"Okay. We can discuss our project tomorrow... If you want to prepare anything, you can share your idea. See you tomorrow...." Astrid waved at him with a small smile. She left, holding an umbrella and running toward her pretty house.
Ewan's gaze was fixed until Astrid disappeared inside the house. He inhaled deeply, and her fragrance spread through the car after she left. 'Finally, I got a chance to speak with her,' he whispered, a triumphant feeling swelling in his chest and a million butterflies flying in his stomach. Accidentally, his gaze landed on a particular place, "Book..." he grabbed the book under the seat.
Without waiting, he strode towards the Astrid house without hurry and intentionally let himself to soaked in the rain. He pressed the intercom switch with curiosity, then dried his wet hair with his hand, pushing back his long strands.
"Wait... I am coming..." Astrid's loud voice echoed inside the hall. The door opened with a soft click, and she stood in front of the entrance door wearing a loose white nightdress with half-wet hair clinging to her shoulders.
"You're Book..." Ewan murmured, his words slurred, watching Astrid's bright, shiny face. "You left it in my car...."
Before he finishes his sentences, "Thank you so much, Ewan.... If you didn't bring it, I'd just be a blank page tomorrow." Astrid thanked him, reaching out to grab the thick, weighted book from his hand. Her fingers brushed his, a fleeting voltage against his skin.
'Do anything to get inside...' Ewan thought, without taking his eyes off Astrid. "Achh!!!" He sneezed louder, rubbing his nose dramatically and pretending not to be okay, a small, calculated smirk playing on his lips, hidden by his hand.
"Oh god!!! Save me... This is not my fault... Now, you'll catch a cold... Don't blame me, bro..." Astrid murmured, a hint of concern and fear in her voice, as she waved him to get inside.
"It's okay, Astrid... It seems just a sneeze... I'll be home within half an hour." Ewan said and sneezed again in the freezing breeze and the minus temperature. "I-- I don't want to bother you, anyway..."
I'd feel bad if you left like this... You helped me.... Just get inside!" Astrid ordered, her tone containing no drama as she grabbed his hands and pulled him inside. "Follow me..." She walked towards her dad's room and opened the wooden door, turning on the light in the dim room. "Sit on the bed... I get my dad's dress for you...." She murmured as she scanned the room, then went to the corner and brought a small stool from the nearby cupboard.
"Your house seems cool and neat...." Ewan complimented, his gaze sweeping over the old, polished wooden furniture, old photographs, and other personal stuff arranged neatly, like stepping inside a historical period.
"Don't judge by its cover... It's my papa's room. Just wait till you see my room; you'll be surprised!" Astrid roasted herself, with an innocent, childish smile on her face. She stood above the stool, and her fingers struggled to grab his dad's old shirt and trousers, but they were inches above her height.
Ewan was still drying his wet hair with a towel, while his gaze lifted above and landed on Astrid's struggle. Whenever she tried to reach up to grab the clothes hanger, her blouse became short, and her tiny, curvy waist became visible, glowing in the dim light like moonlight in the room's shadows.
Ewan froze as his pupils dilated, his grey eyes turning almost black. Fuck! Control Ewan... He took a deep, shaky breath. But why is she cute at the same time she is hot now? Even she is making my cold body hot... He thought as his cold fingers ran over his neck. A sudden heat was emitted from this body, and his breath came out warm from his nostrils, and he coughed again, trying to make himself feel normal. "Hey, can I help you?" he asked, his voice rougher than intended.
Astrid let out a deep, exhausted, and relieved breath after his words. "Yeah!..." she whispered in a low tone, stepping down disappointingly from the stool, giving up her try. "Go ahead..." she nodded and took his place and watched him.
Ewan, without any try or any stool, casually grabbed the shirt and trousers in one try. "Look ... That's it...." He proudly flipped the shirt hanger forth and back in a friendly, nonchalant way.
Astrid rolled her eyes, not accepting her defeat and teasing him back. "Excuse me... You're just a few inches taller than me...so don't flatter yourself," she teased back, her tone playful but firmly bossy.
"Really!!!! Are you sure?" Ewan teased, a mocking glint in his eye, and stood near her, placing his hand above her head and showing the height difference, "Look... This is a few inches? And mocking her back, a smile widened. Then he unbuttoned his shirt and ripped the wet shirt from his fit body. Astrid's eyes widened as her gaze fixed on his sculptured body and his abs. She literally forgot to breathe as her mouth slightly opened, and her heart was hammering against her ribs rapidly.
"Are you enjoying the view?" Ewan's voice broke the tense moment, raising his brows like a teasing rainbow as he slid his hand inside the sleeves with a casual smile.
"What?... No! I am not looking at your body... I was just thinking about whether any hot drink is allowed in my kitchen or not... I mean, I was just thinking," Astrid turned back and closed her eyes in acute embarrassment, struggling to manage the situation and normalise her suddenly trembling, broken words, her cheeks burning hot.
Ewan placed a hand over his mouth and managed not to laugh louder. "Okay, okay... Turn around. Your parents didn't teach you that having a guest means you have to give them a drink, right?" He roasted again, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"It's embarrassing....." Astrid whispered, biting her inner tongue as she nodded in acceptance. "Sorry, sir... what do you prefer, hot or cold?" she asked politely, holding her hands like a servant, making the scene funnier.
Ewan buttoned the shirt and fluffed the big sleeves, casually looking up. "Anything you like, but it must be good for this weather..." He ordered, his tone commanding like a main character in this show.
Astrid let out an annoying exhale, a huff of air, as she walked like a zombie towards the kitchen. Ewan's smile never faded on his face. "She's cute when she gets mad... "Probably I even fell harder this time..." he whispered, then he followed back to the hall and sat on a huge, comfortable sofa. His eyes noticed the old architecture, and he enjoyed the present moment.
Her dad's like old things.... He thought as his gaze shifted to the photo frame. Astrid stood proudly, a wide smile on her face, while her dad, a strong, kind-faced man, hugged her from behind. His phone beeped with a notification. Unpretentious, he glanced at the Ryan message. "Where are you? Still not getting home?" Numerous texts followed continuously. Immediately, he is off the screen. "They can't leave me alone," he whispered to himself in a low voice.
Astrid placed a coffee on the table gently. After noticing Astrid's presence, he grabbed a ceramic coffee cup, a curling stream of waves above the coffee. He sipped his first sip; instantly, his eyes closed over the bitterness of strong coffee powder and swelled hard. She is bad at cooking.... He thought and hardly managed to sip the remaining coffee.
"Is it good?" Astrid asked, her eyes wide with a mixture of hope and curiosity about her first time cooking.
Ewan nodded his head quickly and forced a casual, excited smile not to show his true reaction. "Perfect?" He said and laughed as he quickly sipped the remaining coffee, trying to get it over with.
"Really!" Astrid exclaimed, her smile brightening with sudden happiness as she placed a ceramic plate on the table, sat on the opposite side of the sofa, and admired every sip of Ewan's. "I thought I would mess up, but I finally did it."
Shit!!! Impressing a girl is tougher than I thought, Ewan screamed inside and placed the empty cup on the table. He glanced at the time, and a small doubt, a new question, emerged. "Do you live alone?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"Nope... My dad went on a business trip. He just works hard for me. He came every Sunday and spent time with me."
Ewan's brows furrowed in confusion. "What? But what about dinner? Don't tell me you cook?"
Astrid grinned, knowing his mock, and shook her head. "My maid prepared everything in the evening and stored it in the hot box, so I can eat whenever I want."
Ewan's smile faded slightly when he heard her routine, so similar to his own. "What about your mom?" he asked.