Chapter 60 CHAPTER 60
ROMAN’S POV
She remembered that, didn’t she?
That day at her parents. That day I walked her to her front porch instead of heading home myself as usual. I was only supposed to walk her to the bus stop, take my own route, but somehow I ended up doing the opposite.
Getting on the bus with her, and then following her home. Right to her very porch, that was how enthralled I was.
A blissful, childish evening. I think I was going in for a kiss when it happened. Her mom happened.
The door behind us flinging open, disbelief brown eyes staring down at us right then and there. I was caught right in the middle of everything and that day, I fully understood. I understood what a difference she and I were. While her environment was controlled, arranged, protected, mine wasn’t.
We were so different, but if it was possible, that day only made me cherish her more.Want her more, see her more despite her mom’s furious warnings.
“Childish,” I muttered, chuckling slightly. The memory fading off. “She remembers.”
Definitely.
There was doubt about that but whichever way, it was the past. The stupid childish past, we were bigger than that now. No need to bring it up.
And with that, I focused on the reports Jordan sent over. Checking a few of the cameras I had secretly installed for stuff like this. Moments when I was unavailable and left others in charge. Vega, Marcus, Marshall. With Jordan overseeing all of course.
You never could be too trusting in this business. Not with the kind of cash coming in.
“High time we filter out some scumbags anyways. This is necessary.” I dimmed the lights, settling in as I focused on the screen. The sound of shower running faintly, the air clean and different. Hotel different. But I felt comfortable. Maybe too comfortable, but I didn’t give any chance to dwell on that whatsoever.
I had work to do. So I did it.
Don’t know for how long I stayed like that. Couldn’t exactly pin point the moment, but it was well over an hour and some more. The bathroom door opened.
She came out.
Finally came out. The scents of faint jasmine and warm musk filling the air as she did. My eyes automatically going over to stare, taking in her form. Her shy, smallish form, but that was not the highlight of the night.
The main highlight was her clothes. The clothes on her skin, covering her entire body. She was supposed to be in light gray pants and a small comfy shirt, but instead, she seemed like the shirt was well enough to pass for a full blown gown. The pants completely unnecessary but she still wore it.
“I was err…I was trying t-to shorten it in some way.” her voice reached my ears. Stuttering. Uncomfortable. Picking her nails and everything. I didn’t even know when I laughed.
It just came out. She looked that ridiculous.
“You look like you’re getting swallowed!” I said, chuckling. She frowned. Not appreciating my laughter of course.
“It’s your fault.” she protested, walking over. Rising the pants up as she moved though. “You said there were clothes for me in the bathroom, you didn’t say they were your clothes.”
Yeah right. About that… I didn’t mention that.
She looked good though. Kinda cute.
“Just take the pants off.” I said to her, seeing as she sighed uncomfortably. “The shirt is good enough.”
Tomorrow’s not far anymore. I’d put a call through to the reception and have clothes brought up for her.
But still she stood unmoving. Calculating. Thinking. Whether to take off the pants or not.
At the end she moved. Headed over to the bed, her side. Not a word from her though. And as she settled in, releasing a breath, I realized she wouldn’t be taking off the pants.
“Nice means of communication,” I commented, looking at her. But all I got was a stare,pillows pulled from the head of the bed and then situated at the middle. Between us.
“What’s this?” I quickly asked, puzzled by her serious expression but she only continued. Continued until she reached the very end of the bed. A sigh leaving her lips.
“Thank you for the clothes, but if we’re going to be sharing the bed we need some ground rules.”she faced me, “Do not cross these line of pillows no matter. No part of you should venture towrds this area, my side. This is my side of the bed.”
What??
“You cannot be serious,” I said, amused more than ever right now. “What are we, kids? You’re 6 and I’m 7??”
“Think what you want but do not cross here.” she said, “I don’t like sleeping with the lights on, and I hate noise too.”
“You hate- this is ridiculous.” I chuckled, but she was done speaking apparently. Turning over to her side of the bed, killing the lights on her side and pulling out her phone.
