Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 86

I was breathing rapidly, frozen in place.

Brandon didn't move or say anything, but his gaze was glued to me.

To be precise, he was looking right into my eyes.

We stood there, staring at each other, neither stepping forward nor backing away:

I could even feel both our heartbeats quickening.

Until my neighbor, an elderly lady's voice sounded from outside, "The new tenant's boyfriend is kind. Look how clean he made the stairs."

That snapped me back to reality. I gave Brandon a push and quickly escaped to the living room.

But for a moment I didn't know what to do, feeling dazed and confused.

Brandon walked out, breaking the awkward silence. "Is this the house where your parents used to live?"

the wall with the photos. "You still look a lot like you did when

my parents on either

in school." Brandon glanced at my certificates again. My certificates were mostly for

student.

I responded without

paused for a

meet his eyes. This man was too

said, "Thank you for your hard work today. Let me treat you to a

to proactive because I owed him a

added, "I need to wash my

said this did I realize his face and clothes were dirty.

there was

"Give me a towel.

about to say something else, but I met his unyielding gaze. Reluctantly, I walked to the bathroom, grabbed my towel, and handed it to him. "Use this, I don't have any new ones. He nodded, then turned on the tap to wash

face in a rugged, masculine way. He splashed water on his face and even ran his hands through his hair with water. Though it wasn't cold, the water was. I was about to remind him, but he had already started

looked up, he saw me

that instant, I felt embarrassed, feeling like