4-HELENA

“Goodbye...”

The door closed quickly and then I was alone in the room again.

For such a big man, Christopher moved quite smoothly.

"Christopher," I mumbled grinning like an idiot in the middle of the room.

My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the door open, but my hopes were dashed when Candace's face peeked out.

“What's up?” she asked closing behind her "I almost got stiff neck trying to see the man's face."

"It was very good," I said, starting to clean the table, "It was his first massage."

"He asked me if I'd be his new masseuse." Candace's laugh filled the room. "The poor man didn't want to come in here."

“I know, he made it very clear when I called him to confirm.”

“We were all very nervous, you know? We thought you were going to scream for help or that he would disrespect you, that man looks dangerous.”

She couldn't be more wrong...

“Dangerous?” I asked confused. "He wasn’t dangerous at all."

“Did you see his face?” She questioned me openmouthed “And he works as a bricklayer, surely his salary is not enough for him and he would try to steal something from here.”

I felt my blood boil in my veins, who did that woman think she was to judge a person for their work?

“Well, for your information” I started to say trying to control myself “He was very polite and respectful and never tried to trespass or steal anything.”

"You sure didn't take your eyes off him," she said casually, "And why are you defending him? It's not like he's worth it.”

“Because he’s a bricklayer?” I asked annoyed "You are a simple manicurist, Candace. Don't you deserve respect?”

“It's different” she straightened up as far as her 1’50 allowed her and looked at me arrogantly “My work is worthy, and that nose? Ugh, it looks like a zigzag, not that he's ugly, but I would pass him, I mean, if it weren't for his height, he wouldn't attract attention, and...”

I gaped at her for a few seconds before my hands tightened into clenched fists.

Tight fists.

"Get out," I said cutting off the disgusting speech she was spouting, trying to focus what little patience I had left on not hitting that woman's goblin face.

She must have seen something in my face because she closed his mouth instantly and left immediately without saying anything else.

Stupid, dwarf woman.

Who did she think she was to talk about someone else like that? Her mother ran a brothel and she never knew who the hell her father was, and she said Chris was unworthy because he worked in constructions? Ugly?

Her grandmother was ugly!

Surely if he had money, then he looked like a ken.

I left my cubicle annoyed and went to reception, my dear Josh was there and immediately his playful smile relaxed me.

"Hi, baby," I greeted him with a kiss on the cheek as I leaned over the counter.

"Hi, baby," he said laughing, "You won't believe it. A man was just here and made me tickle down there...”

I laughed hearing him speaking like that.

“Tall, strong, green eyes and black hair?” I asked amused.

“Ah!” He cried airing his face with his hands, "And what a hair! Did you see his ass? A. Ma. Zing.”

"It was under my hands," I said amused, "All that was caressed by me."

"Lucky bitch," he muttered pretending annoyance. “His robe didn't let me look much, just his legs... Wait, what? You touched his ass?! Tell me, tell me! Is it a 10?”

Oh God, I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

“I think it's a 20” I answered biting my lip at the memory “I had to work it thoroughly, you know? Pure solid and built muscles... But no, I didn’t get to touch his rear, but I did want to bite it.”

"Hmm, baby," he murmured with a vice face, "Just like an apple...”

“And what about his face?” I asked indecisively.

"That Rocky Balboa and Owen Wilson style turns me on, my friend," he said biting his lip.

Josh opened his mouth to say something else but then closed it and began to air his face once more.

"Speaking of the devil," he said pointing behind me.

And like the nosy person I was, I turned to see what he saw and oh, yeah... there was Chris once more.

He didn't see me as he passed a few feet in front of me, but I did and I followed him with my gaze until he disappeared down a corridor.

“That's the kind of man you have to tie up in bed and sit on his face,” I heard my friend saying “And not because he's unpleasant to see, but because he looks so dark and dangerous... he sure is a sexual beast.”

I bit my lip to keep from saying what I thought, because unlike Josh, I didn't believe in those things in the least.

Yes... he looked dark, but more in a melancholic way, and when he spoke, a certain tone of pity could be heard, and his eyes? His eyes told a thousand and one stories of sadness and loneliness.

And I didn't like that at all.

The way he tensed when I touched him... I really believed him when he told me he wasn't used to much touch, but the real question was, why? He was a handsome man; surely, he had his share of women, but maybe if I gave him my friendship and taught him what trust was, he could...

“No.”

That single word brought me back to the present and when I turned my gaze to my friend, there was censorship in his.

“No, what?” I asked playing dumb.

“He’s not an abandoned animal, Helena. He’s a person and you hardly know him.”

"That can be arranged, don’t you think?"

"He'll only be here for a few days, leave him alone."

"Well, they're going to be the best days of his life," I said flirtatiously and without giving him a chance to speak, I turned and went the same way Chris took: The dining room.

It was understandable, right? It was already noon and it was time to eat, so it would be a coincidence to see him in the buffet line, right?

This was what I loved about this place, there was no restriction about employees and guests forming relationships, so it was normal to see us talking or eating together at any time if we weren’t on duty.

I found Chris bent over the trays so I stood next to him without turning to look directly at him.

“Do you see something you like?” I asked leaning over to grab some sushi.

I held my laughter as I watched with my peripheral as he slowly turned his head towards me with his mouth and eyes wide open.

Those beautiful eyes.

“The salmon is very good,” I said casually looking away from his plate and leaned over to have some fries and some Caesar salad “Hmm, there’s pineapple today, what a pleasure...”

I skipped past him noticing that he was still in the same pose and walked over to an empty table, greeting some of my coworkers in the process.

I was about to put a roll in my mouth when he stood next to me unsure.

