Beauty's breath hitched, and she felt her whole body heat up under his touch.
Bruno went back to his position, and silence fell between them again.
Beauty picked at her food. She could feel Bruno's eyes on her, again!
She struggled to keep her hands steady as she lifted a forkful of pancakes to her mouth.
As she tried to focus on finishing her food, Bruno suddenly spoke up, his voice soft but sincere.
"You know... I never realized how much I cared about you until last night. I've always had a soft spot for you, but..."
Beauty froze, her fork hanging mid-air. Her breath hitched at his words, her heart flipping in her chest.
"W-What?"
Bruno continued.
"Seeing you sick, being here... It made me realize I don't want to see you like that ever again. It was scary. Please, be more careful."
Beauty's cheeks flushed. She didn't know what to say.
Was this an indirect confession? Was Mr. Bruno actually saying he cared about her, or was she overthinking and being delusional?
The thought made her stomach flip.
Bruno knelt beside her again, this time brushing the back of his hand against her cheek, checking for a fever, maybe.
"Okay, what now?" Beauty asked herself. She could feel her heart beating so fast it might burst.
Bruno's gaze shifted from her lips to her eyes, then back to her lips, with his face just inches away from hers.
"Is he going to kiss me?!"
The closeness made Beauty feel dizzy, and her skin tingled under his touch. She couldn't take it anymore.
Her breath came in shallow bursts, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she stared up at him.
For a moment, she thought he might kiss her.
"Kiss me already, please, before I melt away from your gaze!" she yelled inside.
Unfortunately for Beauty, he pulled back.
His hand dropped to his side, and he took a step away without saying a word.
Beauty sat there, still frozen, her heart hammering in her chest. She could still feel the ghost of his touch on her skin.
She tried to calm herself, but her body betrayed her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breath was unsteady.
Disappointed that there was no kiss, she ate her food in silence, her mind racing with a thousand questions.
Could Bruno actually be interested in her? Maybe he was nervous to make a move. It seemed impossible—he was Bruno! However, the way he looked at her... the way he defended her...
Didn't it say something? What if she had been blinded by her insecurities all along?
The thought sent a flutter through her chest, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at him.
There were signs... right? Maybe it is time for her to give him some signals too. She had to, or someone else would. Others had been trying, but she never gave it a shot.
What if she made him understand that she is a woman with needs too?
She wanted him to be more than just the kind Mr. Bruno. She wanted him to show her off, kiss her, make love to her 24 hours a day, and have his children.
"Okay, I went far with that one," she thought, her cheeks suddenly feeling warm as she was too shy to meet his gaze.
Besides, one of her exes had shown her off just because he saw her as desperate for such love language, not because he really wanted to.
He did it to gain her trust and turn her into a sex toy. At the end of the day, he had his hands wrapped around the tiny waist of a beautiful woman. The standard.
---
After the meal, Beauty felt full and thankful.
"Thanks, I enjoyed..."
She raised her face to look at him, only to find him dozing off.
He was sitting on the floor beside her bed, resting his back against it. His posture was relaxed, his head slightly tilted to the side, his breathing slow and steady.
He looked so angelic.
The sight of him like that made her heart skip a beat.
"The caring giant must be stressed out. I better let him be," she smiled softly, biting her lip.
Careful not to wake him, Beauty leaned in, her fingers lightly brushing his arm, then slowly moving to his cheek. His skin felt so warm, and before she could stop herself, her fingers drifted to his lips.
They were soft, slightly parted as he slept. Her heart raced, and an urge to kiss him surged through her.
"Should I...?" she thought, her mind racing as she leaned closer, her breath catching in her throat.
It was dangerous! Risky!
Still, she felt so drawn to him, like a magnet pulling her closer. She leaned in more, her heart racing heavily.
Just as her lips were mere inches from his, Bruno's eyes suddenly fluttered open.
Beauty jumped, her heart slamming in her chest as she yanked herself back.
"I'm, sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" she panicked, realizing what she had almost done.
Bruno blinked at her, still groggy and confused, but Beauty didn't wait for him to fully wake up.
She grabbed the plates in a flustered rush, nearly knocking one over in her haste.
"I'll... take these to the kitchen!" she stammered, her voice an octave higher than normal as she practically bolted from the room, her face burning with embarrassment.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she hurried away, dying with shyness, wondering if Bruno had noticed how close she'd been or what she'd almost done.
After putting away the dishes, she was surprised to find the kitchen sparkling clean.
She had expected a mess after Bruno's cooking, but he seemed to be a clean freak. Not even a single stain.
"If he's this neat, doesn't that make him gay?"
Jessie's voice echoed in her head.
"Get out of my head, you freak! He loves women!"
Beauty practically waved the thought away like she would a cobweb.
She returned to the room and found him still sleeping on the floor.
"I have to wake him up," she said to herself. She walked over and tapped his shoulder gently.
"Sir. Bruno."