The Man Who Buries His Brides

Chapter Eleven: Too close for comfort

She yawned as she opened her eyes, then sat up comfortably. The slow breathing but deep beside her caught her attention and she shifted her gaze to Richard who was beside her.

He lay chest-down on the bed, his head turned in her direction. Ivy admired his boyish-face; with each breath he took slowly. He had no tolerance for alcohol. The little amount he took led to him being on the bed with her.

They both had alcohol last night and he started blabbing before he slept off. She had to drag him to the bed and adjust his body in a comfortable position.

She beamed lightly as she recalled how they had spent their night together. They ate happily and even ordered more alcoholic drinks before he fell asleep. He only took half a bottle and it knocked him down.

If it were true that he wanted to help her, she would be so thankful. She then looked around and found the room messy. She knew the cleaning services would soon come in and clean but she could not let them in. If they saw Richard on the bed with her, rumors would start flying.

She got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. As she finished bathing, she tied the towel around her body and pinned her hair into a messy bun.

As she opened the bathroom door, the sight she saw took her breath away and she immediately closed the door. She took deep breaths and shuffled her memory. She had seen Richard awake and standing. He was flexing his muscles in the mirror ... .his biceps were so satisfying to look at and his chest was so well structured.

She summoned courage and opened the door slightly, staring at his arms and back.

"Didn't anyone tell you that looking at someone like that is an offense, Miss Ashby?"The baritone voice asked.

Ivy, shocked, slammed the door quickly.

He saw her!

Well, she had no choice but to confront him bravely. As she opened the door again, she opened her mouth to speak but the words stopped in her throat.

He stood in front of her, staring into her dancing green eyes closely.

"You were about to say something."

He walked towards her again, this time slowly and steadily.

Ivy's heart pounded hard. "Don't...stop moving towards me like that!"

He halted. "Really? But you were looking at someone naked.....

"You were not naked! What are you saying? I was just searching for my perfume.....

"Oh, with your mischievous eyes? Who uses their eyes to search?"He interrupted, folding his arms.

Ivy tried her best not to look at his chest, not wanting him to kiss her unexpectedly again. "Look, think whatever you want to, I am out of here."

She attempted to walk past him but he closed the door.

"No, you're not."She shot him that warning-look. "Why do you love being over-stubborn?"

"And why are you overly romantic?" She snapped at him then covered her mouth as she realized she said the wrong word out of frustration,she wanted to say over-bossy.

"Over-romantic?" He chuckled then added. "Or do you mean you are beginning to have a crush on me?"

He winked at her and she scoffed. "Crush? on you? I did not even have a crush on David, why you?"

"Maybe, because I'm too good-looking?"

"Is this how you close on to innocent girls?" she asked, realizing he was invading her personal space but he giggled again, this time loudly.

"Innocent? No, ma'am, I close on rude, dangerous, and ugly girls. Understood?"He replied then turned to leave but she grabbed his arm swiftly.

"Me? ugly? I am a supermodel, Mr. Walker, the most beautiful model. Are you jealous of my beauty?"

"Why would I be jealous, you are ugly! So beat that.' He replied.

No, I am not....

" Yes, you are!"

"No, I am not!"

"Yes, you are!'

Suddenly they heard loud laughter from the room,more than two people heard their silly squabble! They looked at each other in surprise.

" You see what you have caused, you brought people into my room!" she lamented in a low tone.

"Just keep shut and open the door,it seems you have called all the hotel attendants here."He answered back and she pouted her mouth then turned to the door and opened it slowly.

Relief washed over her as she saw only her PA, Richard's Personal assistants, David, and two attendants smiling.

" What.... what are you guys doing here?" She asked, embarrassment flooding her cheeks.

"We have been trying to open the door since last night but we realized it was locked. So we decided to come and check this morning since we were all worried and luckily it is already unlocked.' Stacy replied, smiling broadly.

"I see and why were you laughing?" Ivy asked.

"We've been listening to your argument since, Ivy, and it was rather amusing," David answered back and immediately Richard stood behind Ivy making her his shield to cover his upper body.

"Thank goodness you are back David,she wanted to beat me up!"

David grinned lightly. "Well-done Richard, you are doing a perfect job."

"If you are done, we will be waiting outside. We've brought your clothes which you will wear today, if you still want to stay with Miss Ivy."

Eva said politely.

"He is not staying with me!" Ivy declared firmly.

"I never said I wanted to.." Richard said then shifted his gaze to Eva. "Drop it on the sofa and wait for me downstairs,we will have a conversation after I am done."

Ivy nudged him in the stomach silently.

The others left the room while David stayed behind.

"Why did you hit me like that?"

" If you are done with what? uh? What are you doing? What do you want to finish?" She asked as she turned to him.

"Wow, why do you have negative thoughts in your head? Won't I dress myself? What were you thinking about uh? That I wanted to romance you?"He questioned, smiling broadly.

"Read my lips Mr Walker, freshen up, dress up and get out of my room. We still have other things to do." She let out calmly.

"Well, I don't want to read your pink lips Miss Ashby, I want to kiss them!"