Blurred Lines

Chapter 7

It's been three weeks since Zoe and I started work on our project and our work has been going beautifully.

Zoe,Neil and I have gotten closer too.

Neil drives Zoe and I to Christian's place and picks me up when I'm ready to go home and sometimes when she drops us she stays and put her input on the essay.

I remember the day she first entered the apartment and got a tour almost similar to mine.

Her jaw had dropped and she was practically drooling.

I could see the dollar sign in her eyes and knew she was probably estimating how much the interior designing had cost.

She can't help herself in that regard especially since she once had an obsession with interior designing.

I remember her awe filled voice when she said "your brother lives here?."

"He's barely home but yeah" Zoe had waved dismissively then as an afterthought added "and I also stay here during the week,our parents house is 4 hours away so going to and fro can be stressful."

I mentally agreed with her about Christian not being home most of the time,all Zoe does is complain about his work schedule and I only saw him one other time after our initial meeting.

Thinking about it now made me blush.

It always made me wonder about him. Who was Christian Taylor?.

The icy cold guy I first met?.

The one with the warm charming personality after Zoe introduced us?.

Or the one I met that other time?.

Dad already left to go back to his job and I've been secretly marking my calendar counting down to the time he'll come back to Taylor's Groove.

Zoe and I were in Christian's living room.

We got hungry so we raided his fridge then we detoured to the living room for a few minutes break when the security alarm started blaring.

We both froze and stared at each other for what probably was a few seconds but felt like years.

My heart started thudding.

Was someone trying to break in?.

Zoe was quaking.

Knowing she was scared made me screw up my courage.

I stood up intending to go open the door with a bat in hand when Zoe also stood up with a grim and determined expression on her face.

Glad she was over her initial fear I whispered "what are we going to do?".

"I'll go check who triggered the alarm from the security cameras in the electronics room" she answered not bothering to whisper.

"Electronics room?" I asked following her as she descended the stairs to the basement.

"It's just a fancy word I came up with for the security room" she said absently.

"There's a security room?" I asked stunned.

"Of course,with a house as open and big as this people are bound to try their luck".

"But it's a small town and everybody practically worships you guys" I said realizing too late how stupid I sounded.

Zoe merely shrugged saying flatly "Maybe,but after the attempt to kidnap me last year at Christian's villa in Venice, he made sure all his homes were secured tightly".

By now we've reached the underground play room and Zoe lifted a painting I found charming the day I first walked in here and pressed a button.

Immediately the walls opened revealing a huge double door.

Quickly she pressed the code and put her thumb in for scanning.

The doors swung open quietly and when we entered the dark room I noticed the blaring alarm didn't reach here and everything was silent.

It must be soundproofed,I realised in fascination.

Zoe switched on the lights and I was gobsmacked.

There were rows and rows of flat-screened TV on the wall and there were computers underneath each tv with a little chair behind it.

Zoe pressed some kind of power button and the TVs switched on with a click showing the whole house except bathrooms and Christian's bedroom.

I felt my jaw drop.

"I know this may all seem shocking to you Ava,and I'll explain it all to you later but first we need to find out who or what triggered the alarm".

I nodded acknowledging what she said because I couldn't find my voice yet.

She rapidly imputed a bunch of codes in one of the computers and the tvs all zoomed in showing only outside views in all Angles.

With a click on another computer the front door dominated all the screens and showed someone in front of the gate.

With another click we could see the person clearly and I was surprised to find a really tall curvy woman with red curls down to her tiny waist,pouty lips and blue eyes that were flashing with anger.

I heard a gasp behind me followed by a rueful chuckle and I glanced at Zoe asking "you know her?".

"Yes. That's Chloe" she replied, "she must be fuming,let's go open the gates for her".

Not waiting for a reply she shut down the tvs and computers then she proceeded to the door with a vengeance while I trailed behind her.

Immediately the monitor room was back behind the painting enclad wall,she bolted in a run to the front gate while I followed at a more leisurely pace.

By the time I got to the front door Zoe was just getting out of a hug from the Chloe character and I realized her eyes were green after all,very vividly green and sharp and she smelt of too much perfume.

"Sorry about the alarm,you must have been surprised" Zoe was saying with a smile.

"Surprised?!!" Chloe exclaimed with a slight accent "stunned was more like it,here I was trying to stealthily enter the door to surprise my best friend and then the next thing I know alarms are blaring,lights flashing".

Zoe laughed and said "I'm sorry about that but in my defense I thought you were coming next week so I didn't disengage the alarms. By the way,how did you know where to find me?".

"Well my schedule cleared up early so I went to the house but Marianne said you were at Chris' place with some girl working on some silly proj..." Chloe who was in the middle of waving her hand saw me then and cut herself off.

