Chapter 21: 20- I'm Responsible For You

20

But I didn’t let it get that far.

No, we didn’t kiss. Almost, yes, but it never happened.

I was too much of a chicken to let that happen. Just as when he leaned in to close the tiny space in between us, I turned away, moving away from him at the same time so he wouldn’t kiss my cheek or my hair. My lips were quivering as I did so. My body was trembling but I thank the heavens it wasn’t obvious.

I was terrified; too much of a coward to let someone kiss me after seven years.

His hand left my thigh as he sighed from behind me and I could feel him shift around so he was facing in front again where the waters were and where Liam and Allie were collecting seashells.

“It’s getting pretty late.” I muttered, scrapping my drawing on the ground with on swipe of my hand. “We should go back and get some rest. We still have to get back home.”

I stood up and dusted off the sand that had got caught to my dress and stuck on my skin.  I didn’t look back at Blake and just kept my face straight. My face had started to cool down but that doesn’t mean I’m still not affected by the incident that had happened just a few seconds ago.

A warm hand grabbed my forearm pulling me to a stop. He said nothing; I said nothing. We both stayed silent as I waited for him to say something but nothing came. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I didn’t even know what I was going to say

After a few more seconds his grip on me tightened a little before he let go of me and I resumed right away to walking where Liam and Allie were collecting shells.

The elevator doors open revealing the hallway to our rooms. I didn’t hesitate on stepping out of the box with Liam in my arms. I didn’t talk to Blake as we made our way to the hotel and to the elevators. I didn’t make eye contact with him, and as much as possible stayed a good yard away from him like he carrying some kind of contagious disease.

I placed Liam on the ground as I slipped the card key in the door lock. A second later, it clicked and the tiny light glowed green, unlocking the door. I pushed it open and Liam ran inside. I was about to do the same when Blake’s hand wrapped around my arm, preventing me from doing so.

“Bethany.”

I gave a light nod in response but he said nothing. I still refused to look at him.

“Bethany.” This time his voice was deeper and held authority, telling me to look at him or else.

I gathered up all of my courage- which wasn’t much in the very beginning- and turned around to look at him. He didn’t seem impressed by my childish behavior.

“Blake.” I said trying to sound normal but it ended up with me sounding like a squirrel on helium to which Allie giggled to.

He paused and opened his mouth to say something but closed it, debating on himself on what to say. After a moment or so, he sighed and pursed his lips on a thin line before speaking.

“Good night Bethany.”

“Good night!” Allie squealed in his arms.

“Good night Allie.” I smiled at her and then turned to her father and in a small, tired voice, I said, “Good night Blake.”

He let go of his grasp on me and I walk in the room and closed the door behind me. Liam was already asleep on the bed with his feet hanging off at the edge. His little plastic bag filled with an assortment of seashells sat comfortable on the side table.

I didn’t know what time it was, or if I was dreaming or not but I felt someone kick my side and pull the blanket that was wrapped around my body away. My eyes shot wide open, fearing that it might be a burglar or a kidnapper. If it was, then the hotel’s security sucked.

I turned the bed side lamp on and saw Liam twisting and turning beside me, the blankets coiling around him. He let out small whimpers.

“Liam?” I kicked what was left of my blanket on my body and scurried towards Liam. I dashed out of the bed as soon as my skin made contact with his forehead and felt him burning up like Mordor.

Liam was sick real bad and even though I had lived by myself for years, taking care of myself whenever I got sick, I don’t know how to take care of another person who is sick, let alone a child.

I scrambled to my feet and quickly located my phone. With my trembling fingers, I unlocked it and called my sister. I don’t know where she was or what she was doing but if it had something to do with her son, I know she won’t get pissed.

“Liam.” I muttered with utmost concern. How could he get sick? It didn’t rain and he did shower after going for a swim.

I went back to the bed, my other hand on Liam’s arm trying to wake him up by shaking him. She picked up on the fifth ring.

