SIN DE RELLA

ARELLA

***

NEEDING a few seconds to myself, I took a deep breath. The last thing I wanted was to see Skipper on my doorsteps with a pitying look on his face. He was the reason why I got fired in the first place. If he didn't show up to the lab I still had a job right now. Truthfully though, it wasn't completely his fault because I could've just pushed him away, but I didn't. I missed him.

My heart was pounding against my chest from the way he looked at me, but the pity I expected wasn't there. Whatever he had on his sleeves it didn't matter to me anymore. There was a part of me that still trusted him. But he kept insisting something about the proposition.

When Clyve left the room, it felt suddenly small to us. Not to mention how he made me felt last Saturday, then left me aching— tormenting me. My urge to finger myself was damn strong, but it quickly awash by just remembering how it ended. Now, it caused a huge downfall in my life.

"Reigh." He sighed at the end.

"What are you doing here?" My shoulders sagged. I leaned on my headboard, not caring how I looked like in front of him. He'd seen me naked and vulnerable anyway.

"I have a proposition for you. It's not that I'm glad you got fired—"

"Don't ever mention it. I was beyond humiliated in front of my boss and to those who saw that footage. You haven't seen the look on his face, and I did. I didn't know how it slipped my mind that there was a CCTV in the lab. I don't like this effect on me when I'm with you. It's..." I tucked my hair behind my ear, feeling my face flushed.

"It's been taking care of. You have nothing to worry about. As of now, my lawyer is talking to your ex-boss. They can choose, either they will lose the deal or I will sue them, or they give me the copies of that video and forget that thing did happen. They shouldn't have a camera inside the lab in the first place."

Sighing in relief, I looked at him emotionless. "What is your proposal?"

He smiled— a smile that made me speechless. Damn this stupid heart!

"I want your perfume," he started. He suddenly turned into a businessman in front of me. A sexy, brooding and exuded power.

"You're kidding, right?"

He shook his head, keeping this thing professional. "No, that's the scent I've been looking for."

"I'm sorry, I can't. That's mine and I can do another better scent for you."

"No, Reigh, I don't want another scent. I want the very same scent you used last Saturday. It's sweet, seductive, exquisite, and strong."

"I'm sorry." I looked down at my hands, when he didn't respond, I lifted my gaze, and it was a mistake because the moment our eyes locked, the lust consumed me. My body heated. My skin tingled and my desire to jump into his lap and feel his lips and mouth on me again was overpowering my senses.

His pupils dilated and he swallowed and looked away.

Nervous energy overtook me. "Why?"

"Why what?" His voice deepened. He didn't look at me again.

"Why my perfume?"

"I told you already." He sighed with frustration.

"I won't accept your proposal until I hear the truth from you. What so special in it anyway?"

He let out a sigh of relief, then smiled. "Okay, but just don't freak out."

"Now I'm freaking out." I laughed nervously.

His smile widened, making the wrinkles beside his eyes more palpable. "This probably doesn't make sense to you, but I remember the exact smell when I first kissed you." He scratched his thick eyebrow as if he was shy.

"What? I-I don't think—"

"You—"

"How do I smell when you first kissed me?" My eyebrows raised. A slow smile built up in my face.

"Like your perfume—"

"Guys!" I almost jumped on my bed to the voice of Clyve whose already standing at the door with an impish grin on his face.

Skip groaned and turned his head to his brother. "What? We are in the middle of a serious conversation here."

"I thought you two done snogging—"

"Clyve!" Skip chided his brother.

"Okay calm down, lover boy, I'm going anyway. I have to check on my potential flat." He walked toward us. "Doll, call me if you need anything. Don't believe everything my brother said. Just look right into his eyes."

At the corner of my eye, Skip rolled his eyes in amusement. "Thanks, brother. Don't worry your friend is safe with me." With an emphasize on the word friend.

"I doubt that." He shot his brother a warning looked.

"CC, I'm fine. Thank you for coming and listening to my jibber-jabbering. I'm going to knee his bollocks if he tries something on me." I winked at him, and when I looked at Skip, he didn't look amused anymore.

