Six

Avery's POV

When he was done whacking me with a mini heart attack, with his intoxicating closeness and intense words, he made himself comfortable in the chair across from me. A unreadable expression coating his features. I dared myself to maintain eye contact, it was just about time I looked down.

Something about him was so mysterious.

Soon we were engaged with the dinner, which was downright delicious.    

I stared at the bowl of noodles, biting my lips in anticipation. The chopsticks glaring at me tauntingly. I frowned rolling my eyes and deciding upon being genuine. Grabbing the fork I dig into the divine cuisine, sighing at the taste.

Feeling his feverish stare on me, I glanced up and caught him gazing at me with such intensity, that could make a person tremble.

"Erm, sorry I don't know how to use those, my dad wanted me to learn the etiquette rules and all. But I was just–," I blabbered and he smirked at me making me halt. 

"You can eat with your hands for all I care. As long as you're enjoying the food." He persuaded calmly, dining so perfectly that I almost felt embarrassed by my fewer manners.

"The food is good." I smiled attempting to hide my face from heating up in timidity.

"What's your favourite food?" I asked in hopes of smoothening the awkward silence.

"I never gave it a thought. Hotdog maybe." He shrugged carelessly, surprising me.

Often I would meet people who just play a role of what they're thought or expected to be. Not bothering to express their genuine personality or choices. But goodness, this guy is full of surprises. All good ones I hope.

"What about you Avery?" He leans forward, with his entwined hands resting on the table, once he was done eating. I gulped the sight.

It was nearly unbelievable to me, just a week ago all I wanted was to go to France. Now I am here, sitting across from one of the most attractive men I've ever met. And God whenever he says my name, I need to get my senses checked.

"Uhm, pizza?" I stammered and it appeared more like a question itself. But if this is the sight I get to see by being a nervous mess, I'll unquestionably sign up for these more often.

He threw his head back and laughed, it wasn't a sputtering laugh, just those deep ones that sound incredibly sexy.

"You're quite a surprising woman Avery." He expressed, deepening the rosiness on my face, to the point I wanted to hide my cheeks.

"Why did you expect something else?" I teased and he merely grins.

"No expectations, I was simply awaiting the wonder." He says lowly, flattering me right there. I wish it was easy to control the thundering heartbeats, they're terrifying me. These sentiments were foreign to me.

"Dessert?" He quirks a brow, and I nodded sheepishly. It would be a sin to not have dessert.

Once we were done eating, Aaren slid his hands under the table and it seemed like he pressed a switch.

Because within the next few minutes a woman strolled inside, dressed in professional attire and her expression gave away vague and polite vibes. I wonder if she was presented there all the time or if she just has a good amount of speed.

"Serve the dessert." He stated politely, without a long glance her way. The woman nodded in agreement, her hands resting forwards together.

"This food is going to waste," I murmured to myself.

"No, it would not. My staff gather all the leftovers and deliver them to nearby shelters and whoever needs food." He clarified leaving me astonished at the reality. 

In an era of selfishness, it was quite rare to come across helpful people. Particularly, one who's rich and they don't find it necessary to bother about the rest much. 

"That's so thoughtful of you," I murmured amazed, staring at him completely fascinated. He didn't move a muscle instead shook his head and stared back at me with his piercing gaze.

"Would you mind sitting in the Living Room?" He queries, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nodded my head following him.

Between the small stroll, I had only one thing clouding my mind. That was, how I wish I knew what he was thinking at the moment.

"Make yourself comfortable." He said as soon as we were in the living room. With a hidden mental sigh, I plopped down awkwardly.

The scent of his cologne once again clouded my surroundings whilst he slid beside me, at a safe yet close distance between us. I decided to cut through the awkwardness and start a meaningful conversation which could do some good.

"Can I ask you something?" I questioned turning to his angle so I could have a better view.

"You have my consent, Avery, ask anything that is." He answered back as bravely as I asked the question.

"Uhm, Why didn't you approach me or at least attempt to ask me out or something instead of laying it out in front of my parents?" I inquired.

"I am too much of a tedious person for dating and playing boyfriend Avery. I had to take their approval sooner or later, why not start there." He clarifies making me gulp. His accent was downright alluring.

His words were white and honest, maybe he's not one of those people who prefers dating. 

"For now I'll rest with that." I laughed and he had a grim face that said nothing of his thoughts.

"But everybody can have fun," I smiled staring at him.

"Hmm?" He cocks a brow and I nodded sheepishly, I mean just because you are aged doesn't mean you can't do fun activities right?

