Chapter 12

The room was empty when he woke up. He could feel the cold sheets and the empty space beside him. A knock on the adjourning door had him rolling over. He opened the door to reveal a smiling Anna.

“We’ll be leaving in ten minutes sir. The car is out front” She said, beaming at him as usual. He nodded in response “Where did they girl go?” he asked.

“She’s in my room sir. Sound asleep, I’ve ordered her breakfast. She should be fine till we’re back.” She held up the files in her hand “We’re all set, Dex should be down in a minute.”

“I will be down shortly” Sean said before retreating into the room to get ready. He wasn’t nervous, he had handled many businesses before this, but he couldn’t explain why something about this one let off. It took him only a few minutes to get ready. Adorned in his Armani suit, he made his way down to the lobby of the hotel where Dex and Anna where already waiting.

“Took you long enough” Dex said as they walked to the car. Sean said nothing his mind occupied with the one person he couldn’t be with at the moment.

The meeting went as smoothly as possible. The contract was signed but it didn’t feel as fulfilling as Sean thought it would be. He had one thing that look forward to that was sure to brighten his damp mood.

“Why are you in such a hurry to get away?” Dex asked just as Sean was about to enter the hotel. “You looked so impatient at the meeting that…” He trailed off in thought before he snapped his fingers like something had suddenly gone off in his head “It wouldn’t have anything to do with the curly haired girl would it?”

Sean groaned before turning back to Dex “Don’t you have work to do?” He asked, eager to use the boss card on him.

Dex squinted his eyes before turning his attention to Anna “Let’s go grab lunch.” She was about to protest when Dex shot her a dirty look and motioned for her to follow him.

Sean knocked on his door before pushing it open. Rosalia was lying on the bed asleep, the sheets fisted in her little hands. He watched her from the door. Starting from her curled hair that was spayed over the pillow and covering her face, like it was shielding her from the warm sun that was peeking in through the window.

His jacket was the first thing to go, followed by his shoes and the door slamming shut behind him. he followed the tugging in his heart and crawled into bed beside her. He propped his head up with one hand and watched her.

The rise and fall of her chest, her breathe blowing strands of her hair from her face. He withdrew his fingers when they were inches away from her face. He couldn’t act on whatever he was beginning to feel for her.

“It’s creepy watching people sleep.”

Sean jumped from the bed like he had been branded with a hot iron. Rosalia stretched her body on the bed before turning her attention back to the startled man.

“You can watch me if you want. I didn’t mean to scare you. Granny said you can only watch someone sleep when you love them.”

Sean scratched the back of his head. Her granny was definitely right “ You were snoring” He said, trying to save himself from the embarrassment. “I was just…” His phone rand. That was the perfect save.

“I have to take this” He said to her before going out to the balcony. He connected the call “Hello?” he said into the receiver. His phone was on the brink of breaking from his tight grip when he realized who was speaking.

“I told you not to call me” Sean said through gritted teeth. He disconnected the call his mood immediately hitting off on the wrong side.

“Are you okay?” Rosalia’s soft voice asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to her “Did I wake you?”

She shook her head in response, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “When do we get to go out?” She asked walking back into the room.

“We can go now” Sean said, his anger long forgotten because of the girl in front of him. “You’re still wearing your clothes from yesterday?”

Rosalia bowed her head at the question, her cheeks deepening with a pink tint to it “I couldn’t get something else to wear. The other girl offered but we’re not really the same size. Sadly, I’m a lot smaller which I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“It’s a really good thing” Sean said before he could stop himself. He coughed when he realized what he said, “We should probably go get you clothes.”

Rosalia found herself beaming at that “That would be great! Granny used to pick out my clothes maybe you could do that for me!” she said excited “I can’t wait to get out of these” She gestured to her current clothes.

“Want to get gong then?” Sean asked. She nodded in response. He opened the door for her and walked out after her, closing the door. He was grateful they weren’t back in Seattle where he couldn’t live life normally. Where he couldn’t go out without someone recognizing him and trying to get a shot with him.

Paris was the perfect place. Yes, he was still known but here, the people worshipped the entertainment industry more and cared less about the hottest businessman of the year.

They were stepping into the elevator when Rosalia held his hand.

“Sorry. I’m a bit nervous. The thought of going out had consumed me so much I forgot how overwhelming everything could be” She said.

Sean watched her. Her hands gripping his tightly and sending jolts of electricity up his skin. She started to withdraw her hand when he didn’t say anything.

He held her hand in his big one “It’s okay to hold my hand whenever you feel nervous. I don’t mind”

Rosalia blushed at that. He noticed her feet tap continuously on the floor when they started to go down “Are you still nervous?” He asked, concerned.

“No” She said, a pout marring her face “This elevator is just so slow.”

He laughed at that. The elevator dinging just as he was about to speak. They stepped out together into the lobby, Rosalia momentarily stopping in her tracks when they got outside the hotel. She looked around her trying to take in the entire scenery at once.

“This place is so beautiful. It’s like one of those places they talk about in those romance novels granny used to read. Look!” She yelled clapping her hands together “Can we get that ice cream?” She asked, pointing at the truck that was parked across the street from them “I’ve never had ice-cream from the roadside before”

Sean was about to say no when he saw the look on her face. she had that glint in her eyes that he didn’t want to disappear “Fine. But I can assure you they’re not healthy. We can just go to…”

“No! I want that one. I always have the ones from then store. I want to do things I’ve never done before. And this place is the best place to start, its miles away from home” she turned to him “I want to live” she held his hands “I was thinking a lot when you were gone. I don’t know what tomorrow holds for someone like me…so I’d like to live one day at a time. Beside the girl from your hotel told me to go or whatever I want, and that’s what I’m doing”

For seconds at a time none of them spoke, it was like a spell had befallen them. For that split moment Sean could swear he saw the same thing he felt in her eyes. It was then that he knew whatever was between them had a chance. Even though he didn’t know exactly what. All he knew was he was going to give it a try.

“Let’s do that then, if that is what you want”

Together, hand in hand, they crossed over to the ice-cream truck. Rosalia got all the flavors she could in her cone while Sean stuck with chocolate despite her persuasions. Trapped in their world, oblivious to the people around them was perfect. Maybe too perfect for the one watching.