Chapter 25: Chapter 25

"Excuse me?" Joshua said to the man at the hotel reception.

"Yes?" The man's attention shifted slightly from the newspaper in his hands to us.

"We'd like to make a phone call. Where can we find a phone?"

"It's just to the left." The man pointed towards the end of the hallway.

We followed his directions. I watched Joshua make the call and looked around, taking in every corner of the hotel. For a roadside motel, it was fairly tidy. But it had a memorial for all the people who had died there. Murders. I swallowed hard.

"We'll have to stay here tonight. The tow truck won't come until 6 a.m.," Joshua said, grabbing my hand again. We went back to the reception desk. "We'll need to find a room. Please... Do you have any vacancies?"

"One moment, I'll check." The man turned to his computer screen. "Yes, we have a vacant room. Are you a couple?"

"Yes."

"Just a warning... The location doesn't favor couples' safety."

"Oh. Sure." I noticed a nervous smile from Joshua.

"What did he mean?" I asked, noticing his strange reaction.

"Nothing important." He replied, running his hand through his hair, looking tense. Strange.

"The key." The man handed Joshua a small silver key.

"Let's go to the room!" Joshua said, almost dragging me out of the reception.

"But wait. We'll be... In the same room?" I asked anxiously.

"If it's a problem..."

"No! It's... It's okay. It's just that..." I glanced at the room number on the door, avoiding looking at Joshua at that moment. "I've never slept in the same room as... A man." My voice sounded almost like a whisper, and I pressed my lips together. "And also..." I froze as I remembered the plaque I had seen. My stomach turned for a moment, imagining if someone had died there.

"What's wrong?" Joshua questioned when he saw me frozen in the middle of the door, after he opened it. I heard a low ironic laugh escape from him. "Are you scared? Is it because of the memorial?" He intensified his laughter. "Scaredy-cat." He whispered and went to the only double bed in the room, flopping onto it.

"I'm not scared! I'm just... apprehensive!" I tried to justify, hesitating.

"Apprehensive?" He laughed. "Relax. The ghosts won't come after you. Not tonight. And not with me."

I rolled my eyes and put my hands in my coat pockets, then looked around, analyzing the room. It was decent enough. The walls had extremely outdated wallpaper, making it feel like we were still in the middle ages, and the bed was covered with a floral quilt. At least the sofa was spared, the modern red two-seater couch was the only thing modern in the room.

"I'll take the bed," Joshua said.

"Huh... Okay." I shrugged, indifferent.

"You don't mind?"

"No. I wasn't going to sleep anyway. I'll take the sofa." I pursed my lips into a tight line and nodded towards the couch.

"Okay..." He sat on the bed. "I'll take a shower." He said, getting up and heading towards the second door in the room, then entering.

I let out a heavy sigh and close my eyes for a few seconds. I walk over to the couch and sit down, noticing my wrist which was now slightly bruised. That night had been a long... Long night. I didn't know what was worse, my wrist being completely marked or my own frustration with not being able to do anything about Samantha's threats.

I take off my coat and lie down on the couch. I gaze at the wooden ceiling of the room, listening to the gentle sound of water falling from the shower.

Minutes later, Joshua finishes his shower. He enters the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. I can't help but notice his body. It's almost like a temptation. I turn to the other side of the couch, hoping he would put on some clothes and make my body stop throbbing.

After a short while, I feel a warm breath in my ear, causing me to shiver and quickly turn to the side. He was there again, too close to me, biting his lower lip and watching me serenely.

"What are you doing?" I ask, unable to take my eyes off his mouth.

"Nothing. I just felt like looking at you," he says.

I raise my eyebrows.

"So... You're not mad anymore?"

On impulse, I also bite my lower lip. I notice my injured wrist exposed, which makes me want to hide it. I don't want Joshua to see it.

"I'm sorry for getting mad at you," he says, getting up from the floor and sitting on the couch beside me, putting my legs on his lap. I look at his act with surprise. "But I didn't like seeing a guy who did something against you get away with it."

"But it's over now. We don't need to talk about it anymore."

"Just promise me you won't let similar situations happen again."

I nod my head and end up sliding my gaze to his chest. My legs were on his lap, and I was afraid he was only wearing a towel around his waist.

"You shouldn't be like this," I almost whisper, feeling a small heat run through my body as I realize he is still the same way he came out of the shower. A few drops of water trickle down from his hair to his face.

"Like what?" he feigns innocence.

"Like this," I reinforce, with my gaze still on his chest.

Joshua makes it clear that he understood what I meant.

"Why? Does it bother you?" he teases. "I think it's only fair for you to observe me. Since I also notice every detail of your body. From top to bottom, and bottom to top."

I end up biting my lower lip upon hearing what he says. He desired me as much as I desired him.

On impulse, I lean forward, sitting up with my legs still on his lap.

"Are you kidding... Right?" Intense thoughts about what the two of us could do in that room were flowing more and more. His intense gaze on me gave me a sense that I was about to do something crazy. But a deliciously crazy thing.

"Why would I be kidding?" he leans his hand on the couch, leaning towards me, his face close to mine. "Don't you believe me?"

"No..." I lower my gaze to his lips, feeling the urge to kiss them again. "But you can prove me right." I whisper close to his lips.

The desire to have him a little more became almost uncontrollable. Joshua smiled excitingly. I felt the touch of his hand on my cheek and the other on my thigh. And in seconds, I found myself sitting on his lap. I brought my body closer to his and wrapped my hands around his neck. I felt a bulge between my legs, which greatly contributed to the fire that was growing inside me. We joined our lips, starting a slow and exciting kiss. I felt his hands briefly grope my butt, then travel up my back to my nape. I slid to the side, pulling him along without breaking the kiss. I opened my legs slightly so that he could position himself between them. I was now underneath Joshua, with my hands in his hair, our bodies pressed together, and our lips moving more passionately. His hands were already preparing to remove my blouse.

