Chapter 53: Chapter 53

"Someone might be awake," Joshua whispered between short muffled laughs amidst our lips.

"Of course not," I assure him, pulling him against my body and into my house. His hands explored my hips even more. "They have a heavy sleep," I smiled mischievously.

Joshua nodded in agreement and opened a sly smile, intensifying our kiss. I pushed the living room door open with my foot and wrapped my arms around his neck while his hands continued to slide lost between my waist and hip.

Filled with excitement and fervor, I pull Joshua towards the couch, not caring about what was around us. "We're going to fall this way," I said as he almost lost his balance while being led to the three-seater sofa. "Are you in a hurry?" he asked teasingly.

"I want you," I replied without hesitation. "We have nothing to lose, do we?" I exhaled a playful smile.

"Is that so?" he bit his lower lip slowly. "If that's the case." He pulled me even closer to his body, where I could feel the bulge in his pants brush against my pelvis for a few seconds, before picking me up.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, and in a matter of moments, I was on top of him on the couch. The provocative kisses, where our tongues met several times and our lips alternated between slow and intense movements, contributed to feeling more pleasure. I felt my lower part burn deliciously.

And it didn't take long for Joshua to unzip my dress and then slide the sleeves down, leaving my bra visible to his eyes. My hands went down to the buttons of his shirt, ready to remove it too, but unexpectedly...

"Have you arrived, Alice...?"

Suddenly my father appears in the living room. What was he doing here? Quickly, I slide to the side, getting off Joshua's lap and pulling up my dress. I felt my cheeks burn with shame.

"D-Dad! W-What are you doing here?" I asked, with part of my attention focused on the dress I was zipping up.

"Uh... Your mother asked me to stay. In case you needed a ride," he said embarrassedly. "But... From what I've seen, you won't need it. On the contrary, you'll need something else." The tone of his voice sounded disapproving and at the same time comical. "And... You two are on the couch where I was going to sleep."

Upon hearing this, we jumped off the couch.

"S-Sorry!" we said in unison.

"I think I should go," Joshua says.

"Y-Yeah. See you tomorrow?"

"O-Of course." He leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek, but Joshua was so nervous because of my father that he ends up hitting his nose on mine. "H-Have a good night. And a good night to you too, Mr. Collins."

Joshua says that and passes by me, leaving the house.

"I'm... I'm going to my room. See you tomorrow, Dad."

I pass by him like a flash and hurry up the stairs to my room. I close the door and lean my forehead against it, catching my breath.

Luckily, my father hadn't caught us in an inappropriate moment. But, on the other hand... What had gotten into my head to want that to happen right on the couch in my house? I had acted completely on impulse, guided by the excitement that was eating me up. But, on the other hand... It would have been the most frantic, intense, and pleasurable night I had ever had in my life.

I take a deep breath, feeling numb, and turn towards my bed. My sisters were already asleep, even though Agatha threatened to wake up at any moment with my footsteps around the room. Finally, I lie down.

My phone vibrates on my bedside table. Joshua was sending messages.

If your father had taken a little longer, he would have caught us... lol. I admit I was a little disappointed. I wanted you too. But the night was amazing. And next time, we will be more cautious lol. Have a good night, love. See you tomorrow for lunch together?

Yeah! I agree and send. Have a good night too, baby, I say goodbye to Joshua and lock my phone screen.

I stare at the ceiling of my room, waiting for sleep to come, but in the meantime, I think about him.

***

After a long and thoughtful night, in which naughty thoughts about Joshua also stood out, I wake up radiant.

"Good morning!" I greet my family gathered for breakfast. In fact, I came across an unusual situation, but one that was completely pleasant to my eyes, my father was sitting at that breakfast table next to my mother.

The two of them had been very close in recent months, and let's say that some affection was noticed between them. And I couldn't hide it, I was loving that interaction between them.

"Good morning, you seem very excited today," my mother commented, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"And why wouldn't I be? The event last night was amazing. All my works were sold!" I sit in the sixth chair at the round table, between Alex and Aunt Ana.

"So, that handsome guy at the event is the guy you got involved with outside of Brazil?" Aunt Ana asked, delighted, carrying a smile similar to my mother's. I nod. "Girl, you are extremely lucky. You got the perfect combo. Besides being hot, he cares a lot about you. After all... It wouldn't be anyone who would travel halfway around the world just to see someone."

I can't help my radiant smile. Really, now, I had no more doubts about Joshua's feelings. Because, as Aunt Ana said, it wouldn't be anyone who would travel halfway around the world just to see someone. The distance could have been a trigger for Joshua and me to end things definitively, but, on the contrary, it brought us back together.

My father clears his throat, and soon, I realize that he was the only one who seemed not very approving of my relationship.

"I don't think she's extremely lucky just because of him. There must be hundreds and hundreds of guys who would do the same thing," he says, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "I did the same thing myself. For my daughters."

I sigh and neutralize my facial expression.

"They're completely different contexts!" Aunt Ana argues. "They are your daughters. It's more than your obligation to come and see them! But he doesn't have to. Surely, there are thousands of beautiful women in London. But he wanted Alice. And from afar, that makes it more than clear what he feels for her."

