Burning Passion

CHAPTER 156: MISUNDERSTANDING 

* * *

Nikki followed Theo, bringing her below the main deck, and led her to the first level of the vessel where the room was located. She enters inside, wandering her eyes, she notices that Theo stepped inside: closes and locks the door behind him.

'What is he planning now?' Nikki bites her lower lip, instructing her chest to stop beating nervously. She takes a deep breath and asks the guy.

"Why are you still here?" She averted her gaze when Theo was gaping at her with intent. She's figuring out of an alibi for him to leave the room. "What are you doing? Brother Daichi, brother David, and brother Matt were outside..." She gulped when the guy did not move or respond. 

'Why is he quiet?' She became frustrated with Theo's silence. All she could hear is him sighing endlessly. 'What's wrong with him?' I'm supposed to be the one sighing here. Nikki pouted in secret, impatiently waiting for Theo to speak.

Later, Theo finally spoke. "Nik, I wanted to talk to you." 

He could speak, at last. If only Nikki knew how nervous he was. His head was full of words, struggling with which one he must bring up first. 'Ugh! What's wrong with you, Theo Shang?' He scolded himself, carefully remembering the words he wanted to open up with Nikki.

Meanwhile, Nikki grew puzzled with Theo's behavior. She asked him bluntly. 

"Is there something we should talk about?" Is Theo going to scold her for not taking care of his child by making the wrong decisions? 

She admits that she has a fault. She should ask for someone's help. But she followed everything they told her without pondering to tell the police or brother Daichi or anyone she knew; because it was her mother's safety that laid on the table. 

But she doesn't want either to put everyone in danger when brother Daichi, including Theo, comes to fight Brandon Hale and save her. 'Ah. I haven't thanked him yet.' Nikki murmurs to her head. 

"Theo—" 

"Nik—" 

Shot! They speak at the same time. It feels awkward. Nikki clears her throat and says, "You go ahead!" 

"You can go first," said Theo. His chest remains pounding loudly. 

"Oh, I… Actually, erm, I wanted to thank you for coming and helping brother David and the others to arrest Brandon Hale." 

Theo clenches both of his fists. His face flashes a grim emotion but wiped it out quickly. Though his expression darkened remains; clearly, Nikki misunderstands what she heard this afternoon when he confessed to Matt. 

"Nikki… what did you find out this afternoon?" 

It surprised her when Theo brought up the afternoon incident, and she overheard their conversation. 'Now what? How should I deny it? Ah!' 

"I— should I hear something?" She denies it. No. She avoided talking about it. 

"You eavesdrop when Matt and I talk about something." 

"I did not! I mean… I did not eavesdrop to any of your conversations." Ugh. That was a mistake! 

Theo wrinkled his forehead, confused with Nikki's answers to him. 

"What do you mean of my conversations?" he asked curiously, and he wants an answer from Nikki. 

"It was nothing. I want to take a rest now. I'm tired." She was not prepared to face him when she was this confused, and her mind was all over the place. "Can we talk again after I get a nap?" 

"No." 

"Why not? You are inconsiderate right now." 

"I don't want to wait for another day for us not to talk." Determination showed in his eyes. He wanted to end his lies, his secrets that lead to a misunderstanding. 

"Okay, fine… now what? What do you want?" 

"I wanted to know which part did you eavesdrop when Matt and I had a conversation?" 

Nikki staring dumbly at Theo's face. 'Eavesdrop??? Seriously? I did not!' However, she can't mutter this, nor read what is playing on Theo's mind. His intense gaze melted her. She averted her eyes and struggled to find an alibi to reason with him. 

"Um, what I heard is not important. There is nothing to care about it…" 

"Nikki!" 

She shudders when Theo slams his hand to the wall. Theo is gaping at her with intense she cannot pull her eyes away. 

'What's wrong with him! Why is he scaring me like this?' Nikki frowned. She's biting her lip. 

"What do you want to hear that I heard...?" Ugh. What was that? 

"I don't want you to misunderstand whatever you discovered that time." 

"About what? Should I not misunderstand anything?" 

