( Beverly Hills, California.)
“Arian, I don’t think I can take in another surprise or I’ll burst!” Natalia squealed as he led her back to the bedroom with a blindfold.
“Forget about the blindfold. It’s not really a surprise.” He smiled and she rolled her eyes. Oops! She can’t. She giggled as he opened the door.
“You can remove it now.” He announced. Natalia who was dying to see the not-really-a-surprise surprise, inelegantly tore the blindfold from her eyes!
A few seconds later…
“Arian, this is too much.” She whispered. Arian hugged her from behind and placed a kiss on her neck.
“I know you’re already a Queen, but you’re my personal royalty. Nothing is too much for you. Happy birthday again, my love.” He breathed with a smile.
At the centre of the room, was the setting of a camp dinner with her favourite foods and fruit wine, this time. Exquisite rugs, duvets and throw pillows sat in succession under the whole arrangement. A cake explaining the occasion sat pretty in the middle of the buffet while the rest of the room was completely changed.
Even the lights felt romantic!
“I didn’t even remember my own birthday.” Her voice trembled.
“You’re not crying, are you?” Arian hastily turned her around, looking worried.
“When did you…” She started but he slowly wiped her tears, cutting her off.
“Megan helped while we were at the pool.” He explained. Megan was the young, pretty housekeeper. After the beautiful video, they’d gone back in and out of the pool for hours, passionately making out half the time.
“From what you told me about the maniac you’re after, I didn’t expect you to remember. You deserve much more than this, my love.” He whispered with a helpless doting look. “And don’t think of telling me thank you ag…”
“Thank you.” Natalia was defiant as more of her tears fell. Arian pulled her in for a hug and she wrapped her arms around his sexy, tall frame.
“I love you so much that it hurts.” She heard him mutter as they stayed that way for a long time. Then he pulled away.
“There’s so much to do. After dinner, we’re gonna hit the game room then we’ll watch all those cheesy romance movies that you love until you fall asleep. We spent so much time in the pool that you’re gonna drop dead before ten this night.”
“Is that a bet?” She raised a daring brow. Arian arrogantly shrugged, playing along.
“Depends on what you’re staking.”
“Fine. I’ll do anything you want if I fall asleep before ten this night. And if you lose, you’ll do anything I want! Deal?”
“Deal!” They shook hands.
“Take a shower and come out before the food I expertly cooked gets cold. I’ll use the guest room.”
“You cooked?” She was shocked. Arian smugly nodded.
“The microwave kept the warmth.”
“Thennn…. I don’t think I feel hungry anymore.” She pressed her lips.
“Are you seriously gonna break my heart?” He frowned and folded his arms. Natalia raised hers in surrender.
“Okay. We’ll eat your poison and walk into life eternal together.” Arian mightily scoffed.
“Well, prepare to be blown away! Meet you right here at seven o’clock sharp.” He said and turned to leave.
“Since you’re so confident, it’s only a few minutes to seven. Rush up a shower with me. I’ll race you the… hey!” She gasped and ran after Arian who was already halfway into the bathroom…
Five minutes later, the duo sat across each other at dinner, dripping wet with two bathrobes wrapped around them. Who bathed with their swim trunks on??
At seven sharp, Arian broke the silly cowboy looks.
“Time’s up, mademoiselle.” He announced and wriggled his brows. Natalia fought the urge to laugh and played along.
Without taking her eyes away from his, she reached for a fork and played mini, mani, mo on the menus until the silver cutlery stopped on the meatballs. Arian smirked and mouthed; ‘My masterpiece!’
Natalia chuckled and hastily returned her stoic face. She lowered it then brought one to her mouth slowly. But before she tasted it;
“Since it’s a fifty-fifty chance I’m about to get food poisoned, shouldn’t there be a standby doctor to save me?” She smirked back. Without taking his eyes away as well, Arian picked his phone and made a call.
Two minutes later, Megan, the pretty housekeeper, walked into the room with a huge first aid box.
“She’s a good first aider trained to handle any minor injury which in your case… will be less than minor.”
“Oh, yeah?” Natalia dared.
“Oh, yeah!” He accepted.
Natalia picked up the meatball again but stopped when it got to her lips. “How ’bout we both swallow the deadly balls together? Sure you can do that?” She was merciless.
Arian scoffed and picked up a fork too, still maintaining the cowboy look. They clicked their meatballs together and slowly brought it to their mouths.
“Wait!” She screeched and they froze. Natalia suspiciously looked at him.
“Gimme some proof that you cooked this.” Arian casually stretched out his hand which Megan placed a tablet on. He flipped it over to face Natalia.
