Chapter 10

Lisa's POV 

Well I didn't mean to admit this. 

It wasn't initially my thought, I just read it on a piece of paper, I swear it wasn't my thought!

'I am nervous to meet that guy at nine'

I mean it wasn't an actual date, literally, but nine was the time when couples go out in fancy dress, they wear suits, or lose t-shirts and shorts, some wear gowns and they wear makeup .

I wouldn't want to be late on our first date, no first meeting, but I wouldn't want to be underdressed, or maybe overdressed.

Or too mid.

'Girl! Get your act together!' 

To be honest, I feared I was going to mess up this time. For five years, I haven't gone out on a date. I feared I might say the wrong thing, but it wasn't a date, it was a meeting, but a meeting with a really weird guy that gave me goosebumps.

No one ever gave me goosebumps, it was a different feeling, and it was harder to contain as it was far from the feeling I was familiar with which was disgust, stoicism, hatred, unholy vengefulness. The list could go on and on.

But this man, there was nothing about the way he behaved that made me want to know him more.

But whatever it was, I was going to end this night as I wasn't going to be seeing him after the payment and deal had been done, any chance we might meet up would be left up to fate.

After so much struggle to find the perfect clothes in a room filled with clothes, I chose a V-neck flay hand short sleeve gown which stopped just above my knees, and best of all, it was black and classy.

My makeup was mildly light, and I took my silver shoes and bags to pair. And with that everything was settled.

Walking into the children's room, I placed a kiss on their head before walking out of the lodge.

A notification beeped on my phone, as I climbed into my car.  

'The Ned NoMad club, see you there miss Lisa' 

Somehow it sounded like a challenge, let's see who got there first.

'Race you there' I clicked the send button.

Then regretted it afterwards. I shouldn't have sent that it wasn't professional enough, but what would be more unprofessional would be deleting it after he had already seen it.

I shoved the phone into my bag then began to drive there.

In twenty minutes, I was there, ten minutes earlier!

Overly excited like a three year old girl, I climbed out of my car, but my smile died when I spotted a vehicle very similar to his car, 

"Bloody hell" 

I tried to affirm that he was just coming, and I had won this subconscious battle I had just set for myself, but then a tap on the back pulled me out of my dilemma.

"Hello miss Lisa"

The sound of his voice was nostalgic, I turned to see him standing beside me with a cocky smile on his face, he definitely had a fetish of sneaking up on people.

"I believe I won the race, didn't I" 

'Yea yea, rub it in' 

"You wouldn't be so lucky next time"  he took my hands then shaked it.

"You look ravishing tonight" 

First compliment in two days.

"Thanks ivar and you too" 

A proper conversation gave me the opportunity to take him in, I had seen him three times now, and I barely saw him in suits, it seemed he only enjoyed dressing casually regardless of the occasion, while I chose to overwork myself to find the perfect outfit.

"After you" he moved aside so I could walk into bar

•••

Now we were seated before each other. A plate of desert on our table, a file beside it which requested my signature.

"You could sign here and here. And I need a fingerprint there. And with that I would confirm your payment" he said.

I did just as he said, and if I must say, we haven't had a proper conversation so I chose to spice it up a little. 

"So ivar I didn't get the chance to tell you sorry properly yesterday" 

"Oh it's fine, my balls are mildly broken but I will survive" his grin was infectious but short lived. I waved my head subconsciously then went back to sign the document. I had already told my accountant about it and after I had signed the document, the money was sent and everything was finalized.

A cold chill spiralled down my body. I finally had my own house in my name, my money, my house, my life. 

It felt so surreal, sadness loomed over me again, it was a huge step for me, and the beginning of my journey.

"What happened? You don't like the house?" 

"Oh! I do! I just" 

I could not tell a stranger my pain and ambitions, "Nothing you have to worry about" I added then gulped down the drink in my glass.

"Theres a pleasant garden at the end of the club, we could take a stroll to ease off the steam if you want" 

"That would be nice" I muttered then gulped down the rest of the drink in my cup, hurriedly standing from the chair, I walked out of the bar then he followed behind me.

He was quick to stand before me,with  his hands stretched. I stared at it for a while, unable to phantom why he would want me to hold his hands in the first place.

"Permit me to hold your hands through this" 

It sounded so poetic but I barely thought twice about It, I just handed the hands over to him, then we began to stride down the path.

One would expect such walks to be romantic and probably filled with spicy chatter to relieve stress but he was quiet, for at least ten minutes, my mind fell silent as well, I just let the breeze toy with my hair and body.

There was a pool beside the garden. It overwhelmed me,the scent of flowers and the calmness of water. I felt like I could glide in the air without any restrictions.

"The house is very comforting, and I bet it would be perfect for you" he finally said, breaking the silence.

"How did you know that?, or maybe it's just something you are programmed to say to nervous customers" 

"No, because it's mine," he added. 

"What!"

He smirked, "well that's why I was the one perfect enough to show you around, I had only placed it on sale last week and you were the first to show interest,"

So many questions tugged at the surface of my mind, I wanted to ask why! The house was perfect.

"I stayed there with my ex wife, and we recently got separated, I got full custody of my son and I don't think we can both live with the trauma of staying there, so I would be living the country in a month, it's just enough time move my business out of the town" 

I was silenced.

"Well that explains a lot," I said.

It explains why he was sitting alone at the bar all to himself. Why he looked like he was going back home to a ghost, why he lacked proper dressing sense.

"Explain what?"

"Nothing you don't already know yet" 

"Fair, fair enough, so whats your story,"

I let my guard down this one time, just because he had told me his share of emotionally torture.

"A start over, divorced with two girls, a set of twins" 

"Identical?"

"Yes, odd enough, you would only tell them apart by their personality"

"That must be tough" 

"Yes it is"

The silence prevailed again, this time I felt more jolly and free, I felt like saying more than I had already said but I felt too guilty to talk since he decided to be silent, so I stared at the moon, the flowers and the water.

'Our hands touched'

Flames coursed through me. I stared up at him and damn he had his eyes at me now, unmoving and totally breathtaking under the moonlight, I trailed my eyes down to his lips, then back at his eyes, seeking approval for the most unholy act.

 But he had already leaned in, I stared at his eyes again, then back to his lips, he leaned in gently but this time he didn't halt like the last time, he pressed his lips on mine, I inhaled deeply.

The situation had changed so quickly, I didn't see it coming, he groped my ass, gently pulling it toward his hardon, a slight gasp escaped my lips,

"This is wrong, this is wrong" I pulled away, then moved a step backwards.

"I am sorry, I don't mean to" he tried to walk toward me but I stepped back, my finger gripped my purse tight.

"Goodnight Ivar, thanks for dinner" I took to my feet, what was I thinking! I kissed him back! 

Damn you Lisa!