Indirect kiss (part2)

As the driver steered the car toward the residential building, Natalia gazed at the streets through the window. The sky was overcast, and the air carried a slight chill that seeped through the glass. The sun was about to set, yet the streets remained crowded and lively, filled with the chatter of pedestrians and the hum of traffic.

She sighed silently as she observed the scene. Natalia had just remembered that she needed to apologize to Charlotte. Her mind had been occupied with so many things, yet the thought of offering a sincere apology for what had happened yesterday never left her.

But a whole day had already passed without her speaking to Charlotte, which might make the apology a bit more difficult. What if she knocked on Charlotte's door and got no response? That had never happened before between them.

Since they first met in the hallway in front of Kaiser's apartment, they had never fought in such a cold manner. Their petty disagreements were always resolved either through aggression or by eating and drinking until morning.

Raindrops began to fall, one after another, before cascading down the windowpane. The world outside transformed into a blurred watercolor painting in an instant. Natalia's green eyes followed the droplets as they slid along the cold surface, as if reliving a distant memory.

Inside the living room, Charlotte was still lying on the couch, with Leonid's body resting behind her. His chest was pressed against her back, his legs entwined with hers in a position that seemed utterly comfortable almost surrendering.

Her chestnut lashes fluttered silently, while Leonid's warm breath brushed against the top of her hair. Neither of them had spoken for a long time, yet the silence between them was not empty of meaning.

But Charlotte couldn't stay like this any longer. She couldn't stand simply lying there without moving. She pressed her full lips together as she thought, then closed her eyes for a moment, trying to shut everything out.

Leonid, on the other hand, was not asleep. In fact, he hadn't closed his eyes at all. He was waiting, observing in silence, trying to guess whether Charlotte wanted to start a light conversation with him.

But was she thinking the same way he was? Or was she lost in another world, grappling with issues she hadn't shared with him?

Breaking this quiet wall between them was somewhat difficult, especially since Leonid didn't want to push her too quickly and make her uneasy.

He sighed softly, and at that exact moment, he heard Charlotte let out a deep sigh as well.

Leonid raised an eyebrow slightly, as if what he had just heard was the long awaited signal to break the silence. That was when he finally decided to act.

In one swift motion, he lifted her by the waist, pulling her closer until his chin rested on her shoulder while she remained lying down, with him behind her.

Charlotte gasped, her eyes widening as her hands instinctively clung to his arms. For a moment, she was about to protest perhaps even yell but before she could, she felt his warm breath against her ear and cheek.

She froze in place. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and then her body shuddered involuntarily as Leonid lowered his head, resting the side of his face against her cheek.

There was no safe distance between them.

"Are you okay now?"

His voice was sharp, yet his tone remained soft, as if it slipped directly into her mind.

"Have you moved past what happened between us, or is it still lingering in your thoughts?"

Charlotte understood exactly what he meant, but she didn't respond. She only felt a faint tingling sensation in her ear and on her cheek, which had now become a pillow for his silver strands and resting head.

Leonid remained silent for a moment before speaking again, this time with a playful tone.

"I'll take your silence as a yes."

Slowly, his arm withdrew from her waist, his hand rising toward her face.

With the tips of his fingers, he traced the bridge of her nose gently, then slid down to her lips, stopping at her chin and nudging it upward slightly. Then, with a light touch, he tapped her lips again.

At that moment, Charlotte exhaled slowly against his fingertip. Then, suddenly, she lunged forward, her teeth sinking into his finger like a fish caught in a trap.

Leonid's eyes widened for a moment before a faint smile graced his lips, followed by a soft chuckle. He tilted his head forward, his face slipping between her neck and shoulder, his warm breath seeping into her sensitive skin.

"My darling~"

He tried to speak through his muffled laughter while Charlotte blushed, gripping his finger tightly, resisting the urge to escape from the bewildering sensation of his breath.

Carefully, Leonid began to pull his finger from between her teeth, saying in an amused tone. 

"You should be gentler. A simple, innocent touch won't hurt your pri— Oh, god!"

