Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Still staring at the door through which Joshua had left, I feel a shiver run through my body, as if someone was right behind me. I turn around and see Mrs. Taylor with a cold gaze. She was too close, her dark brown eyes staring at me like two knives ready to make a victim.

"What did you do?" she growled.

"W-What?" I instinctively backed away from her. Mrs. Taylor's look was making me completely creeped out.

"What did you do? Mr. Scott left your room like that."

"I didn't do anything!" I say immediately.

"Listen, girl..." She approaches me again. "Madelyn and Joshua make a perfect couple. And they need to be together."

"And why do you think I have anything to do with it? Mr. Scott can be in a relationship with whoever he wants."

"I see how he looks at you. He might not be in love, but I know he has some interest in you."

"D-Don't be ridiculous, Mrs. Taylor. That's not true. Mr. Scott is just my boss."

"You really don't know him, do you? But of course, a modest girl who came from the other side of the world wouldn't have any idea. Mr. Scott is not famous in London just for being the owner of a big company, but for being a womanizer."

I was paralyzed, just listening to what Mrs. Taylor was saying about Joshua. I already knew about his reputation, but I didn't believe that I was part of the list of women he would be involved with.

"And as an aunt who loves her niece very much, I can't let any woman get in Joshua's way, because that would interfere with Madelyn's relationship with him. After all, I don't want my niece to live in a toxic relationship."

This time, I looked at her completely outraged, unlike the fear I felt before.

"Don't you think you're mistaken? You can't interfere with Mr. Scott's choices, if he doesn't want to be with your niece, no one can force him. Besides, you don't have to worry about me because the last thing that will happen between me and Mr. Scott is a romantic involvement!" I say a little annoyed. "Now, excuse me, I'm going to my room."

Saying those words, I leave the room, but I can't stop thinking about what she said. Did Mr. Scott's son have any interest in me? That's impossible.

I lean my back against the door of my room, close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

"Is it?" I whisper to myself.

***

In the early hours of the morning, while I was sleeping, my body simply decided it needed a glass of water. Of course, I hesitated to get up, trying to go back to sleep, but my throat soon started to burn, forcing me to go down a long staircase to the kitchen in search of a glass of water.

So I did, and as I was walking back to my room, passing through the hallways, I ran into Mr. Scott's son on the upstairs balcony. He was facing away from me, looking up at the sky. Trying not to disturb him, I tiptoed past him and back towards my room, but...

"I thought you were sleeping," he said.

Damn.

I took a deep breath and stood by the door, turning towards the balcony where Joshua was still standing with his back to me.

"I was thirsty," I explained.

I saw him nod and then say, "Mrs. Taylor told me you had an argument with her."

What?

My mouth immediately fell open, frustrated that she had gone and told Joshua about our altercation.

"And did she tell you what we talked about?" I crossed my arms, unable to help but ask.

"She didn't go into details, but she asked me to talk to you. She said you're rude." I could hear a hint of amusement in his voice as he said the last words.

"Rude?" I said incredulously. "She accused me of something I didn't do!"

"Like what?"

"Well..." I said, feeling embarrassed to remember that Mrs. Taylor had said Joshua might have some sort of interest in me, which I obviously wouldn't mention to him. "She thinks that you leaving earlier was my fault."

Joshua immediately turned to me at my words, a sarcastic expression on his face.

"I can't believe she did that," he said, smiling as if he found the situation hilarious. "Madelyn is Mrs. Taylor's niece and I think she still dreams that we can be together, but it's not happening."

"Then tell her that, I don't want her thinking that of me," I said.

"Yes, I'll do that when she gets here."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Scott, I'm going to go back to sleep," I replied and turned to go into my room, but he caught my attention again.

"Before you go, did you do what I asked you to do? Did you call Samantha?"

Shit!

I immediately closed my eyes realizing that I had forgotten to do what he had asked. I had gotten so irritated with Mrs. Taylor that I forgot. So, I turned back to him.

"Sorry, I forgot..." I looked at him, who was now a little closer to me.

"Alice...?" Joshua gave me a disapproving look. "What I asked you to do was very important."

"Sorry! I was so irritated with Mrs. Taylor saying you had some interest in me that I forgot..." I immediately widened my eyes realizing what I had said.

Damn it, Alice! You're so clumsy!

Joshua raised his left eyebrow and curved the right side of his lips into a small smile.

"Sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"She said that?" he interrupted.

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes, feeling defeated. I had mistakenly vented to him.

"But I know it's not true. She only said that to annoy me."

"And does that really bother you?" His words made my heart freeze and suddenly I couldn't say anything else.

