Bound To The Seduction

Chapter 4: Oops!

After she got back to her hotel room, she took a long warm bath to calm her nerves. She lathered the soap in her hands and spread it luxuriously up her arms, first one, and then the other. She couldn't help but feel like a failure today. She just kept messing things up for the past few months and this proposal was the only thing going right in her life now. Well, until a while ago that is. The last right thing in her career had come crumbling just like that.

She sighed as she adjusted the diamond ring on her finger. Her mind shifted to her boyfriend, Brandon, waiting for her back home. It's been six months since they got engaged after dating for two years yet there wasn't much change in their relationship recently.

She even felt that he was getting a little distant from her. Perhaps she has been too focused on her work and neglected him. Forget it, since she didn't have a job anymore, she might as well spend some quality time with him before she figured out her next course of action.

A smile appeared on her face as she thought of how much she missed him. With this in mind, she stepped out of the tub and put on a white velvety bathrobe. The company had indeed spared no effort in getting her this luxurious suite. She could still enjoy this service since the room had been booked for five days. This was the third day.

She sipped some water and swirled it in her mouth before swallowing. She placed the glass on the table and started drying her thick hair.  After that, she lazed around in the room before deciding to take a walk around the hotel. This might be her last chance to step into such a hotel in the near future and she wasn't going to waste it. She dressed up and walked out in her favorite pale blue heels that she believed could make her lucky.

As she walked, she noticed all kinds of people there. Some handsome men dressed in expensive suits, perhaps here on business trips. Not far away, a couple seemed to be enjoying a romantic dinner on the terrace. It was a sight to behold. She didn't miss a group up ahead enjoying themselves, full of laughter. It looked like they were playing a game.

Their happy laughter attracted her and she found herself walking towards them. It gave her a sense of warmth she had never felt before and she had a sudden urge to be part of them. Without knowing, she had walked into the pool area.

Without noticing her surroundings, she walked dangerously close to the pool. Her black gown contrasted with the pool and as the dim lights illuminated her face, few people couldn't help but gasp at her immaculate beauty.

However, the combination of her heels and the slippery swimming pool tiles caused her to slip and lose her balance. This sudden accident brought her back to reality but there was nothing much she could do. She could already see herself falling into the pool.

Sarah's face twisted into a horrified and hopeless expression because she couldn't swim to save her life. She was about to drown in her sorrows, literally.

Perhaps, this might be the best option after today's events but her little fighter spirit wouldn't allow her to give up. She waved her hands frantically trying to regain her balance, and it worked for two seconds before she twisted her ankle.

She shut her eyes, and her heart sank in despair as she waited for a cold splash to hit her. Just then, a dark shadow whizzed over at lightning speed. An arm grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a safe warm embrace. The person managed to spin her around and save her before she fell into the water.

She held tightly to her savior as if she had found a lifesaving straw, her heart still beating from the near fall. His cologne calmed her nervous self and the tight grip on her waist gave her a sense of safety she had never felt before. It felt like a strong pillar that could hold her up even if the world tumbled down. For a moment, she forgot everything and hoped to stay in this embrace forever.

"Are you alright?" a magnetic voice that caused tremors in her heart sounded in her ears, pulling her out of her fantasy.

"Yes, I'm alright," she said as she instinctively raised her head to look at him. Her eyes met with charming black eyes that could see through her soul. That hypnotizing pair of clear eyes drooped a little with a kind of lazy unruliness yet looked nonchalant like nothing could enter his heart.

That handsome face was so close that his thin lips would meet hers if she moved up a few inches. She shook her head to get rid of such distracting thoughts. Damn, she had a boyfriend already.

Her calm and peaceful face under the dim lighting felt refreshing to watch. Her sparkly eyes had the innocence that made the heaviness and unhappiness in his heart take a backseat for a few seconds. All he wanted to do was to look at her like this forever. A sliver of warmth seeped into his frozen heart. For a split second, he felt a strong urge to protect her for the rest of his life.

He seemed to notice her discomfort and freed her waist as soon as she steadied herself. He stood a small distance away from her. He did not want to let go but had to, for now.

"Thank-thank you," she said as she tried hard to calm her racing heart.

His lips curled into a smile and sparked ripples of unknown feelings in the depth of her heart as he replied, "My honor."

Sarah was about to walk away when she noticed something unusual. She lowered her eyes and noticed that her heel had broken earlier. The man also noticed. He looked at her without saying a word before he went down on his knees and helped her take off her shoes. Then, he held out a hand to her.

Sarah's hands trembled slightly as she hesitated before placing her hand on his. The moment she touched his fingers, she felt her cheeks heat up. She leaned on him for support as he helped her walk away from the pool. He sat her down on a white chair a few steps from the edge of the pool.

The handsome man signaled one of the staff and they spoke in a hushed tone. A few minutes later, the staff returned with a pair of powder blue flats, an ice pack, and a first-aid kit. He took her foot and started working on it.

She focused on his slightly curly hair that framed his forehead, almost covering his eyes when he lowered his head. His bushy eyebrows furrowed from time to time as his gentle fingers worked magic on her foot. She did not feel pain at all and her heart felt at peace.

"Done," he said, closing the first-aid box.

"Huh?" his voice jolted her back to reality. She ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh, okay. Thanks."

"See you around," he said, smiling as he waved at her before walking back to his friends.

Sarah sat on the white chair for a long time, still immersed in his smile earlier. It was a brief moment but she hoped it could last forever. Those few minutes had changed her view of life forever.