Once Upon a Night.

Take my Hand.

CHAPTER THREE- Take my Hand.

Jayda had joked that the first days in a job are the easiest, but for Kayla, nothing had been harder than watching the man she had a one night stand with become an important part of her work.

Even more frustrating than that was the desire that coursed through her whenever she laid her eyes on him. She still wanted him. She hated that her body refused to sync with her brain.

The challenging workload that April thrusted on Kayla's desk kept Kayla distracted for the most part, bringing her up to speed.

The new position Kayla always wanted was an opportunity, and she had always intended to grab it by the horns and pushed herself to new heights.

April slid Kayla's blog copy across the desk towards her, April's edit in bright red pen leaping off the page.

"Looks like I've still got some way to go." Kayla replied, glancing down at the numerous notes she made.

"Kayla." April c****d an eyebrow at Kayla and her lips curled upward. "You could write the perfect scene and I'd still find something to critique."

"That's good to know."

"Writing is subjective. It's okay if you don't agree with my edits. You wrote this, not me."

"Except you have been here for a year or maybe more than, and I just resumed."

April ran her tongue over her lips in thought, her red lipstick not shifting.

"I understand that you may be tense and new to this, but as long as you are under my wings. Girl, you will be fine."

Now, April was trying to make Kayla feel better. Bless her heart.

Kayla nodded, a look of relief crossed her features.

"The good news is that we will be having a team dinner soon, to celebrate you."

Kayla groaned, "No, thanks. But I have somewhere to be."

"You know, you really will need the help you can get, and all the connects, so bailing on a team dinner isn't such a good idea."

Kayla grunted. April was right.

"So, what'd you say?" April asked.

Kayla forced a smile, "I'll look forward to it."

April eyes softened, dark brown? Yeah, her eyes had definitely been the darkest shade of brown.

So captivating in a way that Kayla couldn't describe. Yet, April had an incredible amount of fear in them, a fear she tried to conceal from the rest of the world.

What was going on with her?

Was she running away from something or probably someone?

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The scenery from Kayla's office window told its own story, no need for noisy chatter.

Gaining beauty from the fine colouring of the city. Everything was there for her, it felt so personal, it was lovely.

She mulled over it in silence, as she sipped her coffee. Kayla, being lost in her own thoughts, had little or no idea when a knock came in, and a young man walked in right after.

"Hi Kayla."

Her breath hitched, and a sudden heat spread through his body. That tone, she hadn't heard it for so long.

She spun around fast enough.

It was him.

Rafael Rodriguez.

His flashing, near black eyes seared into her's while her breath settled near her collarbone.

All the memories that flood her brain in that moment, memories that leaves her dizzy with pain and anger.

The room suddenly felt suffocating, a trope of angry hummingbirds in her stomach.

"Why are you here?" She managed to ask.

He didn't respond, just allowed her stare at him, he saw how uncomfortable she was, her face getting warmer and sweatier..and he liked it.

"You won't even offer me a cup of water? Ouch." He placed a hand on his chest, pretending it hurts his heart, if only, he had one.

"Y..ou should leave." She said, her voice low, while avoiding eye contacts.

He took his seat on the sofa, and sat cross legged, taking the view of the office in. "You seem rich now."

She stared at him, fear clutching her heart. He still hadn't change.

It was over six months and the sight of him still got her chest tightened.

There were days Kayla would wonder what it meant to hate someone.

His eyes that turned darker when he got excited,

His lips that curled up when he smiled,

His wavy pale grey hair, every single strand of his beautiful hair.

Put all of that together, that is what hatred was.

"You don't seem too happy to see me."

Kayla shut her eyes for a second, trying to gain her compsure, she took a long, weary inhale.

Taking charge of the conversation wasn't going to be easy, but the least thing she wanted was to show him that she was weak.

"Why are you here?'

"Jumping to the end already. I like that."

"Doesn't seem like the end to me. Why are you here?"

