"Jesus, it's been three hours already Luna, open up!" Alora commands from outside and I just stay still on my bed as I stare blankly at the door.
"You've not had dinner and I'm worried sick, worried sick I tell you. The CEO'S wrath is the last thing I want to incur right now"
"Allow me"
The moment I hear Asher's voice, my heart starts beating abnormally again. That man would've kissed me if Alora had not stormed in and I would have let him do it because he is the man I choose.
My heart beats for Ace, I love him immensely but my mind knows better than to think that we can ever have a future together. He is going to marry someone else, that's why I want to try as much as possible to deviate these feelings I have for him to Asher.
I know that's what's best for me.
"Luna" He calls with his usual calm tone. "I am not trying to scare you, but I will bring down this door if you don't open up in the next three seconds. One..." He starts to count and I fly over to the door and open it up.
Asher will break this door if I don't open it up. He never gives his word for nothing.
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Alora asks rolling her eyes . Asher takes the tray if food in her hands.
"Please excuse us"
"Why? So you could try to kiss her again?" Alora asks carelessly and I feel my face redden.
"Alora!" He calls in a calm but authoritative tone and Alora grudgingly walks away. Now it's just the two of us. I feel blood pause in my veins the moment he steps closer to me. "Can I come in?" He asks softly and that's when I realize that I'm actually standing at the door, there by blocking the way in.
"Of...of course" I stutter as I nervously step aside and he walks in with the tray of food in his hands.
The cocky smirk on his lips don't go unnoticed.
Cocky Lawyer!
I gently close the door and follow suit. He places the tray of food on the transparent glass table and motions me to sit down.
"You missed dinner"
Duh!, I don't need a reminder for that, it was me who missed it remember.
I don't say that out loud though.
"Whatever sarcastic statement you have in that mind if yours, don't voice it out"
"Bossy much huh?" I say ask as I settle on the couch.
"Locking yourself in here for three whole hours, shutting everyone out and skipping dinner, are you trying to give me heart attack?" He asks seriously and I sadly bow down my head down in guilt as I play with my fingers. How do I start explaining to him that I was just very embarrassed about what happened earlier and that's why I couldn't face him or Alora?
"It's the pregnancy hormones" I lie smoothly and he heaves out a heavy sigh of frustration. He takes the plate on the tray and starts dishing out food. My mouth instantly waters at the sight of sautés and stir-fries.
I am dying to get a taste already. I internally yelp in joy when Asher seats by my side with the plate of food in his hand and a spoon in the other. I stretch out my hand to take the plate of food but he pulls away.
My face drops.
"Uh, not so fast. I'm going to feed you, since you have decided to act like a baby, you will be treated like one"
"Asher" I call giving him my most flattering puppy eyes but he shakes his head as he takes a scoop of food and brings close to my mouth.
"Be a good girl Luna, you don't want us to do this the hard way" He warns and I obediently open my mouth and he gently feeds me. The moment the food touches my taste buds, I unconsciously closed my eyes as I chew the food giving out little moans.
It's bewitchingly delicious.
"This tastes so good!"
"It was prepared with so much love" He says with a sweet smile and I carefully scrutinize his well chiseled facial features. He's so fine that it makes me blush.
"Here" He says holding another scoop and when I open my mouth, he gently dips the spoonful in my mouth and empties it's content. I close my eyes and savor the delicious food the moment he takes the spoon out of my mouth.
The next thirty minutes are the sweetest moments of this entire day. Asher patiently feeds me and I swear I haven't blushed so hard in ages.
"Are you sure that's enough?"
"Yes Asher, right now I'm bloated"
"That's good then" He keeps the plate aside and turns to face me again. I look into his starling brown eyes and notice that they are searching as always. Then my mouth choses to betray me.
"What if Alora's didn't barge in on us earlier, were you really going to kiss me?" I ask out of nowhere and all his facial features soften. That familiar mixed emotion look in his eyes take over and I have this urge to caress his cheek but I don't.
"Yes, I was going to kiss you" He says as he swallows dryly. "What would've been your reaction?"
"I ... I don't know" I lie.
I very well know.
I would've loved it and I would've kissed him back with all my heart.
"Luna forgive me if my emotions are weighing down on you, forgive me if I'm too difficult to handle at times. I swear I'm trying to curb my emotions, I'm trying very hard to not burden you with them but I'm failing woefully and I am scared that this won't end well. Please forgive me for being such a weak man" He laments in tears and all I can do is stare at him blankly. I don't know what to do or say to make him feel better.
Asher is hurting from within and it pains me to know that I'm the main cause .
What if what I really have to do is stay clear of him?
What if it's the fact that around him that's making him hurt more?
What if I'm wrong about giving him a chance when this baby is born?
Oh my God, this is messed up.
