Dream Date (18 page)

“
Nathan, I love you,” Kayla told him, her eyes telling him that she was sure of her words. “I love being by your side, especially when you make me laugh.”

He smiled.
It’s funny. I’ve heard that lots of women like it when their guys make them laugh. Guess it’s true.

Nathan tried to keep his expression from faltering as he said the next words.

“
I adore you. Very, very much,” he said, unable to make himself say the other three, significant words. “You bring light to the darkness in my life.”

Kayla didn’t seem to mind Nathan’s inability to tell her he loved her, but she latched on to his last sentence.

“
Darkness?”

“
It’s a way of saying you make me happy when I’m sad,” Nathan explained. “Don’t read anything fishy into it. It’s not like I’m bipolar or something.”

“
I’m glad that you’re happy with me,” Kayla said, moving so that Nathan now lay on his back and she was on top of him. “Let’s get on with it.”

Ashton waited for Judith in a bench right outside his dorm building. He had his arms behind his head, looking out with an air of anticipation. He was thinking about how wonderful the night would be.

When Ashton detected movement to his left, he jerked his head around. His eyes widened when he saw who was coming.

Ashton hastily stood up and walked towards Grecia. She stopped when he reached her.

“Grecia, what are you doing here?”

“I craved your company,” she replied, placing her hands on Ashton’s arms. He grabbed Grecia’s wrists.

“You can’t be here. You must leave now.”

“I’m staying.”

“Please, just go. You and I have got nothing to talk about.”

“You can’t fool me,” Grecia told Ashton as she leaned into him. “I see that fire in your eyes every time you look at me. You find me irresistible.”

Indeed, Ashton’s gaze heated as he looked down at Grecia. His gaze diverted down from her eyes. Even though the night was cooling, she was wearing a thin blouse that afforded a great view of her ample chest. Her red hair looked stunning in the light of the coming sunset.

Judith will be here any moment. I can’t let either her or Grecia see each other,
Ashton thought.

“Why don’t we relive the old days? I’d prefer that to the way you treat me lately.”

“You knew full well that our relationship was short-term and no-strings-attached,” Ashton reminded Grecia. “I never promised you more.”

“I didn’t decide to want more. My heart did.”

Ashton groaned, shaking his head and turning his back on Grecia. She looked at him in frustration.

“You’re a smoldering woman. I know you could have any guy you wanted.”

“Too late. I want
you.
”

Ashton ran his hand through his hair, exasperated.

Just then, a Volkswagen Eos convertible pulled into the parking lot. Judith got into a space right in front of the bench Ashton had vacated. She killed the engine and walked out of her car, striding towards Ashton. He looked at her with wide eyes.

Dayuummm. If Judith pulled out all the stops, she’s definitely attracted to me.

Judith had dressed in a simple but stylish green skirt, black sandals, and a white blouse with black accents. The blouse had short sleeves and a revealing V-cut. Judith had also worn pink lipstick, subtle eye shadows, and had done her hair into a ponytail.

“It’s a nice afternoon,” she remarked.

“It is.”

“Who is she?” Grecia asked Ashton, who had chosen to ignore her.

“I meant to ask that question, too,” Judith said.

“She’s, um, Grecia, a classmate,” Ashton replied. “But she was just leaving.”

Grecia narrowed her eyes at Ashton’s insistent gaze. She looked at Judith, who looked stunning the way she had dressed.

“Then we can go now?” Judith asked, trying to mask her worry.

“Wait a mo—”

“You should leave, Grecia,” Ashton cut across her. “You know I’m bad at that subject.”

Grecia frowned, taking a moment to catch the subtle message. Then her eyebrows rose.

“Oh, trust me, Ashton. You can make straight A’s in
that
subject,” Grecia said, brazenly moving forward and placing her arms around him. She didn’t hesitate to kiss him, right in front of a thunderstruck Judith.

“J—Judith,” Ashton panted once he was able to break free from Grecia. He looked at Judith, who was staring daggers at him.

“Is that what you brought me all the way here for? Screw you,” she said, turning around and stalking towards her convertible. Ashton looked from Grecia, to Judith, and back to the former.

“What have you done?”

“I’ve done enough lamenting,” Grecia replied. “I want you and I won’t waste time anymore.”

Ashton shook his head and turned toward Judith. By that time, she had already revved the engine and pulled out of her space. The Volkswagen’s headlights temporarily blinded him.

“Judith, wait! I can explain,” Ashton said, unable to reach her fast enough. Her car drove forward and away from the lot, disappearing around the corner.

“You’ll thank me for this one day,” Grecia told him.

