Chapter 169 - Between Bites and Shared Gazes

​The blush covering Aibek's cheeks felt like a burning fire in the cold winter air of the apartment. Still on his knees on the wooden floor and holding Mr. Bear tightly against his chest, he felt the crushing weight of the absolute silence that had fallen over the spacious open kitchen; it seemed as if he didn't know what else to do. Zinov's hand slowly drew back from the nape of his neck with a sweet gentleness so as not to pull the Kazakh's hair, though he felt the impulse to yank him as he had months ago to dominate him, leaving behind a trail of almost electric warmth that made Aibek's heart skip a beat. At the same time, Jake's upright, rigid figure just a few steps away, with his intense violet eyes fixed on him like torches of restrained jealousy, reminded him that he was treading on deeply dangerous and slippery ground; Bek had to soothe that jealousy no matter what it took.