“CCTV showing you and I that I did.” He looked smug. Natalia stared at it and silently gawked at how professionally he handled the each ingredient in the kitchen.
“Cheers.” They clicked their forks again and brought it to their teeth this time.
“Shouldn’t we set a timer to….”
“Oh just put the darn thing in your mouth!”
“Yes sir!” She breathed and shoved the entire meatball into her mouth. A couple of seconds later, a wide grin appeared on her lips.
“Head Chef De’ Argent, how much do I need to pay to hire you?” Arian nonchalantly shrugged and returned the bright smile.
“Thank you, Megan.” He dismissed and picked up a knife. She bowed and left.
“I told you I’m good.”
“How… When did you learn to cook? I don’t think you’ve been in a kitchen your entire life!” She accused as the fourth one entered into her mouth. Arian settled his first meatball on his plate and slowly cut it with the knife.
“I’m not a professional. But I know my strengths.”
“Still.” She insisted to know.
“YouTube? It became a favourite pass time when I came here.”
“Oh… thankfully not girls.” She muttered. Arian raised his head with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me and I’m not repeating!” She hastily returned to her food as his melodic chuckle wafted into her ears. Suddenly, guilty memories flashed across Natalia’s mind, crippling her appetite. She stopped from devouring the ninth meatball and slowly dropped her fork.
Arian who was fondly watching her eat noticed the change. “Is something wrong?”
Natalia nodded and faked a smile, eating the rest of the food almost mechanically.
“Are you sleepy? Do you feel ill? You look pale.” He reached over to touch her head.
“Arian I…”
“It’s the cold shower. We shouldn’t have played that silly g…”
“Arian!” She took his hand and held his anxious eyes. “I’m really fine. It’s just… some memories.” She bit her lip. Arian’s looks softened.
“And don’t try to smart mouth me into falling asleep because it won’t work!” She snorted. His naughty smile returned again, brightening up his entire face.
“Sugar, I’ve got all the time in the world. Two hours is all I need to tire you out completely.”
“Tsk! Good luck, loser!”
~~~
One hour later, Natalia had to use her fingers to keep her eyes opened! How did she get herself into that mess??
The game room drained her determination and by the time they crashed for movies?…. She was already half asleep, nodding every second!
Arian De’ Argent, her merciless lover, made it worse by picking out an old, boring, black and white movie so she’ld get bored easily and quickly fall asleep. Natalia glared at the evil person casually relaxed on the bed next to her, enjoying his slice of cake…. and her torment!
This was war!!
Unable to take it anymore, she turned on the lights and switched off the horrible movie. Natalia looked at the exquisite wall clock and hyped herself mentally. It was a few minutes past nine. Almost there!
“Let’s do something else over a bowl of ice cream!” She demanded and strolled across the room to keep herself awake.
Arian dropped his half eaten cake and locked his fingers behind his head, enjoying her situation with a satisfied smirk. Natalia’s original battle strategy was to overfeed him so he’ld get tired and fall asleep first, forgetting about her.
But it was backfiring!!
Arian was not a big time foodie. And the late realisation made her stress-eat and fall into her own trap!
“I’m up for ice cream… if you are?” He taunted.
‘Oh, you’re on!’ She seethed mentally.
“What flavour?” He graciously asked. Natalia threw an answer over her shoulder, snapping at him in the process. Arian smiled and paged Megan while she glared at the stupid grin on his face. He was darn mocking her!
“I find it sexy, you know.” Arian said after a while of her feet still walking across the room.
“What?!” She growled making his smirk increase.
“Messy hair…. a scheming face…. a hot body cruising behind my shirt… beautiful legs restless to stomp me to death…. the list is endless but hell, it’s damn sexy!” He seductively purred. She shot him a fierce look before taking the tray from Megan who was just walking in.
9:20pm
Natalia encouraged herself and walked back to the bed. She passed Arian his bowl and rushed into the bathroom to splash water on her face before returning to sit across him casually.
“Did we have fun with the sink?” A wicked smile curled his lips without raising his head. She ignored him and sat well.
“Let’s talk.”
“About?”
“Anything at all!” She screeched but then softened her voice and purred sweetly. “You know, to catch up.”
Arian nodded still hosting the annoying smirk which was clawing at her nerves! “You first.” He offered.
“Suddenly being the gentleman?” She scoffed and the gorgeous French winked.
“I can’t hold it back anymore. It’s in my DNA.” He puffed.
Natalia stopped herself midway from rolling her eyes and gently faced him. “Why did you meet with your attorney?” Her voice softened and his spoon froze midair…