“Hello?” was her response. Odd. And she sounded like she just woke up, and I had no idea she had such a deep voice. It was Dominic.

“Dominic? Is Reese there?” of course I ask for my sister. I was panicking and talking to my brother in law in that state isn’t really what I want him to hear.

“Bethany? It’s Blake.” The voice on the other line said.

“Blake? I thought I called Reese.”

“What’s wrong?”

I shook my head, still being the stubborn brat and choosing to avoid him at all costs even if he was our ride home. “It’s nothing. I have to call my sister. I’m going to hang up.”

Just as I finished talking, Liam screamed.

“Bethany! What’s happening?”

“It’s Liam,” I admitted, my voice shaking so bad I wondered if he actually understood what I had just said.

“Say no more. I’m coming over.” He sounded awake now. “Open the door now.”

I tossed my phone aside and dashed out of the bedroom. Blake had a sleepy Allie in his arms. Her eyes were half open as she dozes off for a second or two before waking up again, leaning back and forth.

I moved aside to let them in. Blake placed Allie on the couch and grabbed my arm as he sprinted to the bedroom which was only a few meters away.

“What happened?” Blake asked keeping his eyes on Liam as he sat down beside him.

“He’s sick.” I blurted out. “Liam’s burning up real hot right now and I don’t know what to do.”

Blake placed his hand over Liam’s forehead who just woke up. Blake shook his head and stood up.

“I have some medicines in my bag but I don’t know if it’s okay for Liam.” I power walked to my bag and rummaged through, pulling out a small white pouch.

“He can’t take that.” Blake said. “I don’t know how much his dosage is. Do you?” I shook my head at him

“But I have a list on what to give him in case he gets sick.” Producing a small lightly crumpled white piece of paper from the same pouch, I said, “But I don’t have anything with me on the list.”

“Go get him a towel and wipe him down. It’ll cool his body off.” Blake stood up and went to the door. “I’ll see if I could give him any of the medicines I brought.”

I nodded as he left. There were hand towels in the closet so I took them out and soaked it in cool water then started wiping Liam’s face.

“Aunt Beth?”

“Yes Liam?” I muttered, preoccupied in lowering his body temperature down. “How do you feel?”

He shook his head at me. “Not good. I fee l so tired.”

“You’re sick.” I told him flatly.

He shook his head again. “I don’t want to be sick!”

“Liam, stop shaking your head so much. You’re going to get a headache.”

“B-but I don’t want to be sick” he pouted and crossed his arms. “I want to play with Al-ee!”

“Allie’s asleep, and you should be too.” I caressed his face.

He frowned. “I don’t want to be sick.”

I smiled at him. “When you get some sleep, you’ll feel better.”

His eyes lit up like the fourth of July. “Really?”

Maybe. “Yes.”

A knock came from the door. That must be Blake.

I don’t remember falling asleep, but I did.

Hours later, around ten in the morning, someone was shaking me awake, muttering something incoherent. I shoved the person’s hand away, pulling the blankets closer to my body. I heard the creature sigh. Well too bad I’m not a morning person.

“Wake up Bethany.” Came in a deep voice. “It’s already late and breakfast is getting cold.”

Slowly I opened my eyes and I don’t know whether I regret it or not because the first thing I saw was a man’s chest. I shrieked. I was not used to seeing so much skin from another person first thing in the morning.

Holy mother of carrots. Blake was shirtless in front of me and I had my arm and leg over his body. My face heated up like a cooked lobster as I sat up quickly, looking around the room.

The door was wide open and I could see Allie and Liam on the couch watching television. I guess he did get better overnight.

Back to my concern: why was Blake shirtless and why was he in my arms? (And legs but that sounds terrible so it’s just arms) Did we do anything last night? Oh crap, please tell me I did not do anything embarrassing. The last thing I remember was giving Liam his medicine.

“Just to make things clear, nothing happened.” I heard Blake say beside me as he took in my panicked expression. “I sleep without a shirt on.”

