CHAPTER TWENTY: TO LOVE AND LUST AFTER.
1769 Words
LIORAÉ
A staff member led us to the room we were going to be staying in; it was more of an apartment than a room. The only thing missing in it was a kitchen.
“Thank you very much,” Soren said to the staff as he closed the door. The reality of us being here alone was suddenly dawning on me.
“I thought we’d go to a hotel,” I said, not turning to him.
“And waste money? ” He asked as if money had ever been his problem. He was born into money, and I am sure he never truly had to work for it.
“We were offered free accommodation here; you can bet we would be taking it,” he added.
When I turned to him, he was standing bare-chested with his trousers hanging lower on his waist. How had he gotten off his clothes so easily? I licked my lips, trying to figure out what my reaction was supposed to be.
“And we can’t ask them for separate rooms?” I asked.
Those weren't the words I wanted to say; I knew that if I said them, he would tell me that I was freaking out about him standing shirtless and hot in the room. His abs looked almost too fake for me to believe, but there they were, perking at me happily.
“And you don’t think that would raise suspicions? ” He began walking towards me, his gaze staying on my face.
“We can tell them that… Umm… We can tell him that we are abstaining.”
“And you think he would buy it?”
“Why not?” I had been celibate with Evan; it was not that far-fetched.
“Well, if he sees the way I look at you, he’d think we’d be crazy to abstain.” He had stopped right in front of me. He took my hand and pressed it against his chest; my hand moved in rhythm to his heartbeat.
Why was his heart beating so fast?
“Mr Vale, you are already violating my only term.”
I tried to sound as professional as possible. It didn't matter what happened this weekend; I knew that once we got to the office on Monday, I was not going to be the fiancée of Soren Vale but the executive assistant who could get fired by anyone in the office.
“I am?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
“Being shirtless…”
“You’ve seen me naked, so this isn't really a big deal.”
“Oh god! How much longer are you going to bring that up?" I wanted to act like I was the girl who did one-night stands regularly, but even listening to myself didn't convince me.
“Don’t worry, Lioraé,” he said with a wink, and I don’t know what that was supposed to mean.
He leaned further, his hand on my shoulders, transferring warmth through my silk blouse. His breath fanned my neck, and my entire face was red in response.
“I am not trying to seduce you,” he murmured and then looked at my face.
“If I were, then you’d know.” He pulled away, and I could see how his pupils were dilated before he walked away, leaving me.
I dropped to the floor, using my fingers as a fan to wash away the effect he had on me. I pressed my thighs together to stop the aching pleasure I felt in them. I opened my bag and took out my clothes. Luckily for me, I had brought a change of clothes, but I was not sure if they would fit in this place; everything looked too formal, like I was going to the office.
“Are you going to take a shower?”
Soren emerged a moment later, his chest wet from the shower, hair hanging over his face wet and dripping, while a towel hung too low. I looked away and rushed to the bathroom before I gave in to the little voices in my head.
When I got out after standing in the hot shower for more than forty minutes, Soren was nowhere to be found, and I was glad for that. I could change without him making comments that unravelled me.
My eyes caught a box on the bed, and a note firmly taped on it. ‘Wear this – Soren.’
I stared at how perfect this man was; even his handwriting was enough to make me swoon for him. I sat next to the box and carefully opened it. A lilac spaghetti-sleeve dress sat inside with another smaller box that contained a necklace and earring pair to go.
“He had planned,” I murmured to myself as I tried to push out the thought of how many others he had done this for. How many more assistants has he had to play his wife before for him to get this good?
This was business, and even if he had done it before, it had nothing to do with me. But still, how was he so good at getting the dress and accessories right?
“Lioraé,” he walked in, and thankfully, I had slipped out of the towel and was now standing watching myself in the mirror. The pale dress complements my skin very well.
“You look breathtaking,” he said as he stood behind me, his hand pressing my shoulders.
“How did you…”
“I had told you it was a work trip, so I knew you’d bring work clothes; I had to fix it.”
I knew I was not supposed to be here at all, but it felt good to think he had thought that far. He picked up the box and took out the necklace, placing it on my neck.
I stared at myself as he rubbed his palm on my bare shoulders.
“Lioraé?” He turned me around and peered into my face.
“Do you not like it? I can try to…”
“It’s not it.”
How the hell had he been able to pick up the change in my emotions so easily? I couldn't shake off the feeling that Elara had been the one to help him pick out everything and that I was the one stealing her life.
“Who picked out the dress?” I finally asked, looking up at him. There was no need to try and run away from things like this; the earlier it gets resolved, the better for me.
“I did. Do you not like it?” he asked, his eyebrow furrowing with worry.
“Did you have any help?”
He seemed to understand because his mouth formed an ‘O’ shape as he pulled me closer.
“I know what it seems, but I thought that every dress I picked for this weekend was going to look good on you, so I picked them with every accessory and shoe.”
He pulled me with him and made me sit on the bed as he slipped on a sandal that fit too perfectly. How had he known my exact measurement without me having to tell him? What kind of mind did he have?
“I picked everything to fit,” he added.
“I can see that, but still it is a little disturbing.” He waited for me to explain. “With Elara and…”
“If you are referring to Elara, then I don’t need to hear it. This weekend is about me and you.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine; I gasped in response.
“I am sorry; I couldn’t resist your lips staring at me,” he murmured against them.
I straightened my back and pulled away, clearing my throat. He got up and stretched his hand to me.
“Shall we?”
I took his hand, and he led us out of the room. Lord Campbell and his wife were already seated at the dining table when we got there. Soren pulled out a chair for me, and since I was playing the in-love girlfriend, I smiled at him and slid in.
“Awnn,” Lora gushed as Soren sat beside me, his hand taking mine.
“I love young love; it is just so…” She trailed off, her eyes twinkling with excitement. She sighed and then reached for her husband’s hand. “John and I are not as young as we used to be,” she added.
Was she much older than she looked, and had I mistaken her for a woman who married up to wealth? Like, who was I portraying to be?
“Yes, yes, but the important thing is growing together in love,” John added. The way he stared at her showed nothing but pure, true love. It was quite a sight for a couple of their age.
“So tell me, Soren and Lioraé, where did you both meet?”
“At the club,” Soren beat me to speaking. I was going to make up a meet-cute story that would make them swoon, but here he was going for the real story.
“She had just been dumped by a man stupid enough to lose her, and we met, clicking almost immediately, and here we are in love,” he finished. Both of them seemed so invested in his tale, or maybe it was the way he told it.
“You both are so lucky to find each other,” John chuckled, and Lora nodded in agreement.
“Tell me, Lioraé.” Lora faced me. I gulped, not ready for whatever it was she wanted to ask me. Soren squeezed my hand a little, and I could feel his support surge through his grip.
“What do you like about Soren?” she asked.
Maybe they were just bored and had money, so they did these little tests with younger couples for their entertainment, all in the name of an investment.
I looked at Soren, who was staring at me, and I smiled. “He is just everything a girl wants and more, so attentive to me and loves me.”
Those words were true. “And we just had this instant click, the kind you can’t deny.”
“Oh, honey.” Soren leaned and pressed his lips near my mouth; I froze but managed to recover almost immediately. “That’s so sweet of you.”
“So when are you both going to tie the knot?”
- Writer
