Chapter 11

Lavender. The soft scent wafted across the cold room chilling her bones and making her shiver. This was exactly where she wanted to be. Away from the streets of Seattle and the woman from the store that knew her sister. She rolled to her side and hit something warm making her smile. Maybe she really wasn’t dreaming, and Sean had come back for her.

Rosalia slowed opened her eyes expecting to see the green eyes that had been there before she succumbed to sleep. Instead, she saw big brown eyes staring back at her. She jumped off the bed landing heavily on her feet.

“Who are you?” She asked the wide-eyed lady that was staring back at her in confusion. “Did my sister send you to get me back? How did I even get here?” She asked all in one breath.

“The question should be, what are you doing in Mr. Derero’s bed?” The lady asked, crossing her arms over her chest, and staring down at Rosalia.

“Mr. What? Oh my God! Have I been kidnapped?” Rosalia yelled, many thoughts going through her head all at once. She looked down and sighed in relief when she realized she was still fully clothed. She looked around the big room for the exit. It was right behind where the lady stood.

“Hold on, let me call Mr. Derero” The lady said when she saw Rosalia eye the door behind her.

Rosalia panicked when the lady brought out her phone. She had to get out of there before her kidnapper would come back. “See…I mean no harm. I’ll just be on my way” She said, walking towards the door. Her hands in front of her as a form of shield.

“Wait! You can’t leave!”

Rosalia ignored her words and charged straight for her, pushing them both to the ground. “Sorry” She said to the girl, flashing her an apologetic look before scrambling up only to crash into a hard chest.

Her face paled. It must be her kidnapper! Rosalia looked up from the hands holding her to the face that was peering into hers. She saw the same green eyes she had been fantasizing about in her dream, or maybe it wasn’t a dream after all.

“Baby?” She asked in a small voice, afraid that she was only imagining him.

Sean pulled her into his arms when he saw the fear in her eyes. He had imagined doing this all day, the feel of her delicate body against his own.

“Are you all right?” He asked, his voice above a whisper.

Rosalia nodded unable to look away from him “You’re real” She hesitantly reached for his cheeks and caressed it with the tip of her fingers “You are real” She said again.

Someone cleared their voice behind them making her eyes go wide with fear “We have to get out of here” She told him and started dragging him towards the elevator, but he didn’t budge. She turned back to look at him “We have to leave. My kidnapper would be here soon!” She yelled in frustration, not looking at the people around her.

Sean tried to control his laughter but failed miserably “You were not kidnapped” he said and watched her face go from pure anger to confusion and then to anger.

“What?” She yelled.

“I brought you here. I couldn’t leave you out there on your own” He said, pulling her back to his chest “I wasn’t going to just leave you.”

Her brows shot in confusion “You brought me here?”

He nodded in response making her brows crease deeper. “But you wanted me to leave?”

It was Sean’s turn to be confused “I never said that. What gave you the impression that I wanted you to leave?”

Rosalia looked down “I don’t know…It’s just, you didn’t come home and left me all by myself. And the previous night you were angry and couldn’t even look me in the face, like it was unbearable…”

Sean kissed her. It was the only way he could show his relief that Rosalia didn’t want to leave him. That it had been a misunderstanding on his own part. His lips reluctantly left hers when she didn’t respond to him.

“What is it?” He asked, “Did I do it wrong?”

Rosalia shook her head, her embarrassment slowly creeping into her cheeks “I’ve never done that before” She confessed.

“What?” Sean asked, removing her palms from her face. She was completely red now “You’ve never been kissed?” He asked again, unable to believe that the stunning girl in front of him had never been involved with a man.

“I’ve never left the walls of my house” She whispered, almost afraid that he would push away for not knowing how to do something as important as kissing.

“Hey” He called to her softly. She looked up at him, as he raised her jaw slightly “I don’t mind one bit. I can always teach you.”

“Eh…” Dex said from the side, finally gaining the attention of the pair “I don’t really mind the romance that is unfolding here, I’m a hopeless romantic myself” He sighed then continued “But…we’ve been out here for like eternity, and I’d like to have dinner if you don’t mind. And please explain to poor Anna what just happened, she’s freaking out”

Sean huffed at the intrusion but led a blushing Rosalia into the room shutting the door when Dex tried to go in.

“I’m guessing the lady from earlier is Anna” She said and sat on the bed. Trying to put a little distance between her and Sean so she wouldn’t pass out from all the feelings that were clouding her head.

“Yes. She’s my assistant” He sat beside her, much to Rosalia’s dismay.

“Why was she in your room?”

“She had an issue with hers so she’s taking the adjourning room.”

“With hers? But you have many rooms, why the one close to yours?”

Sean thought for a while before realizing what she meant “We are not at my house.”

“Then, where are we?” She asked, afraid of the answer.

“Paris”

Sean had expected the scream, even anticipated it but what he did not imagine where tears. He watched them roll down her cheeks as she jumped around the room. Anger or excitement? He couldn’t tell which.

“Are you mad?” He asked slowly, eyeing her carefully as she walked back to him.

“Mad?” Rosalia asked in disbelief “Why would I be mad? If anything, I’m grateful” She said and took his hands in hers “I feel like I’ve been set free” She dropped his hands and ran to the large window that overlooked the city.

“Can we go out now? I want to see everywhere” She said dreamily resting her head on the window frame “I want to see the world.”

Sean sat looking at her quietly. It was like he was seeing her for the first time. Eyes glowing, lips slightly parted and a faraway look in her eyes. Like she was on top of the world.

“Can we go now?” She asked turning back to Sean.

“It’s late, we’ll go after my meeting tomorrow. Any place you got in mind? We won’t be able to visit everywhere.”

“Just take me anywhere” She answered. The door opened to reveal a smug looking Dex and a nervous Anna beside him.

“We have to go over the proposals before the meeting tomorrow. You’ll be back to your damsel in no time” Dex said, beckoning to Sean to follow him.

“I’ll be back in no time. Anna will order dinner for you” Sean said before squeezing Rosalia’s hand and walking to the door “Take care of her” he told Anna before leaving.

Anna walked farther into the room scrutinizing Rosalia’s small frame sitting on the bed. “So you’re the one?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

“The one?”

“Yes. You’re the reason Mr. Derero won’t even spare me a glance” She said calmly walking towards the bed “I’ve been trying for years to get him to like me and you just swoop in and snatch him. Where’d you even come from?” Anna’s voice was rising with each word she spoke and each step that brought her closer to Rosalia.

“I think there’s been some type of misunderstanding. I don’t know who Mr. Derero is and I’m sure he doesn’t like me.”

Anna rolled her eyes “You better stop playing with me. I just want him to…” Anna broke off, a sob making its way up her throat “I just want someone to like me okay?” She sat on the bed “I mean it’s not that hard.”

Rosalia just stared at her not knowing what to do with the now sobbing girl. She touched her hair gently unsure of what to do “I’m sure he’ll come around. You’re pretty, everyone likes a pretty girl.”

“You think so?” Anna asked wiping the tears from her face “What about you?”

“I can assure you this Mr. Derero of yours don’t like me. Heck! I don’t even know who he is” she was stroking her hair now “Don’t worry I’ll help you get him to like you.”

“You’ll do that for me?” Anna asked, her eyes turning hopeful.

“Of course. I like someone too, so I know how it feels.”