After 4 | ✓

Chapter 50

Tessa's POV:

"Why don't we go to my hotel and have some drinks there?" I suggest it, because it's his eyes.
His eyes are telling me that he wants to spend more time with me if I'm not wrong enough to guess that. And I want that too. "If only you want to, of course."

"Of course I fucking want to." His voice has a little hint of excitement and eyes are more lighten up than before. He waves at the waiter. I take my purse to split the bill of course, opening it he says, "You are not going to pay the bill, are you?" He raises is brow.

"I'm..."

"No, you're not. You're in my state with me and having this date. So..." he pulls his purse out and hand his card to the waiter. "It's on me and you're not paying for anything here while I'm with you." He smiles. And I have him pay it.

"I'm going to book a cab then." I tell him.

"Why? We're going to the same place, so it's better we'd go in my car. And it's make more sense, don't you think?" He asks. He has a valid point here, but...

"I don't know?" I pull my bottom lip between my teeth.

"Why not?" He softly asks. "Please Tess, I've a ride with me." He requests. Adorable.

I nod and agree. "Okay."
How could I ever say no to him with face like that and looking at me with his gorgeous green-eyes. Just how? No way I'm going to do that.

We both stand and head out of the restaurant. "You stay here. I'm gonna get my car real soon." I nod and he walks off into the parking lot. After a minute he pulls, a black sleek shining car into the sidewalk and I hop in. "So what's the address?" He asks and I give it.

I didn't gave him the hotel's location where I'm staying at because of some reasons was there in back of my mind. But now that reasons doesn't seem to stay there at all. It always has been that way when I'm with him, so yeah.

Looking at him, he seems to look stressed and his hands gripping the steering wheel tight, making his knuckles white. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yes, I'm fine." He nods.

"Are you sure that I'm not keeping you from your work or anything like that?"

"No, you're not. I assure you that." He sighs.

Changing the subject, I ask, "Is this car is yours?"

"Yeah. Do you like it?" He asks while staring on the road.

"Yes. It's very...sophisticated and elegant. Not like your old car in Washington."

"So you like my old one better?"

Obviously, that car holds so many memories. "Yes, but this one is nice too."

"Nice? You mean boring." He looks at me but I stare out at the streets through the window.

"I didn't mean that." I shake my head.

"Sure." He chuckles and I roll my eyes. "So how far are you liking the Chicago? Have you seen anything much?" What?

"I just got here in this morning and didn't left my hotel since then. Only to see you, of course." I tell.

"Oh yeah, I just thought you were always been here, with me." Hmmm? And there's a awkward silence between us. Did I make the right choice asking him to come with me at the hotel? Now I can't regret it and tell him not to come, it's late now. Oh God.

"So you're staying at this one." He says, looking around, when we get inside my room and I shut the door close.

"Yes, pretty much. You don't like it?" I put down my purse on the table and goes to the mini fridge. Opening it, I pull out the wine bottle which Josie gave me this afternoon when she visited me here and the hotel's complimentary soda. "It's for you." I hand him the soda and pour the wine into the glass for me and sit down on the chair.

"I mean it's...nice." You mean boring? "But the other option would've the best. Don't you think?" He sits on the other chair and put the soda can aside on the table.

"What other option?" I am confuse. What might he'd be talking about? Wait, does he referring about his...

"My apartment, certainly." He states that as it is the most obvious thing ever.

"I can't stay with you."

"Why not?" He softly asks.

"Because...things might get weird between us as we didn't see each other for over a year now." I tell him the half truth.

"And?" He pushes further. As I know he would.

"And I don't want any negative public attention toward me, cause you are famous now with your book." I sigh and take a big sip of my wine.

"What? Famous? Me?" He pushes his brows together. "I'm not famous, Tessa." He shakes his head and stands, "Look at me."
I am.

I didn't admire his outfit this whole evening, only watching his perfect face would've done for me. This white shirt look so good on him with black dress pants and shoes too. Damn him.

"What do you mean by looking at you?" I ask. Does he disgust by himself and his looks? Of course he is. He is still insecure about this rubbish stuffs.

...
Hardin's POV:

"I mean..." I shrug. There is no damn way she is going to look at me that way, sicken. "This is not the face get famous by writing some non-typically love story Tessa, you know it, it isn't." I back away a little.

She stands up and come towards me, "Please stop that. You should not think about this crap in your thriving life ahead. Only listen to the peoples who loves you, Hardin. Don't get selfish peoples crap get into your head." She touches my arm. "I thought you change this quality of yours."

"Yes, I did and I know you are right about listening the peoples who loves me...." She is always so right about these things and I miss her kindness. And always having my back. "But-"

"No buts. Please." She kindly requests. And I let her have it. I should not ruin her stay here in this state and spread sadness into her life while she is here to attend her friend's wedding and joining into their happiness.

"Okay." I smile. "Did I tell you how beautiful you are looking in this sexy-velvet dress?" I move my fingers to her bare shoulder and look into her eyes to see any sign of discomfort. But there isn't.

"No, you didn't." She says, which came out as a whisper.

"Okay, so..." I move closer to her face. "You are looking so fucking sexy in this dress that it is now one of my favorite dresses of yours." I say. Fuck. Now I'm so turn on by this dress. Or it's her body underneath the fabric.

"Is it?" She looks at my lips and then back up to my eyes.

"Yes, it is. So hot." Our face only a inch away. Can I kiss her? I want to so bad, just one won't be bad. I haven't had since I last visited her in New York, a whole year ago. I wet my bottom. "Can I...?"

"Yes." She quickly says. Oh so you want too. And I'd be much more happy to give you.

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