"Brilliant!" He leaned down to plant a kiss on my cheek, making Skip groan again.

"Seriously, matey. We talked about this already, yeah?"

"Just get your bloody arse out of here!"

Clyve made his way out of my room, laughing.

"That's rude, Linton," I chastised.

"I know, but couldn't he see it? He kept interrupting on important matters."

"And you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Clyve, Skipper."

"So, now you're on his side?" he snapped, narrowing his eyes at me.

Did he just snap at me? Unbelievable!

"Of course, I am. He's nothing but nice to me. He was there when I needed someone. He understood and never judged me!" My voice shook as I yelled right into his face. My pulse sped up in anger.

He had no right to get angry at Clyve. In fact, after what he did to my life, he should be thankful I allowed him to come into my apartment. Then, he just snapped at me? Who gave him the right?

"I'm sorry, I overstepped." I could feel the sincerity in his voice, but it was not going to budge me easily.

"This conversation is over. If you have a proposal, let your assistant arrange a business meeting. I guess you still have my e-mail, haven't you?" I stood up from my bed and crossed my arms over my chest. I watched him releasing a few deep breaths. Then, he got up, towering me—not in an intimidating way. Our nearness made my breathing to hitch. I could smell the spiciness of his perfume—manly and exuded sexiness.

"I meant what I said before I left to London," he said in almost whispering.

"Which one? The vile part? I know—"

"No, not that one. I regretted everything I said right away, Reigh. That was a beastly move. I have no right to say those words to you. It was vile. You how much I lo— how much you mean to me. It just shocked the bloody hell out of me. Everything just came crashing down on me in one day." He held my arms. "Give me a chance, love. I would do anything just for you to forgive me. I'm so sorry." His words melted my heart, seeped right through my bone, sent a shiver down my spine.

"But you didn't return my call and text, why?"

"I was an awful boyfriend. I broke your heart, Reigh. I should have been with you when times like that and not running away again. I was torn between guilt and my feelings for you. I didn't know what to do until I saw you dancing with my brother. I wanted to rip his hands off of you. But I trust him and I love him dearly. And I know he will never cross that line. And then your brother kept taunting me with words."

"I'm sorry too, for keeping things from you. I just didn't know where and when to start and we just started our relationship and I thought it complicates things if I just drop the bomb on you. I swear I was planning on telling you."

"I completely understand, Reigh. It just took me a while to process things. Let me make things right if you—"

"Please, don't." I couldn't afford for him to break my heart again. I knew his stay was only temporary. Clyve blurted out something about Skip's project and he was not going to stay here for good. Why didn't he tell me about this?

"Reigh, please." Skip begging me was like a stab to my chest.

"You know this doesn't work, right?" I looked at him right into his eyes, and he looked sad.

I was waiting for him to confirm, but instead, he closed the gap between us, cupping my face. My lips ached to kiss him, even though I wanted more than just a kiss but I could live with it if he tried. Skip was like a drug, addicting once you tried.

My heart raced. We could try and took a risk. This might work and we could see where it went while he was here. I grabbed his shirt and dug my nails into his chest. The look in his eyes was a confirmation. My lips parted, ready to receive his kiss.

A slight moan skipped my mouth when his lips locked with mine. My body ignited, sending a zing right down between where it ached for his unfinished task. My knees buckled when he went all in, delving his tongue, encircling and tasting me. We devoured each other.

I craved him.

I couldn't remember I crave sex and release, but there was something between me and Skip that was hard to ignore. It was more... like a lifeline.

Skip's head dipped down. My hands released his shirt and ran through his neck and up to his head, pushing my hands through his hair. Pressing my chest to his, I pulled him as if it wasn't enough, but it was too much. He rewarded me with a groan and ground his bulge on me.

We both snapped out and pulled away to my phone vibrating on my nightstand, both panting and unable to form a word. He pecked my lips again and smiled genuinely.

"We need to talk." I released his hair.

"I know." Then, he tilted his head to look at my phone.

"Shit!"