Chapter 36 Eating The Same Apple
Rachel’s eyes widened, her voice brimming with genuine admiration. “Trey, you’re incredibly pretty!”
In that fleeting moment, she found herself struck by how similar he was to Jeffrey. The
resemblance was uncanny, the same age, the same height, and a striking resemblance in their features. If only life had treated Jeffrey more kindly, if illness hadn’t stolen his childhood, he could have blossomed into a confident, vibrant young man, just like Trey.
Trey, momentarily taken aback, scratched his head with an awkward grin. “That’s… unexpected. You’ve got me blushing here.”
Rachel’s thoughts drifted once again, momentarily lost in memories of Jeffrey. She stared at Trey, almost seeing only Jeffrey in him, a bittersweet ache in her chest.
“Wait a second,” Rachel suddenly exclaimed, her voice sharp with realization.
Trey stiffened, instinctively halting his movements. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his
face.
With a slow, deliberate motion, Rachel reached out, her delicate fingers combing through his soft hair as the light from the sun danced around them. Her touch was as gentle as the softest breeze, tender and soothing.
“All set,” Rachel said, admiring her work. After a few careful adjustments, she smiled, satisfied. “This style suits you much better, don’t you think?”
Trey didn’t even glance at himself in the mirror, simply nodding enthusiastically. “If you say so, I’ll keep it this way from now on.”
Meanwhile, just outside the hospital room, Brian stood in the shadows, his expression
cold and unreadable.
His voice was sharp as he addressed Ronald. “Find a way to get him out of here.”
“Understood, sir,” Ronald responded quickly, sensing the tension in Brian’s tone.
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Moments later, Trey’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then turned to Rachel with an apologetic smile. “There’s an urgent matter at the office. I need to head back.”
“Go ahead,” Rachel said with an encouraging smile. “Give it your best.”
“I won’t disappoint you,” Trey assured her before heading out.
When Brian stepped into the room, he found Rachel lying asleep, an IV drip gently flowing into her arm. The soft beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound, a quiet
rhythm that seemed to mirror her calm breath.
As Rachel slowly woke, the edges of her vision blurred, and she thought she saw a
figure standing nearby. His face, so familiar, lingered in her groggy mind. For a moment, she believed it was him. But as her thoughts sharpened, a sinking realization hit her, it
couldn’t be him.
It must be a dream, a lingering fantasy she hadn’t fully woken from. But the air around her seemed thick with Brian’s presence, his warmth, his scent, and even the quiet weight of his gaze.
In a sudden jolt of disbelief, Rachel closed her eyes tightly, willing the illusion to fade.
But when she opened them again, Brian was there.
Rachel blinked several times, disbelieving, but when she closed her eyes once more, a voice broke through the stillness of the room, laced with quiet frustration. “Rachel, do you really not want to see me?”
The voice, so unmistakably Brian’s, sent a shock of realization through her. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she instinctively reached out, her fingers finding his hand.
“I don’t,” she murmured, her voice soft but full of something deeper. She hadn’t expected him to return, to linger in the space between them after everything that had
happened.
By the afternoon, Brian had Ronald bring over his laptop and a stack of files. He was engrossed in work, his phone constantly buzzing, his attention divided between calls and emails. Even as he sipped water between conversations, his focus never wavered.
As he set his glass down, he noticed Rachel’s cheeks slightly puffed out. Curious, he asked casually, “What are you eating?”
“An apple,” she replied, offering him a playful grin. “It’s really sweet. Want to try?” She cut a fresh slice and held it out to him.
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Brian barely acknowledged the apple slice, his focus shifting to her lips. His usually calm eyes now smoldered with an intensity that sent a shiver through her. “Is it really sweet?” he asked, his voice low and deliberate.
“Absolutely, it’s delicious. I wouldn’t lie to you,” Rachel insisted, holding the slice closer, her eyes urging Brain to bite.
Without a word, Brian closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms with a smooth, effortless motion. Her body pressed against his, his solid frame anchoring her as her head lightly bumped into his chest. The unexpected closeness left her a little breathless, a flutter of warmth spiraling through her.
