*EDITED*
***Adam's POV***
I was driving back from the tattooing center and Ria was silently fiddling with her thumb. The air in my Ferrari was saturated with awkwardness and unspoken questions. So I felt I should start a conversation.
"Hey, how was the pain?" I asked her casually, not taking my eyes off the road.
"It didn't hurt much."
"Where did you get tattooed?" I went on.
"I actually got two. One in my leg and the other one...um...I am not telling that. It's a secret." She said with a light blush on her face. Her face a tell tale sign that she got her tattoo somewhere private; probably to save the conversation not steering towards more awkwardness.
"If that is a secret, the why get a tattoo by the way?" I asked raising a quizzical eyebrow.
"I didn't get it to show others or any thing. Its just...just to prove myself that I have freedom to do what I want." She said, her voice trailing off into a soft note at the end. Then an uncomfortable silence crept in until I ran into a very long traffic.
"F*ck! Here goes."
I sweared softly, leaning back on the seat in annoyance. Then I turned to Ria. Something was seriously wrong. She had her nose scrunched up adorably and lips pulled into a thin line, a habit she does when she is confused or was dying to ask something she deemed as stupid.
"Ria, why are you having that constipated face?" I asked her with a frown.
"Urg...nothing."
"You look like you want to ask something real bad."
"Is there anything between you and Eliza?"
She blurt out and made an 'oops' face. I stiffened in my seat, the smile on my face freezing over. Internally, I was everywhere. I must have known that she was overhearing the conversation I had with Liza, but nevertheless, I believed the impossible and here I am looking like a creep in front of her. Being a businessman had it's perks; I was able to keep a calm facade when I was hyperventilating inside.
What will she think of me if I tell her who she was to me?
But another thought was more dominant than that: When the hell did Adam Lexwood scared of a woman's reaction to his lifestyle?
"I mean I understood you have some problems with her...and you both were close? If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine." She said slowly, her doe eyes wide with innocence.
I hesitated, shifting in my seat in sudden uncomfort. I cursed the traffic for putting me in this position and I also cursed my observation that made her ask me what happened between Liza and I; internally of course. I remained silent, trying construct words carefully. She turned to me, as if waitiing for me to tell her everything. I sighed.
"Yeah. You were right. I and Eliza had an affair. Had. Some months ago. I didn't mean too much into the relationship but seems she put a lot more into it. So..naturally I had to turn her down. I never had any feelings for her or anyone in her position."
"Position?" She reluctantly asked. I ran a hand through my hair and her eyes briefly flickered over to my action.
"What Eliza and I had was... purely physical. I thought I had made it quite clear that what we had was no strings attached sex but in the end, she started acting like my unannounced girlfriend. She has been after me since then. But who wants a relationship when you can have a casual fling, right?" I told trying to lighten the mood with a nervous laugh.
"Yeah....who wouldn't..?" She said absent-mindedly.
Her concurrence shocked me and my jaws went slack. Does that mean she had done too? Suddenly, the shock I felt was replaced with annoyance and anger. So she had been with a guy for sexual gratification and that oddly didn't sound right, it sounded so wrong. I felt like jumping off my car and punching something.
Preferrably moving.
Even better, with a face of the guy she slept with.
Ria with someone else...it hurt to keep the image away from my mind.
***Ria's POV***
Who wouldn't...except a stupid old virgin like me?
He is right. And if you were wondering, yes I had a boyfriend but we broke up when I refused to give up my dear virginity. Well, I was lucky I guess. Or else who would find your dear person who in future was supposed to be your husband, cheating on you under the alias that he didn't mean it?
But right now, I can't explain how I feel. I felt dizzy and sick. Was Adam like Vicky? Someone who doesn't value relations and bonds? Both his images new and old are bombarding my brain with a lot of questions and confusing me no end.
"So how many of these casual flings have you had? I don't mean to pry..." I cleared off one of those questions, daringly; softening the blow with a common courtsey word.
"I don't wanna scare you off." He managed a small laugh as the traffic was clearing off.
I shook my head in a persitant move, "We are friends. So,I don't think that's a problem. I believe in true friendship. True friends don't betray or hide any thing. I consider you like a true friend."
I am so into finding the answer.
He took a while to comprehend what I just told and was silent for a while, as if he were contemplating something. "Many. I don't really know." He said finally with visible difficulty.
Okay, he had hell a lot of them.
I simply reclined back to my seat to leet everything he said to sink in. I struggled to look not shocked and at the same time, weary of his actions. I didn't want him to think that I was someone who judged a person rightaway. But it was damn hard, I tell you
"How many have you had?" His husky voice broke me off the thinking-trance.
"Sorry?" I asked as the question startled me.
"How many hook-ups have you had?" He asked, his hold on the expensive steering-wheel. I shook my head.
"I don't want to scar both of us for a lifetime. I'd be emabrassed for the rest of my life and you'd shocked for the rest of your life."
I tore my gaze away from him, not finding courage to face the humilation that was sure to come if he gets to know that I am a virgin. He laughed mechanically; hollow and emotionless laughter that may impress his client but not me.
"Fine, atleast tell me if you've had any serious relationships. Boyfriends? Or would you prefer it my way?" He asked witha wink.
"Of course I prefer a serious realtionship!"
I quickly replied then regretted of coming out too harsh. Well, its the truth. Vicky and I had a serious relationship. But it turned out that I am the only one who found it dead serious. Adam's soft dimples vanished. Almost. He was maintaining a smile that didn't reach his eyes to convince me that he is alright.
There was a pregnant pause between us, straining further.
"What about a Spanish lunch today? I love hispanic cuisine." I tried to sound normally excited. But both of us were carrying each other's heavy revelations on our shoulders, well most of his anyway.
"Sure! I know an awesome place. You will love it." He smiled at me but his eyes were withdrawn and hooded, as if suppressing an emotion.I pretended not to mind his change in tone, or the awkwardness that rang clear in the air.
"If that's the case..." I said solemly, "Onward my noble steed!"
I pointed the windshield, pretending that I was a medival Knight and broke out into an uneasy laughter at my attempt to regain normalsy between us.
He smiled at me, this time a small yet genuine curve of his lucious pink lips.
*