"Ian..." My mother touches my father's arm, resting on the table. "We were young once, and we know what it's like to be willing to do anything for the ones we love."

"But look where we ended up," he looked at her with a bit of frustration. "All that love we talked about feeling, or the various proofs, weren't enough to keep us together."

"But we're here now."

"But it's not the same, Stefanny."

"Dad, he took a bullet for me," I say briefly, eliciting shocked looks from everyone at the table.

"What do you mean he took a bullet for you?" my mother asks indignantly.

"It's a long story..." I sigh, recalling the events from a year ago. In a way, it still affected me. It was one of the most stressful moments of my life. "Joshua had an ex-girlfriend who had a somewhat obsessed sister. She tried to win him over, but it didn't work. And... a few days before returning to Brazil, she staged a scene where her goal was to shoot me, but... Joshua stepped in front and took the bullet for me."

"Why didn't you tell us about this?" she says frustrated.

"You were sick, I didn't want to worry you! Besides... there was no context to tell."

"No context to tell?" my father scoffed. "See? That's why I don't want you with him! What if another obsessed ex-girlfriend shows up? And if this time, she manages to... accomplish her goal? Do you think it's worth dying for passion?" His indignation could be felt from miles away.

"Dad! That's not going to happen!" I reprimand him.

"Who guarantees that? You?" he raised his eyebrows.

I sigh again. "I'll be more careful."

"More careful?" he lets out a sarcastic laugh. "Alice! We've talked about Joshua before. And I thought you had understood the part where I love him."

"But that was before he came back, and long before... knowing that you almost died because of an old relationship of his!"

I cross my arms, tense.

"Ian..." My mother sighs. "Alice is already twenty-six years old. She knows how to take care of herself. And the only person who can say whether Joshua is good for her or not is herself." She pauses a bit. "I know you're just trying to take care of her, and... knowing that she almost died because of an old relationship of her boyfriend is shocking, but... we can't stop her. She's not a child anymore."

I look at my mother. Thank you, Mom. And then, I glance briefly at my father. Like me, the young man in his forties was with his arms crossed, sulking.

"I'm too young to be a grandfather. I hope you're using a condom," he grumbles.

"Dad!" I contest hearing him say that in front of Agatha and Alex.

"I'm serious. After the scene I saw last night... I don't even want to think about it."

"Last night? Did you bring Joshua here?" my mother asked.

"I made a mistake, sorry!"

"I want to hear you say that when you're pregnant," he grumbled again.

"Dad!" I reprimand, indignant. The doorbell rings. "It must be Joshua. We agreed to have lunch together."

I get up from the chair.

"Now? But you haven't even had breakfast!" my mother said.

"I'll eat something on the way. Let's do some things before lunch."

"I hope you use a condom!" my father grumbled again.

"Ian!"

I roll my eyes and leave the kitchen, walking hurriedly to the door. I open it.

And there he was... With a white shirt that exuberantly outlined his muscles and pants that, despite being a little loose, marked his well-worked thighs. Not to mention the smell of his cologne that made me go into a trance.

"Hi."

His voice sent shivers down my spine. As always. He still had a "like it's the first time" effect on me.

"Hi," I replied back, unable to hide the satisfied smile at seeing him.

I hear footsteps behind me. I turn my head to the side and notice the presence of my father, my aunt, and my mother, watching us curiously.

Mom and Aunt Ana had a friendly smile on their faces, while my father persisted in keeping a serious face.

Joshua passes by me to greet them. Touching my aunt's hands gently, he finishes with my father, who looks at him as if he knew all his flaws.

"Mr. Collins," Joshua reaches out his hand to shake his hand. And in a quick gesture, my father touches his hand.

"It's a pleasure to have you here," my mother says in English, leaving her Brazilian accent still clear.

"Thank you. And I say the same. It's a pleasure to be here. To meet Alice's family. It's very important to me."

"That's good!" my father grumbled, making everyone look at him.

Joshua slightly looks a bit shy, but soon normalizes, showing himself to be a true man of personality.

"Mr. Collins... Can I talk to you for a moment?"

My father narrowed his eyes towards Joshua but didn't say a word, just followed him to the end of the room.

I look curiously at the two of them. I see Joshua whisper something in my father's ear, which makes him widen his eyes, looking shocked, but he remains silent.

In a few seconds, Joshua is back.

"I'll take her for a ride. She'll be back later."

Joshua smiles in farewell and wraps his arm around my waist, leading me out of my house and towards his rental car.

"What did you say to my dad?"

Joshua shrugs dismissively.

"Nothing special. Just said he didn't have to worry, that I'll take good care of you."

He unlocks the car doors, allowing us to enter, and soon starts driving.

Even though I'm hesitant, I don't ask any more questions.

"Where are we going?" I fasten my seatbelt.

"Do you like surprises?"

I twist my lips to the side, thinking.

"Good surprises, yes," I say.

"Good surprises, huh?" Scott chuckles. "Well, then I think you're going to like this."

"Don't make me too curious, Scott," I complain.

"Just a little bit," he grins mischievously.