“Careful now,” Rachel murmured softly, her voice full of sweetness, making Brian’s
heart race a little faster.
A deep chuckle rumbled from Brian, warm and low. “Did I hurt you?”
“Just a little,” she replied, her lips curling into a smile. “Do you still want the apple?”
His smile widened, the amusement clear in his eyes. “Feed me.”
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a playful smirk as she gently held the apple to his lips. The fading sunlight bathed the room, casting everything in a soft, golden. glow that seemed to highlight the quiet intimacy between them. Their connection felt effortless like they were two pieces of a puzzle finally falling into place.
He took his time savoring the apple, his gaze never leaving hers. When he finally finished, She leaned in, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Well? Was it sweet?”
“Not sweet enough,” he replied, his voice teasing, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Her brow furrowed slightly, a playful glint dancing in her eyes. “How can that be? It was sweet enough for me. Try this piece,” she said, picking out another slice, more carefully chosen than the last. She extended it toward him with a soft smile.
Brian, however, leaned back slightly, shaking his head. “I’m fine. No more for me.”
She raised an eyebrow in mock disbelief. “Really? You’re not going to eat it?”
“Really,” he affirmed, his tone firm, though there was a subtle challenge in his
eyes.
With a shrug, she tossed the slice into her mouth, not thinking much of it. But as soon as the crisp apple touched her lips, Brian’s lips brushed against hers, capturing the opposite end of the slice in one fluid motion.
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For a split second, the world seemed to stop, suspended in the quiet hum of the hospital room. Rachel froze, eyes wide, her breath caught in her chest.
Rachel blinked rapidly, caught off guard by the unexpected closeness. Her lashes. fluttered like delicate wings, and in that moment, something in Brian’s heart stirred, a flutter of warmth he hadn’t expected.
A soft chuckle escaped Brian’s lips, but it was low and warm, filled with the quiet tension between them. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t want to share?”
Rachel’s clear, luminous eyes met his, filled with a mix of confusion and something deeper–something that resonated within him, stirring emotions he couldn’t quite
name.
Brian’s gaze softened as he took another bite of the apple, then, with a playful smirk, left the smallest piece near her lips. “I changed my mind,” he said quietly, his voice full of a teasing warmth.
Rachel froze, caught off guard by his sudden shift. She looked down at the apple, then
back at him, unsure of what he was up to. Before she could ask, he moved swiftly, spinning her around with ease and pressing her against the table. The world tilted, her senses disoriented by the sudden closeness.
When she finally regained composure, his lips found hers in a kiss that was at once gentle and overwhelming, as if he were claiming her in the most intimate way. Time seemed to slow, and everything outside that moment faded. His kiss was like a savoring, as though she was the sweetest thing he’d ever known.
Rachel’s heart pounded in her chest, the rhythmic beat threatening to spill out of her. She gripped his shirt, feeling the hard press of his body against hers, her breath catching in her throat. She could feel every inch of him, every breath, every touch, like he was carving a mark on her soul.
“Brian…” Rachel’s voice came out barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. Her entire body trembled, and the intensity of the moment made her feel vulnerable in a
way she hadn’t anticipated.
Despite the intimacy they had shared in the past, this felt different, more real, more meaningful. Brian’s gaze, filled with unspoken affection, told Rachel everything she needed to know. At that moment, she was the most important person in his eyes.
Just as the warmth between them deepened, a sudden ringing shattered the quiet intimacy. Brian pulled away reluctantly, his hand reaching for his phone.
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Still reeling from the kiss, Rachel glanced at the screen, her heart sinking when she saw Tracy’s name flashing on the display.
The realization hit Rachel like a cold wave. Though it wasn’t surprising, the weight of it made her stomach tighten. Once Tracy was in the picture, she knew she would be pushed aside once again.
Feeling the weight of the situation, Rachel took a step back, composing herself as best she could. She turned away, her voice soft but resolute. “I think I’ll rest for a bit.”
