CHAPTER FIVE
1271 Words
I was very afraid. My body shook profusely, unable to stay still. "Nathaniel?" I called again, stepping towards the altar. That was where I saw him go the last time.
Then, I saw him trying to fix what had just fallen.
"What was it?" I was relieved to see him, and it reflected in my voice.
He hesitated before answering. "It's nothing, just a broken candelabrum. It must have fallen off the stand."
"How did it fall on its own." I frowned, puzzled.
He didn't answer right away, he was probably looking for a reasonable explanation for it. "Maybe a draft... or" he stopped himself, his gaze fixed on the altar.
I followed his line of sight, and we saw a shadow cast, unsure of what it was.
It looked like someone was there, spying on us but we weren't certain. He quickly reached for his phone and shone its light on the altar, but nothing was seen.
"Let's get out of here, this is beginning to creep me out.' He held my hands, grabbing my luggage and pulling me gently towards the door. I followed him through the empty chapel. My mind was unsettled, and we had to get back as soon as we could.
Soon enough we arrived at his place. It was a short walk from church and I guess he purposefully got an apartment for easy commuting. The outside hadn't stopped and we got drenched in it.
He teased me by walking a few more blocks before he turned back, just to prank me. He's got jokes. "Welcome to my humble abode."
"This is yours? I didn't believe what I was seeing. The house was large and beautiful.
"I told you it's nothing extravagant."
I scoffed, as I looked around. "Nothing extravagant?"
"It's just a place to sleep," he said modestly, leading me through the wobble that smelled of fresh flowers.
The apartment was huge. The floor-to-ceiling window showed the entire city, the rain running down the glass was like little rivers.
The living room was luxurious. A grey sofa sat in the centre, very comfortable that I could sink in. In front was a black marble coffee table with a glass.
The apartment was big and beautiful, almost too perfect, like it belonged in a magazine.
"You said this wasn't a lot," I turned to him. My voice sounded small in the wide space.
"It's nothing fancy." He shrugged like a little kid.
“Then, I'd love to see what you call ‘fancy’.”
There was another side to him that I'd never seen before. He lived so beautifully but he was humble. He had a playful demeanour that was different from the authoritative ones I've always seen.
"You're soaked," he said, pulling off his cloth and placing it on a cloth hanger in the living room. "Bathroom is down the hall to the left. Go warm up."
I nodded, glancing around as I walked forward. This place wasn't what I expected at all. For a man like Nathaniel, a priest, I wondered what his life was really like behind all this quiet luxury.
The bathroom was as luxurious as the rest of the apartment. I stood under the hot water, letting it soak my skin, as I engulfed myself with the thought of tonight's event.
I didn't hear the door open, but I saw him walk in; a smile appeared on my face as I saw his hard d**k pointing towards me.
He was naked and he walked closer to me, my pulse quickened out of excitement.
He didn't say a word, instead, he reached out to me, his hands wiping away the water from my face. Our tongues intertwined with each other, the kiss was deep and hungry, like he hadn't had enough of me already.
He pulled me towards him, the water from the shower soaking us both.
His hands roamed my back, as he kissed me. We had a quick round of lovely s*x in the shower.
The morning came quickly, and a ray of light shone into my bedroom. I sat up, holding the sheets to my chest. The shower turned off, and a few minutes later, he stepped into the room with a towel tied around his hips, with droplets of water trailing down his chest.
"You're finally awake," his hair was damp and he wiped the water off his face with his hands.
"Good morning," My voice was hoarse and rough.
He approached the bed, leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead. The kiss on my forehead made last night flash through my mind, I was breathless.
"Venessa, I've been thinking all night about this."
I was confused and he saw it.
"About you, about me. About what happened last night."
My heart sank. I knew what happened was too good to be true, and he had finally come to that realization. My head instinctively went down. I think he regrets everything, and he wants to put me in my place- an ordinary person.
"I don't regret a single moment," he read my thoughts and body language. "But I can't pretend that this is just a One-night stand for me. I don't want you to walk away."
My eyes were laced with tears, brightened by his words, though confused. "What are you saying?"
He sat down in the bed as he locked his eyes on mine.
"I want you to stay in my life." "Vanessa, marry me.”
"Marry you?" I blinked, not sure if I heard right.
"Yes, a contract marriage. Just for one year."
"A contract marriage? You can't be serious."
"I'm very serious. I know it's sudden, but I want to take care of you; let me be the budding you can rely on."
"But for a year?" I protested.
"This arrangement can benefit us both. You're struggling financially. You have debts and no stable place to live. If you agree to this, I'll provide you with everything you need, housing, security and financial stability."
I shook my head, I felt like I was about to be used for convenience, and it hurt me deeply. Just when I thought we would be doing life together at the mention of marriage, he added a time frame to it.
"This is insane, Nathaniel. Marriage isn't something you do for convenience."
"I know how it sounds." He ran his hand through my hair, looking momentarily frustrated before he calmed himself. "But come to think about it. If anyone finds out about last night, your reputation will be ruined and so will mine. This arrangement protects you from gossip and gives you a fresh start. No one will question you staying with me anymore."
He had a point there, for real. I was homeless, jobless and had medical bills to pay. Last night at the chapel, it felt like we were being watched, even though we didn't have any evidence. Giving it another thought, what if the man who came to pick his bible saw us? Our reputations will be damned.
"After a year, we'll dissolve the marriage, and you'll be free," he said firmly. "You'll have enough to stand on your feet by then. You'll get your life back."
I realised how much I wanted to say yes. Not just for the stability he promised, but because a small part of me dared to hope this arrangement could blossom into something real.
"I need time to think," I murmured, though my voice faltered.
He squeezed my hand gently. "Take the day, Vanessa. But, know this, I want to help you. I want to keep you safe."
- Writer
