Clutching the T-shirt tight against my chest, I whirled around. My breath caught in my throat. There, he stood rigid beside the door, hand clenched around the knob as his darker than ever stormy gray gaze preyed on my almost half naked body. Even with the T-shirt before my chest, I felt naked under his scorching stare.
Curse the moment I decided to go braless due to the thick cotton blouse!
“What are you doing here? Get out!” I screeched as he stood there immobile, staring at me shamelessly.
My outburst seemed to pull him out of his trance. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath. Once those gray pools opened again, instead of leaving, he closed the door behind him and stalked towards me.
Eyes like saucers, I stepped back. “W-what are you doing? Get out of the room! Right now!”
Only when he was inches away from me, then did he stop. With his jaw clenched, his gaze went back to roam my bare shoulders to my bare waist, leaving a tingling sensation behind in their wake.
I was frozen in my place, my head screamed to run to the washroom, but my legs weren’t moving. I didn’t flinch when he raised his hand and tucked a strand behind my ear. Even though I was alone with him in this whole penthouse, there wasn’t any fear in me.
“You’re telling me to get out of my own room, Rosebud?” he rasped in his deep Greek accent. Flaming stare set onto my parted lips. Only then I noticed how his shirt was half done, displaying the fine ripped muscles of his chest.
I bit my lip.
“Don’t do that if you want my hands to stay away from you.” A groan reverberated through his chest as he pulled my lower lip out with his thumb, giving it a slow and feathery brush. A jolt shot through me, making me stumble away.
With my heart in my throat, I managed to say, “D-do not touch me. Get out or else…”
He stepped closer. “Or else?”
My eyes flickered around as I kept backing away. “I-I will…”
What could I do?
Moving away from him, I ran for the washroom and closed the door behind me. A booming laughter followed behind.
I cursed under my breath. In the mirror, I found myself all hot and crimson, out of anger, embarrassment and… something else. Something I felt when he watched me with those eyes and touched my lip. Something I didn’t want to address.
What was he doing here, anyway?
He said it was his room. That meant this was his penthouse, and not Caleb’s? But then why did Liza say it was Caleb’s—oh! So ‘the boss’ meant Ace? I thought she was Caleb’s assistant, so she might refer to him as the boss.
God, I’m such an idiot!
Then something clicked. If Ace was ‘the boss,’ that meant he organized that office for me? That beautiful office I was so comfortable working in? And here I thought it was Caleb.
I didn’t know if I was flattered or irritated. That man vexed and confused me, and at the same time amazed me.
What does he actually want from me? The roses and gifts every morning. Why’s he doing all this?
Still weak in the knees, I put on the T-shirt and looked at myself in the mirror. It engulfed me whole.
It was his…
Without realizing, I took the fabric and sniffed. A disappointment filled me as only laundry powder’s smell was what I got.
I shook my head.
What was I doing? I had to be strong. I couldn’t let him affect me in that way.
With a new determination set, I took a deep breath and walked out. He wasn’t in the room anymore, neither was my stained blouse.
Where did it go?
Once I was in the hall, he was still nowhere to be seen. Good for me. I just wanted to disappear from here without facing him again. I could come later sometime to grab my blouse.
I almost let out a sigh of relief when I reached the door without any interruption.
“Going somewhere, Rosebud?”
I stilled.
Turning around, I sent him a glare. He was now changed into a white shirt and dark suit jacket.
“Yes, any problem?”
My eyes widened as the door didn’t open when I pulled it. I tried again, but no avail. What was wrong with it now?
I remembered about the fingerprint scanner, but there wasn’t anything like that beside the door either.
“Why isn’t it opening?”
A smirk tugged at his lips. “Because I locked it.”
“What? But why?” I scowled. “Open it, I’m going to be late for the meeting.”
He shrugged. “I’m sure your boss wouldn’t mind if you get late.”
The nerve of this man! He talked about my boss as if he was referring to someone else and not himself.
“Open this door right now, Ace.”
