Arranged Roommates

|35| Enchanted

"So, is this what gets you hot, huh? Sweet words, praises, and restaurant dates?"

She didn't reply and kept glaring at me for reading her book without her approval.

I chuckled at her angry reaction with her cheeks bubbling red in irritation and her lips pulled taut.

"You can't always take advantage of- of your..." She struggled to come up with words, flaring her hands towards my body which was reclining beside her, "Your...physical poweress to get whatever you want!! This is unfair!"

A laugh bubbled out of me, seeing her ruffled expression as she tried to get away from me but couldn't, with my leg entrapping hers. "My physical poweress, you say?"

She kicked my legs and then huffed, finally giving up. She looked away, crossing her arms in frustration.

Taking pity on her insistent efforts, I untangled my legs and asked, circling my arm around her shoulder, "So this is your idea of an ideal date, huh? A romantic getaway to a fancy restaurant with fancier food?"

She gave me a sarcastic smile, saying, "You would know all about fancy restaurants, right? Mr. My-chef-cooks-food-for-me-cuz-I-am-too-afarid-to-hold-a-knife-but-I-still-own-a-fancy-restaurant."

"I wouldn't need my chefs to cook for me if my wife fed me well. You know what I mean?" I sighed heavily, continuing, "Instead, what she always does is, just fight with me and glare at me with those scary bat eyes."

She put her chin on the edge of my shoulder. "It must be your fault only."

I could feel the hint of her smile on my skin as she tilted her head to glance up at me with her lips ever so close to my neck.

"What is your idea of an ideal date?" I questioned again after a few moments, this time without any quip.

Her hand rested on top of my clothed chest, tracing lazy patterns. Her fingers drew closer to my heart as she pondered, "I have never really given it a thought...Why do you want to know?"

I wanted to take her out. On a proper date. Wherever she wanted.

"Why do you think I would want to know?"

She thought for a second before her eyes shone with the realization, as she chuckled nervously and shifted away. She patted my chest, and said, before getting off the bed, "Let's just keep it what it was meant to be, okay? Just roommates and maybe now friends. Nothing more."

I pulled on her wrist and settled her on the bed again. "Nothing more. Fine."

She still didn't look at me and her fingers fidgeted unconsciously as she nodded. I took hold of her chin, making our gaze connect. Uncertainty flashed across her eyes. "God, Ria. Why do you get so tensed easily? I understood. Just friends. Okay?"

A relieved sigh left her lips as she gave me a hint of a side smile.

"How about a friendly getaway if not a romantic one? I am bored just sitting here in this room and staring at you blushing over some literature porn."

It was actually a treat to watch her read that book. The little sighs of pleasure that left her mouth every five minutes and those swoony blushes which exactly told me when she was reading one of her favorite scenes.

Not that she needed to know all of this. With being friends-and-all.

"You were not bored when you were shouting orders at your employees in the meeting that ended just ten minutes ago."

"I was not shouting at them. In fact, I never ever shout at anyone. That's your expertise. I was just explaining to them what they did wrong. Very patiently and calmly."