“What, you have a rule against communication now?” I had to ask. The lined pillows, her too big clothes then the sheets pulled up to her neck with her back facing me. It was all just ridiculous. “You’re going so much in those sheets, just so you know.”
She didn’t respond. Probably wasn’t even listening to me anymore. I just shook my head, amused as I faced back my screens.
“I wonder how long she’s going to last like that.”
The Alina I knew? She was a rough sleeper. She’d fall asleep at a point, but move all over the place before morning. She was never one to sleep at a spot. Which made this whole display of hers all the more laughable.
But hey, anything like a good means of entertainment, right?
She was entertaining, I had always known that. I was just seeing a different kind tonight. Hopefully the entire weekend we’re here too.
I focused a bit more on my task at hand, communicated with Jordan over a few pending and very interesting sign ups we’ve had. But after that, I killed the lights on my side too.
Finally calling it a night.
At first it was uncomfortable. The pillows and everything. Couldn't stretch out like I’d loved to, but seeing her toss around in a spot for several minutes, trying not to switch positions, that gave me Joy. I found peace instantly, and settled in for a sleep.
A few tosses, turns and everything went dark.
When my subconscious stirred awake again, my body doing the same. I felt a certain pressure on my body, all over. It was kind of like this heavy pressure. Not too much, but definitely strange. Unfamiliar, and resisting my every movements.
I tried to adjust, but it was there. I attempted to turn over, switch positions maybe, but it somehow seemed to follow me.
That was I decided it was time to wake up. Time to open my eyes.
But imagine my confusion, my absolute surprise, utter shock when I opened my eyes to thick brown curls sprawled crazily across my face. My chest, my body. It was just everywhere!
Then in that confusion, my eyes quickly moved to trace the source, call for help, only to find that the spot beside me on the bed which should’ve been occupied by a person was vacant. There was no body there, and even the long line of pillows were gone. Several of them kicked off to the floor, visible to my eyes even on the bed.
That was when I realized what happened.
Or rather WHO happened.
Alina.
She moved. She flipping moved and practically overturned the bed with her.
“The hell?” I stared down at myself. Eyebrows furrowed with intensity, not whether to laugh out loud or just take a picture for evidence. Cause she’d never agree she did this if I settled her back in place without waking her up.
I’ve had way too many encounter with this moment to know just what she’d do.
“Just look at you. Just take a look.” I muttered, pushing her hair away slightly. Remembering her rules and seriousness while setting up all those pillows. Now they were on the floor. One of them clutched in my fingers as she nestled deeply into it, using me, my body as her bed.
Could you just imagine it.
Without waking her, I slowly pushed the brown curls away. Finding her face. Her smooth, cute as a button face. Lips all so reddish and pouted as she laid there. Just sleeping away.
“It’s morning alright? When are you going to wake up?” I said to her, slow. Chuckles vibrating from my chest as she muttered something incoherent while laying on there. “Alina.”
“Alina…” I called at her, rubbing her nose. Her pout somehow deepening, features frowning. Protesting of course. That I shouldn’t touch her nose.
But I continued.
Rubbing more and more. Her fingers moving up to fight against me. Hiding her face. Making me chuckle even more.
She really thought my body was some comfortable bed to stay on, didn’t she?
“Alina…”
“Alina wake up. Wake up,”
“No…leave me alone…”
“Alina...Ali-
“No…”
“Alina-
“Oh God…what!” she sprung up, “What! What do you want, Cleo?”
Cleo?
“Who’s Cleo?” I stared at her, amused. Thoroughly amused, I mean the look on her face, it was epic. Utterly epic. “Who’s Cleo, ALina?”
“What?” She blinked at me. Once. Twice. Thrice and then some more. Laughter rumbling out of me, her expression going even more sour. Realization dawning, understanding and then fear.
But all that only made me laugh some more.
“Rise and shine, brown eyes! How you’d sleep?”