15. Elizabeth
As I sat in Will’s living room, I could not help but stare at him as he spoke, sharing with me hidden parts of himself I never knew. I could not help it, but I felt my insides react to every word he said.
The way he spoke and the manner in which he was gentle with me did things to me from within.
Elizabeth, put yourself together! I spoke to myself as I took a deep breath and allowed myself to breathe, calming myself down.
Honestly, I was surprised. I was taken aback by his gentle demeanor and how openly spoke.
I mean, the Will I knew was not the Will I was speaking to right in this moment.
He was a totally different person.
I wasn’t sure—maybe the location was the difference. Could it be because he felt at home and was free to let down his guard?
Was it because this was his personal comfort zone? I just wanted to understand the reason behind his change in attitude.
He was not the grumpy or egotistical man I knew. He was different, calm, gentle, funny, and spoke with ease.
As he scribbled out a few things for me to do and suggested changes to implement in my business, I watched him eagerly and with great attention.
“Thank you for this, Will,” I blurted out, and it wasn’t until he looked up to see me that I realized I had spoken.
“Thank you for what?” Will asked innocently. He paused his writing and looked straight into my eyes, reviving the stirring in the depths of my belly.
“For . . . umm . . . for your help . . . for your help with my business.” It felt as if something was stuck in my esophagus. I struggled to understand why I suddenly felt scared to speak and began stuttering.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I mean, I promised to do this now, didn’t I?”
“Yeah,” I said as I let out a breath, anxiously rubbing my knees with my palms.
Once he finished, he came over to sit beside me closely as he explained everything he had written in the book.
Of course, how do you expect me to concentrate or pay attention to anything he was saying?
His cologne alone was enough to distract me—let alone his proximity. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat as I tried to focus on his words and not the heat that flowed from his body.
Seeing that none of it was working, I had to think of another way.
“Umm . . . you know what? How about you send me a voice note explaining each of these? That way, I can listen to it again when I need to remember what you’re explaining.”
“Oh, okay, I guess that works.”
“Yes, and thank you very much for this, Will. I mean it,” I said, looking at his eyes. The moment he returned the gaze, my senses instantly became aware of our proximity.
That was all I needed to know, and it was time to leave. Standing up abruptly, I picked up my purse and the documents. “Umm . . . I think I have to go now.”
“Wait, why? You could stay, and we could watch a movie, talk, eat . . . and, you know, I could get to know my fiancée better.”
“Right, umm . . . that sounds good, but I actually have to go home. I have a couple of tasks I left unfinished.” I lied. I didn’t actually have any tasks, but I knew I had to lie in order to get myself out of there—and fast!
Knowing Will, he had a smooth way of convincing one to do his bidding. It was no surprise since he was a businessman, after all. But I had to remain disciplined; I was dangerously close to succumbing to his request.
Pushing the thought to the back of my mind instantly, I took a few stylish steps away from him. At least the first thing to do was to create some distance between us.
“Bummer, but it’s fine. I understand. But let me drop you off, at least. I wouldn’t want my fiancée—”
“No, don’t worry. I will go on my own. I can book a taxi to take me home.”
“Elizabeth, are you sure?”
“Positive, Will. Thank you once again for today!” I said as I immediately rushed out of his home.
The moment I was out, I let out a breath I had not even realized I was holding.
Oh, gracious Lord. Oh, thank God. I tried to catch my breath before booking a taxi and exiting his neighborhood. During the drive home, I could not help but wonder what might have happened. Thoughts of the time I had just spent with Will flooded my mind, and I could not shake them off.
It was a shocker, to be honest. I mean, we ended the day quite differently than I had ever thought we would.
“Thank you, sir,” I said as I paid my fare and got out of the taxi. Slowly, I walked into my apartment building, my thoughts still very much fixed on Will.
A part of me wanted to call Lydia and tell her about how the day went, but at the same time, I didn’t want to make her think I was falling in love with her brother.
Or was I?
The question suddenly hit me as I wondered within myself. Was there really a possibility that I liked him? Thinking and talking to myself, I suddenly let out a laugh as I walked up the stairs to my flat.
“Oh, Elizabeth, you like to dream a lot.” There’s no way I was developing feelings for him, no way at all.
Yes, he was rich and handsome, but character-wise, he didn’t match my preferences. However, the part of him he revealed to me today was more in line with what I look for.
As I began to analyze and compare the different sides of Will, I felt myself filled with mixed feelings. Did I, or did I not? To be honest, I was not even sure I wanted to welcome any sort of feelings for Will.
The relationship we had was already complicated, and I just could not imagine how much worse it would become if feelings were involved, especially if they were one-sided.
Yes, I’m saying “one-sided” because there was no chance Will would ever be interested in someone like me when he had richer and prettier women constantly vying for his attention. I mean, he could simply take his pick or make a call, and they would all be at his beck and call.
With women of different caliber around him, I knew there was no hope for me.
So why bother yourself, Liz? I asked myself as I undressed to change into my nightwear.
There is no point falling for a man like Will, one who is totally out of your league. Remember, all of this is a charade that would come to an end sooner or later.
Reminding myself that it was all a contract was the wake-up call I needed. I shook my head at myself at the thought of wanting to harbor these feelings.
I was certain that in a few days, all of it was going to be gone.
Soon, Elizabeth, soon.