Chapter 46: Pretence
PRETENCE
RAYNE’S POV
I watched him leave and I suddenly felt something break within me. I couldn’t explain the reason. He had left in such a hurry and that too, like there was trouble. I could only wish that he returned safely.
This is me, three hours past evening, still staring out through the transparent glass walls. There still wasn’t any sign of him. With each minute that struck by, I felt the knot in my stomach tightening. The bodyguards were still down there, all over the house, guarding it from a danger I didn’t know of. I had overheard him asking one of the men in a suit to protect me at all costs, and I couldn’t understand why.
Two hours more, the night had turned dark, and even though the city was fully lit up and looked as beautiful as it had the previous day, I wasn’t feeling the ambiance of it. I turned to leave the glass wall and stroll into the room. I could probably retire to bed, and maybe, wait there for him. After all, we still had a movie to see together. Or, was that just it? But, just as I did, I saw a flash of light pull into the yard.
Two cars stopped and then the headlights went off, and a familiar figure climbed down the car in hurried strides. The doors of the second car opened as well and three huge men in uniformed suits stepped out. I saw Eric glance up as if he knew I would be here, waiting for him. I immediately took two steps backward and hurried to the bed. I could feel my heart racing as I did and my cheeks were slowly turning hot and I bit the walls of my lips to get them under control.
Soon, I could hear familiar approaching footsteps in the corridor. I immediately pulled out the duvet, lay down, and covered myself with it. In my fake sleep, I could hear the gentle creaking of the door as it opened, and footsteps came next. Slow, gentle, and careful they were, as if the person was trying not to wake me up. Then it stopped, and for a few minutes, I couldn’t make out any sounds or movements, plus my eyes were closed. Then in the next minute, I felt the bed sink next to me, followed by the waft of Eric’s misty cologne.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
I felt his hand slide into my hair, then gently he massaged my scalp. That action instantly brought a surge of sleepiness inside of me, the insides of my eyes drifted close, but I struggled to stay awake. Like one who had been sleeping, I slowly opened my eyes, and his gray ones greeted me. They were mild, gentle as they looked at me.
“You’re awake?” He murmured, tilting his head slightly to the left. I nodded at him and made to get up. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and helped me up. I felt my cheeks turn red at the feel of his touch on my sides, it was tickly.
“You’re back,” I said, pushing away the urge to grin like a little mad person.
“Mm-hm,” he murmured. He tugged a strand of hair behind my ear and then eyed me carefully with a gentle smile on his lips. But afterward, his hand never left my face. I held myself from turning crimson. “I missed you,” he said, grazing my cheek with his thumb. I felt a shiver run down in the wrong places and bit back the throaty sound that almost escaped my lips.
ERIC’s POV
“Did you miss me?” I asked. I had seen her standing by the window earlier when I returned. Plus, Matthew, my chief guard in his report earlier, had said that she hadn’t left the window all evening. I’m sure she must have missed me really badly. And I couldn’t wait to hear her say it. But, she didn’t give me an answer, she instead blushed hard and looked away from me, changing the topic immediately. I let her. I had promised myself that for her comfort, we weren’t going to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with.
“Are you just returning?” She asked and I sighed inwardly. How could she ask that? Did she really think I was so clueless about her pretense of being asleep?
“Yes,” I replied, deciding to play along. “Don’t tell me you’ve been asleep since I left, you didn’t miss me, even for a second?” I asked and watched her bite her lower lip, her cheeks flushing red. This sight was so beautiful, I wanted to drink her in, all of her.
‘Fuck Eric!’ I groaned inwardly. How can she turn me on just by blushing?
“Are you tired?” She suddenly asked. I hadn’t expected that question from her, so it pretty much surprised me.
“Yes, I’m so tired, I feel like all my bones are going to break.”
She giggled as I said that. “Okay, you should rest then. Tomorrow, we can do the things we wanted to do tonight.”
We? Did I just hear her use that pronoun? That was the first.
“Just that?” I asked. I was in the mood to tease her, just as I always am whenever I’m with her. “I thought you were going to propose a massage. You know, your husband’s bones are really tired from stressing out today. They’re so weak, I don’t even think I can lift myself. And, by tomorrow morning, I might develop full body pains.”
Her big hazel eyes beamed. What, was this funny, really? “Your bones are big, they can’t break.”
“Yes, they can’t break, but they can develop pains, and if that happens, I won’t be as strong as I am now anymore. I want a massage from my wife.”
Her eyes stilled at once the moment I used the last sentence. Shit! She wasn’t comfortable with that. Go slow, Eric, don’t make it seem as though you’re forcing her.