Chapter 17 16. Red Roses

Chapter 17 16. Red Roses
Chapter 16

Red Roses

"So, your bodyguard has changed?" asked Stefano, taking his arm away from Vanilla's shoulders.
"Jesus, don't mind him, I just turned him down," Vanilla said in a half-whisper.
She grabbed Stefano's wrist and quickly walked away, leaving Nick behind as if he didn't want to see her at all.
"Are you out of your mind?" Stefano asked earnestly because Vanilla's confession sounded strange.
A girl rejecting Nicholas Knight really sounded absurd.
"I know what I'm doing," Vanilla grumbled. Everyone thought she was insane just for rejecting Nick.
Gosh, what's so great about that guy?
"I don't want anything to do with him, Vanilla," Stefano said seriously.
"Vanilla West! Stop right there or I'll smash your friend's face in!"
The stern, but slightly growling voice brought Vanilla's steps to a halt.
"You'd better solve your problem with Nick," said Cassandra, who was already beside Vanilla.
Vanilla rolled her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out. She looked at Nick who stepped closer to her while her friends moved away.
Nick walked around Vanilla who stood stiffly staring at him with an exasperated look. The 190 cm tall man stopped in front of Vanilla, looking at her with a thick intimidating gaze.
"I like obedient girls." He grabbed Vanilla's waist, bringing her close to his body.
Vanilla tried to push away Nick's arm that was wrapped possessively around her waist, she looked at Nick with a protesting gaze. "Put your arm away, Nick."
"So what?" Nick raised one eyebrow. His lips wore his signature wickedly lopsided smile.
Vanilla looked away. It was very upsetting that Nick was with another woman and they were so close. "I need to find a taxi," she said curtly.
"You're coming home with me," Nick said quickly.
"You just go back with the jockey."
A peck landed unauthorized on Vanilla's lips making her eyes widen, Nick kissed her, forcing her to part her lips and thrust his tongue into Vanilla's helpless oral cavity amidst the passersby even though most of the people didn't care for the sight that could be taken for granted.
"You're rude!" Vanilla hissed, completely exasperated by Nick's arrogant behavior of shamelessly kissing her in public.
"I missed the taste of your lips," Nick growled, their lips still very close.
"Get off me!"
Nick growled, starting to run out of patience with Vanilla's stubbornness as if he had to hit his head against a brick wall to break the girl's stubbornness. An attitude that was completely different from the Vanilla he had known.
"Don't fight me, Vanilla."
Vanilla rudely tried again to push Nick's arm around her waist away. But he was too strong, too possessive, and certainly didn't really want to get away from Nick.
"If you're still resisting, I won't hesitate," Nick said, a menacing grin on his face. "I'll kiss you right here until you go limp."
His ocean-blue eyes flashed with a dangerous warning.
Vanilla swallowed, but eventually she had to give in and let Nick lead her to a silver Hennessey Venom F5: 301 MPH in silver.
Vanilla scowled, annoyed, irritated, and no longer wanted to see Nick's face.
Vanilla looked away, annoyed, irritated, and no longer wanted to see Nick's face. Her annoyance with Nick had reached its limit because when he managed to get her into the car, she found a bunch of almost wilted red roses lying on the dashboard. He was sure the flowers belonged to the jockey. Nick gave the girl the flowers, and now seduced her again.
"Look at me, Vanilla," Nick said softly.
Vanilla didn't budge, choosing to stare out the car window rather than follow Nick's orders and keeping her lips sealed.
"Vanilla...." Nick grabbed the palm of the girl beside him. "That jockey girl is Charlotte, my best friend. I have nothing to do with her."
"None of my business," Vanilla said curtly.
"You're jealous, Vanilla. My darling."
"Not at all," Vanilla said even more harshly.
It was true that she was upset, but not jealous. Not at all jealous as Nick accused her of being. Being upset and being jealous are different things because jealousy is between couples and they have nothing to do with each other.
"If you have no intention of driving me back to my house, you'd better let me call a cab."
Nick landed a peck on the back of Vanilla's palm. "I know, you're in love with me too. Just like I fell in love with you."
It was true that she was in love with Nick. However, she still felt a pang in her heart.
