With Alexander gone back to his apartment to attend Ashton’s call, Eva kept herself engaged in the kitchen. Quickly making a one-pot Beef Stroganoff to be served over a bed of hot flat spaghetti, she waited for Alexander’s return. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and she picked it up, expecting a call from Alyssa. However, her eyes widened when Maxwell’s number flashed on the screen instead. Now, what did he want? She accepted the call and walked over to her balcony to talk. It would be better if she spoke to him now or he might drop in anytime. She didn’t want to disrupt her peace of mind now!
“Hi, Maxwell!” she chirped.
“Hey! What are you doing tonight?” Eva pondered over his question, wondering what to tell him.
“Nothing much. I’m tired so I’ll just have dinner and sleep. How about you?”
“I’m outside my office. It’s a beautiful night and I don’t want to go home yet. Do you want to go to a late-night movie? “I’ve got two tickets.” Eva’s mind immediately was on high alert. She had to discourage him or he would insist on spending the beautiful night here at her place.
“Not tonight, Maxwell. I’m a little unwell. “I’ll be better if I rest a little.”
“Are you sure? “I can come over if you need any help,” he offered, the disappointment clear in his voice.
“Thanks for your offer, Maxwell, but it’s nothing serious. “I can manage.”
“Fine. “I’ll go with Nicholas, but next time, I won’t accept any excuses.”
“Sure. Tell me when and I’ll be ready. Good night, Maxwell,” she said, happy to be able to ward him off successfully. She disconnected the call with a relieved smile and turned to go inside. Her eyes went wide with surprise at seeing a smoking Alexander standing at the doorway, blocking her way inside. From the dark and furious look on his face, it was clear that he had heard his conversation with Maxwell.
“What was that? Were you planning another date with Maxwell?” he screamed out, clenching his hands into angry fists. Eva still stood at seeing the dark fury in her eyes.
“No, why should I? “I just declined his offer of going out to a movie.” Alexander took a step towards her, his body stiff and angry.
“How dare I offer you such a thing? How do you encourage the man?” he demanded, his eyes ablaze with wild jealousy.
“I don’t encourage him. Why are you overreacting, Alexander? “Let’s have dinner, please.” Alexander didn’t budge an inch but grabbed his arms instead. Eva flinched from his deadly grip, but he didn’t release her.
“Am I overreacting? I heard you promising him a date for later. Maybe after I leave!” Eva gaped at him, unable to think of a reply. She did promise Maxwell, but it wasn’t a date. It was just a friendly meeting, that too only to stop him from coming over tonight.
“I didn’t promise him anything. You’re misinterpreting it.”
“Oh really? What is he? A rebound for you? Or am I the rebound?” Eva extricated her arms from his hold and gaped at him with shock.
“He’s just a friend, a well-wisher, Alexander. You know it very well. Then why are you making a mountain out of a molehill? “Can we please have dinner?” Alexander seemed to see the all the more, paying no heed to her explanation.
“Cut the crap, Eva. Friends don’t ask you out on dates. The truth is, you’re encouraging him. You’re playing with both of us,” he screamed out, blinded by his jealousy. Eva sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down, although she was dying to drill some sense into her head.
“It wasn’t a date. “It’s just a friendly outing with him.”
“And you want me to believe that?”
“What’s there not to believe, Alexander? Why do you always misunderstand me? You are the one who’s playing with the two of us, Beatrix and me. So am I the rebound for you? I could ask you the same thing. If you really loved me, you would have broken off with her long back. You would have fought for me. Did I ever seek an explanation for your actions? You ignore me for days, yet I try to live, holding onto the memories of you. Do you think it doesn’t affect me? Beatrix always comes between us, yet I never complain. I’m exhausted from all this. Maxwell is much better than you. He knows his limitations and never crosses the line. There’s no one in his life and he gives me importance. I’m tired of explaining myself to you all the time. Just think whatever you want to,” she said, pushing him away with all her strength and running towards her bedroom blindly. Alexander stood transfixed on the spot, trying to grasp his words. Was he really that bad? Did she like Maxwell more?
“Eva, wait!” He rushed after her, but she had already closed the door in her face. “Open the damn door. I’m sorry. “I got jealous and overreacted.” He knocked, feeling guilty, even so, she didn’t open the door.
“Please open the door, Eva. “I take back my words.” I waited for two minutes, but nothing.
“I’ll break down your precious door if you don’t open it, Eva.” Alexander sighed, thinking of a way to make her open the door.
“I’m hungry, Eva. I haven’t eaten the whole day after you left. Please open the door. I said I’m sorry,” he pleaded when the door unlocked, to his immense relief. He pushed it open to find Eva sitting on her bed with her back toward him. Anxiously, he walked up to her and sat down beside her, feeling guilty to see the tears in her eyes. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her onto his lap, close to his body.
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me, Eva. “You can punish me for being an as*.” I stroked her hair to calm her down.
“I will definitely punish you. You will be under house arrest with me tomorrow and have to cook for me as well.” Alexander pulled his flush against his chest, loving the punishment already.
“At your service, Ms. Rayner. Now can we have dinner, please? The delicious aroma of Stroganoff is driving me crazy.” Eva giggled and climbed down from her lap.
“In a minute,” she said, walking away towards the kitchen with him hot on her heels.
“Let me help me carry the plates.” They carried everything to the rug and sat down to eat a cozy dinner, all the previous misunderstandings completely forgotten.
“Why did you skip your lunch?” asked Eva, and Alexander shrugged.
“I was missing you. So I went out to the art gallery down the street to kill time and completely forgot to eat.” Eva rolled her eyes at his carelessness.
“Did Lisa call you yet?” Eva shook her head, knowing how much worried he was about his sister.
“No, she might be busy with the shifting. “I want to give her some time to settle down before calling her.”
“Update me soon or I would have to grab hold of Nicholas to know what they’re up to.”
“No need for that. I’ll update you.”
After dinner, Alexander wanted to watch a movie with her and brought his laptop over since Eva didn’t have a television in her apartment. “You need a dining table and a television set right away.”
“No, I don’t. I’ll buy them when I can afford to. Please buy nothing for me,” she warned him, her eyes flashing with confidence. Alexander surrendered with a smile.
“Okay, I won’t. Now come here and let’s enjoy the movie. “I’m sure this would be more enjoyable than the outing with Maxwell.” Eva groaned and threw a pillow at him with annoyance.
“If you bring him up again, I’ll not watch anything with you.” Alexander grinned and pulled her closer, his arm clamping her against his hot body.
“I promise I won’t. Now relax!” She relaxed against him, but somehow his addictive scent and the memories of what they shared earlier drove her crazy. She couldn’t concentrate on the movie at all.
“Are you liking the movie?” he asked, his lips dangerously close. Eva agreed, unable to speak as the need to record him and summarizes where they left off earlier was all she could think of. She couldn’t tell him she wasn’t enjoying the movie at all. He would again compare and get unnecessarily worked up!
She blinked, trying to concentrate, but all she could feel was her rapidly beating heart against her own. Did he feel the same way? She sat with her eyes glued to the laptop screen, yet after an hour, she was clueless about what the movie was all about.
Sighing, she turned her head slowly to take a peek at Alexander. He might enjoy the movie, and she didn’t want to disturb him. However, to her utmost surprise, she found him staring back at her, his eyes dangerously dark with desire.
“Shall we?” I have whispered hoarsely.