His head lifted quickly, his smile still lingering as Charlotte tightened her grip on him, her teeth pressing down mercilessly.

She was determined.

In her eyes, what Leonid had done was an affront to her dignity as a woman, and she wouldn't let him get away with it so easily.

Leonid laughed, clearly enjoying this unspoken challenge between them. He attempted once more to pull his finger free, but Charlotte's teeth were relentless, refusing to let go. At that point, he stopped resisting and leaned closer to whisper in her ear.

"You know, my darling… "

His voice was warm, but his breath was even hotter, mercilessly hitting her ear as if invading her private space with boldness.

"This… is very cute~"

In that moment, Charlotte opened her mouth, releasing his finger. But before she could catch her breath, his hand had already pulled her toward him.

In the blink of an eye, she found herself lying on her back, her eyes widening as she stared up at Leonid, who hovered above her, his body caging her in, his gaze growing deeper.

Charlotte's breaths quickened as Leonid loomed over her, his arm resting beside her head on the couch. He looked at her intently, the smile never leaving his lips.

With slow, deliberate movements, he ran his recently freed finger along her cheek, as if inspecting the mark her teeth had left behind.

"Didn't I ask you to be gentler?"

He whispered in a low voice, the trace of laughter still in his tone. But he didn't stop there.

He raised his finger to her eye level, where the marks of her teeth were clearly visible on his skin.

"Look closely, my darling… Do you think this is a cute sight?"

Charlotte frowned slightly, her gaze fixed on the finger before her, tracing the indentations her teeth had left. Then, she calmly answered his question.

"No."

Leonid tilted his head slightly, watching her with anticipation.

"Then, what comes next?"

Charlotte lifted her eyes to meet his, her expression unwavering, before stating firmly. 

"I won't apologize."

"I like this spirit~"

Leonid flattered her, but that wasn't enough for him. His curiosity was too great to let it slide so easily. Why? Why had she suddenly bitten his finger?

With a sly smile, he began asking his questions.

"Was your attack on my finger a declaration of war between us, or was it just a small act of revenge for that little poke on your lips?"

Though his question was serious, his smile and soft tone made it seem like nothing more than a lighthearted joke especially as he continued to wave his injured finger in front of her eyes, as if presenting evidence against her.

"Yes, it's just revenge!"

Her words came out quickly, without a second thought.

Leonid didn't respond immediately. Instead, he slowly raised an eyebrow, his smile widening slightly, as if he found her answer far more amusing than expected.

He sighed lightly, then, with a smooth motion, placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face slightly before whispering,

"Ah, I see~…"

His voice was calm, but there was a hidden undertone of amusement, as if he was savoring every one of her reactions.

He leaned in closer, his gaze reflecting in her own, then continued in a hushed voice, barely brushing her ears.

"So, what happened was merely an expression of your anger? A playful whim to defend your pride as a woman, correct?"

Charlotte's eyes widened in surprise. She needed a few moments to process his words before murmuring, as if trying to regain control of the situation.

"Yes… but how did you figure that out so precisely?"

Leonid smiled, his tone carrying a faint warmth as he simply replied. 

"You're easy to read… and I know you well."

"You think you know me? Then why did you poke my lip again? You know I don't like that."

Charlotte's angry spirit rushed out, as if her words were bombs exploding rapidly. Leonid blinked for a moment, then looked at her full lips, which sometimes pouted, trying to maintain some balance as he listened to her complaints.

"Hey, hey. I'd like to say I'm not mocking you. It's just that I..."

Leonid suddenly stopped, his eyes meeting hers for a second, then he looked away as if he decided to refrain from saying what he was about to say.

"It's just that you... what?"

Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest, not taking her eyes off his.

"Tell me!"

After hearing Charlotte's persistent demand, Leonid responded quickly.

"Alright, I'll tell you, no need to show such spirit."

His voice was sharp and serious.

He narrowed his eyes, then suddenly leaned over her. He came so close that their breaths mingled, and his lips were a step away from touching hers.

"You want to know, don't you? Well, let me tell you why I poked your lips."