"My point is if I was planning a date I would surely add a lot of fun." I chuckled and he seemed amused by my statement, he passed me a daring grin. I didn't miss how his eyes roamed my body before meeting my gaze. I felt scorched under his watch, like the fear of prey. The only difference was I wasn't afraid, or uncomfortable.

"There would be a second time." Carelessly saying that he leaned forward to brush a few strands that were tickling my cheeks. His closeness affected me harder than I thought. I was losing my sane concentration.

"Second time?" I narrowed my eyes he still had the teasing smirk relaxing on his face as he muttered a yes.

"If I had control there would be a second, third and fourth Avery. Until you're mine." In the middle of these words, he scooted closer, violating my personal space but I didn't mind for the first time. He smelt so good, his manly scent was enticing the warmth of his breath brushing over my mouth.

He stared down at me with indecipherable intensity, awakening my wild imagination as I helplessly pondered what would be like to kiss him.

I had never felt so desirous before for anyone, I remember my foolish crush on a guy in middle school, but it ended as shallowly as the meaning of it was.

But this man is messing with my hormones.

"Erm, Sir your dessert." A hesitant timid voice broke us apart where the same lady stood with a tray. He signed and she kept it down leaving as soon as possible.

"Try it." He ushered shifting back to his safe distance, which was worth whining over still reasonable in the current situation.

In an urgency of avoiding the embarrassing moment just a few seconds ago, I grabbed the plate taking my time to stare at the beautiful art of sweets.

The brown layer lay on the bottom, with another beige and brown layer covering it. The white and pink creamy substance on the top shimmered with sprinkles.

I scooped a spoonful of the thick yet gooey texture lifting it to my mouth and stuffing it inside. The delicate flavours melted in my mouth like sweet heaven. 

"This is just wow. What is it by the way?" I asked once I had swallowed the whole thing well.

"It's a dutch dessert, called tampouce." He replied.

"It's nice," I said with a smile having another savoury bite.

"I'd say I did good work then huh." His announcement made me halt in my place.

"You made this thing?" I asked stunned. There's no way a man with the busiest schedule had time for making me a silly dessert.

"I did." He agreed, leaving me more surprised.

"Wow." I laughed nervously and he just sat there calmly staring at me with his hooded eyes.

"Wait are you Dutch?" I asked him and he nodded in agreement.

"Since you said I can ask anything, can I ask about your family?" I raised a question to which he just stared blankly.

"Two brothers and a sister." He mumbled slowly. Something said, clearly his parents weren't alive, and I wasn't going to pry about his pain. 

"Oh, that's nice." I smiled trying to ease the tension that vanished soon. I hung my head grunting, I just felt this was getting weirder.

"I am sorry I had never been on a date before, and I don't know how to just you know, act. It's not like I have something against marrying but I just need to build a strong," I frantically ranted lifting my head, a loss for words and getting stopped in between.

"Trust?" He completed it for me.

"Yeah," I muttered under my breath.

At the mention, he stood up stepping leisurely over the wide windows of the Penthouse, starting it with his back on me. He stuffed his hands inside his pant pockets confusing me.

"You know Avery what trust is?" He implored, I silently anticipated his words. I kept the dish aside,  standing up.

"It's giving control to people. To hurt or love you. And it requires daring to do it." He turned around gazing at me with the same vigour that was making me feverish.

Under the silence of the night, my stillness made it quieter as he strolled in my direction. Until he was just in front of me, intimidating and attracting me at the same time.

"Can you give that control to me?" His voice was low and thick with passion.

"Depends on how many girls you've asked this?" I stammered managing to get the words out.

He narrowed his uneven eyes at me, looking incredibly seductive in doing so. He chuckled intensely moving near to me.

"Money makes the world easier as well as real Avery. And we're still all humans, so just like other people I had someone in my past who wasn't worth it. Even then I didn't give her control, does it make it more reasonable now that we are meant to be." He confessed and at this moment  I discovered his words were crude but all honest.

"I don't care about your past unless you're a womaniser let me tell you I have a strong disliking for such men." I asserted frankly and flatly.  

"Those are cowards afraid of a commitment Avery I am no such thing." He answered back. I looked into his eyes, they were sizzling with determination. 

"I don't care about a useless past as long as it doesn't interfere with my future." I proclaimed, to which he smirked back nodding.

"Also you should know I believe in mutual efforts if we were to start something," I told him he nodded again.

Another moment of pause engulfed us and I looked down in embarrassment, I didn't want to sound like a bitch but that is what I sound like when I am being honest.

