Chapter 22 The Secret Is Out
Skylar lay still, acutely aware of his gaze upon her. She could feel every nerve in her body pick up the sexual undercurrent that pulsated out of him. It was impossible to sleep under the circumstances. After ten minutes, she gave up and got up to go but her glance fell on Christian’s face. His eyes were closed, and it seemed he was indeed sleeping!
She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, as if he had been overworking himself for the last couple of days. His lips were parted and his thick, curled lashes cast shadows on his cheekbones, leaving her under a spell. It was a sin to be so good-looking! Was she committing a grave mistake by agreeing to have a contract marriage with him? Although she didn’t wish to acknowledge it, there was an undeniable attraction building up between them with every passing minute. She didn’t want to succumb to the temptation.
The man was a mystery! Why was he hell-bent on marrying her when there was no dearth of women willing to die to be his wife? Did their parents’ last wish mean so much to him?
Then why did he never come home when they were alive? Why would his parents always complain about him?
Hypnotized, she lay down again to watch him sleep. This was the first time she shared a bed with a man and it made her apprehensive. Suddenly, he rolled over and snaked an arm around her waist possessively, pulling her into his warm chest. Skylar immediately froze with horror, not having expected this. Goosebumps erupted on her skin the moment her body touched his. It sent a weird sensation spiraling down her body, settling in the pit of her stomach. The butterflies fluttered there, surprising her totally.
“It’s bad manners to stare,” he said in a raspy whisper, while her eyes widened with surprise. So he was aware of her checking him out! God, how embarrassing could it get?
“I wasn’t staring! I was just checking the dark circles under your eyes. Didn’t you sleep last night?” she asked in confusion.
“Not a wink.”
“Why?” she pushed at his chest but he didn’t release her. He opened his eyes and held her gaze. With his hot breath fanning her face, Skylar forgot to breathe.
“I’ll answer you when you get engaged to me.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“That won’t happen soon. I have no wish to marry in the next five years. I want to settle down in my career first.” Christian scoffed at her theory. He wanted to tell her about his plans but checked himself at the last minute. The time wasn’t right to tell her!
“I have no wish to grow old waiting for you. It will happen soon.” Skylar struggled to get free, gaping at the man.
“You can’t dictate everything, Christian. I too should have a say in this matter,” she protested. Christian released her and watched her scoot to the far end of the bed.
“You can choose our wedding venue, the decor, and our honeymoon destination.”
“No, you can choose those petty stuff. I’ll choose the wedding date and year.” Skylar stomped angrily out of the bedroom, tired of his arrogance.
Christian sighed, realizing that it was time to use force upon her. It was something he wanted to avoid, but despite the four years he gave her, she didn’t mature. She was the same stubborn, spoiled brat she was at eighteen.
He freshened up and joined her outside, but she avoided him like the plague. Instead of sitting with him, she sat at the far end of the dining area with her storybook. It irked him a lot since he had overworked himself for the last few days to spend time with her. He had bought a private jet to travel with her. He hadn’t been able to sleep much because of excessive work pressure. It wasn’t easy to complete the work and arrange for their engagement at the same time. Yet he had done it. He had coordinated with his family and sent them flight tickets to Miami for the occasion.
He had been looking forward to this. Now that she was with him, all they could do was fight. Why did she have to fight his every decision? Couldn’t she once give in? Maybe he was a fool to have expected her to agree. Maybe he was a greater fool, to have expected her to kiss him!
Upset, he scowled at his laptop and worked hard to stop himself from doing something he shouldn’t. It would complicate their relationship right now. Skylar differed from other women, and he had to think twice before taking their relationship a step forward. It was with a lot of difficulty that he convinced her to marry him and he didn’t wish to disrupt that.
If only she would let him kiss her once. Was that so difficult to do? He had noticed her checking him out earlier. Did she feel the attraction mounting between them, or was it just in his head?
“Wow! The clouds look so pretty!” she exclaimed at the wisp of white clouds like large cotton balls floating by her window. Against the clear blue sky, they looked stunning indeed!
Christian looked up at what got her attention. He had been too busy to notice such things. Ever since he took over the reins of the business, he didn’t get a moment of respite. Sebastian handled his own share of responsibilities and led an even more hard life. With Erika marrying someone else, Sebastian was too broken to lead a normal life. He overworked himself to keep himself sane.
The two brothers were extremely close, yet in the last four years, he could hardly interact with his older brother.
“Where are we now?” she asked eagerly.
“We’ve almost reached. In another forty minutes, we will land in Miami.”
“Oh! Do you come here often?” Christian watched her enthusiasm warily. He knew it was momentary. The moment she realized what he had in store for her, she would fight his decision.
“Yes. I’m always traveling. After our marriage, you would have to accompany me everywhere.” Skylar’s expression changed at his announcement, just as he had expected.
“Why would I? I can’t lead a nomadic life like you. I need to settle down in one place. Anyway, ours will be a contractual marriage. So you won’t miss me if I don’t accompany you.”
Christian looked away and focused on his laptop. It might be a contractual marriage for her, but for him, it was the only one in this lifetime. He was a one-woman man and had already loved for life!
“What if I do?” he breathed. He didn’t have to look at her to notice the shocked look on her face.
Skylar looked out of the window, unable to argue at all. The four words he uttered had rendered her speechless. Would he really miss her? Wasn’t this a contractual marriage? What difference would it make if she went globe-trotting with him? It would be fun!
“Strap your seat belt. We will land in a few minutes.” Skylar returned to the seat opposite to him and strapped on the seat belt. Christian, too, did the same and closed his laptop and packed it up. His mind was now on Skylar’s behavior. He noticed how she had stopped arguing immediately after his admission. He now found a way to pacify her! Arguing with her wouldn’t get him anywhere. She was the queen of arguments! No one could beat her at it!
They landed, and Skylar rushed after him to collect their luggage.
“Done?” Skylar nodded, pushing a trolley laden with her stuff while Christian handled the heavier one. There was a car waiting for them at the terminal and soon they were on the way towards his hotel. Skylar looked out at the sunny beach city, totally loving it.
She used to travel with her parents when they were alive, but after their death, she was stuck in New York. Her grandparents didn’t have an interest in traveling, and Caleb preferred to travel alone. This was the first time in ages that she got the chance to explore the world outside New York. The last time she had come to Florida, she had been just four years old. Apart from the hazy memories of the beach and the Disneyland adventures, she didn’t remember a thing.
“I came here last when I was four.”
“Yes, I know. Mom and Dad wanted me to join them but I didn’t.” Skylar turned to give him a curious look. She remembered his parents and Lillian had accompanied them on the trip. Sebastian had gone on a camping trip from his school while Christian had avoided it.
“Why not?” she couldn’t help but ask him.
Christian looked away, avoiding her question. Skylar waited for his reply, but he didn’t seem interested in answering her.
His silence spoiled her mood. One glance at the brooding look on his face made her rethink her judgment. Maybe there was a serious reason behind his behavior. Maybe he would tell her one day if he trusted her. After all, she didn’t give him a reason for him to trust her!
The car stopped at a palatial hotel, SJ Regency Suites, overlooking the picturesque Biscayne Bay. The staff rushed out to give them a gala welcome. They led them to a luxurious lobby where Skylar froze in surprise to see their family gathered there.
“What are they all doing here, Christian?” she asked with confusion.
“Oh, there they are!” said Lillian, approaching them with a wide smile on her face.
“I’m impressed by the arrangements, Chris! I just can’t wait for your engagement tomorrow!”