Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-48. Flowers

[Xanthea]

Asher remained silent, contemplating me as though he were drinking in every minor detail of my face.

His gaze turned stoic as they skimmed over the flowers.

"Let's just say... I've found a new hobby," he said.

I tried to read his eyes, his face, but failed. Except for the soft warmth in his eyes, I couldn't get a glimpse of his soul or his thoughts whatsoever. "Hobby of collecting flowers from the earthly realm?" I asked.

Asher looked at me with a faint smile and gave a curt nod.

"Hobby of collecting flowers from 'your' realm," his voice was just as caressing as the breeze flowing around us.

I couldn't tell if my heart skipped a beat at the way he said those words or at the way he held my gaze and I felt lost and found at the same time. "Oh!" I briskly averted my gaze as soon as I realized he had somehow seized my breaths and stolen words right off my lips.

With a quick gulp, I cleared my throat.

"Makes sense," I smiled awkwardly. "Umm. There... there are many other beautiful flowers in my realm."

I was breathing, but there was a pleasant suffocation in my chest, something that made me breathless, as if I had just run a hundred miles.

"Is that so?" he peered at me.

Gathering whatever courage I could amidst my pounding heart and heating cheeks, I looked into his gray eyes. But that was a wrong decision, a very wrong decision. Asher stepped closer to me.

"I wanna know the names of all the flowers you like. Every single one of them."

With a gentle touch, he delicately scooped a few strands of my hair, cradling them between his fingers.

The intensity of his gaze was far beyond my endurance. My chest heaved faster as I turned around and nervously ran my eyes over the flowerpots.

I could feel his body heat on my back, and I knew he was standing closer.

"Umm. Well. There are many... umm... roses, tulips, peonies, lavender, daisies, carnations, dahlia. There must be thousands of them and each with hundreds of varieties," I said in one long, cold breath. "My house would be too small to collect them all, right?"

I looked at him.

"Well... you can collect the flowers that mean something to you. Which you think might add value, beauty and positive energy to your house," I said.

He looked in deep thought as he glanced at the flowerpots.

these two flowers because they added something to

faded away as I felt

"Their presence in

was a prolonged silence

long... have you been alone?" He

I said with

flowers were the

shook my head and looked at him as he

companions of my

I took in the beauty of the horizon beyond

like I never felt lonely. I did. But I preferred my peace over wrong companionship. And I found peace in books. I received unadulterated love from the books and

garden," Asher said. "I'll put them back.

took a deep breath and kneeled

said. "They just need to be placed somewhere where they can get more light." I pointed

Can you help me make them feel at home? I wish to feel their companionship as well," he said in his deep voice, maintaining

the curtains, I panicked, trying to find my way out of

of us tumbled on the

head just in time, preventing it from colliding with the

me and helped me out of

the floor, I stared at him blankly as

saved the flowerpots," I said, cradling the flowerpots against

but I

what he just said, he got up

he said, brushing off the soil that had spilled

a silent gasp, shutting my eyes when he withdrew his hand from me. "The flowers..." he whispered, dropping his gaze to my parted lips, which were just a few inches away from his.

spot where I thought

need light shade so they'll be better like this." I slid the pot of forget-me-nots in jasmine's shadow. "How do you water them?" He

to take care of those plants and he literally took notes on his phone. "Although... this realm is a lot

and then to check

I said with uncertainty lacing my words as

my hair and tucked them

followed him as

Taking his hand,

your favorite flowers,"

"My?"

nodded, tilting

mother adored them. They were her favorite flowers," I said, smiling

asked about 'your' favorite flowers,

love them too," I said. "Uh... what's your