IN THE CAGE

108. MARVELS

...FAWN...

...----------------...

Sitting on the beach, feet in the sand, a glass of wine, the stars and the night breeze, everything that happened tonight felt like a miracle. And among those many wonders, the thing that struck me the most was the existence of Arcelio Hunter who was now embracing me warmly in his arms.

Ace Hunter, a guy who used to dream of shaking hands with him I never had.

If someone had met me 7 months ago, and said that in the future, I would have sat next to Ace Hunter, clasped his hand and enjoyed a glass of wine on the beach, I wouldn't have believed that 7 months ago.

Because this is an impossibility.

"I still don't believe this," I muttered my head. My eyes were fixed on Ace's fingers that were tied to mine.

"Creduce what?"

"It's..." I clasped her hand tightly, sharing the miracle I felt right now with her.

"Do you seriously like me?" ask again.

"If I said I was serious, would you say you love me?" Ace looked down and looked me in the eyes. We stared for a few seconds before he approached and gave a kiss on my forehead.

Damn, why is he so good at melting my heart? It's cheating!

"I like you." I said later, a brave voice. Honestly, keep losing at Ace triggers me to want to make that guy lose occasionally. I want to make him shut up and blush. It must be adorable if she grimaces with a red face. Yes, tonight I will beat him. Just look!

"Like isn't enough, I want you to love me."

"Huh?"

"I want you to love me, Fawnia."

"Tsk.., your request is too heavy." If it's love, I'm not sure I can admit my feelings that far. I mean.., I'm afraid that if I confess my feelings and realize that, I'll fall deeply into Ace.

That bad. Very-very badly. I don't want to fall too deep. I still have a hard time putting my trust in Ace. I was afraid that if I fell in love with her, giving my heart away completely, all the wonders I felt now would overflow in the air. Lost not still.

What if he doesn't love me as much as I love him?

The question loomed in my mind like a ghost that had been following me all along. I don't want to be a sad girl defeated by love. Because I know, if I fall - I won't be able to get up again.

It's like a curse to me. When I give something, I can never take back what I have given, nor can I let it go. When I declared my life to be loyal to Anggara's boss, I experienced something similar. I couldn't back down after getting those words out of my lips.

Love is the same as loyalty.

So I chose to shut my mouth.

"You don't have to force yourself." Ace seemed to read the discomfort that appeared on my face. He cupped my face in his palm and showered me with a light kiss. On my cheeks, on my eyelids, forehead, forehead, jaw, chin and nose.

When the kiss died down, I looked back at him. His black eyes slammed towards me like a sword. "It's my job to try hard to make you love me. You don't have to force yourself to think. There will be a day when I make you confess your feelings to me, Fawnia."

"Very confident, huh?"

Ace nodded lightly. "How else, I always get what I want."

"Hummer..."

To think that an Ace Hunter wanted me, a man of worldly dreams, a man of fears, captivating and pride, I felt a sense of pride. It felt like I won a long marathon. At the top of the paramid with a crown on the head.

There's nothing more thrilling than the feeling that you're wanted, and it's not from just anyone, but Ace Hunter. Ace Hunter's.

What did I eat until Ace Hunter liked me?

"Why are you smiling?" Ace asked suddenly.

Wait, am I smiling? Damnit. I must have done it unconsciously.

"Maybe because I'm happy to be with you." I answered with temptation. "Well, Ace..., tell me, why do you like me?"

"Yes?"

"I mean.., I don't have anything special at all. You know I'm not special. So, why? Anyway, I thought you were gonna kill me? What happened to your change of plans?"

Ace looked at me for a long time before chuckling thinly. He pulled me into his embrace tighter, tight enough that I staggered towards him and we fell on the sand. My head is over Ace's arm. My gaze chased after his face, still waiting for his response.

"Come, answer..."

"Isn't the answer clear?" Ace answered me with a question. He lay on his side towards me, his fingers rubbing against the hair that fell on my cheek. "I like you because you're you."

"Cliches." my comment. "I just don't like myself, how can you like me like this?"

"That question should be directed at yourself. I just like you, how can you not like yourself?"

"..."

"Fawnia, you don't know how much you changed me. You don't know-just by your existence, you've become a very special figure to me. I don't want you to be that special figure that's in your imagination, you who are now what I want."

Damn, damn, damn!

Shouldn't I be the one to beat Ace tonight? Why did the man's words make me lose my voice? Why does the look in his eyes make me....Oh, why do I look in tears?