“Go away! I don’t want to see you. Leave
now
.”

Ashton crossed his arms, scowling at Grecia. She smiled as she walked towards him. When she touched his arm, Ashton flinched.

“I said go!”

“Come on, Ashton. You’d think I ate your chocolate cake. I’m prettier than she is! She has to wear a push-up bra to get her cleavage to look like mine.”

Ashton gasped, turning beet red. His eyes darted unconsciously to Grecia’s chest.

“Say you want me,” Grecia continued, placing her arms around Ashton. His anger was subsiding.

“Women,” he murmured, closing his eyes. Grecia took that chance to kiss him again.

“You can’t deny I’m the woman that you find the most attractive. I’ve seen how you look at me when we pass each other in the hallways.”

“No guy could overlook a girl like you.”

“Then why are you making this hard on both of us? Just accept what you feel, and be with me.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Hello? Relationships never are. You’re making things harder by agonizing over the next step.”

Ashton shook his head, and then took a step back.

“No, you can’t turn down
this
,” said Grecia, pulling her blouse over her head to reveal she was wearing a sheer blue bikini top underneath. Ashton’s mind blew up.

“Grecia, we’re out in the friggin’ open!”

“Then take me upstairs, dumbass.”

Resisting a bout of hysterical laughter, Ashton picked up Grecia’s blouse and then took her into his arms. He hastily walked to the dorm building. Thankfully, the dorms had no receptionist to witness the scene.

“Cute little devil,” Ashton said, making Grecia laugh.

Hughes rented a car for Amanda after her plane touched down in Manhattan the following Saturday. The two then drove to the hotel room Amanda always used when she was in the city. It actually belonged to Brad. He let Amanda use it whenever she needed to.

During the drive, Amanda texted Marissa to let her know that their meeting would no longer be at the latter’s place. It wasn’t far from Marissa’s. Then Amanda looked at Hughes in the rearview.

“Change of plans. We’re visiting someone else first,” she said, giving Hughes the address. He nodded, and turned right on the following intersection.

Fifteen minutes later, Amanda found herself outside the door of an expensive hotel suite. She knocked.

“Coming!” a familiar voice sounded from within. A few seconds later, the door opened. Amanda found herself face to face with a man she rarely saw, even though they were constantly in touch.

“Amanda! This is a most unexpected surprise.”

“Save the drama, please. I won’t grace your place with my presence for long,” Amanda replied, walking forward as though she owned the place.

“What’s wrong?” Hilbert asked in confusion. “Why are you angry at me?”

 “Don’t act as if you don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s thanks to you that I have bodyguards shadowing me around the clock.”

“You’re safe, at least. But, what do you mean you have them because of me?”

Amanda scoffed.

“You’ve sent me some of your pawns to kidnap me twice already! If that’s the way you usually court women, don’t blame me for your dreadful results.”

“First of all, I haven’t sent anyone after you.”

“Then who sent those goons after me not a week ago? I have no enemies, Hilbert, and any stalkers I might have wouldn’t be that violent.”

“I love you, Amanda. Since the moment I first met you, you’ve gotten deep into my skin. I would never send anyone to harm you.”

“What you feel isn’t love. It’s obsession.”

“Call it what you like. I still love you.”

“Would you chase after me with such doggedness if I didn’t look like this? I highly doubt it.”

Hilbert laughed contentedly.

“I thought so,” Amanda said, shaking her head. She made to walk away. Hilbert grabbed her by the shoulders from behind and turned her around.

“It’s not just your body. It’s
you.
”

“Uh-huh. And I was born yesterday.”

“Why can’t you just accept this? Accept me? I want to give you everything.”

“I can’t think about romance right now. Take a break. Journey like I did. I’m not the only damn fish in the sea.”

“I know that. You’re just the only damn fish in the sea that I want.”

Amanda laughed.

“If I wasn’t angry with you, I wouldn’t find that line so pathetic.”

Hilbert looked like he was starting to get angry. Amanda stepped back.

“Let’s keep our relationship purely professional. Am I clear? And stop sending your gorillas to kidnap me. If you’re trying to dazzle me, you’re doing a hell of a screwed-up job.”

“It wasn’t me, Amanda. I promise. But I swear I’ll find out who did.”

“Fine.”

“Before you go,” Hilbert said, “everything’s ready for your Twitter live chat next week. You’ve been contacted by my secretary, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good. We’ll keep you posted on that. Remember, Monday at eight in the evening.”

“Got that,” said Amanda, turning and walking towards the door.

Once she got back to the car, Amanda had Hughes take her to her apartment.