Painfully, the touch of my cellphone rang through the room. I thought there was no signal here. We both groaned, and the overwhelming urge to throw the phone out the window took over my body. I sighed as I saw Joshua get off me. I stood up disappointed with the situation and walked to my bag, opening it to retrieve my phone. It was my mom calling.

"I won't take long to talk, the call is expensive. You have to pick up your sisters at the airport, they'll be there in a day. Kisses. Mom loves you," she informed and ended the call.

"What?!" I widened my eyes.

"What happened?" Joshua walked over to me.

"My sisters are coming to London."

"Your sisters? But that's good, right?" Joshua asked.

"Yes, of course. But my mom just told me last minute."

"But it's okay," he approached me and hugged my waist. "We'll leave as soon as the tow truck arrives. Then we'll go pick up your sisters."

I nodded and felt him plant a little kiss on my forehead.

"Let's go to sleep. It's late."

He moved away from me and went to the bed, picking up his clothes.

***

After we finally left the hotel, we went straight to the airport. My mom had called again to say that she was mistaken when she said my sisters would arrive in a day, as they had already arrived in London.

"Alice!" the little girl with curly blond hair ran towards me, hugging me around the waist as soon as I entered the airport.

"Sweetie!" I crouched down to hug Agatha. My gaze shifted forward, seeing my other sister and an old friend of mine. "I missed you so much!" I said in our native language. My sisters didn't speak English, so I had to talk to them in Portuguese. I hugged her tightly.

"We thought you were going to abandon us here," my middle sister commented.

I let go of my hug and approached her, hugging her.

"Of course not. I just had a setback." I remembered the events of the previous night. My gaze turned to my friend, who smiled shyly. "And what about you? What are you doing here?"

Nathan hadn't been in contact with me since I left Brazil, and suddenly he shows up in London.

"Well... Your mom... asked me to bring your sisters. And... I thought it could be a good opportunity for me to find a job."

"Hmm." I sounded indifferent and turned my attention back to my sisters.

"Listen... Is that hot guy... Your boyfriend?" Alex asks curiously.

"Huh?" I glance at Joshua and nod in agreement.

Joshua looks at me confused, not understanding what we were talking about.

"Seems like you're doing much better in London than we thought." Alex chuckles.

I shake my head and let out a brief laugh.

"Let's go." I wrap my arm around Joshua's neck and hold Agatha's hand.

The two of them carry their suitcases as we head towards the exit of the airport.

***

"Is this your apartment?" Alex asks curiously. "It's beautiful!"

"There! There! Can I play?" Agatha asks excitedly.

"Of course! Just don't mess things up. And don't... break anything."

The little girl quickly nods her head and goes further into the apartment.

"Do you already know where you're staying?" I glance at Nathan.

"Well, umm..."

"I was counting on my help." I roll my eyes. "You haven't spoken to me since I left Brazil."

"I know I was an idiot. But, I thought you would never want to talk to me again after what happened."

I let out an ironic laugh and cross my arms.

"Yes, you were. I considered you my best friend, Nathan. And you... simply discarded our friendship for someone you liked." I say incredulously. "And didn't even say goodbye to me." I murmur.

"Nowadays I realize that I threw away a wonderful friendship for a relationship that didn't even last a month. I really was an idiot." Nathan turns around and takes my hands. "You don't know how sorry I am. And if you could forgive me... I still don't think it would be enough to regain our friendship as it was before."

"Yes. You're right. It won't be easy to regain my friendship. But I don't have a heart of stone, so I forgive you."

Nathan smiles slightly and without thinking twice, he hugs me tightly.

"But it doesn't mean we'll be best friends again. We'll start from scratch."

He nods and squeezes me a little tighter in his embrace.

"Now, enough. Otherwise, I'll lose all my bones."

Nathan laughs and lets go of our hug.

"I better not let that happen. Otherwise..." He nods towards Joshua, who was watching us intrigued. "He'll kill me." He says and we end up laughing.

"He must be confused. He can't understand us. But I'll talk to him later."

"So, you guys are really dating?"

"Well, we're living a romance. But anyway, you must be tired. I'll set up the room for Agatha and Alex. And you... can have the couch." I pat his back and head towards the second bedroom of the apartment.

Inside the room, there was no bed, but there were some mattresses that would do just fine for now.

"Do you need help?"

Joshua asks and leans against the door, crossing his arms.

"Huh? No. I'm already done. Just adjusting the sleeping mats."

"The guy outside is your friend?"

"Yes. We've known each other since we were kids. We even had our first kiss."

"Hmm. First kiss?"

"Yeah. Best friends thing." I shrug.

"Best friends thing?"

Joshua expresses curiosity, but it's more than just curiosity.

"We've never dated. If that's what you're wondering." I clarify before he gets jealous.

"I don't really care." He shrugs indifferently. "Is he going to sleep on the couch?"

"Of course. Where else could he?" Joshua shrugs again. "You're not jealous, are you?"

"It's not jealousy. I'm just curious." His voice almost falters.

I end up chuckling and approach him. Standing on my tiptoes, I reach his lips and give him a kiss.

"What do you think about going out later? All of us?" I suggest.

"Don't you think I'll be lost in the conversation? I don't understand Portuguese."

"Of course not. I can be the translator." I tease.

"Well, you convinced me, Miss Collins." He kisses my lips. "Now I have to go to the office. See you later."

We smile and walk out of the room.