Chapter 36 Practical Lessons On Love
When Christian returned, they had a delightful gourmet dinner he had specially arranged for her. Christian animatedly discussed the movie since it made him indirectly know her feelings regarding love. He couldn’t confess, but at least he could know how she felt about it.
“You’re quite romantic at heart!” she pointed out with a laugh.
“Obviously, I’ve been through it.” Skylar’s face fell at his admission. So, she was right. He loved someone from a very young age.
“Oh! Then why didn’t you marry her?” Christian looked away, thinking of a proper answer to her question. He couldn’t tell her the real reason yet.
“She doesn’t return my feelings. She doesn’t want to marry me.” Skylar thought about his predicament in silence, not knowing how to comfort him. She didn’t have any experience in this department. Strangely, her heart constricted with pain for him. At the same time, she felt jealous of the woman he was in love with!
“Oh, that’s sad. Do you want me to talk to her? You shouldn’t marry me when you love another.” Christian sighed at seeing her misunderstand him again. It seemed he would have to tell her explicitly for her to understand. Why was it so difficult to realize it was her and not someone else he loved?
“I’m fine with marrying you. So, how excited are you about this trip?” he asked her to divert her attention.
“It depends on where we will go. Tell me your itinerary!” Christian grinned at seeing the sparkle in her eyes. He knew she was as excited as he was. He had gone on lots of work trips, but this was the first time he felt alive and excited about this one.
“We will first visit Rome where we’re inaugurating our boutique-style resort in our vineyard in Frascati. Then we will leave for Venice. Our flagship hotel there is undergoing a major renovation. Next, we will stop in Zurich for a conference and move on to Paris. I have an important client to meet there. We will head to London next for a press meet. Sebastian will join us there. We will go to Amsterdam next and then to Berlin and finally back.”
Skylar’s eyes widened at his tight work schedule. “Then why am I accompanying you? You have a tight schedule with no scope for enjoyment!” she pouted, looking away.
“We have two months to cover those places. So it will be more of a fun-filled trip.”
He explained a little about each of those places while Skylar listened to him with awe. She had traveled less and it would be a novel experience for her. They sipped some wine before retiring for the night. Christian couldn’t contain his excitement at the prospect of sleeping with her in the same bedroom. However, Skylar seemed too lost in their travel plans to realize her ordeal.
It was only when he got up to go to the bedroom did Skylar realize it. “Umm, I’ll sleep here. You can use the bedroom,” she said, but Christian shook his head.
“That’s not even an option. Everyone knows you’re my fiancée. You have to sleep with me in the bedroom.” She knew there was no point in arguing with him on this. However, Christian couldn’t trust her on this. He grabbed her hand and led her into the bedroom. He was surprised that she didn’t put up a fight at all.
Skylar went to the washroom to freshen up while he changed into a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt to sleep.
The bed wasn’t too big and excitement coursed through him as he waited for her to emerge. What was taking her so long? Finally, the wait was over and Skylar emerged from the washroom clad in a pair of shorts and a loose tee shirt. She could feel his hooded gaze checking her out, and it created a flutter in her stomach. Did she do the right thing to accompany him? What if he touched her without her consent?
She suddenly had cold feet and couldn’t take a step forward. This was just the beginning. She had two months to spend in his company. Maybe going to New York was a better option than this!
“Do you wish to spend the night there at the foot of the bed?” he asked impatiently, seeing her stand there and chew her lips.
“No, I was just thinking if I could sleep on the couch.” Christian groaned and patted the place next to him.
“You’ll get cramps. Just sleep here. I’ve given you enough space.” Skylar glanced at her side of the bed and shyly climbed onto it. There was hardly enough space to roll without colliding with him. Why couldn’t he sleep outside on the day bed?
“Why did you have such a small bed made in here?” she muttered when her arm brushed against his.
“You’re right! Where will our children fit in?” She gaped at him, two bright spots of color staining her cheeks.
“There won’t be any.”
“Of course there will be. I want at least two. How about you?” Skylar groaned and covered her ears with her pillow to block his question out. She wouldn’t have any physical proximity to him, so how would they have babies?
“I love children, but we won’t have sex, ever. So there’s no question of having children with you.” Christian chuckled at her naivety.
“We won’t have sex! We will make love!”
“What’s the fucking difference between the two? You have to be in love to make love, right?”
“it seems I have to teach you a lot! Go to sleep now! I’ll give you practical lessons when I’m in the mood. It will clarify all your doubts.” He smiled as he closed his eyes to sleep. She glared at him, still fuming with anger. Did he really say that?
“I don’t want to know. Don’t jump at me in the middle of the night.”
“Can’t guarantee that. What will you do if I do?” she groaned and turned her back to him.
“I’ll push you out of the jet!” Christian chuckled and turned to face her back to sleep. Skylar stared in front of her, acutely aware of his hot breath behind her. Would he grab her now? What if he thought of teaching her now?
“Sleep, Skylar, or I’ll really start the practical lessons.”
“No, please. I’m already asleep.” She closed her eyes and lay like a log to convince him. Christian gazed at her backside, loving the curvy silhouette of her body. The shorts exposed her long smooth legs, and he craved a touch. He wanted to trace his tongue up them to unravel all the hidden treasures of her body. The sinful thoughts instantly made his organ twitch into life. He could feel himself harden to a point of no return. God! This was the worst situation ever!
“I can’t sleep. Can I just hold you, Skylar?” he whispered, but received no response from her. Had she gone to sleep so soon?
He tried hard to restrain himself and sleep, yet even after an hour; he was wide awake. At last, he surrendered to his desires and snaked his arm around her waist to pull her closer to his body. A gasp of pure delight escaped his mouth when her soft body touched his. It felt heavenly! Within minutes, he fell asleep spooning her from behind!
The next morning, Skylar woke up with a start. She turned around to see Christian ready in a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. “Good morning, sleepyhead! So, did you have a good sleep wrapped in my arms?”
Skylar gave him a look of disbelief. “Are you kidding me?”
Christian grinned but didn’t elaborate further. It’s better she didn’t know at all!
“Get ready. We’ll reach in an hour.”
Skylar looked out of the window and blinked at the bright afternoon sun. “It’s afternoon already, I think here.”
“Yeah, we’re nine hours ahead in Italy.” Christian left the bedroom while Skylar quickly freshened up and got ready. His words rang in her ears and she wondered if they were true. But how did she not feel a thing? She would have woken up if he touched her, right?
In another hour, they reached the capital city of Italy. A car was waiting to take them to the small town of Frascati a short distance away. Bathed under the rays of the late afternoon sun, Skylar’s eyes feasted on the stunning beauty all around her. The car sped towards the olive grove hillside with a lush vineyard landscape visible from afar.
“This is our first winery. Sebastian and Grandpa Ben were supposed to join us here but some urgent work came up in Singapore and Seb had to attend to it. Grandpa Ben is at Lillian’s place now and refused to join us.”
“Oh! Is everything alright?” she asked, although deep in her heart she felt relieved that they weren’t arriving here.
“Yes. Grandpa is quite moody!”
The car entered his property, and Skylar watched the magnificent vineyards stretching all around her. They disappeared into the horizon among the verdant hills of the Roman countryside. “It’s breathtaking! Do you own it all?” she asked, with a sparkle in her eyes.
“Yes. We bought the place from an old family who just couldn’t maintain it anymore. Do you like it?”
“Yes, Christian. I love it. This is indeed heaven on earth!”
“I knew you would like it. Maybe we will get married here one day!”