Chapter 14

She took hesitant steps into the room,trying to remind herself the long line she'd rehearsed.

The room was very large,bigger than every other room in the house(Hers and the gym room which he'd covertly hidden from her,but which her adventurous spirit had led her into few days ago,where she'd spotted him doing sit-ups,lifting weights and running on a treadmill and where she'd actually discovered how much of a gorgeous man he really was but since they hadn't been in talking terms,she'd shoved that compliment back into her pant pockets). The walls were painted the same colour as the living room,the furniture had no bright colour in them. Everything screamed male. At the far end of the room was another smaller space which by the furnishing, resembled a study,his study. White papers were scattered all over the mahogany desk.

Two shelves stood by the side,one fully stacked with books and the other with movies. Her interest piqued and her mouth watered at the prospect of him allowing her to borrow some of his books and movies. Barely able to hold in her thoughts, she voiced them out.

'What's with all the white papers and novels?'

'Would you rather stand while I tell you?' He answered,a smile curving the beautiful outline that were his lips.

She smiled back and settled herself unto the single settee in the room.

'Well...the white papers are scripts and the books are what I use to pass my excess time'.

'Scripts?' She rose her brows inquisitively.

'Yes...Scripts. I'm an actor'.

It then hit her. What she'd destroyed had been one of his scripts. She actually now had a double apology to tender.

'You're actually the Daniel Williamson?' Her eyeballs were wide with disbelief.

'Daniel Williamson, at your service'. He gave a mock bow and sat beside her.

It made sense now. That feeling of familiarity. She'd known she knew him from somewhere,literary. Sophie saw his movies all the time. She'd pass out if she'd been in the one in the same room with him. She practically idolized him. A really small world this is.

'OK,first things first.... I actually came to apologize for the way I treated you the other day. It was rude and unacceptable. Granted,I was not in the right frame of mind but I shouldn't have taken it all out on you. On your part,you were just being concerned and I was just been a rude jerk. I'm really really sorry'. She finished her line.

He drew closer to her,took her hand and looked into her eyes,a really long look.

'It's OK. I shouldn't have moved in on you like that too. I think I owe you an apology too'.

'I still have to apologize for destroying one of your scripts. It must have been very important to you'.

He shrugged his shoulder carelessly.

'It would have been a huge deal'.

Would have been?

Macy felt a stab of guilt hit her. It had  all been her fault. She should have been more careful,not going about moping and getting distracted.

She shouldn't have let her problems get in the way of her work.

Had she not promised herself to be focused? Had her main goal not been to come here and forget her past? Yet she'd allowed her self back into it and that had been disastrous.

She shook her head violently to dispatch her mind of the images forming in it,images of her abuse.

'Daniel,I'm sorry OK? I know that even if I apologize from now till forever,there'd be no make-up for the damage I caused. But I'm really sorry and that....'

He placed his index finger on her lips and halted her speech.

'Shhhhhhhh....It's fine,really. And trust me you have to stop apologizing. It was a mistake you couldn't have avoided. Everyone is prone to making mistakes. Quit saying 'sorry' otherwise, you'll run out of supply of that particular word'. He said and they both laughed.

He inched closer to her and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She stared directly into his greenish-brownish eyes which she'd come to enjoy looking into.

This guy was a piece of art. His nose,his eyes,his lips,his sharp edged jaw,his jet black hair,everything.

Suddenly, the air in the room changed,the coolness transforming into a tantalizing warmness.

'Close your eyes'. He whispered.

'What?' She gasped.

'Close your eyes'. He repeated.

He brought his hand to her face and rested his warm,soft palm on her face,his thumb caressing her cheek.

'Close your eyes,Macy'.

Something about the way he said her name was commanding,hypnotic and sensual. She felt her eyes dragging themselves closed as if under a spell.

'Forget it. All of them. Gather them together and sweep them into oblivion. Forget they ever happened. Whatever it is,pretend it never happened. Let me take care of you. Let me take you out,to places that would make you loosen your firm grip on them. Let me make you do things that'd erase them from your memories forever. Just let me'.

She felt her eyes moisten with a pool of fresh tears and she tightened her eyelids to hold them at bay, but some how, a lone tear found it's way of escape and he trapped it with his magic thumb and brushed it away.

'I didn't say relieve the memories,Macy. I said,sweep them into the garbage until you're ready to talk about them and then properly dispose them'.

'What does that even mean?' She flicked her eyes open.

'Beats me'. He shrugged and smiled. '...But why don't you find out by giving it a trial?'

She straightened her shoulders and tried to regain her composure.

'The scripts. Can I look at them?' She asked,desperate to change the subject.

'Sure. Why not?'

He stood,went to the table and casually picked up one of the white papers.

'As a matter of fact. I was rehearsing one of the lines'. He handed it to her.

'...I could use some help'.

Her insides brewed with excitement.

'You want me to help you rehearse?'

'If you don't mind'. He made a face.

'Of course I don't mind'.

He assumed his original seat and folded his arms.

'I've been rehearsing all morning. Having a hard time connecting with the lead character. She's really playing a weird role. I would have asked her to practice with me but she's been away for weeks. Her mama's sick'.

'Ow! That's bad. In that case,I'll practice with you. I'm not really a good actor so you'd have to bear with me'.

'Trust me,you don't have to do anything. Just read out the responses. I'd appreciate that. Since I would no longer be stuck with talking to thin air'.

'Give me a minute. Let me go through this'.

'Yea. Do that while I get you something to drink'. He said and exited his room.

She ran her gaze through the pages of the script.

'Wow. This is huge. I guess only a scene will do for today'. She murmured to herself.

She read down,trying to get the moods and the tones she was supposed to use and then she stopped dead.

'Kiss?' She gulped.