"Are you moved?" Ace chuckled again. This time he rubbed the corner of my eye with his thumb, wiping away the tears that were piling up there.

"I'm surprised, you idiot." I muttered half a laugh, my breathing was heavy right then and there. "I've never had such a big appreciation from anyone else. You sound very poetic."

"I'm just being honest."

Sighing once more, I painstakingly pulled myself back to sit down. I saw Ace still lying next to me. Twisted my hair at the end of her index. Right then, I lowered my head back towards him and gave a kiss on his lips. A kiss I wanted to give because I didn't know what to say to her pair of charming black beads. A kiss that was supposed to be a reply to my appreciation, but changed as she pulled me closer towards him, fell on his chest and I laughed.

"Do you intend to break my nose?" I muttered right above his face.

"No," said Ace, his breathing hot on my face. "I intend to do this."

Right after Ace gave his answer, his hand anchored around my jaw, his thumb sweeping across my chin. "I want you, Fawnia."

With that whisper alone, we again struggled in a more intense pagutan than before.

I closed my eyes, trying to dominate the man I knew was always superior to me. Trying to beat him in a game he always wins. As our lips met, tongues twisting one another, I climbed to the top of Ace. Cupped his face, touched every part of his body.

I was determined to make him lose tonight. I will not be the Fawn that has always been dominated by him. I'll be Fawn kissing him violently, touching him early, feeling him, breathing him like air. I was determined, I wanted to make Ace know that I wanted him as much as he wanted me. I want him to blush. Only once.

"Fawn, what are you doing?" Ace looked at me with his eyebrows raised next to his.

"What?" I asked back, pretending to be relaxed even though my hand was down to the most dangerous area.

"You can't play around like this." Ace got up suddenly and I who was sitting on it spontaneously slumped onto his lap.

"Why? I thought you wanted to...?" Damnit. I won't back down easily. I won't lose.

"Not so far. Just go ahead."

"Why?"

"Because you have to take full responsibility for the game you started." Ace kisses my jaw lightly. "You're so adorable, but I don't want you to get tired. You have to work tomorrow."

"Sudden attention, are you healthy?"

"I'm always looking out for you, okay?"

"Then, just do it. I'm not as weak as you think." I ventured once more, seeing Ace trying to hold himself back like that was indeed adorable, but I would have been happier if he got out of control. I want him out of the self-control he has.

I want his calm persona to disappear...

I want him to show you his scary side.

"Here?"

"What's the problem?" I don't see people everywhere.

"You're really testing my patience, aren't you?" Ace chuckles. "That's it, stop playing around."

"I'm serious." I said, this time clutching Ace's shoulder tightly. I want my efforts delivered to him. "Why? Are you scared?"

And add a little provocation.

"Fawn, no..." Ace gave me a warning with a smile on his face. "Are you drunk?"

"I only drank two glasses, I didn't run." I pulled Ace's shirt collar until he looked up at me. "I want this."

I went back to doing what I was trying to do from the beginning. Touch it. Touching something sleeping on his body.

"Fawnia..." Ace sizzled my name with eyes that shot towards me like a light of a sword. Beautiful and dangerous.

"Didn't you like it?"

Ace clenched his hand. I could see how hard he was holding himself back when I didn't post his warning at all. My hands still faithfully touched it, waking it up with honest temptation?

I kissed Ace once again, trying to ease the tension in his body and tucked my tongue in his mouth. He greeted my pagutan right then and there, one hand clutching my waist while the other hand was anchored at my nape.

The moaning escaped my lips as the kiss began to stir. I am indeed not an expert in this field, feeling Ace replying to my pagutan, it feels like I have been defeated right then and there.

"If you want to do it, do it right." Ace whispered in my ear, half growling.

"Huh?" i'm dazed.

"It.., Fawnia." Ace's hand touched my hand, lining my grip with his warm, large palm.

"Like this..." Ace whispered low again.

He looked up and our eyes met again. Even though I froze under her gaze, my hands below continued to move with her guidance. Up and down.

"Because he's done it so far.." Ace's hand docked to my shirt button, he skillfully took off one by one the buttons of my shirt without taking his gaze away from my eyes. "You know I won't stop, right?"

"Did I ask you to stop?"

"No."

"Good then."

"I won't stop even if you beg me to stop."

I laughed nervously. "That sounds good."

Yeah, that sounds good.

Don't you?

...----------------...