-four-

There was a long silence between them before the lady smiled. "I guess so, Peeta." Peeta couldn't contain the chuckles that burst out of his lips as they began walking. It was a long walk that was filled with part silence, some shy conversation here and there and before he noticed it the town was reduced into nothing behind them. Before him stood the second largest house that the island held. Quaint and sophisticated. Simple and elegant. "I hope you don't mind," He slyly looked at her, Katniss gave a small chuckle. "The pleasure is all mine." Peeta entered the house followed by her, who closed the door behind her.

"You're alone?" Katniss walked her way to the kitchen and placed everything on the tiled sink.

"I expected you to know that already." Peeta just looked at her with pursed lips that soon expanded into a wide grin. "Yeah, somehow," he scratched the back of his head.

"So what brought you here?" Peeta looked at her as she dumped the vegetables to the sink and turned on the faucet. Katniss glanced up on him as he was standing next to her, leaning on the sink.

Peeta looked at the ensembles on the dinning table. "A dream." He looked at her.

"Must be some big dream, huh." Peeta smiled nodding.

"Ambitious." He looked at her before shifting his body, elbows leaning down the sink.

"I wanted to develop and preserve this island." His tone was low. Small and almost doubtful. Like he was telling her a secret that only the two of them should know.

"Yeah, ambitious." Katniss reached for the chopping board, she began peeling the carrot and he helped her casually, like they have been doing that together ever since.

"Your place is beautiful." Peeta peeled the radish that was passed to him.

"Something tells me that you are easily attracted to beauty, aren't you, Mr. Mellark." Katniss chuckled lightly. Peeta stopped and looked at her for a moment.

"Not really," he shrugged. "But your beauty…" he smiled. "Your beauty leave me so weak." Katniss tried to hide her giddiness by rolling her eyes.

"Be careful with your words," she whispered putting down the knife and the carrot. She turned to face him. Peeta looked at her.

"My words?" he asked dumbfounded, placing the radish down and the knife.

"I am serious, Peeta." She looked straight to her eyes. "I am serious about wanting you," she moved closer to him and he wasn't able to move. "You have this weird pull to me," she turned around, grabbing the carrot and went back to peeling. Peeta looked at her and realized how her words reflected the things and emotions that he couldn't put into words. He indeed felt the same hunger, the same want. That attraction, that forbidden attraction. He looked down on the half peeled radish. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, heck he shouldn't be inside her house nor nurturing this kind of emotions inside him for a woman who was not his wife. He was married for Christ's sake. He signed a vow in the country, in heaven and with the woman whom he chose to stay with for all his life and right now standing next to Katniss Everdeen they no longer matter. Liking her wasn't wrong, so does loving and being attracted to her. She doesn't has to know that he was married, Madge doesn't have to know. It could be a secret that he can keep to his graveyard. Besides, he was not the only one who do this, many men get away with cheating and keeping a mistress.

His eyes trailed from her slim fingers to her arms then to the side of her neck and finally to her face. He knew he wasn't being fair but the world was generally never fair. "The first time I saw you, I know I like you." He voiced out, staring intently at her. Katniss stopped from peeling the vegetable. "This is embarrassing so I am only going to ask this once." He took a deep breathed. "Do you like me, Katniss?" Katniss looked at him and met his blue eyes. They almost looked glinting with determination. She smiled putting down the knife and carrot. Turning, she faced him. "You are an idiot," she pulled him to her and their lips singed in a passionate kiss.

Peeta grabbed her waist and lifted her as the lady wrapped her legs around her torso and their kissed deepened. As the air in their lungs strained, they parted lips and looked at each other disoriented with the feverish intensity of their kiss. Peeta turned and made her sit on the cold tiled sink and took her lips once more, kissing her hard and rough as Katniss returned the favor, pulling him more to her, her fingers swimming in his blond hair. Gently, he coaxed her tongue, licking her lips and she parted it to let him in. The sound of their slapping tongues filled their ears and made their blood coursed in double pace. Katniss gently pushed him away, threatening to explode in the wild sensation that she just now felt. Their foreheads met and they were gasping desperately for all the air that they could inhale.

"Wow." She smiled almost against his lips. Peeta closed his eyes, "I'll take this as a yes," Katniss chuckled, raking his blond hair. "Yes indeed," she pushed herself off the sink and was about to went back to what they were doing when Peeta caught her waist with his arm. "You are so beautiful, Katniss." He whispered against the crook of her neck and she smiled before gently kissing his lips. "Whenever you tell me that, it sounded the first." And they went back in preparing lunch.

They both had a nice vegetable salad paired with vinaigrette and soup, after which they started munching fruits still telling stories about themselves, trying to get as much information from one another. They moved from the different parts of the house until they stopped on her room's balcony where the blue ocean lined infinitely against the horizon, sparkling and painted soft orange by the sunset. Time had been fast, fast enough for him not to notice.

"Look," he whispered and Katniss stood closer to him, looking at his soft feature mesmerized by the sunset. "This is my favorite color, I tried to mix paints to create this glory, every time, even though I know, I am close, still something is missing." He turned and their nose almost bumped. Katniss smiled. "You are an endlessly interesting person, Mr. Mellark." Peeta landed a soft kiss on her lips. "I could say the same thing to you," he pulled away from the wooden railing."But, I need to go," he said gently holding her hand and kissing her knuckle. "Tomorrow?" Katniss looked at him for long second before she nodded. "Tomorrow."

Peeta then turned on his heels and walked back inside the house as she watched him passed by her dancing white curtains. Almost breathless, she called for him. "Peeta," Peeta turned to look at her. "Will you stay with me?"

This could be the first lie that he will tell her, no, this was one of the million lies that he will tell her.

"Always."

my deepest thanks to the people who read and check out this fanfic. have a good day /eats sugar cube/