Well that clears things up.

“I can’t believe I fell asleep.” I muttered. “I’m sorry that I did. I shouldn’t have. It’s my responsibility to look after Liam.”

“Bethany.”

I ignored him. “It was already late at night- well, early in the morning but you get me. And you had to wake Allie up. Oh god, I had to interrupt her sleep.”

“Bethany.” Blake repeated more sternly this time to try to get my attention.

“I can’t believe how neglectful I had been. If it weren’t for me-”

Blake grabbed my shoulders and shook me, interrupting my speech. “Shut up for a second.”

I did and stared at him. His eyes met mine and I just noticed how different shade of gray his eyes were. It seemed breathtakingly a few shades brighter. Or maybe it was just the light.

“I’m responsible for you, hence also for Liam.” He said, never leaving eye contact.

I wanted to turn away. I never really liked looking into someone’s eyes directly. It made me feel uncomfortable like I was an open book and they could see right through me like glass. But with Blake, I could look into his eyes all day long and it feels absolutely fine.

“You’re not responsible for me Blake.” I told him, feeling a little offended that he thought I couldn’t take care of myself. “I’m old enough to be accountable for myself. I’ve done that for years.”

“I know you have Bethany.” He said. “I just want to.”

I smiled at him and he smiled back. Blake Greene was most likely the best person I have ever met. After last night, how I refused to kiss him, how I ignored him all the way up to the room, how I avoided him, how I refused to look at him, yet he was here helping me taking care of Liam, and even had breakfast.

My eyes widened and my stomach growled in hunger. “Breakfast. You said something about breakfast earlier.”

“I see the beast is hungry already.” He teased, smirking at me.

Definitely just the light.

“Yes, whatever.” I scowled. “You mentioned breakfast, right?”

Now he looked more amused. “Yeah it’s outside. Liam and Allie might have finished them since you took so long to wake up. I woke up earlier and thought you might too so I ordered breakfast. You woke up almost two hours later.”

I turned to him with my brow arched. “Then why on earth was I hugging you?”

“I got sleepy again when the food arrived so I planned on taking a short nap.” He smiled sheepishly before barrowing his eyes at me. “Until someone trapped me.”

“I’m hungry.” I ignored him and stood up, throwing the blankets off my body and in the split of a second, I had a fear that Blake had lied telling me nothing had happened and I would find myself naked. Thank the heavens I wasn’t. “I’m eating now.”

He laughed behind me as I marched out of the room with hungry stomach. There were eggs and bacon, pancakes, waffles, and a croissant but Allie was busy eating the pancakes and Liam had his hands on the waffles so my only option was either the croissant or the eggs and bacon.

I’d rather have just the bacon but I was so hungry I didn’t care what I got. I grabbed the nearest plate- it was the croissant.

Blake emerged from the bedroom a few moments later when I had my face stuffed with the delicious buttery croissant, still shirtless. He passed by me as to grab the last plate of eggs and bacon. I gawked at him and his angel sculpted body. He had abs, yes, washboard abs. However, he didn’t have the impossibly cliché eight packs, just six but hell that was enough for me.

“Like what you see Bethany?” he teased as he sat in front of me.

I turned my head away immediately, my face burning up as he caught me checking him out.

“Do you?” he continued teasing me, a smirk on his face.

I turned head back to face him. “Yeah, I’d like the bacon please”

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Do you hear that? That's the sound of people hating me because of the first sentence of the chapter.

So tell me what you think on the comments down below. Go on and rant how you hate me because I didn't let them kiss hahaha but I did say I won't go fast with this so the kissing scene would have to wait.

This story reach #6 in Chicklit and #27 in Romance I believe in August 27th <3

On a totally different page, I passed my midterm exams on algebra and trigonometry! My school's intramurals is coming and that means more time to write because I'm too lazy to go out of the house to see a bunch of people playing sports.