Chapter 48 Deep Realizations
Nicholas pulled on a pair of gray chinos and paired them with a black dress shirt. Acutely aware of Alyssa’s hungry gaze fixed upon him all the time, he had wanted her to see him, to desire him, long for him, just the way he longed for her. Deliberately, he did not strip completely as he had initially intended to. He wanted to build up the heat, knowing that she was as eager as him. He noted the look of disappointment on her face as she looked away and concentrated on her phone. Did his plan work? Did she feel the desperation? Would he get what he wanted from her? Would he finally be able to make love to her tonight, the way he wanted to?
Ready, he emerged from the bedroom, his eyes connecting to hers when she looked up. “Let’s go. Sorry to keep you waiting,” he teased, and she rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he meant.
“No problem. I enjoyed the wait,” she smiled, playing along. A shot of excitement coursed up his body on hearing her candid admission.
“I’m glad that I could please you,” he said, leading her outside the apartment. ‘To be continued,’ was the thought that instantly came to his mind, but he didn’t express it in case Alyssa changed her mind.
“So, where are we going?” she asked, seeing him lead her outside the hotel. A car was waiting for them and Nicholas opened the door for her without even attempting to answer her question. Seated beside each other, the car sped towards some unknown destination. She could feel the way his thighs brushed with hers, causing heat to pool between her legs. With his arm behind her, she was literally stuck to his side, making them look like a couple to every passerby.
The car dropped them at the highest commercial building in the Marina Bay Area and Nicholas led her up the elevator to the penthouse that hosted Level 44, an award-winning urban microbrewery serving as a fine dining restaurant as well. Sitting at their table and watching the spectacular view of the entire Marina Bay Area, they ordered the set executive lunch that was on the menu.
“How many times have you come here?” asked Alyssa with interest.
“Maybe three or four. I don’t remember,” he shrugged.
“Which places haven’t you been to?” she asked curiously.
“There are lots. I have never been to Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, and many more. I’ve never been to Texas in my entire life,” he laughed.
“Oh, neither have I, but I’ve been to Switzerland,” admitted Alyssa.
“So, which is your favorite destination?” he asked curiously.
“For a romantic vacation, it’s Paris. For a trip with friends, it’s Florida and for a wedding, it could be a secluded island on the sea, somewhat like Preston Island,” she said, clasping her hands dreamily. Nicholas gazed at her wordlessly, the last part of her speech putting ideas inside his head.
“So, do you like Preston Island?” he asked, sitting upright with interest.
“I like it, but I would prefer an island in the ocean, not a riverine island. An island in the middle of nowhere sounds exotic and thrilling. Don’t you think so?” Nicholas searched her eyes, wondering if she was putting ideas inside his head, but one look into her innocent wide eyes was enough to know that she was just answering his question.
“Yes, it does.” Their food arrived before he could confess what he had on his mind. It was exotic, with roasted and grilled lamb racks served with tabbouleh, tahini, roasted scallops, and herbs. Nicholas opted for Australian Pork chops served with a mouth-watering marinade and grilled vegetables. Truffle and Parmesan fries on the side and burnt Pavlova completed the meal.
“Do you wish to try their signature octopus dish? I’ve tasted it and it’s too delicious to miss,” suggested Nicholas, while Alyssa’s eyes widened with shock.
“No way! I can tolerate selective seafood only like lobsters, crabs, and fish. The rest give me an allergy.”
“Good, that you told me. I’ll remember that on our next date,” he said, making her look up at him with surprise.
“This is not a date, okay? This is just a friendly lunch,” she pointed out.
“How? Are we friends?” Alyssa was tongue-tied by his question. Of course, she knew they weren’t friends, but then what were they, actually? A fake couple? Employee and employer with benefits? Or acquaintances with benefits?
“No, I mean, I don’t know what we actually are,” she said hesitantly, making him roll his eyes at her.
“Then be my girlfriend.” Alyssa gaped at him with wide eyes. Was he serious? Was that even a way to propose to a girl?
“I don’t like the way you mention it so casually. You ask a girl you have feelings for to be your girlfriend. It’s a commitment, as two people try to figure out a relationship together. If it works, they marry each other. They try to belong to one another for life. It’s not a joke, Nicholas,” she said, feeling extremely upset. Nicholas was tongue-tied after that outburst of hers. He just couldn’t say that he wasn’t joking, that he was serious about their so-called relationship. He wanted to see where it led them, but what if she erupted and refused to even stay with him in one room? If she enquired at the reception, she would know that there were many rooms available in the gigantic hotel.
He paid for the food, and they silently went down to the elevator. She refused to even look at him, and Nicholas sighed, knowing he had messed up.
“There’s nothing to be so upset about. I just made a suggestion. It’s okay if you don’t agree with it. We have an hour before we meet an old friend of mine. So fix your mood before that,” he said, annoyed by the way she was overreacting to such a trivial thing.
“My mood is perfectly fine, Nicholas. It won’t interfere with your meeting.” Alyssa fumed at his indifference. If he wanted her to be his girlfriend, couldn’t he just ask her as they did in romantic movies? She would have readily agreed, but he had been brooding and thoughtful throughout the rest of the meal. She had expected him to ask her before they left the restaurant, but he didn’t. Disappointed, she trudged towards their room, not wanting to share a bed with him at all.
“I’ll arrange for an extra mattress to sleep on. You can have your bed to yourself,” she announced, calling the housekeeping staff for a spare mattress before he could stop her. Angry and disappointed, he stormed out of the room, banging the door shut after him. Alyssa was stunned at his reaction and wondered just where he had gone to.
She was ready for his meeting, but there were no signs of Nicholas anywhere. Even after an hour, he hadn’t arrived, and she was worried. Picking up her phone, she called him, but he didn’t accept her call. Furious, she called the reception desk to ask where Nicholas Donnelly had a booking in the hotel. After ten minutes, the receptionist called to inform her he was with a guest at their Fusion Café, on the top floor overlooking the rooftop pool.
Taking the elevator, she reached the thirtieth floor where the famous temperature-controlled pool was located. There was a cozy café tucked beside it that was teeming with people. She pushed her way inside and looked around the place. Why would Nicholas come to such a place? He didn’t quite fit in here! However, even after scanning three times, she didn’t see him anywhere. She was about to leave when her eyes fell upon the pool.
She froze seeing the scene in front of her. Nicholas was at the far end of the pool with a bikini-clad woman, and they were busy laughing together. So that was his friend? It was no wonder that he hadn’t accepted her call. Maybe he didn’t want her to disturb him. Jealousy clouded her head as she glared at them, unable to move. So Nicholas was just like the other rich men! He was playing with her to get into her pants. When it wasn’t successful, he found someone else! What a fool she had been to fall for him!
She blinked hard at the realization. Did she really fall for him? Tears pricked at her eyes as she knew the answer to that. Yes, the attraction had always been there, but now she had developed feelings for him, feelings that weren’t just skin deep. The feelings she had developed for him were deeper, they were related to her heart, to her soul. Yes, she had unknowingly fallen in love with him, with a man who only wanted to get into her pants! How did she get so pathetic? She watched Nicholas touch the woman’s cheek and loud sobs escaped her mouth.
With the noise all around, of course, it was impossible for Nicholas to hear her, but strangely, as if sensing her presence, he turned his head and saw her.