Rafael rubbed his lips together, as if he was trying to laugh, as if he was mocking her. "I want you back, Kayla. I'm traveling back to Alaska, I need you to come with me."

Her gaze plummet back to his face, and her entire body seared with a different heat. Flames of humiliation.

"W..what?"

"Let's start all over again, Kayla."

Kayla managed to stop herself from groaning out loud in agony.

She stared at him for a second with squinted brows quite in disbelief of what he had just said.

"You ki..killed my baby, Rafael."

"Ah geez, let's not talk about the past, Kayla."

A knock on the door broke them out of their haze.

"Come in." Rafael spoke up.

Akash walked in, his expression unreadable. "We have a meeting now, miss Kayla."

"Ah, I see. In that case, I guess this is goodbye, miss Kayla."

Rafael took in a deep breath before getting up to his feet.

He blew Kayla a kiss and walked out of the office.

Kayla had the most surprised s***h vexed expression on her face. She realized Rafael was truly insane, just like the way he was when they were together.

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After Raphael was gone, it didn't take long for Kayla to realize there was no meeting.

Just like the first day she met Akash, he saved the day and he did that, once again.

"Are you okay?" He asked, softly as he walked towards her.

"I want to be left alone." She said, stopping him from taking any step further.

"Oh. Okay okay. I will be here if you need anything." A simple smile curled up on his face as he said his words.

Her heart wrenched with sadness as she saw Akash walk away, she plopped back into her seat.

Her head was spinning. Her life had just turn done a complete 360° turn in the span of less than a day.

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As the minutes passed, Kayla wasn't sure what to do.

Her first day and she had fallen asleep on the job.

A soft knock on the door woke her up, she looked around for a while with a startled expression, unable to process how she fell asleep.

She heard the knock again, for a minute, she thought it might Rafael, he had the habit of showing up when he wasn't supposed to.

Kayla felt more relief than anything when Akash walked in.

"Why are you still here? It's late." She started.

"I had some work to finish." He responded.

Kayla nodded her head as she stood up. "I should get going."

"Let me take you home." He suggested.

Kayla flashed him a smile. "Thanks, but I'm good."

"I'm not asking. It's late, plus, it's raining. It could be quite hard to get a taxi and to get home, so please, Kayla. Let me take you home."

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For some reasons, Akash seemed to be gripping the steering wheel of his card pretty hard. His car was an electric tesla, expensive and stealthy and Kayla was a little intimidated by the sleekness of it all.

They don't talk much on the way to Kayla's house. Kayla stared out the window at the rain.

"Are you hungry?" He asked after a long silence.

Kayla shrugged. "I'm fine."

"We could get something to eat, Kay. You look weak." He suggested.

"I'm fine Akash." She shrugged and turned her body to the window, hoping it will end the questions. She was mentally exhausted.

Akash stopped the car in front of her house and killed the ignition.

"Thank you for bringing me home." Her fingers wrapped around the door handle.

"Wait. I don't want you to get wet and sick."

Before Kayla could protest, he produced an Umbrella, climbed out of the driver's seat, walked around to Kayla's seat and opened the door. He held out his big head.

"Come Kay. I'm not going to argue, because it's probably better not to get drenched, not after this difficult day."

She slipped her hand into his, and his familiar touch sends warmth up her arm. They walked quickly to the door, his hand wrapped around her waist and drawing her close.

Kayla pulled back, perplexed at how normal it felt to be so close to him, that wasn't the idea, then yelp when the raindrops hits her.

"Come here, Kay. You are half in the rain."

They paused on the doorstep, she gazed at him, his big, dark eyes illuminated by the porch light.

There was a sublime moment when she saw a little glint of rain on his long lashes.

"Well, it's late. I will see you tomorrow at work. Thank you for bringing me h…."

He didn't let her finish. Holding the umbrella over them with one hand, he wrapped his other hand around the back of her head and softly drew her close.

She let out a little squeak, but the rain drowned it out.

His lips touch hers, and she dissolved into him.

That day, when everything felt exhausting, his lips on hers was warm.