Surely all girls are wooed with sweet words and cheap words of love.
"Yesterday, I came to the place where you were practicing ballet, I waited for you until the afternoon. But, you didn't show up." Nick told her that he came looking for Vanilla, but she didn't show up until the afternoon.
Vanilla turned her head, looking at Nick who was looking at her with a very gentle gaze. Yesterday she and her friends had suddenly changed their practice studio because the main studio was too crowded. Vanilla's lips parted slightly, her brows furrowed slightly, she looked deeply into Nick's eyes searching for the truth of the man's words.
"I wanted to properly declare my love with flowers, yesterday." Nick glanced at the bunch of flowers lying on the dashboard.
Vanilla swallowed, whether she believed it or not, it was clear that she did not believe Nick. Not even a little bit. What was entrenched in Vanilla's brain was that the man in front of her was trying to seduce her and then after that fuck her.
"I hope you change your mind, Vanilla. I'm serious, I'm in love with you."
Vanilla's heart sank to her knees. "No, you just want to fuck me."
It was the cruelest accusation Nick had received in his entire life and worse yet it happened to him the first time he declared his love for a girl even though the accusation was true, he wanted to fuck Vanilla. Fuck a virgin, marry her if possible.
"What's wrong with me wanting to fuck my girlfriend? I'm a normal guy. But, if you're not willing I won't force you."
Vanilla looked deeply into Nick's eyes. "You'll definitely fuck another girl behind my back," she accused again.
Nick chuckled. He sighed deeply, since young he was known as a playboy. Okay, maybe this was his punishment.
"I won't force you to sleep with me if you don't want to and I promise, I won't sleep with any other girl. For God's sake. Vanilla, I mean it." Nick's voice was so low and soft, yet it sounded earnest.
Vanilla could see the earnestness in Nick's eyes that for a moment her stance wavered, she wanted to nod and jump into the man's arms. She looked away to the flowers on the dashboard.
Nick smiled, interpreting Vanilla's gaze to the bouquet of flowers. There was no way he could declare his love using half-wilted flowers. He buckled his seat belt around Vanilla's waist as he briefly stole a kiss on her shoulder before buckling his own seat belt and then starting the car and driving to the nearest flower shop.
"So, are we officially a couple?" asked Nick as a bundle of ninety-nine red roses rested on Vanilla's lap.
A satisfied blush on Nick's handsome face, the man drove his car at a medium to slow speed.
Vanilla's face was red, her heart was jumping for joy but she was not going to give Nick an easy chance. The girl kept her happy smile from appearing on her lips even though she wanted to scream for joy while holding a bunch of red roses in her lap.
"I'm not saying I accept you, Nick."
Nick pulled the car over, to hell with the signs indicating that the area was off-limits to stopping. He could solve that problem with money later.
"What did you say?"
"I haven't accepted you," Vanilla replied firmly.
Nick rubbed his face roughly. "Vanilla, don't play me."
Disappointment clearly appeared in Nick's eyes, although in the dim light Vanilla could still see it.
"Just because you professed love and these flowers don't mean I have to accept you." Vanilla paused her words. "I mean, I want to try our relationship for three months, we're friends...."
"Impossible!" cut Nick off.
What kind of logic? He had to refrain from fucking anyone while between him and Vanilla, there was no relationship whatsoever. Just friendship.
"Then I really reject you," Vanilla said, she was about to move the bunch of roses on her lap to the dashboard.
"Vanilla...," Nick growled. The look in the man's eyes was truly menacing.
Vanilla sighed. "If you can get past that, I'll sleep with you."
Nick's jaw hardened, exasperated. Not unhappy with what he heard, the girl he wanted was willing to sleep with him if he could pass the challenge. However, he was very annoyed that his and Vanilla's relationship sounded like a game with a prize and worse, the prize was Vanilla herself.
"Why, you're afraid you won't be able to, right?" asked Vanilla sarcastically.
Nick narrowed his eyes. "I can definitely do it."
Just don't sleep with a woman for three months. That should be easy.
Vanilla smiled sarcastically, she looked at Nick. Underestimating the man. "I'm not sure."
"Don't ever underestimate me, Vanilla."