Chapter 60

The second her delicate touch found my arousal I sucked in a breath. I still wondered whether she was planning on doing what I thought she was. She didn't say a thing, instead she held me in her hand and stroked my length.

Too gently. 

Then I watched her as she began to make her slow descent to the floor. That eye contact was a dangerous thing, it was stirring up stupid feelings again. And I wondered why I couldn't just relish in the pleasure. Why I couldn't enjoy her touch and draw satisfaction from her caresses without the entire thing turning into a mixture of emotions. Emotions that were daring me to avoid them so that they could show me how powerless I truly was. I watched her as she went down on her knees. Aware of what she was about to do but wondering whether I ought to let her. 

And I'm not saying that because I was scared this was her first time and I'd end up with bite marks or anything. 

It was rather because I didn't want her to do anything because she felt as if she were being pressured. That's how much I cared for this girl. To the point where I'd be willing to turn down a blowjob. That was proof of how serious this actually was. 

With my hand in her hair I made her look at me, not focusing on how useful those strands would be when it came to angling her as per my wish. She frowned, wondering what I wanted to say, why I looked as if I was questioning everything.

" Only if you're certain you want to. Otherwise let it be.." 

She didn't respond, rather she inched closer, on her knees. Naked in front of me.

Completely submissive!

Fucking hell! I was lost the instance I met her and I didn't even realize it. And I started to doubt whether I had it in me to cast her to the side after all this was over. And I wondered why I had convinced myself that I was incapable of....all my thoughts vanished when she wrapped her lips around my length and took me into her mouth. 

Never had I been as helpless as I was in that moment. 

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Afterwards, with her in my arms, I closed my eyes and cursed whichever demon had possessed me and driven me into thinking that all that was a good idea. 

It was almost six, and I knew that Arden would wake up in the next thirty minutes for his workout. And there were chances he'd pass by my room to ask me whether I would join him. 

It was time for Layla to leave. Despite everything I said, Arden would always lead the list of those people I cared for. And we had made an agreement just yesterday, if he found out I had lied to him. That I was still lying to him behind his back, then he would be pissed. And I didn't want it to get to that so I tapped Layla and asked her to wake up. She lazily opened her eyes and smiled at me. 

That smile would forever be my undoing.

With a somewhat satisfied sigh she cupped my cheek and then went straight back to sleep. Completely comfortable in my bed, in my sheets. In my arms. 

" I'm afraid it's time to go sweetheart, " I spoke the words next to her ear. She groaned and ignored me once more. Then she snuggled closer to me and I honestly didn't know what to do. I had fucked a lot of women, no question there. But I had never let them say afterwards. The second we were done I'd ask them to be in their way. And now here I was, holding the one person I ought to have been running from because our entire interaction was based on lies and deceit.

I kissed her forehead because for some goddamn reason, my instincts wanted me to. Then I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to let go of her. 

" Arden's gonna come knocking in the next twenty five minutes. You sure you wanna be here when he does?" I asked and she shrugged but said nothing. I'm certain she hadn't even heard what I'd just said. 

" Layla?" I called out. Then I blew out a breath and tapped her till she woke up. Her eyes still half closed when she looked at me.

" What?" She asked. Sounding a little mad, I had come to a conclusion that she valued her sleep. But then she also had a job to get to. And as I had previously mentioned, I had a busy day ahead. Filled with meetings and piles of work to take care of. 

" Dahlia's.. executive chef. Responsibilities...any of that ring a bell?" I asked with an arched brow. She immediately sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and not even wasting a second to tell me bye before she got off the bed and started putting on her clothes. 

" Careful, we don't want you going to work with a broken leg now, do we?" I wasn't joking. Her wellbeing had somehow become a primary concern of mine. After she had on all her clothes, she started making her way to the door, then she stood, turned around and walked over to me before she kissed me goodbye. 

I watched her as she cautiously left. 

That she was willing to still continue with our relationship while Arden was only a few steps away brought forth tons of questions to my mind. And I wondered just how much she had been affected by this said relationship. Whether she would have no issue with us breaking things off after we were done. And I knew that Arden only needed her so that he could provided his parents with proof of her existence. After which she'd be free to go. He said he still didn't know when he planned on telling his parents they were separated. At the moment his main focus was making his parents believe he was hopelessly in love with Layla. That he'd figure out the rest afterwards. 

Next weekend. 

So that meant we had only a few days left before she was free to leave. 

I refused to fathom the thought. My mind would not accept that. 

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LAYLA'S POV

I got to the restaurant at half past seven. There was so much for me to learn. Dahlia was the sweetest person. She explained everything to me carefully and asked me whether I had understood. I believed that I had so I assured her I could handle it. 

It wasn't as easy as I had first assumed it was going to be, but it also wasn't anything I couldn't manage. And the good thing was that I wasn't alone. There was another chef who Dahlia introduced me to, said we'd be working side by side. His name was Carl or something. I was too busy being overwhelmed to pay attention. The kitchen was also packed with a number of waiters coming in and going out. And it was up to Carl and I to make sure that all the meals were prepared well and that the orders were sent out in time. 

The fact that I had no prior experience had scared me in the beginning. Everyone else there had clearly gone to culinary school, yet I was only there because of Gabriel. But then as the time passed I realized that culinary school or not, I was good. Not something I would normally admit to, but even Carl said so himself. 

And I could also work well under pressure, I mean, prior to that I had been working three jobs. And I had always managed to make ends meet. 

It was all like a dream. I had so much fun that I didn't even feel the exhaustion of standing up for hours nonstop and moving around from place to place. Jumping from one thing to another. I wanted to prove to them that I belonged there and I believe I did just that. 

There was no lunch break coz hey, we were supposed to be the ones making the lunch. 

Dahlia didn't return that day, said she had to go and finish up preparations for her wedding now that she had the time to do so. And I was really in my groove until one waiter returned and said a certain customer wanted to have a word with the chef. Carl grunted and shook his head, throwing his towel on the surface of our workstation before he began to head to the main part. He muttered something about ungrateful customers who were never satisfied. But the waiter stopped him. 

" He was very specific about wanting her, not you, " The waiter said as he gestured towards me with the trey in his hand. 

I knew who it was before I even went there. And I felt my heart beat faster and this wave of joy and excitement washed through me. Fully aware that only a few hours had passed since I had been with him but not really caring much since I still desperately missed the crazy guy.