"Nikki!?" 

She wants to giggle. Theo's voice was full of frustration. It's also what is displayed on his face. And he was kind of cute. Ugh. His body scent dazed her… Nikki swallows and carefully breathes some air. He is too close, and she could breathe his manly scent. 'Wait... that's not it.' It was just he is sweating and it does mix up to his body odor that pleasant to her nose. Ugh. She's losing her head.

Theo heaves a sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell. It's just…" Theo rakes his long hair with his right fingers. He was sweating from nervousness. He cannot decide which one to say first. Whether to apologize or explain everything first. 

"I'm serious, Nik. I don't want you to misunderstand anything. So, please, tell me what you heard when you overheard us." 

Nikki gives Theo a confusing look, murmuring to herself. And what she must not misunderstand? First, he already knew she was pregnant. But he keeps it a secret. Instead, he requested them to meet again. 

That's right. He already learned that time! But thankfully she figures out the possibilities, and so she takes a test, but then, Miss Riley and Miss Blaire find out. Now, to think about it. No wonder he was laughing that time he invited her for lunch! 

Now she grew mad at him. He was just playing at her. So she made up her mind not to admit what she learned yesterday morning. All she has to do now is to deny she discovered something to his conversation with Doctor Ben and brother Matt. 

"Ahem. I overheard nothing." Ugh. She can't look straight to his eyes. Theo won't buy it.

Theo frowned. He doubted Nikki that denying. "You're lying, Nik. You're avoiding my gaze." 

Nikki returned to him, "So what do you want to hear?" she blurts out. "That… hey! Don't worry. I won't make a fuse that now I know—" 

"You know— the what?" 

'Gosh! Why is he questioning me like this?' 

"That… that…" shit! She's stammering her words. Suddenly, Theo is demanding her to say something. She is even confused about what she should tell him. Nikki looked up and gaped at Theo. 'Gosh. He's so handsome. Is he punishing me? He has no idea how I want to bite him now. Please, oh God, help me control myself before I could do such a thing out of impulse.' 

Meanwhile, Theo was very curious. Nikki is showing a cute expression in front of him. Sometimes, she seems panicking, or she was about to giggle, then a dark glare flashing her eyes. He was very intrigued by what she was thinking and what she assumes. But it looks cute and beautiful every time she blushes or flustered when surprised.

"Nikki? I asked you one more time. What did you hear?" He repeated his question.

Frowning, Nikki replied to Theo. "It does not matter. You will hear nothing from me."

"But I want to know! "

Her eyes widened, staring at Theo dumbly. Why is he yelling at her now? Is she supposed to be the one to get angry? But she has no right to feel that toward him. Theo is helping her not only to give her mother the blood she needed but it was also the cost of the treatment. So then, she should not complain. They have an arrangement. It's just so sad that he will only give her child to his uncle. Maybe she could request his brother to raise the child until a certain age.

Nikki gathers her courage. When she is tense, she unconsciously plays with her fingers while biting her lower lip.

Stunned, Theo froze from where he stood. He trapped Nikki between his arms. Now she's showing him that kind of expression. Does she realize that she is seducing him? It tempted him to kiss those lips of hers right then.

Anyway, he didn't mean to raise his voice at her. It just frustrates him, and afraid that Nikki would mad at him. He massages the bridge of his nose and forehead, feeling as to how he's only putting tension between them. He needs to apologize.

"I'm sorry…"

"Can I talk to your brother?"

Theo and Nikki spoke at the same time once again, which made Theo surprised and confused.

"Why do you want to talk with my brother?" Suddenly, he felt jealous that Nikki mentioned another man to their talk, even though it was his brother.

"I— erm that matter will be between us."

"What do you mean about that?" Now jealousy triggered his sanity. What would Nikki want with Jeremy? Ugh. What now?

Nikki senses the sharpness in Theo's return. But since he was planning to give the child away, then the right person to talk about the child's well-being is the person who is going to adopt him. Although it hurts her, she and Theo don't remember their past.

"Nikki Lindsey!"

Why is Theo shouting at her now?