Don't make me cross the line

Chapter 8 Don't make me cross the line

"Why are you outside at this time of night?" Sav asked Leo accusingly. She pointed an angry index finger at him. She didn't know what was making her mad when she had no right to.

"Same to you," he replied, his face nonchalant. "I just came back from Italy to talk to my dad. The jet lag made me stroll for a walk."

"Oh." Sav was aware that she looked dumbfounded yet no intelligent words formed in her head.

"Were you hoping to catch the culprit?"

She nodded suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Cute." Leo lent her a hand to get up like a gentleman.

"Not really," Sav replied, she could feel her ears burning up as she took his hand. "How am I cute?"

"How you ask many questions is one thing."

"And?" She probed, chuckling. It was rare for someone to tolerate her endless inquiring, much less think of it as cute. They were walking side by side now under the shimmering moonlight. Some bodyguards turned to them, bowing their heads as Leo waved them away.

"How you try to do things alone with your life on the line."

Sav smiled, her confidence regaining. "And?"

"And?" He looked at her as she let out a laugh. "And the last one, I'm keeping to myself."

"Unfair," she said but she was smiling. "You've missed a lot of classes."

"I know. Riselle took some notes from me."

"Ohh. Isn't she the girl sitting next to me? Is she someone close to you?" Sav asked, not wanting to ask if they were in a relationship as they weren't that chummy yet.

"I've known her all my life."

"That's nice." Sav didn't ask anymore and enjoyed the comfortable silence as they strolled down the gardens. Gardenias were in full blossom and their heavenly scent made the ambiance even more pleasant.

"Do you want to have a meal with me?" Leo asked, breaking the silence.

"Okay."

Sav was glad he asked. It must be midnight but she didn't want the night to end.

***

"You haven't eaten dinner?" Sav concluded as she watched Leo prepare the ingredients for the pasta.

Since there were no near restaurants open anymore Leo decided he'd cook a meal for them at home.

"Yes. Was too busy," Leo said as he focused on chopping some white onions after placing a pot of water on the stove.

"Let me help," she said, already putting on an apron.

"You really don't have to. I got it."

"I insist," Sav said stubbornly as she got a pair of knife and chopping board from one of the cupboards. "It'll be faster if I help."

"No need."

Sav began to work on the garlic regardless of Leo's remarks. She thought he was just being polite but later on she found out there was an entirely different reason why he cooked alone.

While the sauce was cooking, she excused herself to the bathroom and managed to bump into the same butler she met the last time she came to the mansion.

"It's an honor to meet you again Ms. Cahill," he said and bowed.

"Oh, just call me Sav, no need for such formality. I'm not a mafia boss or anything, silly."

The butler smiled. "Call me Tom then. I'm glad we get to see you accompany Sir Leonard."

"The pleasure is mine, Tom. I didn't know he's such a perfectionist in cooking though."

"Precisely," Tom agreed, his eyebrows raised. "And it's the first time he let another person help him in the kitchen."

"You mean, he doesn't allow you guys to help him?"

"No, we can't touch a thing."

Sav was beguiled. "What a strange guy."

Tom laughed at her comment but agreed nonetheless.

When Sav came back to the kitchen Leo's eyebrows were scrunched in a calculating expression as he lifted the spoon to his mouth to taste the sauce.

"How is it?" Sav asked, biting her lower lip from drooling.

"It's okay," Leo said then turned to her. He lifted the same spoon to her mouth and lifted her chin with his other finger. "Here, try it."

Sav opened her mouth and savored the sauce dutifully. Leo anticipated her reaction and looked satisfied when she smiled.

"It's perfect."

"Let's eat then."

After eating, Sav volunteered to do the dishes. They wolfed down dinner without talking, too engrossed with gorging out the pasta.

"Do you have OCD?' Sav asked as she rinsed the last dish.

"Maybe." Leo washed the cloth he wiped the counter with next to her. "Or I'm just a perfectionist."

"Is that why you always look serious?"

"This is what I look like all the time."

"Leo can I ask you something?" Sav turned to him, her tone solemn.

Leo raised an eyebrow at her as he leaned by the counter. "You always do anyway."

"Why don't you ever smile?"

"I do, you just don't see it."

She went closer, scrutinizing his flawless face and deep ocean eyes. "If only people weren't so intimidated, they'd see how gentle you are." She put her hands on his cheeks, lifting them up. "Maybe your cheeks forgot how to smile?"

He caught her hands, his eyes suddenly smoldering at her. "Me, gentle? I'm anything but gentle."

The next thing Sav knew she was against the wall, her hands on his chest and his arm above her head. "Look into my eyes Savannah. What do you see?"

Trying to concentrate hard, she looked into them. There were tints of redness in his eyes and darkness under his eyes. "Frustration?"

"Correct but it's not the frustration from the blueprints nor the academy. I'm deeply frustrated with something else."

"What?" Sav tried to remain calm but she knew she was anything but.

"You're here." He touched the ends of her long hair. "All alone. Eating my food. And touching a man."

"B-but we're friends."

"So don't make me cross the line." He suddenly let go and turned his back on her.

"You should leave. I'll see you in class."

"Okay." Sav abruptly left, her cheeks flaming. Not once in her life had her heart beat so fast.