The only reaction I had was to turn my back to him and open the door to my room, closing it immediately and leaning against it. My cheeks were burning unrealistically.

"I should have stayed quiet!" I mutter.

I was so ashamed of myself that if I found a hole now, I would crawl inside and never come out. I mentally protest for all my recent words. I was acting like a fool every time I was near him. Like a scared little girl. I couldn't continue to act like that. I had to grow up and start acting like an adult.

But I still didn't understand the effect Joshua had on me. Or maybe I just didn't want to admit that he had any effect on me.

Since agreeing to come to London, the main goal was to focus on my work and nothing else, but suddenly, something changed. I was starting to feel that near Mr. Scott's son, I completely lost track of my path. And I came to this conclusion after a week of living with him, which was a very short time to feel this explosion of emotions.

"Alice?"

I hear Joshua's voice on the other side of the door and, inevitably, I feel a brief numbness in my stomach.

"Can we talk?" he asks.

About what? What did he want?

"I said I was going back to sleep. And I think you should too. It's already late!" I emphasize, trying to escape that conversation.

"I promise it will be quick. Can we?"

I take a deep breath and muster the courage to open the door. Initially, I keep my gaze down.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" he questions and his voice sends shivers down my spine.

And although I wasn't looking at him, I could feel that he was analyzing me.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to call Samantha, but I promise to take the necessary steps as soon as it dawns..."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Joshua interrupts. "But about you running away as if you were escaping."

I bite my lower lip, still not directing my gaze to him.

"Why?" he emphasizes.

Maybe because it's so hard to deal with our own feelings! I tried to deny it for a long time, but the truth is that I've been attracted to him since the first day I saw him. Sometimes I think about how easy it would be to confess my feelings, to say that I feel lost around him and that I can't get him out of my head, if he weren't my boss. But my insecurity makes me retreat every time I realize that I'm feeling something different about him. Unfortunately, this means I can't be around him for too long because I know I'll end up falling in love for real. And if that happens, it could end up being a big problem. I find myself avoiding him whenever possible, avoiding any situation that could put my feelings at risk. As much as it makes me sad, it's the only way I've found to deal with this confusion inside me.

Joshua raises his eyebrows, waiting for my answer.

I choose to stay silent. After all, what could I say?

“Alice... Why do you almost always seem nervous when I approach?”

I raise my gaze, surprised. His question had caught me off guard. I didn't know what to say. Should I say what I had thought?

I see him approaching me.

“Why have you been avoiding me lately? Do I scare you? Do I make you uncomfortable? If so, I need to know.”

I noticed how close he was. His hand was resting on the wall, outside, and his face tilted towards mine.

“No, I...”

“... Do I leave you lost?” his voice sounded low this time, a little hoarse and intense. “Is it because of what you know about my 'womanizer' reputation?”

“J-Joshua...” I squeezed my eyes, trying to divert my attention from his almost glued body to mine. “Why do you insist on knowing this?”

“I just want to understand you, Alice. To know if I'm doing something wrong, and... to understand why I like you.”

Like?! I look back at him in disbelief.

“Mrs. Taylor is right. I feel something for you, I just don't know what it is yet.”

“How can you feel something for me?” I questioned.

So many women at his feet, why be interested in someone like me? A simple maid who was recently promoted to secretary?

“That's not the question. It's what you did to make me feel this way. I confess that you're not like the women I've been with, on the contrary... You haven't even shown interest in me, put your job first. Maybe that's what caught my attention.”

I feel my veins pulsing out of sync. I was burning inside. A mix of sensations took hold of my body.

Joshua tilts his head a little more, bringing his face closer to mine, with the intention of kissing me.

“Joshua...” I try to retreat.

But it was too late. And I can't deny, my lips quickly give in to Joshua's, agreeing to a slow and lingering kiss. And like a spell, I can't break it. I knew I was heading for a turbulent path, but kissing him was like awakening all my senses at the same time.

My boss's hands run up to my neck. And slowly, his lips move away from mine, leaving a smile as a goodbye.

His breathing and mine were in perfect sync.

“Sorry...” He whispers. “I think I was too invasive...”

No... I wanted to too. I just couldn't admit it before.

“It's okay... I liked it.” I whisper.

I see a small smile on the corners of Joshua's lips.

"I confess that I've been wanting to do this since... I saw Jack trying to flirt with you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but... it doesn't matter. I think you should go to bed, Alice, it's late."

I nod my head and watch Joshua walk away towards the hallway.

In shock, I stayed put. Joshua had kissed me so suddenly, without me even expecting it and even confessed that he had feelings for me.

And the image of his body almost pressed against mine, his hand on my face... His lips, they wouldn't leave my mind.

I was definitely screwed.