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Lyla woke up with a terrible headache. She remembered drinking a lot but had no idea beyond that. Therefore, she was shocked to find Alex sleeping next to her half naked. What was even more shocking was that she was half naked too and was in Alex’s room!
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she felt pale. Did she sleep with Alex?
She felt mortified and hurried to get off the bed, to escape from the humiliation to her room, before Alex woke up.
“Good morning sweetheart,” Alex said softly.
Lyla stopped in her tracks to glare at him. He had a lot to answer for but all he said was “sweetheart”? “Why am I in this room? Did we sleep together?” she asked pointedly.
“Well...we...”
“Yes or no? No games...just a yes or no!” Impatience raced ahead of her. Why the hell doesn’t he say it? Oh Lord, did I really sleep with him again? Why don’t I remember anything?
“Yes. We slept together,” said Alex slowly and then added, “but we did not sleep together. You came to my room at the middle of the night and ...”
“And what?” asked Lyla, color draining out of her face. “And you asked me to...”
“Oh God...oh my God. This is so embarrassing. I asked you to have sex with me. Oh my God! We had it, right? You’re lying. We had sex last night, isn’t it?” Tears were rolling down her cheek and she bit her lips hard to stop an outburst. Alex felt confused and alarmed. Why wouldn’t she believe him?
“Of course, we didn’t...and...”
Lyla cut Alex short. “Do you think I would believe you? You of all people - someone who is an expert liar!” Anger flashed in her teary eyes. “You? Who kills his best friend and then sleeps with his girlfriend? You expect me to believe that I walked half- naked in your room and you didn’t take advantage of me? I would rather believe that pigs could fly!”
Anger and humiliation soared within him. Alex loved her but Lyla was intent on ignoring that fact. A strong urge to prove his love possessed him.
Lyla was pacing the room cursing when Alex grabbed her arms roughly and pushed her over to the wall. He pressed his lips over hers and kissed her, forcing her to part her lips for him. His penetrating, sweet flavor finally weakened her defenses and she responded to his kiss in spite of all the anger within her. She didn’t notice the anger in their forceful kiss, driving each other to the peak, probing, and shutting each other off from saying more.
She vaguely remembered the taste of his lips and she shuddered with the realization.
She did kiss him last night. The memory only heightened the excitement she felt and her fingers dug into his skin when Alex released her and moved away.
Lyla, surprised by his sudden release stood dazed, desire clouding her thoughts. He could see her swollen lips, bruised by the force of their kissing. He moved closer to her, close enough to feel her breath against his lips. His closeness only made her feel weaker, unable to hide her need.
He then finally spoke. “We didn’t have sex last night and I don’t want to have it anymore. Not until you beg me,” said Alex throatily. Lyla’s eyes widened and color rose to her cheeks.
She was about to protest when he pressed his hard body against his and said, “You want me as much as I want you. But you’ve misunderstood me. You think I’m a liar and can’t stick to one woman, which was true five years back. Not today. I can’t apologize anymore to you for Andrew. And I love only one woman now. So, you’re wrong on both accounts.”
He moved even closer, taking her in his arms, slowly breathing against her ears.
Lyla was lost. She wanted him right there. She closed her eyes tightly willing to shut out all the sensations that clouded her body.
He whispered into her ears. “However, you have insulted me so many times that I’m tired of it. Therefore, I promise no matter how much I want you; I’m not going to chase you. You’ll come to me. Last night, you showed me how much you still want me. You were ready to bare it all. You’re going to come to me, very soon.” With a teasing smile, he moved away, leaving Lyla panting.
She slowly opened her eyes when she couldn’t feel his touch or smell his raw male fragrance. She flushed when she saw him looking at her keenly, taking in her whole body with one sweeping look. “I’d never do that,” she replied weakly. “Never...not to you”
Having found her voice finally, she slowly walked away from him towards the door.
Alex called out, “We still have two more weeks to go Lyla. See you at the airport!” The last Lyla heard was Alex’s triumphant laugh and her quivering heart beating loud enough to wake up everyone in the hotel.
***
Could life be stranger than this? All the time when she was missing a man in her life and needed the love and care that came with it, she had no one. For five solid years, she was alone licking her wounds and getting stronger and stronger to face the world alone.
And just when she’d gathered enough courage to move on, fate drops Alex comfortably into her life.
He looked changed and more attractive than she remembered. It’d become increasingly difficult to resist him. The fact that she’d walked to his room to make love in her drunken state disturbed her a lot. What else did she say or do to him last night? Did they really not go all the way as he claimed? She remembered nothing except for a warm feeling and dull memory of a kiss. What happened after that? Was Alex really speaking the truth?
It’d begun to bother her that she was beginning to trust Alex. He was changed and pursuing her with every ounce of lethal attraction he has. Lyla tried to remember Alex’s lies of the past and his role in Andrew’s death but his passionate kiss was all she could remember. And the fact that in spite of the excellent chance he had, he didn’t sleep with her, even when she practically threw herself at him. At least that’s what he claimed. And she wanted to believe him.
Lyla packed her bags with more force than was required as the realization dawned on her. She still wanted to hope. Was she still in love with him? How was that possible? She’d hated him all these years. Maybe this was only a physical attraction. It’d be a lie to say that the sparks weren’t there. No, there were fireworks between them. He clearly still wanted her. His seduction earlier was proof for that. And now, he challenged that she would beg him to make love to her.
Did I look so desperate? She took a deep breath exhaling the embarrassment building within her. She had to be much more careful in her actions now when she was around him. She must stay away from him or else she was in danger of falling in love over again and being hurt.
The knock on her door broke her chain of mental ranting. She opened the door to welcome a smiling Stella with her luggage in tow. As planned, Stella had checked out of her room to wait with Lyla in her room for the airport van. She settled on Lyla’s bed and started chatting while Lyla finished her packing. A phone call from the front desk informed them about their waiting van.
As they rushed to check out, Stella started to walk back muttering that she’d left her cell phone on her bed. Lyla offered to get it for her since she was at the door. But when Lyla picked up her phone to give it to Stella, she saw something entirely unexpected.
Stella’s cell phone wallpaper adorned Alex’s photo. Why was his photo on her phone?