My Accidental Husband

Chapter4

ELENA

“Here, these are for you.” He walked up the stairs and stretched the flower out to me.

“Th-thank you,” I answered, wrapping my hands around the wrapped stalk. I jumped at the slight bolt of electricity that shot through me when our fingers touched.

I stared at the flowers confusedly; they were all my favourites. Did I mention it to him that night?

“Elena, will you invite me in?”

I blinked before stepping away to give him more room. “O-of course.”

He walked right past me, his cologne hitting me straight in the nose. It was the same one from the plane.

I shut the door and turned to face him, still clutching the flowers to my chest.

“What are you doing here? How did you even know my address?”

Lucas acknowledged my living room with approval in his eyes. Not that I needed his validation, though.

“I simply can’t stay in the Maldives while my fiancée is on the other side of the world. As for knowing your address, that’s my little secret.”

“Fiancée? I’m not your fiancée, Lucas. You’re just a stranger I met at a club during one of my very worst nights.”

“Really?” He tilted his head before raising his hand. “My engagement ring says otherwise. You proposed to me that night, remember?”

My mouth opened and closed like a fish as my eyes zeroed in on the makeshift wedding ring. It was a small metal object, wrapped in the shape of a ring.

Had I done that too?!

I swiped my tongue across my lower lip and looked at him, “Lucas, I was drunk—”

“I wasn’t, and that makes our engagement legal.”

“You’re wearing a metal loop around your finger and calling a woman you’ve only met once your fiancée. How delusional are you?”

He shrugged.

“You don’t even love me.” I shot back, and his eyes narrowed.

“Says who? I fell in love with you on the first night.”

“Are you even listening to yourself?”

Lucas covered the distance between us; the bouquets in my hands stopped him from moving any closer.

“Were you really joking that night?”

I swallowed, looking away. “I was drunk. All I said that night was gibberish.”

My heart raced as his hands touched mine. He took the bouquet from me and placed it on the table. His eyes met mine, our hands holding as he rubbed his thumb over the back of my palm.

“Look at me, Elena, and tell me you feel nothing for me.”

My brows pulled. “We met once, Lucas.”

“As you’ve repeated so many times today, but that still hasn’t answered my question. Do you really feel nothing for me?”

No, the answer was right there on my tongue, and yet I couldn’t say it out loud.

“Yes or no. If it’s the latter, I’ll walk outside that door and never return.”

I panicked. He’d leave?

But shouldn’t that make me happy? It wasn’t like I wanted him here, anyway.

So, I looked away. “No, I don’t.” Silence fell, and none of us spoke.

Whatever I’d been expecting him to do, it certainly wasn’t for him to pull me closer and place a peck on my forehead.

“Okay, I’ll keep trying then.”

I looked at him when he pulled away. “You said you’d leave if I said no.”

“Yes, but your eyes were saying something else. And I intend to wait until your lips say the same thing. Enjoy your flowers, my love.”

And just like that, he was gone.

What the hell just happened?

***

Over the next few days, every morning, there was a gift waiting on my front porch. Flowers, breakfast from my favourite cafe, desserts, cooking appliances…

Lucas gave me everything and anything, and each one always came with a note.

Give me a chance to show you how a real man treats his queen…

And each of those notes was safely tucked into my journal. It hurt me to know I couldn’t return his affection in this same way.

If only there were a way I could make him stop.

“So, let me get this straight. You went to the Maldives, hooked up with a sexy Greek god—”

“I didn’t hook up with him.” I corrected, but Angela continued anyway.

“—proposed to him, now he’s followed you home and is actively pursuing you like a husband.”

“Yes.”

“Girl, why haven’t you said yes? This man clearly has the hots for you.”

My lips pursed. “Don’t you think it’s a little weird? Any normal person would have forgotten about that night. Besides, who falls in love in just one meeting?”

“Ever heard of love at first sight?”

“I don’t believe in that shit.” I countered, and Angela grinned.

“Just because you don’t believe in it doesn’t mean it’s not real.”

“You should be advising me not to go on with this.” I narrowed my gaze at her as she licked the frosting off her spoon.

“I don’t have to do s**t because deep down you already know what you want.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay. Do you like this guy?”

“I don’t know him well enough to like him.”

“Do you want to date him?”

“I just left a relationship. I haven’t healed from it.”

“Do you feel uncomfortable with his gestures?” She took another scoop into her mouth.

“They’re not overwhelming, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Angela smiled, “There. You have your answer.”

“What answer?”

“What to do with him. Every question I asked, you answered with excuses. Not a straight up, no.”

“I didn’t say yes either.”

“You’re just conflicted and not conflicted about saying yes or no, but conflicted because you’re worried he’d hurt you like Jason did, or find someone better and lose interest in you.”

I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. Not when. She laid half of MY fears right in front of me.

“I won’t tell you to agree with him, but take your time, don’t make any decision in haste and let things flow naturally.” Angela ended up as she walked up to the fridge to take another tub of ice cream.

My gaze drifted to the flowers on the center table. No way, a new relationship was the last thing I needed.