"Come I'll show you something." He grabbed my hands, and I glanced at our intertwined hands in marvel, following him obediently. My eyes were more specifically on him than any other thing.

That was until the chilling breeze hit me that I glanced around to see one of the most beautiful views in my life. We were on a balcony near the gorgeous black trail in the open.

The busy New York City was glittering like golden stars in the lull of the night.

Everything, either luxurious or not blended beautifully into one glow of glamour. To acknowledge I had never seen such a view coming from a wealthy family is unacceptable. But that was the truth I had never been to many fancy places or occasions, even if we were on a family trip my dad always booked a villa or something. But this looks simply amazing.

"It's so beautiful from up here." I squealed in excitement.

"One last surprise for today." I heard him say beside me, and I angled towards him to catch him holding a jewellery box.

"Aaren you didn't have to," I murmured in an awed tone. He didn't have to go far to impress me, I am not a fan of materialistic stuff just honesty and loyalty could do.

"I wanted to. Turn around should I put it on you." He anticipated I nodded quickly pulling my hair aside. Even though I wasn't in a fancy dress I wanted to see how it looked on me.

He brought out the pendant paired with a silver chain. An initial of A was designed artificially in an impressive carving. His fingers brushed my nape, making me hold back a sigh, he slid it around my neck clasping it there.

Before I could turn back a small mirror in front of my face made me inspect the piece of jewellery. I stroked the delicate material, feeling my heart fluttering. I turned over, locking my eyes with his enticing ones.

"You might not have realised, but our names start with the same letter." He expressed, making me actually, acknowledge that fact just now.

"Thank you, Aaren, for all of this." I thanked him, losing myself under his spell. He kept the mirror he held aside.

"I'll take the gratitude if you agree to dance with me." He says straightening his posture and leaning slightly to offer me his hand politely. I smiled at how stunning he looked doing absolutely nothing.

"Where's the music?" I asked only to get interrupted by a song softly playing in the background. I shook my head in no surprise.

"Of course," I mumble sliding my hand in his larger ones. His rough hands pulled me closer, setting everywhere he touched on fire. I gulped trying to be oblivious of the impact.

His one hand settled on my waist with the other gripping my other palm, I slid my free hand on his massive shoulders, and we swayed smoothly.

To distract myself from his tempting looks I focused on the song. Yet, I couldn't assess which song it was, or who was the artist being no music lover it didn't help a lot.

And my heart was rather delighted to gaze into this sorcerer's eyes gawking at me with utter passion.

He twirled me around, slamming my body onto his front his hands stroked my stomach and I helplessly leaned my head on his chest. His nose nuzzled my earlobes, inhaling deeply causing me to shiver.

I was swivelled again into his capturing embrace, breathless and shocked. Our mouths were too close, mixing our breaths as our foreheads touched. I was standing still with him leaning down to my height.

Slowly he reached down to cup my face, cradling it nearer my eyes felt heavy from the desire of my sense. His eyes drifting back and forth to my lips and eyes, I closed mine, a way to give him consent for which I guess he was in waiting.

"Be sure Avery be very sure." He whispers, his voice clouding my senses. I opened my eyes, knowing well I wasn't being clever at the moment, but for once I wanted to act foolish.

There's no other man I had ever desired so deeply in such a short period. And even if it's wrong for some of my conscience, the haze of the heated moment blurred everything.

"I am sure," I mumbled heartily, more confident of myself as ever before.

That's all it required for him to slam his lips against mine, he thunderstruck me, with his fierce move gathering me into his arms deeper. It was everything one could imagine their first, official kiss could be.

His lips warm against mine, whilst he expertly moves them at a pace I couldn't carry. I fisted his collar to hold myself together. His hand dropped from my face travelling down to my waist to my upper hips stroking it gently while still kissing me breathless.

His tongue pushed inside my mouth and tangled with my own numbing it with unfathomable ecstasy. Our saliva combined with our breaths as he angled me to a wall nearby. Only pulling back briefly before crashing his mouth against mine, I dissolved into the kiss, his hands extended downwards to my thighs, even with stockings on I could feel the warmness of his palms.

He bends grabbing my thigh, placing it on his torso between the enthusiastic sloppy kisses. It was when he ground onto me, I discovered how hard my core was throbbing. It's the most erotic thing my pure self had ever committed.

___________________________________

So here it is. I know my writing isn't the best but I just don't want to care and be unstable again.

I can only learn. Still hope it's enjoyable.

Some of you might think the story is moving fast, but that's not the case if we speak about the plot.

See you in the next chapter.