Moonlight Temptation

A little bit of space

A waiter passed by them with wine and Alex took two glasses. Lily stretched forth her hand to receive one from him. “Oh no, Lively, they are mine. I wouldn’t let you drink something I know not the source of whence it came. You want to drink something? Let me get something to drink”. After saying this, he walked quickly out of her sight. Lily stood alone, she felt alone in a room full of people she’d never seen before, they all smelled of money. It was then she noticed a fountain-shaped food stand behind her, far from where the guests were. A few people seem to have been headed from there. She didn’t have anything to eat before coming to this party and the little wine she wanted to take, Alex didn’t allow her to drink it. She slowly walked past a group of people chattering and giggling, they seemed to have been discussing and almost everyone here were paired up and coupled up with someone.

“Excuse me”

“Opps, sorry”

“Excuse me, please” Lily kept on saying these courtesy words as she passed in between their bodies. Her only aim was to reach the food fountain.

Finally, she arrived. There was an alarming variety of food on the stand. From desserts to main courses to side dishes to whatever. Empty glass plates piled themselves in lengthy racks, she stretched and then picked the one at the top, she moved to the chicken pile and picked up crusted chicken drums, to the side she arranged lasagna. She set the food down on an empty table by the fountain, she then picked up a dessert cup and filled it with mango-flavored ice-cream. Finally, it was time to eat. She was sorry to her stomach in advance for the choice of food she picked, but it was just what she craved at the moment and hunger wouldn’t let her think properly at that moment. She sat down on the empty seat at an empty table that was supposed to be for two people, dug into her plate and ate, swallowing the food like she was on a count-down. Oh, she was famished. As her hand took the last spoon of ice-cream into her mouth, “I’ve been looking for you, Lively.” To say she was startled by Alex’s voice behind her was an understatement. The ice-cream slid down from the spoon faster than you can say Jack, it landed on her dress, just right on her stomach.

“Uhmm…” was the only word she could mutter.

“s**t! I’m so sorry Lively, I’m so sorry, please don’t be mad at me, I didn’t mean to startle you, I’m so…” Alex kept apologizing frantically, it scared her a bit.

“Stop it Alex, you are making a scene” she said almost in a whisper. She stood up, held his hands which he had clamped together like he was praying to her. She took down his hands. “I’ll just get serviettes” she said, moving forward to grab the serviettes

“Are you leaving?” His voice broke when he spoke

“No, I just want to grab the serviettes” she responded.

“You said you'd just leave…” he argued.

She walked slowly to him, worry in her eyes, but she was used to this by now. He'd always been like this as a kid but not like how he was now, this was different. “No, I said I’ll just get serviettes. I didn’t say I was leaving.” She reassured him “I’m not leaving, I came here for you and I’m not leaving.” She smiled.

He moves towards the table and grabs the serviettes, goes close to her and dabs the ice-cream, now turned liquid off her dress. As he leans in to dab the melted ice cream from her dress, he notices the faint scent of her perfume, a subtle mix of jasmine and vanilla. His touch is gentle, careful not to smear the fabric further. With each dab, he steals a glance at her, catching the way her eyes sparkle with amusement despite the mishap. He gave her a gentle smile, warm and genuine, he reached his eyes as he looked up at her. It's a silent reassurance, an apology without words.

After that, she sat at the table and he followed suit. “I went to the kitchen to get you water. It’s better than alcohol. I was looking for you everywhere” he said.

She receives the water. “Well, water is better than having nothing at all to drink”, she responds.

“You should eat something. The food is really delicious”, she suggested.

He nods, turning behind him to observe the food stand. "I'll take your word for it," he replies with a grin. "Any recommendations?" he asks, his attention fully on her.

“Give me a minute”, she stood up and walked towards the food stand. After a few moments of search, she returned with a plate of food and a cup of juice. “I didn’t forget your love for watermelons, so I got you this watermelon drink” she said, smiling as the memory of how much he loved watermelon flashed through her mind. “And this here are some cucumber finger sandwiches, you still love sandwiches, right?” She asked unsure whether America changed his taste.

This time Alex was grinning from ear to ear, Alex's grin widened at the sight of the watermelon drink and cucumber finger sandwiches. "You remember," he says with genuine delight, touched by her thoughtfulness. As she sets the plate and cup of drink in front of him, he reaches out to gently brush his fingers against hers in a silent expression of gratitude. "Thank you," he adds, his eyes reflecting the warmth of his appreciation.

A warm feeling settled in her stomach. Looking at how he ate the food so fast and his expression of the sweet savor of the food, she laughed. He also laughed with her.

