Chapter 49: Chapter 49

Throughout the boat ride, I never let go of his hand, and I think he doesn’t mind at all since there isn’t any form of struggle.

He gently wraps his arms around my shoulder so I can keep my balance and avoid too much bounce from this wavy ride.

I feel like I am dying right now as if my stomach is about to burst or go out of my mouth.

This seas-sickness is killing me, so I weakly inquire to him, “How much longer?”

He taps my shoulder and holds my hand tighter, “Any minute now, hang in there,” he blissfully answers.

And he’s right. After the longest minute of my life, the boat engine finally stops. And like a gentleman, he carries me out of the boat and gently helps me find my footing at the bay.

I am pretty sure that wearing heels and a long dress isn’t really a good combination for a boat ride, isn’t it?

Still feeling nauseous, I know that I need to vomit, so I find a garbage bin as soon as I can, and run to it.

While I release all my anxiety and ill-feeling because of that boat ride, he holds my long hair to get it out of the way and avoid messing it.

While his other warm hand slides up and down as he gently taps my back to comfort me.

My face flusters after the embarrassing moment. He hands over his expensive handkerchief to wipe the humiliation sitting on my face.

He smiles at me warmly. At some point, I feel like I wish Dmitri is somehow like him. So I answer his smile with a chuckle.

We laugh for a bit and talk about that stupid boat ride, little did I know that there are two eyes that are fuming watching me smile in front of someone else.

“Sorry about that, Jeff, shall we?” I ask him to lead the way.

Jeff brings me to my room since Dmitri will be a bit busy until the evening. And since I feel sick I decided to freshen up and take a rest.

When he leads me to my room, he asks me something before I close the door, “Uh, Ms. Anderson,” he says.

So I correct him, “Avery, just call me Avery or Ava, Jeff.”

He blushes and he puts his arm on the door frame, “Well, uh, Avery then, are you, uh, Mr. Sullivan’s girlfriend?”

I am taken aback by his question so I couldn’t answer right away.

He misunderstands my silence so he apologies right away, “I-I’m sorry, it’s too personal, forget about my stupid qu-”,

So I hush him, “-No, I am not his girlfriend,” I respond and look him in the eye.

I am just stating the truth.

“Then, can I see you again, probably tomorrow?”, he asks.

He asks me to go out, but I don’t know what to say so I divert our topic, “Uh, well, if we’re both free, by the way, I’ll return this to you, I promise.”

He bids goodbye and says, “Keep it, you can give it to me when we meet again.”

Then I close the door. My heart beats like crazy. I feel nervous when he asks me out, the feeling of betrayal.

“Why do I feel like cheating, when I don’t even have a boyfriend?” I angrily ask my inner self.

Confused about how I feel, I hit the shower and soak in the tub for half an hour.

I feel so relieved and well, uh, cleanse after soaking. I doze off without even knowing.

***

My head submerges into the water when my body slides down while sleeping. Thank goodness I sleep lightly so I easily pull myself up.

Angry at myself, “Goodness, Ava! You’re gonna kill yourself, you idiot.”

So I immediately get off the tub and look myself in the mirror inside the bathroom. I see Jeff’s handkerchief in the sink where I put it earlier.

I wash and blow-dry it a bit to avoid it from dripping. Then, I hang it at the metal hanger.

Then I wear the prepared sleeping wear by the hotel and lay down on the bed.

I cover myself with this expensive white fleece blanket. I think I still have some hours to take a nap. Then, as planned, we will go to his underwater hotel, for now, we will be staying here where he has a meeting with some clients.

***

I am awakened by the sensational touch I am feeling all over my body, kiss, touch, and rub.

I thought I am dreaming so I didn’t mind it. But when a peck climbs up to my neck, I feel a ticklish touch meaning all is true.

I quickly move far away from the peck and find a man in my bed. I feel so nervous that I couldn’t think twice but jump out of the bed and pull the fleece blanket to cover my body.

When I open the bedside lamp, Dmitri’s furious face is revealed. Right after I see him, I feel like I could finally breathe.

“Jesus, Dee, you’ll be the death of me. Don’t sneak up like that,” I scold him while touching my chest to calm my risen heartbeat.

He doesn’t remove himself from the bed but instead motions his hand for me to come over. So I did.

Then he removes the blanket from my hand exposing my whole body covered with only a thin silk sleeveless sleepwear and continues with what he’s doing.

He touches and caresses my whole body with his warm hands.

His eyes are focused on my eyes as he feels my legs.

“So, you haven’t answered my question from last night,” he asks while pecking my neck.

“Dee, it wasn’t even a question, it’s a command,” I argue with him.

“It’s a proposal, like a business offer,” he talks back.

“So I am just a business partner?”, I sarcastically block him.

“Think whatever you want, but I expect positive feedback from you tomorrow,” he strongly pronounces as if he’s already sure I will take the deal.

I feel a little insulted that he thinks little of me. I am a self-made woman and I’ve been living fine on my own.

I turn my back at him and strongly deny him of my body, maybe just for tonight, I convince myself.

So I shush him away,

“I am tired Dmitri, you drag me over here and didn’t even bother saying about that stupid boat ride. Now, you can’t get anything from me since I feel so damn sick.”

He doesn’t say anything but I know he gets the point since he walks out of the room without even saying goodbye.

He feels pissed, well, I am more pissed than him.