"Ash" I call calmly as I brush-off the tears on his cheeks and take him into my arms. He rests his head on my chest and I gently stroke his hair. This man is too good to be in this kind of situation.
We both stay in that position for quite a while in total silence which is later on disrupted by my phone's ringtone. Asher disengages himself from my hold and I get up from the couch. I walk over to the night stand and pick up my phone. The moment I see Ace's name on the caller ID, I quickly press the green icon signaling answer and press the phone against my ear.
"Hello Luna" He greets and the moment his voice hits my eardrums, blood sings in my veins. I feel all the motions I'm trying to suppress bolt out and take total control of me. My brain does nothing but remind me of how much I miss him, how much I want to be with him, how much I love him. The feelings I have for this man run very deep and his child in my womb only makes strings things more intense.
"Hello Ace" I greet back and at the mention of Ace's name, I feel Asher's gaze widen as he looks at me.
Ace's gaze will widen in the sale manner wherever he is if he finds out that I am in the same room with Asher.
These men!
"Baby I'm very sorry for not checking up on you earlier. I have been quite hooked up with work and random issues"
"Tell him to stop calling you baby"
My subconscious mind screams but I ignore it. I love it when he calls me baby. I know I'm not supposed to, but I still love it anyway.
"It's fine Ace, I understand"
"I hate doing this to you. How was you day?"
"Disappointing, Kyle fired me!" I say rolling my eyes. I feel bile rise in my gall bladder anytime I imagine someone else sitting in my office, answering my title.
I have worked so hard for that position it that company but Kyle just had to strip me off it just because he has the power to do so.
Crazy!
"Kyle told me it's just temporary"
"I didn't know you and Kyle are now on talking terms"
"Oh... about that, well ... we are kind of friends now"
"Oh... I don't know if I should be worried of excited about that"
"Don't let it bother you. What have you had for dinner?"
"Sautés and stir-fries, a glass of orange juice too"
"Cool, remember you have an appointment with the Doctor tomorrow at noon, I'll pick you up we could go together"
I swear I have totally forgotten about that, but Ace can't know. He will get furious.
"Great!" I say nervously "I will be waiting"
"Good then, let me leave you to rest. Goodnight"
"Goodnight"
"I love you Luna" He says softly and I hang up. I badly wanted to tell him that I love him more, but how can I say that in the presence of the man I intend to give a chance with my life in the near future?
I place the phone on the night stand and walk to the couch to meet Asher. His features are no longer soft and he no longer has searching eyes or mixed emotions in them. His expression is as hard as basalt and his brown eyes have gone deeper and some way dark.
This is not a good sign.
Ok... what did I do?
"When did you plan on telling me?"
"If it's about the appointment, I had totally forgotten" I confess carelessly and he looks at me in awe.
"Luna you can't be that careless"
"I know, I know but I just forgot. It wasn't intentional. I swear" I say putting on the most puppy eyes and he turns his face away.
"If you think emotionally blackmailing me with puppy eyes is cool, you are wrong"
"You are not nice" I say sadly and he exhales heavily as he turns to look at me.
"You need to stop doing that" He gently tabs the screen on his cell phone two times and it lights on. "It's almost nine pm, you should sleep now" He announces and I pour yet again. "What now Luna?" Asher asks in a frustrated tone.
"I don't want to spend the night in here alone. I want to go over to Alora's bedroom so she will cuddle me" I s quietly and his features soften again.
I swear this guy needs to be arrested. It's illegal to be so bipolar.
One minute he is all tough and authoritative and the next minute, he's all sweet and submissive.
The actual hell is wrong with him?
"I could stay and cuddle you"
"No... no I don't think that's a good idea" I deny flatly.
"Luna" He calls softly as he uses his index finger to raise my chin up and now our eyes are locked in each other's again.
Those deep brown eyes are now shallow, soft and appear to be searching once more.
"I would rather die than act out of character with you. I just want to hold you in my arms while you have you beauty sleep. I miss those moments"
He explains and I mentally slap my head. I'm such a dumb ass pervert. One kissing attempt has made me doubt Asher's intentions when cuddling in his arms is nothing unfamiliar at all. I really do need to calm down.
"I'm such a drama queen"
"Suits you perfectly"
I want to protest but I realize that I do not have the strength to argue with him right now. I'll just let that one slide.
"Whatever" I say as I walk into my closet and change into my sleeping wear which happens to be a pair of pyjamas trousers and a singlet. I walk into the bedroom and meet Asher already lying in bed. I get on the bed and find my way into his waiting arms. He covers us both with the duvet and wraps his arms around me.
"Good night Ash"
"Good night wifey, I love you"
I smile warmly in his arms as he kisses my hair. I close my eyes and drift to sleep and the last thing on my mind is how I wish I was in Ace's instead.
Yeah, I know.
I'm a love sick puppy.