For over ten seconds, they kept staring at each other. Xavier didn’t seem fazed by her outburst and that was a problem. “I’m sorry for confusing you,” he muttered. “I confused myself also.” Charlotte scoffed. “Just how far are you willing to take this Xavier? Are you so desperate to see me fawn over you? Does it turn you on? Is that why you won’t leave me alone? You want to be the one doing the pushing and not the other way around!”“Won’t you just listen to me for fuCk’s sake!” He snapped, shocking her. She would have fallen backward if he hadn’t been holding her. “I’m sorry I yelled. I…I don’t really know what I’m doing,” he stuttered. “If you can’t say it then show me,” she whispered, staring at his mouth. Using the same hand he was holding her with, he pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. His lips were directly on hers but he didn’t make a move. Her heart pounded in her chest. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid but now she was in this position
“Get me a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, Jonah, now,” Valerie ordered, while working on something on her laptop. Jonah had just walked into the room and his fiancee was already giving him orders. He sighed deeply. No one ever asked him to do the job of a maid before Valerie came around. However, the last thing he wanted was to anger Valerie. He had so much to lose. “Why are you still standing there like an idiot?” She asked. “Make yourself useful and get me my orange juice.” “Sure,” Jonah said through gritted teeth and left the room reluctantly. As he poured the carton of juice into the glass for his fiancé, Jonah thought about Charlotte. She would never speak to him in that manner, no matter what it was. He frowned. Why was he thinking about that deadweight? She had nothing to offer him and that was why he had thrown her away like the trash she was. The fact that she had somehow slithered her way into his uncle’s life did not make her any less of a trash. No amount of
“You’re the most beautiful bride I have ever styled! You’re so gorgeous. Your hair, your dress, everything is just perfect! Heads will turn today.” Charlotte’s chief stylist squealed as she added the finishing touches to her bridal look. “How do you feel on your special day?” Charlotte sighed. Her somber expression was a direct contrast to that of the chief stylist who was grinning from ear to ear, and the several other professional stylists under her, who were either in charge of her dress, hair or makeup. “Great,” Charlotte responded, not even bothering to fake a smile. She was hungry that morning but the diamond-encrusted corset of the wedding dress was already killing her. It would only get worse if she ate anything, especially because she would throw up. “Oh,” the chief stylist said when she noticed that Charlotte didn’t mirror her excited expression. She shared a look with her helpers. “Let’s carry on then.” Although it was her wedding day, Charlotte couldn’t wait to get it
“…I’m so happy to have you by my side. I can’t wait to see what beautiful things the future holds for us,” he said, completing the vow. The crowd erupted in cheers. Charlotte remained rigid, fighting the urge to let herself think too deeply into the specific things he had mentioned in his speech. Anyone who didn’t know how things really were between them would have soaked up his words and called him the most romantic man in the world. The priest said the words to bless the marriage and very soon, he pronounced them man and wife. It was done. There was no going back now. “You may kiss the bride,” he said after joining their hands together. Xavier gave her a weak smile before pulling her in for their first kiss as a married couple. Charlotte fought the urge to give in when his lips pressed against hers. She didn’t move her lips even when he alternated between both, ignoring him just as he had done to her when she tried to kiss him on that same island some days ago. Without warn
Charlotte sighed. This was getting really tiring. “I don’t care if you made a mistake. It’s too late now,” she said with a cracked voice. “Please show me to another room if you don’t mind. I’m sure you have over a gazillion of rooms you don’t use in this house.” Xavier cocked his head to the side, but luckily, he remained where he was. “I’m pleading, Charlotte,” he said solemnly. “May I just get a few minutes of your time? I just want to explain some things I’ve been keeping to myself, I promise.” “You had three days to talk to me but you didn’t,” she snapped, although she wondered why he was now being tender and apologetic toward her. “You clearly stated how you wanted things to be between us and I don’t plan to go back on it.”“I just said I made a mistake…” he breathed. “And suddenly that’s supposed to change everything?” “I had many things I was dealing with that I wasn’t ready to share but now I can see how that must have hurt you,” he said. Charlotte frowned deeply. This
Charlotte knocked hard on the door before she could get a chance to change her mind, and waited. There was no response, and the door didn’t open either. She chuckled. This was ridiculous. All of a sudden, the pep talk she had given herself before coming here now sounded silly to her. Was she really back here after what had just happened between them? What was she even going to say if he opened the door? That he should forget all the things she had said and make her scream her lungs out in ecstasy as he plunged into her? Wow. Where was that coming from? Charlotte chuckled again. It must be the wine. She had a little too much to drink at the party and also while she was in the bathtub and that was why her mind was pushing her to make the absolute worst decisions and to think they sounded normal. It was also the wine that made her start pounding on his door so hard that even people outside could have heard it. If he didn’t open it this time, then she would know he was doing the rig
Charlotte walked into the room when Xavier stood aside from the door to make way for her. She tried to hide the smile on her face as she walked in, and headed straight for the dresser. Xavier shut the door behind her and locked it. She ignored the tremor in her heart at thought that that she was now locked in with him. “Where exactly did you last see the phone?” She asked without looking at him. “I’m not sure, but I have a feeling it might be at the head of the bed,” he mused in a deep voice, taking slow steps toward the bed. “Why don’t you come check?” Strangely, she was enjoying the game he was playing. Tucking her tongue inside her cheek, she walked to the side of the bed where he assured her it was. She bent over and raised the pillows, knowing her short sheer nightdress bunched up at the sides and revealed more of her thighs. She smiled to herself when she heard his sharp intake of breath. “I still can’t find anything here,” she said after a while, straightening up. When she
“How do you feel?” Xavier asked Charlotte with a lazy smile on his face. He was intoxicated by everything about her- her smile, her smell, how easily she caved under him when he kissed her. Charlotte blushed and glanced away momentarily. “Great,” she replied. Xavier pursed his lips. He hated the way she was still not free around him. It always seemed like she was holding back, even on things that she clearly wanted. She had come into his room on her own and when he opened the door, he had seen the fire in her eyes and the way her nipples poked out of her nightdress and immediately knew what had brought her to his room. Unfortunately, at the slightest distress, she had guarded herself up again and tried to leave. Xavier knew that if he left her alone for just a few seconds, she would rethink everything and immediately get up from his laps and run back into her room. He was greatly to blame for it, though. Although he could blame her fear on all she had gone through in her marriag