Chapter six:

After their first and final wedding set privately other than the two families, Carmen and Rowan shared a ride to their honeymoon destination. A rather expensive apartment meant for the both of them. Rowan was the one who suggested, he didn't want to go anywhere major with someone he knew of. It was better of a apartment of two days as their honeymoon than a trip to Hawaii, Carmen wasn't complaining. In fact, she didn't even care about a honeymoon. She sat on the edge of the bed, her muscles asking to rest. She got off, and examined the apartment. One room, one bathroom. Workings of the families, thinking it'll bring their children together. Carmen pouted, the wedding dress was heavy and uncomfortable, and sharing a room with Rowan was gonna be a problem. She went into the bathroom, observing Rowan on the sofa, pulled in his phone. She took the chance to take a long warm shower.

Rowan scratched his head. He was married, a husband to someone. He sighed. This wasn't what be wanted at all. He didn't have any choice, or he did, but was too afraid to decide. Even being the son, next heir to the Bronson empire, he felt like the expectations on him weighed more than he remembered. Watching his biological mother die, alongside his aunt, turned his world upsidedown. He saw a perspective he didn't want to view, the expectations he was meant to pursue all to being that family name to the top. With all the status, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with someone, and that someone wasn't Carmen.

He glanced at the kitchen, and she wasn't there. He stood up, dropping the cellphone on the sofa as he strolled towards the adjacent bathroom. The faint smell of shampoo conditioner wept in the distance. He raised a brow then stepping into the bathroom. Carmen walks out that shower, in nothing but her bare skin. Theirs eyes met, and in the middle of the silence, they stared at each other without a word. Carmen froze on the spot, while Rowan grudily laid his eyes on her, she shifted when his eyes moved down to her lower body and then her senses came back.

Carmen realized too late as Rowan grinned, his eyes locked on her lower, "Oh my—Rowan! What the hell?!"

She moves to grab something to cover herself, but the towel slips slightly before she catches it. Rowan quickly averts his gaze, but not before smirking.

Rowan tried to sound casual, grinning with his arms crossed, "Didn't know the 'Mrs.' had such... impressive assets. Guess there's one good thing about this arrangement."

Carmen glared, furious, "You jerk! Stop looking at me like that!"

"Hey, it's not my fault you decided to parade around half-naked. I'm just an innocent bystander."

Carmen grabs the closest object—a bar of soap from the bathroom counter—and hurls it at him. It hits him square on the chest. Rowan winced, stumbling back from the impact.

He gruntes, rubbing his chest, "Ow! Seriously? You're resorting to violence now?"

"If you don't stop being a perv, I'll throw something heavier next time!" She seethed.

His laugh filled the room, as he held up his hands in mock surrender, "Alright, alright! I'll stop. But seriously..." He eyed her smugly, "you might want to invest in bigger towels. Just saying."

Carmen grabbed a second soap bar threateningly, "I swear to God, Rowan—"

Rowan chuckled, backing away toward the kitchen, "Okay, okay! Truce! But for the record, great first impression as my wife."

Pervert, she thought as she closed the door shut.

As the sun set down, Carmen laid flat on her stomach as she scrolled through her cellphone, Rowan was out the house and he didn't bother telling her where he was going. As if she cared. Her tummy rumbled, and she pouting, pulling herself out if bed. She left the cellphone on the bed, and went into the kitchen. A basket of their dirty laundry stood next to the washing machine, and she sighed. "I forgot about all this," she muttered, opening the washing machine and throwing in the clothes. She sat on the ground, hand picking each clothing. The wedding dress sparkled when she pulled it out, a sad smiled forming on her face. She didn't expect to have a wedding so early. She shrugged, throwing it in. She looked for the washing powder and poured a little too much. As she set the machine on, she went over to the stove.

Rowan drank the last glass, and his friends stared at him.

"You okay bud?" Ryan asked.

He nodded but he's friends didn't look convinced. Ryan titled his head, looking directly into his eyes. Rowan glanced back and scoffed, pushing the glass away.

"What are you looking at?" Rowan asked, annoyance evident in his voice.

Ryan shook his head, "Nothing."

Ryan, and four others went on drinking and Rowan moved his gaze to the people dancing on the dance floor. It was a small club, and it was partially empty. It wasn't for ideal place for groove, but Rowan and his friends picked this place among everywhere else, there were less crowds and no cue on line for alcohol. A girl caught his attention, she danced around with her friends, moving to the music even though it was just her and her friends on the dance floor. The girl, had brunette straightened, her complexion lacking frickles, it reminded him of Carmen.

Then her body popped out in his head, and he slowly found himself smiling. Not bad, he sipped on a glass of beer. Ryan got his smug, "You like what you're seeing?"

Rowan almost choked on his throat and turned to him. Ryan smirked, pointing towards the girls on the dancefloor.

"We can join them, I'm sure they won't mind."

He clicked his tongue smirking, "You always think about girls only don't you?"

"Don't act like you were not," he smirked, sipping on his glass.

Rowan shrugged, then turned his gaze on the girls, the brunette girl caught his eye and smiled seductivly. He chuckled, "Maybe I'll have a sweet honeymoon after all." He stood up, winked at Ryna then, walked towards the girl.

The girl signalled her friends, who giggle as he approached, he reached her front as her friends walked away from that two.

"You think he'll bang her?" Chris asked, and the boy's turned their attention to Rowan. The girl caressed his chest, giggling in what the boys thought looked desperate.

Ryan shook his head, "Nah, I highly doubt. He's a virgin, he won't just give it away to some slut."

Rowan forced a smile. This girl was undoubtedly annoying.

Rowan reached home, exhausted he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why does this thing have to be so complicated?" Carmen muttered, trying to figure out how the machine worked. She crouched down, glancing into the glass. The machine didnt work for hours and Carmen was getting frustrated. She had never used a washing machine before, and she was struggling to find the right buttons. She sighed. She fills the machine, pours the soap, and starts it. A loud clunk and a burst of water and soap spray out all over her, soaking her and the floor in suds.

Carmen yelped, coughing, "Oh, for—!"

She stumbles backward, slipping on the soapy floor, tripping over her own feet, and falling hard onto the floor.

Rowan heard the commotion,and stood up, "What the hell—"

Rowan rushes into the laundry room, finding Carmen sprawled on the floor, soaked and frustrated.

He raised an eyebrow, "You good?"

She turned to him, gritting her teeth. She got up, dripping with water and soap, "No, I'm not good!"

She attempts to wring out her soaked nightdress, but the slippery floor makes her unstable. Suddenly, she stumbles, and Rowan instinctively reaches out, trying to catch her. He caught her mid-fall, wrappimg his arm around her waist, "Careful—"

But both of them stumble backward, crashing into the wall behind them. They end up in an awkward, uncomfortable position, with Rowan half-standing, half-leaning against the wall, and Carmen pressed against him, still dripping wet.

Carmen's face turned red, and she instinctly buried her head on his chest out of embarrassment. He chuckled, her head moving his laugh. "I know I'm handsome."

She huffed, looking up at him with a glare. "Get off me!" He grinned despite himself, "You're the one who tripped."

Flustered, she pushed him off, but almost stumbled back, he grabbed her again, "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen."

Carmen's eyes narrowed, "Well, congratulations, we're now more awkward than ever."

Silence falls between them, both acutely aware of the close proximity, the awkward tension growing.

"Fine," he released her, carefully moving away, "I'm leaving."