I looked at him questioningly for a few seconds until he decided to speak.

“Can I sit with you?” He asked with deep voice.

Oh god. What that voice did in me...

"I don't see why not," I said with a shrug and continued eating.

I saw the amount of food he had served totally impressed.

"I'm a big person," he said defensively.

I looked at him smiling as I ate a slice of roasted pineapple.

"I haven't said anything."

"Your face says it all," he murmured lowering his head and starting to eat.

“Do you care that much what people think of you?” I asked curious.

His folk hit the plate making a thumping sound, but he quickly grabbed it again as if nothing had happened.

“It doesn't bother me, it makes me uncomfortable,” he said softly before starting to eat again “It's uncomfortable to feel everyone's eyes on me simply because I like to eat or because I'm big or because they think I'm going to commit murder at any moment.”

He looked at me in surprise when I chuckled.

“Do they really think you're going to commit a murder?” I said amused, “Why would they think that?”

“By my voice? My size? My face?” He shrugged. "Maybe it's the whole of package."

"Well," I murmured leaning forward as if it were a secret, "Maybe if you smiled more often, people wouldn't think that...”

He looked at me serious for a moment before lowering his head again.

“You see? There. You are judging.”

"I don't," I said quickly getting serious, "And I apologize if you've thought that, Chris. There’s nothing wrong with you, you have a pretty laugh, you know? I would like to see you while you laugh, it sure is something very nice to see.”

He looked at me confused for a few moments before speaking.

“Nice to see?” He asked surprising me to see how his face turned red.

"You are very handsome, Mr. Royce," I whispered before eating another roll. “Maybe you don't have mirrors at home... yes, that must be it.”

"I have mirrors," he replied looking away once more focusing on his food again. "That's why I say it...”

"I'm not saying that you look like a model of those that appear on television," I said annoyed, "You're more in the dark style, you know? Like those tough, sweaty fighters who fight in cages and things like that, Josh Cena isn't beautiful, but wow! That man melts a lot of panties...”

I gasped when I saw his face change and a soft laugh scaped from his lips.

Oh man, I was right, he had a lovely smile.

How could Candace say this man wasn’t worthy or handsome?

“Josh Cena, huh?” He was still smiling, making it difficult for me to continue the conversation.

“Yes...”

"I'm taller than him," he commented amused.

"And even more handsome..." I gasped when I saw him blush even more.

"Thanks," he muttered uncomfortably looking at my plate, "What's that?"

"Sushi," I said looking at him in surprise, "You've eaten it, right? You do know what it… right?”

"I'm not talking about that, know-it-all," he answered now more relaxed, perhaps because we weren't talking about him, "The yellow thing next to it. I saw that you got a lot of that.”

“It's roasted pineapple,” I answered taking some with my fork and offering it to him “Try it...”

He looked at me indecisively without knowing what to do so I looked at him challengingly.

"Fine," he whispered leaning forward and taking the slice from my fork.

I watched his eyes widen and stare at me as he swallowed.

"It has cinnamon." His voice came out even hoarser than normal.

"It's my favorite spice," I said taking more pineapple and bringing it to my mouth now, "Did you like it?"

I saw him gulp as he followed my movements, both thinking the same thing: my fork had been moments before in his mouth and now it was in mine.

"A lot," he whispered licking his lips, "What are you doing, Helena?" He asked now serious, "What is this all about?"

"I don't know," I said, getting serious too, "I like you, Chris. I know you are here alone and no one should be that way, I could... I could offer you my friendship for the time you spend on the island and take you to know many places if you want.”

“Your friendship?” He asked incredulously, "Just that?"

"Well... what else would you want from me?" I asked blinking at him several times. "Don't give it too much thought, okay? Tomorrow there will be a Luau for the month ending, maybe you liked to go with me, just say yes, Chris.”

“I...”

“You are on vacation and I doubt you do that very often” I interrupted him taking my fork to his plate to steal a shrimp “Don't think much about it, my invitation has an expiration time...”

“How much time are you giving me?” He asked amused.

“The invitation expires in five...”

“Five minutes?” He said laughing.

"Four..." I kept counting looking at my nails like nothing.

"Oh." His attitude changed to a serious one. "Helena, I...”

“One...”

“Okay!” He exclaimed interrupting me, "Okay, I'll go with you... God, Helena. You’re not good negotiating.”

"I think I'm excellent," I said laughing at his bitter face, "Have you done radio before? You have the kind of voice I would love to hear in the morning as you tell me the weather will be perfect today.”

“How can you go from one topic to another in a matter of seconds?” He asked dumbfounded, "I have never done radio and you are the first person to say something like that to me."

“Well then you should” I took a potato chip under his stunned gaze “I would be your fan club’s president.”

I didn’t expect the laugh he let out, causing several people to turn to see us surprised.

"You're crazy," was the only thing he said once she regained his voice.

I shrugged and then we proceeded to eat in comfortable silence, me taking a little something from his plate and he taking from mine.

I was surprised he didn't get upset about this bad habit I have, but that he joined in the process as well.

“I have to go to continue working,” I said a while later with a bit of regret because I didn't want to leave him “I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the reception at 8 o'clock, right?”

I leaned into him and kissed him softly on the cheek, smelling the clean smell of his own scent that rose to my head.

"I have no choice, right? You didn't give me time to reject you...”

I ran my hand through his hair and with one last smile, I said goodbye to him and walked away without turning to see him because if not, I would come back, sit on his lap and kiss him in other areas without caring who saw us.

But I knew he would care but that would only be for a short time, I know that soon he wouldn’t care if I kissed him, hugged or... well, you know.