Chapter 33 Her Dream House
“Have you been keeping tabs on me, Christian?” She scowled at the man forgetting everything around him. The car came to a halt, and she realized they had reached his house. Her jaws dropped at the stunning villa in front of her, overlooking the beach. It was like paradise on Earth! It was her dream house! She blinked at the coincidence. Ever since she was a little girl, it had been her dream to live in such a villa! Her granny was the only person in the world who knew about her dream house!
The mesmerizing place made her forget everything, and she alighted from the car and walked around the garden in front of the property. Christian watched her reaction with satisfaction. It had been almost six years since he had this house built especially for her. Skylar’s reaction was enough to make him feel indebted to granny Miriam for her valuable advice. He was glad he had consulted her before ever starting the project.
“Do you like our new home?” He stood beside her as she watched the vast expanse of blue waters before her glistening under the sun’s rays. It uplifted her mood, and she flashed him a dazzling smile.
“I love it! Do you know, I had always wanted to live in a sunny villa by the ocean? It has been my childhood dream!” she clasped her hands together as she ran towards the sit out beside a gurgling little fountain.
“Oh, is it?” he gave her an amused look, following her around.
“Do you have fish in here?” she peered into the mini pool created around the fountain.
“Not yet but you can buy some of your choice.” She gave him another dazzling smile that took his breath away.
“I can? Thank you so much! I love our home.” Christian’s heart soared with happiness to hear her call it her home. It uplifted his hopes a little. She checked the gigantic swimming pool in the backyard with an ultra-sleek covered pergola beside it. The white, gray, and blue color palette with adequate seating arrangements made it look like a perfect sanctuary to spend her free time in.
“Do you sit here often? It’s so soothing?” She sat under the cool shade decorated with ferns and foliage and lots of lights. It would be fun to watch them light up the place at night.
“Not yet, but now I will if you give me company.” Skylar gave him a look of disbelief.
“Now I’m sure you’re a workaholic. If I lived in such a place, I would have spent my free time here.”
“It’s not fun when you’re all alone.” Skylar turned to give him a concerned look, seeing him in a different light altogether. He really seemed lonely. Maybe he was indeed heartbroken.
“Why would you be alone? Don’t you have friends? You can easily entertain them here.”
“I don’t have friends here. At my boarding school here in LA, my best friend was from Denmark. He returned to his country after graduating and we lost touch. Same with my college. After graduating from Harvard, I left my best friend of six years behind in Massachusetts. I never got to make friends in New York since they sent me away at the tender age of seven. Here, I have been too busy with work to make friends. So, it’s actually a lonely life! You’re lucky to have your close group of friends with you!”
Skylar listened to him intently. It was the first time he opened up to her. His candid admission got her a little worried.
“What about girlfriends? I’m sure you might have had a string of conquests!” she asked with a nervous smile, waiting for him to tell her about the woman he loved.
“No, I don’t do girlfriends.” He got up with a little smile, knowing where she was getting to.
“But Lillian said you liked someone for a long time. Didn’t you confess your feelings to her? Or did she turn you down?” She rambled on, but he simply grabbed her wrist and pulled her up with a smile on his face.
“Come on. Let’s go inside.” It was all he said, making Skylar stop her rambling.
“I asked you something, Christian.”
“My answer remains the same, Skylar. You have to kiss me if you want to know me.”
“My answer too remains the same. I’m not interested to know.” Skylar groaned but pursed her lips to keep herself from asking anything else.
He unlocked the main door of the ultra-modern villa painted in sparkling white against the vivid blue sky and sparkling blue ocean beyond. The glass sliding walls, the open floor plan, and with balconies wrapped all around, provided unobstructed views of the ocean. There was a spacious deck outside with a fireplace, barbecue, and kitchenette that connected to the pergola outside.
He led her to the opposite side towards the dining area.
“This is the kitchen where you would cook for me.” Skylar rolled her eyes at his arrogant remark. The elegant gourmet kitchen with a breakfast nook overlooking the fountain outside actually took her breath away.
“This can be my next favorite place in the house,” she murmured, sitting at the breakfast nook.
“It already is my favorite!” he admitted with a smirk. “Let’s check out the master suite upstairs!” Christian walked out towards the chic staircase that led them to the decadent master suite.
He opened the door and walked inside while she peered inside from the doorway. Would he expect her to share it with him? She wouldn’t sleep here with him. She needed a room of her own!
“You can come in. I won’t touch you now!” he said with a chuckle. Skylar glared at him, storming into the room.
“I’m not a helpless sixteen-year-old! I can protect myself! So, this is your room? Where’s my room? Let me clear this once and for all. I’m not sleeping here with you.”
“You can use the one next to mine.” Relief washed over her that he didn’t force her to sleep with him. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. Maybe he was marrying her just to fulfill his parents' wish.
“Can I see it?”
“Sure, Samuel has left your luggage there.” Skylar rushed out before he changed his mind and made her stay with him.
The room was airy too, with a lounging area, and walk-in closet, but it was the washroom that took her breath away. It had a sparkling marble bath with dual vanities already stocked with women’s toiletries, all brand new. Who lived here if he was so lonely? Why was it stocked up? Or was it all for her? How did he know she would occupy this room?
Skylar walked out to ask him, curiosity getting the better of her. She opened the door and stormed into his room, but froze at the sight of him. What was he doing clad only in his underwear?
“Umm, I’m sorry. I’ll come back later!” she whirled around and rushed to the door, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Thank God she had a room of her own to hide in.
“Hey, wait! What did you want?” he yelled after her with a chuckle, but she had fled already. Christian chuckled at her naivety. She didn’t know why he chose the room for her. Quickly changing into a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt, he walked out to his balcony. Just as he had expected, she hadn’t closed her balcony door at all. He climbed from his balcony into hers in one swift jump and smiled at his success. He could hear her mumbling something to herself while searching her luggage for something.
“Are you looking for something?” he asked her from the doorway.
Skylar jumped up in shock. She was just thinking of showering and couldn’t find her undergarments anywhere. She couldn’t remember which suitcase she had stuffed them in. Now, with Christian appearing suddenly in front of her, she felt clueless.
“How did you come in?” she asked, blinking at him with surprise.
“You left the balcony door open, and I jumped in.” Skylar looked annoyed and placed her hands on her waist, ready for war.
“That’s not nice at all. Don’t even think of repeating it.”
“What if I do? You barged into my room without my permission.” Skylar looked ill at ease, remembering the incident.
“I’m sorry. Next time onwards, I’ll knock. No, scratch that. I won’t ever enter your room. Happy now?” Christian shook his head slowly as he walked towards her.
“No, I’m not happy. I want you to barge into my room.” Her eyes widened when he didn’t stop. What was he planning to do now?
“Okay, I’ve got the idea. I’ll barge in anytime, but you can’t. I need my privacy.” She now started moving backward to avoid a collision.
“Why? We’re engaged, aren’t we? Why do you behave like I’m nothing to you?”
Skylar’s back hit the wall behind her, and she watched him stop inches from her.
“It isn’t a real one, right?” she reminded him breathlessly.
“It is for me.”