Something flashed over his orbs. Closing the distance, he stood before me. The heady combination of his exotic cologne tangled with a distant hint of smoke filled my senses. “I missed hearing my name from your lips all this time.” His tone was soft with emotion as he watched my face with such tenderness.
Something squeezed my chest as the memories we spent together seven years ago, when he used to visit our home regularly, flooded my mind.
A composure suddenly took over his features, turning him unreadable. Clearing his throat, he cocked his head. “I will let you go only if you accept a condition of mine.”
“Everyone is waiting for me. I don’t have time for this.” I didn’t want to accept any of his conditions. I knew it would be something wicked, just like his intentions.
“That’s why I’m suggesting you to accept my condition and I’ll let you go.”
He wouldn’t budge, would he? Pressing my lips tight, I glared at him. “Fine. What is it?”
A triumphant look took over his irises, though he didn’t let it show on his face. “You’ll come with me, in my car, to the meeting.”
“What? No, I won’t go with you!” No way I was staying alone with him in his car. The embarrassment I felt in his room was more than enough to give me sleepless nights. I didn’t want more.
“Then you aren’t leaving,” his tone held finality.
I gaped. “But… you can’t do that. If you don’t open this door, you can’t leave either. You know that, right?”
His mouth twitched. “Nice try, Rosebud. But trust me, I don’t have any problem spending some more time with you here, alone.” He stepped closer.
I raised my hands before me, stopping him. “All right, I—I’ll go with you. Just open this damn door.” It was better to be in a car with him than stay locked in this penthouse.
God, I hated him!
But when a breathtaking smile appeared on his lips, brightening everything around me, I doubted myself. It felt like I was seeing the same old Ace again. Soft and carefree. Not rough and cold.
I went speechless when he closed the gap, pressed a kiss on my forehead and whispered a ‘let’s go’ in my ear. He opened the door for us by tapping on something on his phone. I didn’t know how to react as he held my hand and led me out of the penthouse. And I let him until we stepped out of the elevator and met my other colleagues down in the lobby.
The car ride was quiet all the way to the meeting. I barely looked at him as I stared at the road most of the time, ignoring the brooding man. Though his overwhelming presence wasn’t easy to ignore.
The whole time he was tense, his knuckles were tight on the steering, glancing at me from time to time. As if he wanted to say something to me but held himself back.
The only thing he asked was if I wanted to listen to some music. But I said no. I wanted to ask him how he got my fingerprint for the scanner, but I chose to stay silent. I didn’t trust myself. Once I started asking, I feared I’d ask something I shouldn’t.
Once we were at our destination, together we walked inside the sea-faced restaurant where the Arabs would meet us. The terrace was booked for the meeting. The first thing that greeted us as we entered the meeting area was the fresh ocean air, blowing my long brown locks along. It was decorated with small flowerpots with colorful flowers blooming under the sun. The sweet fragrance around the ambience and the view of the blue ocean instantly brightened my mood.
The Arabs were already there, discussing something in their own language around the big round table, four men and two women. The ladies weren’t Arabs for sure, seeing their knee-length sleeveless dresses. One was blonde while the other was a brunette. Liza and Matt were seated at a smaller table beside them.
Smiling, when I tried to approach them, a big hand held my elbow.
“You’ll stay with me. Come,” he ordered, though his tone was soft.
“And why would I listen to you?” I had to crane my neck to look up at him.
His shoulder lifted an inch. “Because I’m your boss.” The teasing in his fleeting glance didn’t go missed by me.
I huffed silently as the Arabs approached us, all smiling broad.
“As-salamu alaykum, Mr. Valencian. Pleasure meeting you,” the older one of them said, shaking his hand with Ace. Just like the other three men, he also flaunted their traditional long white tunic and a red and white checkered headdress on his head.
“Likewise, Mr. Hakimi. I’m glad you all specially came here for this meeting,” Ace replied.
