Chapter 153: I want our first date to be perfect.
"Come on, Augustine, stop flirting with me," Charles whispered, giving his shoulder a playful tap as a blush bloomed across his cheeks.
Augustine chuckled, the sound deep and sultry. "I’m just saying what I wish to do," he murmured, taking Charles’s hand in his and lacing their fingers together before pulling him gently out of the sitting room—his touch possessive, his intent unmistakable.
As the sitting room door clicked shut behind them, Augustine glanced upward, his eyes catching the heavy, brooding sky. "I think it’s about to rain," he murmured, voice low and thoughtful.
Charles followed his gaze, nodding slowly. "Yeah," he replied, his tone soft, almost teasing. "Looks like the morning sky is about to get a little wetter."
Sigh!
"I... I think I’m the worst partner ever," Charles suddenly confessed, his voice laced with uncertainty.
Augustine arched a brow, confusion flickering across his face. "What? Why would you say that?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
Charles’s gaze remained fixed on the sky, lost in thought, while Augustine’s eyes lingered on Charles face, studying every subtle shift in his expression.
"I... I woke up this morning, forgetting to ask you about your health," Charles confessed with a sigh, his voice heavy with frustration at himself. "About whether you have medication to take."
Charles shifted his gaze toward Augustine, his eyes softening with regret as he continued. "All I cared about was going on a date with you, when I know damn well you got in an accident from driving at night. Letting you drive right after you left the hospital... it’s more like cruel torture."
Augustine chuckled softly, the sound warm and reassuring. "I’m fine, Pookie. I’m stronger than you could even imagine," he boldly uttered, his confidence radiating.
Augustine stepped behind Charles, his hands sliding around Charles waist, pulling him close in a possessive, yet comforting embrace. "It’s wrong for you to call yourself the ’worst partner’ just because you allow yourself to be happy," He murmured against Charles’s ear, his voice a mix of tenderness and quiet strength.
Following Augustine words, he rested his chin gently on Charles’s shoulder, his breath warm against his skin as he continued.
"Pookie, I like you, and I won’t put myself in any harm," Augustine stated with a soft voice which carries a sense of calm confidence. "I took my medication early this morning, and I can drive just fine. What happened that night... should stay in the past."
"But what if you have a traumatic attack when a big car comes speeding toward you on the road?" Charles questioned. "I don’t even know how to drive—how would I be any help to you?"
"Hahaha," Augustine laughed, the sound rich and warm, filling the space between them.
"Are you praying that something bad happens to me?" he teased, his tone playful, though his eyes held a glimmer of something deeper.
Charles instantly shook his head sideways. "Of course not."
"Good," Augustine purred, his voice low and soothing as he leaned away from Charles.
With a confident stride, he began to make his way toward the car garage. "I’ll be fine as long as you’re with me."
Augustine glanced over his shoulder, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Also, we need to visit a restaurant for a nice breakfast. So, don’t worry too much, okay?"
Charles felt the urge to protest against Augustine’s words, but instead, he found himself nodding.
Charles trailed after Augustine, and as they reached the car garage, Augustine reached over, opening the door of his black ford car with a casual grace.
Charles slid inside, before securing his seatbelt.
After making sure that Charles was properly seated, Augustine made his way around to the other side of the car, opening the driver’s door with an effortless ease.
He slid inside, fastening his seatbelt before letting out a hoarse breath.
With a soft hum, he turned the engine over, the sound filling the quiet.
"I hope it doesn’t rain," Charles purred, his eyes fixed on Augustine as he drove them smoothly out of the mansion compound, the city unfolding ahead.
Augustine smiled, his tone teasing yet soothing. "Pookie, it won’t rain, so don’t be paranoid, okay?" he mumbled, his hand steady on the wheel.
But just eight minutes into their drive down the bustling town road, a loud crack of thunder split the sky, followed by a flash of lightning.
Before Charles could even react, heavy droplets of rain began to pour, drumming against the windshield in a relentless, soothing rhythm.
Augustine glanced at Charles, his smirk playful. "Well, maybe I was wrong," he murmured, the rain blurring the world outside.
"I should have been more paranoid," Charles sneered, staring out the car window.
He watched as passers-by rushed to find shelter from the rain, some holding umbrellas, while others strolled as if the downpour didn’t affect them.
Augustine sighed, his fingers drumming lightly against the steering wheel. "If I keep driving, we’re going to get stuck in traffic," he muttered with a weary breath.
"Then why don’t we pull over?" Charles suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We could have a wonderfully nice date right here in the car. Just you, me, and the rain."
Augustine quickly shook his head, eyes fixed on the rain-slicked road ahead. "I want our first date to be perfect, Pookie," he murmured, determination lacing his voice. "So I have to find a way to make it work—rain or not so—."
"Hey!" Charles snapped, cutting Augustine off mid-sentence. "Pull over. Right now."
Charles voice was sharp, cold—laced with a kind of authority that made Augustine’s hands became still on the wheel.
"You just recovered from a car accident," Charles hissed, his eyes fierce. "I’m not going to sit here and let you drive through this rain like it’s nothing. Not again." Charles spat coldly.
"Now, pull over."
The last phrase of Charles left no room for negotiation and Augustine found himself obeying, his fingers tightening slightly as he guided the car to the side of the road.
Ever so slowly, Augustine pulled the car over to the side of the road, the wipers still swiping away the relentless rain.
He turned his gaze to Charles, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"So... are we just going to sit here, doing nothing, while we wait for the rain to stop?" he asked, his voice low and laced with playful curiosity.
"Nah," Charles replied with a shrugged shoulder. "While we wait for its to stop raining, we would..."