The next morning I woke up groaning, my back and neck hurting like hell. Apparently, I slept on the loveseat itself.
The first thing my eyes caught sight of was Aiden, who was sleeping on the foot of the sofa, his head on the floor while his legs were securely held up by the sofa. Who would think this guy is the CEO of a multinational company?
And how the f*ck did he manage to even sleep like that?
Next, I saw Tara and Evans who were sleeping next to each other on the same sofa. They looked peaceful. Beside them was the small sofa where Kia was asleep peacefully. She seemed to be so exhausted from the previous night and the dancing she did.
I ran my gaze across all the furniture once again but Mr Arnold was nowhere in sight.
Where the hell did he go early morning?
I groaned and braced myself to stop lazing and getting up but I couldn't.
I hadn't realized that there was a weight on me.
Mr Arnold!
I looked down, Mr Arnold's head was resting on my lap. He had a calm smile on his face as if he was seeing a nice dream.
I looked at his face closely, he looked really tired and there were a lot of black bags under his eyes. He must have been overworking himself.
I looked closer and bloody hell, there was a beauty mark right above his lips. How the hell didn't I notice it before.
Great! Now I sound like a creep.
His hair looked so soft and smooth, it was like velvet and I had this sudden urge to run my fingers through it.
Should I?
No, don't act like a creep now, Ari.
I shouldn't.
Yes, I shouldn't.
Yes, that's right, you shouldn't touch someone without their permission, Ari. This is pure wrong.
But his hair is tempting.
This is wrong Ari.
Damn it!
I touched his hair and goodness, he felt so soft and silky. It was like his hair was a magnet for me. They were so luscious and trust me I wanted to stop, but I couldn't. His hair felt so nice to my fingers that I just couldn't resist.
Quit it, Ari, you really sound creepy now.
Shaking my head, I quickly retrieved my hand from his hair and stopped myself from touching him.
"Why did you stop?" It felt as if my soul left my body. I could feel myself fading and losing consciousness. He was awake.
F*ck!Sh*t!Goddam*it!
Bloody hell! I was touching his hair, he knows this. What'll he think of me now?
Sh*t! What if he files a harassment case against me? Claims me of some creepy obsessed stalker or worse puts a restraining order on me?
He'll definitely file a case against me. I'm such an idiot, why did I do that?
Should I apologize?
Yes. Yes, before he thinks of me as some psychotic creep, I should apologize.
Yes! Okay, I'll apologize.
So as soon as he got up off my lap, I started with my apology rant." See Mr Arnold-", he looked surprised by my sudden statement. "Sorry, I didn't mean to act so creepily. I was just tempt-no no! I mean I just don't know, I touched your hair. I swear on my life I'm not some psychotically obsessed creep, please don't file any restraining order or harassment case against me. I'm just your niece's babysitter, my name is Arielle Summers and f*ck I'm blabbering now."
To my utmost surprise, he started laughing. It was the most adorable laugh I have ever heard in my life. It was a laugh that spoke volumes of happiness. His laugh was so contagious that I started laughing too. I couldn't stop. There was something so joyous and exhilarating in his laugh that I thought it was my first laugh in months.
First, he made me smile and now he made me laugh.
And it felt nice, surprisingly.
And without thinking he pulled me in a hug, I was stunned for a moment but then I felt his chest reverberating with laughter. I felt his heart beating in a rhythm. He held me like a family member.
"As much as I loved seeing your embarrassed face and listening to your confession. I don't want you to die of anxiety."
I scowled at him."Wasn't funny."
"Oh trust me, it was. This is the best thing I can ever wake up to.", he smiled.
"Oh." I gave him a questioning stare."What was the good thing? Me running my fingers in your hair or you watching me blabber embarrassingly huh?"
He smiled flicking my nose."Both."
I don't know why but with the way he said that I felt a warm glow and to save myself from blurting something else out, I looked down but bloody hell! I couldn't stop the smile that was creeping its way to my lips.
Goodness! Something suspicious is going on with me, I'm sure.
"I need to go.", I said and quickly sprinted to my bedroom. My heart pounding in my chest.
Hard!
My palms were sweaty. I don't know what I was feeling but whatever it was.
It felt right and nice.
To calm my racing heartbeat I walked to my bathroom and splashed cold icy water on my face, bloody hell! The man is driving me insane.
I quickly finished with my daily hygiene and freshened up. I got ready in a matter of 10 minutes and left the room.
I took some spare blankets with me, I was sure except for Mr Arnold, everyone else was still asleep since there was no sound of any activity.
And I was right.
Mr Arnold was sitting on a chair, his head down, fingers busy playing with his oval magnets. He probably was thinking about something.
One second! Why the hell am I thinking about what he's thinking?
Quit thinking, Ari.
I quickly walked to where Kia was sleeping and wrapped the blanket around her.
Then I walked towards Evans and Tara and unfurled the blanket around them too.
Now is the big question.
Aiden.
You know when you know a question and its solution too but you don't know how to put the solution on paper and you don't know even if you do, it'd be worth it.
Did that make sense?
I guess, it did.
Aiden was sleeping at such an angle that one-third of his body was on the floor, the other third on the carpet and the other third on the sofa. In simpler terms, his head was on the floor, his body on the carpet and his legs on the sofa.
He's going to have back pain when he gets up, I'm sure. Now, the dilemma was I wanted to wake him and ask him to sleep nicely but I didn't want to disturb his sleep and even if he wants to go back to sleep, I don't think he'd be able to because of how terrible his back would be hurting once he realizes his sleeping posture.