Though a smile stretched across his lips, his eyes were blank. A hollowness that resided in those gray pools even when he was with his loved ones. Another thing that changed in all these years. I wonder what caused him to turn like this.
Well, except me. With me, he was someone else. He had emotions in his eyes. Emotions that scared me.
After Mr. Hakimi introduced his partners, he then introduced his assistant, who lived here in this country, Cindy. The girl in a red dress and eight-inch stilettos. Eyeing Ace up and down, she flashed him a red lipped smile, batting her fake eyelashes.
“I’ve heard so much about you, and finally I’m here, standing right in front of you, the infamous Mr. Valencian. It’s such a pleasure!” she cooed, shaking hands with him. I didn’t miss how her hand lingered in his. My stare hardened.
But it seemed he didn’t care at all. Retracting his hand, he dismissed her with a curt nod. Her smile threatened to fall.
“And who is this gorgeous young lady we have here?” Mr. Hakimi asked.
Turning to me, Ace pulled me close by my waist, surprising me. “Meet Emerald Hutton. A very close friend of mine.”
Close friend? I didn’t think we were friends, let alone close. Giving him a look, I smiled at the Arabs. “I’m a designer at OC Textiles. And just a family friend of his.”
All of them greeted me with smiles while he just watched me, which made me uneasy. His closeness and touch were already too much for me.
“Shall we proceed now, Mr. Hakimi?” he asked the old man.
But his assistant was too excited to proceed then her boss, as she said, “Of course, Mr. Valencian! Please take a seat.”
Annoyance pricked my skin as she unnecessarily crouched down to pull a chair beside her for Ace to sit there, displaying her cleavage in the process.
Nodding, as he went to accept her offered chair, I went ahead and sat there instead. Surprise flashed across her face, but she covered it with a fake smile. I smiled back with equal enthusiasm.
“Easy, Rosebud. I have my eyes only for you,” his sudden whisper in my ear had me flush. His talking to me in that manner still managed to shock me. Even though he cleared his intentions from day one.
Taking the vacant chair beside me, he threw me an amused glance.
He must be thinking I was jealous. Which I wasn’t. I just didn’t like that girl. And like that, I sent her a subtle glare.
As the meeting went on, that red witch continued to laugh and flirt with him. She would even ask irrelevant questions throughout the conversation, leaning forward over the table to see him properly, as I was in the way.
Even his stoic face didn’t discourage her. My hands curled into fists when her eyes shamelessly devoured him in front of everyone. I didn’t know how I resisted myself from clawing them out of her sockets.
When a hand landed on my thigh, I looked up at him, surprised, even confused. But when he squeezed gently, I turned red again, realizing he noticed my reactions, all of them. Even that old man sent me a mischievous smile. His aged eyes flickered from me to Ace.
Embarrassed with my reactions and disturbed by my own feelings, I excused myself and went downstairs to the washroom.
The cool water on my hot face was soothing. But the ugly green monster still raged inside me. I didn’t know I’d react like that, seeing some other girl eyeing him with interest. And it wasn’t the first time. I felt the same when I saw that redhead friend of his with him that night.
I was getting tired of fighting off my own feelings. But I didn’t have the strength to accept them. I just couldn’t.
Tapping my face with a tissue, I rechecked my appearance in the mirror, blew out a breath, and walked out. The washroom on the terrace had some work going on, so I had to come downstairs.
As I walked through the busy restaurant, a fuss behind me made me halt and turn around.
A tray filled with food was spilled on the tiled floor as the waiter gaped at the scene with horror. The man standing beside him apologized. Getting out some cash, he handed it to the baffled waiter and hurried out of the door. His movement was tensed as he kept looking over his shoulder.
Wait, I knew him. I saw him before somewhere. But where?
Scrutinizing, my gaze followed him outside as he walked to the parking lot. The walls were made of glass, so I could see him properly.
Tall frame, gray hair peeking out of dark locks. Yes, it was the man I bumped into back in New York, at Mr. Cooper’s office. How could I forget that strange man?
What was he doing here?