He took his last bite and gulped the remainder of the watermelon drink. “I loved it. America could never change my taste” he finally said. He observed her, “You look tired, Lively, we should go home, but first, let’s say farewell to my friend”. He took her hand and she stood up with him.

“You are so right. I’m exhausted”. She confessed.

They walked in between the guests, his eyes searching for his friend and his hand still holding on to her. “There he is”. They made their way to where the host and his wife stood smiling and exchanging pleasantries with a couple who walked by. They finally reached there.

“My man, Alex!” The host said, smiling. Alex took his hand, and they gave each other a hug. “Thank you so much for coming and who is this goddess you have beside you?” He asked Alex, referring to Lily.

Alex turned to Lily “Lively, meet Amstel Jacob Stark, he’s my friend. We met in America where he worked for my dad. He’s relocated to London now to assist me with the company. His pretty wife, Julia”, he smiled at her as he introduced them. He turned to Jacob. “It’s your honor to meet my heartbeat, Lily, I call her Lively because that’s exactly how I feel around her. She’s my girlfriend”.

Well, that was a bomb to Lily’s ears. Her face snapped quickly to meet Alex’s. He was confused. Girlfriend? How, when? Although, she kept her composure “It’s nice to meet you both, your party is amazing. Congratulations on your anniversary”. She smiled at the couple.

“Oh my bad, Lily. Alex here has told me all about you. It’s nice to meet you too”. Said Jacob.

“You are so beautiful, dear Lily, and your outfit? Gorgeous! Orange looks marvelous on you” Julia exclaimed.

“Oh, you are way too sweet, Julia. Thank you” Lily responded shyly, feeling a bit more at ease with the warm compliments.

As the conversation continued, Lily found herself drawn into the lively banter between the group. Alex's friend Jacob proved to be charming and engaging, while his wife Julia exuded warmth and hospitality.

Despite the initial shock of being introduced as Alex's girlfriend, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging in this moment, surrounded by friendly faces and genuine camaraderie.

As the evening wore on, Lily realized that perhaps this unexpected declaration from Alex was a sign of deeper feelings between them. And while she wasn't quite ready to label their relationship, she couldn't deny the warmth and affection she felt for him at that moment.

The car moved smoothly as the chauffeur, Nathan, drove them to Lily’s apartment. They spent three hours at the party. There was silence in the car. Lily looked outside the car window, lost in thought about what Alex had said earlier. She was so carried away that she did not know that he was gazing at her face all through the ride. Her mind was clouded by the thought of how she’d let him know that she wasn’t ready to be in a relationship.

As they continued their journey, the streetlights cast a gentle glow on Lily's profile, illuminating the conflicted emotions swirling within her. At that moment, she could sense Alex's gaze upon her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. The weight of his declaration hung heavy in the air, mingling with the tension of unspoken words.

Lost in her thoughts, Lily struggled to find the right words to convey her feelings without hurting him. She knew she needed to be honest with Alex, to communicate her own uncertainties and fears about taking their relationship to the next level. Yet, the fear of rejection and the uncertainty of where their bond would lead held her back.

As the car slowed to a stop outside Lily's apartment, she finally turned to face Alex, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper yet filled with sincerity “Alex," Lily began, her voice soft yet steady, "I want you to know how much your words mean to me. You've always been such an important part of my life, and I cherish our connection more than you know. But... I need some time to sort through my own feelings."

She paused, searching his eyes for understanding. "I'm not saying no, Alex. I just... I need to be sure. Sure about us, about what I want, about where we're headed. I hope you can understand that."

Her words hung in the air, vulnerable yet sincere. Lily braced herself for Alex's response, hoping against hope that he would see the truth in her words and respect her need for space. She needed space now more than ever. There was Ethan and now Alex. She didn’t know what she felt for both of them, but she was sure she felt something for both of them and deep down she knew that there was a line of difference there, what she felt for each of them was different in its own way, and she couldn’t point it out, but it was there, right inside her.

He clenched his jaw, his left hand balling into a fist, his knuckles turning white with tension. His eyes bore into Lily with intensity.

"Lively" he breathed, his voice laced with desperation, "I can't give you space. I can't let you go. You're everything to me, and I won't lose you." His words came out in a rush, it was a declaration, each syllable tinged with possessiveness.

"You can't just walk away," he continued, his tone pleading yet tinged with a hint of desperation. "I need you to be sure, to choose me. I won't accept anything less. You are mine, you have always been, you can’t stop now.”

His declaration hung heavy in the air, suffocating in its intensity. Lily felt a chill run down her spine as she realized the depth of Alex's fixation. She wasn’t sure of how to respond. The only words she was able to form were "Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "give me space."