I sighed and ended up gingerly touching his shoulder." Aiden, get up.", I nudged him gently so that the others don't wake as well. I'm surprised they didn't get up when I and Mr Arnold were laughing so hard.
When after two more tries he didn't wake, I sighed and placed a pillow under his head and then I wrapped the blanket around him.
I looked at Mr Arnold who had a faint smile on his face. I wonder what was that about?
Quit thinking about what he's thinking for God's sake, Arielle Summers.
Mentally chanting the same, I walked to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for all of us. It's a new year and it should be started with something delicious.
I was busy in the kitchen when I heard footsteps. I turned around to see Mr Arnold looking at me intently.
Is he judging my culinary skills?
He had Masterchef level expertise doesn't mean he can judge my kitchen skills.
And once again ladies and gentlemen I ended up thinking what would he be thinking.
There's definitely a lot wrong with me.
I turned, I shouldn't let him invade my thoughts so much.
"Mr Arnold, you can use the washroom in the guest room which is on the left of the living room. There's a brush and all the necessary things you'd need. Freshen up and then we can have a coffee."
"Together?"
"Of course."
"Ms Summers?", he came closer to me."I-I want to inform you something."
"mhm.", I hummed as an answer, my mind trying to concentrate on cooking."Go on."
"I'm leaving."
I chuckled."Of course, you can leave. But after breakfast."
I heard him step closer."I'm leaving for a business trip." The knife halted in my hand in mid-air. I turned to face him. He looked a little disturbed. It's okay, it's just a business trip, there's nothing to be stressed about."It's for two weeks."
"oh." I couldn't think of any other thing to say. I don't know why but a small part of me felt sad that I won't be able to see his ridiculously good looking face for the next two weeks, there won't be anyone to reprimand me on how much of an awkward and clumsy human I am. I won't be able to see his weird self.
"What about Kia?"
"She stays at the mansion at such times.", he came closer and grabbed my hand."But I don't trust those people, Ms Summers, promise me you'll keep her safe in my absence." Something in me was screaming suspicion. His expressions showed it was something else, he was stressed about something vast.
I kept my other hand on that of his, "I promise with my life. I won't let anything happen to her, you're present or not."
He smiled at me, it seemed he was relieved. My heart was screaming in joy and sorrow at the same time.
Joy- He trusts me with his life, which was Kia.
Sorrow-He won't be there to ask me if he can hug me again.
"When are you leaving.", I asked turning my back to him. I discreetly wiped a tear off my eye, I don't know, seeing off someone was my biggest fear.
But he's leaving for only two weeks.
The hell is wrong with you?
"After eleven." I nodded. He'd be leaving within a few hours.
"I'll wake the others.", he said and turned to leave but before he could, I stopped him grabbing his hand.
That was a first!
"Can I hug you, Mr Arnold?" I hesitantly asked him, a little worried that he might say no, but to my surprise, he laughed.
"On one condition.", he smirked and I internally facepalmed myself.
What were you thinking while saying that to him stupid?
But now you've done it, you said it.
"What condition?", I asked, puzzled,
He gently tugged me closer and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "You have to stop calling me Mr Arnold. Call me by my name." His lips nearly touched my ear and my whole body shivered at his closeness. It was not the first time when had been this close to me, but every time he did I felt it was the first time.
"How can I... I mean our relationship is purely professional." I said but my words died when his smirk turned even more mischievous.
"Is it really?"
What the hell does he mean by that?
"You just asked me if you can hug me, do you think it's professional?" My nervousness and my embarrassment were hard to hide.
"You also asked me the same a few days back.", I said, trying to defend myself.
"Well, I'm now asking you to call me by my name. If you can hug me why can't you call me by my name?", he said, a slight frown now etched on his beautiful face. "I'll take it as my New Year gift.", he added.
"You really want me to call you by your name?"
"Hmm, say it, Arielle." I felt my heart beating wildly as soon as he said my name. How can he make me feel like this? I had no idea, but I'm determined to find out. "I'm waiting, Arielle." Once again I felt my heart beating painfully hard when I heard him saying my name.
His steel-grey eyes are so penetrating. I feel that he is trying to decipher my mind.
On the count of three, Ari.
It's just a name, why are you being so nervous.
One.
His thumb drew circles on my palm and I felt a tingling sensation in my skin.
Two.
He smiled and I felt my heart beat faster.
Three.
Without thinking, I whispered."Nicolas." Calling him by his name felt... intimate. It felt like a secret between us, something that only the two of us know. It made me feel a little vulnerable and exposed, but at the same time, it felt right. Almost like I should have been doing this all along.
And as soon as I said it, his face lit up. He looked at me, his eyes sparkling with utmost warmth. And then he gave me the biggest, most genuine grin I had ever seen. I felt like my heart got stuck in my throat.
"The hug now." I blurted and then added quickly, "I mean, now that I've fulfilled your request, can I hug you? I mean, this can be my new year's gift."
What is wrong with me today, why was I going so crazy just for a damn hug?
He laughed and closed the gap between us, his arms going around my waist. My breath hitched as he pulled me closer. He was so warm and his muscles felt so hard under his shirt. I could feel his heart beating fast against my chest and it was sending wild sensations down to my legs.
I was stunned for a moment.
"You never have to ask that, amore."
***