She then proceeded to scrutinize me from my head to the tips of my toes then dismissed me with a disapproving frown which made me square my shoulders and lift my chin up.

Zoe glanced back probably wondering what made her friend stop talking and seeing me said "Where are my manners?,Chloe this is Ava,she's the one I'm lucky to work on that silly project with. Ava this is Chloe,she's my talented and beautiful model childhood best friend" she fondly said.

Chloe opened her mouth to say something but didn't get to as the front door burst open and we all faced the door to see a frantic Christian standing at the doorway.

Then he made eye contact and rushed to me grabbing my shoulders "are you okay?,what happened?" He ranted shaking my shoulders.

I awkwardly swatted his hand away from my shoulders aware of two pairs of eyes looking at us interestedly "what are you doing Christian?,of course I'm okay,let go of my shoulders".

"Are you sure?" He asked scanning my body for injuries "I got notified about the alarm being triggered and I came as soon as I could".

Our eyes locked and I felt my heart race and my skin tingle as I remembered our last encounter.

"I'm fine thank you for asking" Zoe enthused breaking our little bubble.

Then as if in a trance Christian let go of my shoulders and slowly turned around looking as if he just realized Zoe was also in the room.

What was that about anyway? I reflected remembering the last time I saw him.

**

I left the study to go use the toilet and on my way back I ran into him.

Literally and he had to grab me on my shoulders to keep me from falling flat on my ass.

I looked up to thank him and our eyes clashed.

His eyes looking silvery.

Then he started massaging my shoulders almost absently muttering "you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen".

Then his eyes dropped to my mouth making my breath quicken and my heart started racing.

He lifted his gaze back to my eyes and said almost angrily "why must you be so darned beautiful?".

His eyes searched mine like the answer would be there making my stomach go haywire.

I wondered why he was so angry.

Wasn't I the one whose heart go in a frenzy when I see him?.

What right did he have to be angry?.

Shaking his head he steadied me on my feet and dropped his hands from my shoulders which instantly made me feel lonely.

"Next time watch where you are going".

With that said he stalked off in the opposite direction leaving me utterly confused.

**

"Hey Zoe,I didn't see you there,what triggered the alarm?" Christian asked not leaving my side.

"Her" she said amusingly pointing at Chloe who now looked like a cat about to pounce on it's prey.

"Hello Lover, long time no see".

"Don't call me that. Ever." Christian grounded out in a cold voice.

if I thought his voice was cold when we first met then I have another thing coming because his voice right now is so chilling and I felt a shiver run down my spine,not because I was scared but...

"Why can't I?. A girl can dream can't she?." Chloe's whining cut off my line of thought.

Christian doesn't say a word but glares instead.

The tension was so palpable you could cut it with a knife.

Zoe apparently also sensing the tension between the both of them said "I see the s****l tension between you guys is still as strong as ever. Oh, you have no idea how marvelous the dates I'll set for you guys would be".

Her voice and eyes turned dreamy at her last sentence.

I think I'm going to be sick.

's****l tension?'.

I could feel my heart clenching and my stomach rolling just thinking of the word.

"Don't" Christian said with gritted teeth.

"Why ever not?,you are single and I think you work entirely too much,you need some fun in your life and Chloe is just the epitome of the word". Zoe sassed with a wink causing Chloe to bob her head in agreement.

Christian tensed and clenched his fist.

I wonder if his jaw hurt from all that clenching.

"Who said I was single?".

"Oh please,I know you are" ,Zoe waved his question away the same time Chloe said

"You won't be single for long now that I'm here".

"Then I think it's time you both know I have a girlfriend and I'm very serious about her" Christian spit out the word girlfriend looking as if just the word was enough to hurt him.

"Really?,how come I didn't know that?" Zoe asked dubiously.

"Maybe because I didn't want you to. Maybe because I don't tell you anything." Christian answered Matter of factly.

"So who is she then?,is she as beautiful and talented as I am?" Chloe asked irritatedly.

Looking between them I knew Christian absolutely despised Chloe for some reason while Chloe was infatuated with him and Zoe wanted them to be together.

Wanting to give them some privacy and not wanting to be mixed in with their drama I awkwardly said "Maybe I should go".

"Yes,do so now" Chloe spit out but Christian deflated her and said "No baby stay,it's time Zoe knew don't you think?" .

Then he made eye contact with me his grey eyes pleading while I was just plain confused.

Baby?.

"Time Zoe knew what?" Zoe said my thoughts out loud and I looked expectantly at Christian.

"That we're dating. I really like Ava Zoe,these past two weeks with her has been bliss,It would be really easy to fall in love with her" Christian replied looking at me adoringly.

Like a puppy looks at its master looking so darned cute but then what he just said penetrated my brain and...Wait.

WHAT???!!!!.