He slowly tilted to look at that particular person who has now drifted into a peaceful slumber. One glance at the woman and he was instantly feeling warm inside. Being with her was giving him tender emotions he have never experieced before, emotions he could not define but he wanted to savor each and every moment of it.

How can he not cherish his time spent with the woman when his senses is filled with all of her. Her light and comforting fragrance, her lively smile, intense gaze, profound personality and more, everything seems to be unique of her and perfect for him. He was loving all that she currently is and he believed there is more about her that he did not know about. However he greedily wanted to know everything. Especially the reasons that were making her sad and lonely. He realized that whenever the woman was feeling exactly that, it seemed that she was isolating herself. He hated that fact. He wanted to dwell in the exact same place where her heart is.

It must be absurd that he was feeling too much towards her in just a few days. In fact it hasn't been two days but he seemed to have seen enough of her, that he likely knew and understand the kind of person that she really is. And he was right about everything.

He found out what a beautiful person she indeed was. He was glad and grateful that fate let him meet Laurice. The ridiculous part is that, he was actually quite envious that his son got her attention first.

...

Sid gently rose from his seat and strode towards her side of the couch. The woman was lying on a semi-fetal position and was sound asleep. He thought she must have been indeed a deep sleeper. If it was him, he would likely woke up the instant he felt a presence near him. Just like what happened earlier ago.

He wasn't really planning on napping at all. But taking into account that they have just likely shared an intimate time together which made the woman tensed and uneasy, he wanted to give her s.p.a.ce to recover. He could not go all the way although he felt Laurice wasn't immune towards his charms as well because he thought the time is just not right yet. Sid wanted to treasure her properly. So he pretended to ignore the matter while he himself tried his best to calm his inner beast from devouring the woman.

His deeper sense of responsibility and protective instinct is awakened by her.

...

He was looking at Laurice with a soft gaze as he graze his fingers on the tip of her nose, on her plump rosy cheeks, on her chin and was reluntant for a second to touch her there ... on her pursed lips.

He retrieved his hand while s.h.i.+fting his body towards her face instead seemingly unsatisfied with merely looking and touching anymore. His eyes locked on her while inching closer towards her. And even closer until he could already breathe her breath coming from her now slightly parted lips. He felt a lump in his throat with the mere sight of her. He was already having a difficult time trying to control the urge of kissing her right there and then. And just as he was about to press his lips on her, he made a long pause and then decided to gently scoop her into his arms and took her straight in the guestbed.

...

Two hours pa.s.sed by.

Laurice jolted in bed when she heard a scream. It was the sound of someone cursing under his breath but was loud enough to wake her up. She even furrowed her brows when she got a whiff of something burning. Her drowsiness instantly flew out of the window.

'What the?! Is her house on fire?!'

She immediately bolted out of the room failing to realize how she somehow ended up sleeping on the guest room.

She ran barefooted towards the kitchen where the smoke was coming from.

And was shocked when she saw the current situation at hand.

...

With creased brows, she flew straight towards the man who was holding firm to his left hand waving it back and forth and she could clearly see the burn on it.

Something ticked inside of her.

Laurice turned the stove off and pulled him rather forcibly on the kitchen sink and soaked his affected hands under cool running water.

With a firm voice, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Are you crazy? What do you think you're doing!? Are you trying to hurt yourself? Do you even know how to cook?! Do you want to die?!" She was in rage. She despised  accidents the most.

Laurice could somehow guess what exactly happened while she was sleeping. Looking at the aftermath of the man's intention to 'cook' at the kitchen counter, she pinched the bridge of her nose and felt the nerves of her head twitching. It was a habit of hers that only surfaces when she's extremely annoyed. The mess is forgiveable but him getting a burn and actually burning food is making her agitated. She could not tolerate such careless behavior. She could not even look at the man in fear of totally getting an out-burst.

She tried to control her temper and in a low sullen tone she told him, "Are you trying to burn the house down, Mr. Walsh?"

Her apparent eyes was full of contempt with a tinge of frustration, Sid could not guess if it was because of him nearly causing a fire on her own home or getting himself injured in the process. The look on her face was rather amusing though. He wanted to believe that the woman was actually worried about him. He had totally ignored the pain he was enduring and it was replaced by a warm feeling instead. His heart fluttered by the sight of her and by the thought of her caring about him. Something was telling him to remain silent while the woman continue to lecture him or else he might face twice her fury.

Then suddenly, the woman stopped talking when she noticed his odd silence and fervent gaze.

Laurice tilted her head to look at the careless man who was making her frustrated only to find him unknowingly grinning at her with an animated look on his face. Her mouth twitched. She balled her hand into a fist.

'd.a.m.n this intolerable man!'

He's actually laughing at her!

The nerve of the guy.