rubbing beneath his eyes. "It's fine," he managed, though his voice was tighter than usual.
"No, it's not. Let me see."
Before he could respond, Naila caught his wrist and gently pulled his hand away from his face. She leaned closer, examining his eyes. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pushed a strand of hair away from his forehead.
"Does it burn?" she asked.
"A little." He said.
Her eyes widened. "I'm really sorry."
She cupped his cheek with her palm, tilting his face slightly toward the light. "Keep your eyes closed."
Luke obeyed.
For a few seconds, he said nothing.
He could feel her fingers against his skin, gentle and warm. He knew she was only worried that she had hurt him, but the closeness made it increasingly difficult for him to remain composed.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Naila was still there.
Much closer than either of them had intended.
She finally noticed it too.
Her hand froze against his cheek.
Her breath caught, and she quickly swallowed. Her fingers became suddenly conscious of where they were resting, yet she couldn't bring herself to pull them away immediately.
Luke looked at her without saying anything.
There was no teasing smile on his face this time. His expression was restrained, almost unreadable, but his jaw had tightened slightly. He seemed to be deliberately holding himself back from reacting to the moment.
Luke's heart began beating faster.
She shifted awkwardly, realizing that in her hurry she had moved so close that she was almost sitting on his lap. Her knee brushed against his leg.
She immediately stiffened.
"I, I was just checking your eye," she whispered, as though she needed to explain herself.
"I know."
His answer was quiet.
Too quiet.
Her thumb was still resting against his cheek.
She slowly withdrew her hand, but Luke's eyes followed the movement. For a fleeting second, their gazes locked.
Her face was only a few inches from his. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, and suddenly, the perfume she had accidentally sprayed seemed to be the least distracting thing in the room.
Neither of them moved for a minute.
She noticed the moisture gathering in the corner of his left eye. Her expression changed instantly. "Oh God…"
She brushed his tear away with her thumb, her touch lingering against his cheek.
Then Luke finally looked away and took a slow breath.
"I'm okay," he said again, his voice steadier this time.
But the slight tension in his jaw suggested he was trying very hard to convince himself of that too.