Chapter 31
Chapter thirty-one
Flighty Conversations
Utterly exhausted, I spend Saturday morning sleeping in after my performance the night before.
I know I've been pushing myself too hard since my miscarriage, but I just don't have the time or the finances to take the break I know I need.
So the band offered to have last night be a love ballad night, and thankfully I was able to sit and sing easy love songs for the audience. But it still wore me out.
The audience loved it, nevertheless, and gave us an extra-long standing ovation, which helped to bolster my self-confidence in my hobby.
I go back to the animal adoption center and spend time playing with Bunny. Alexander texts me again, seemingly just as anxious about this trip as I am.
Alex [2:30p]: Are you sure you have everything you need? Here's the room. I booked us a double bed.
He sends me a picture of the suite, and honestly, it somehow makes me even more anxious seeing two beds instead of one.
Because all I'm going to be thinking about is how we've shared a bed before, how badly he wanted to stay with me my first night in my apartment, and how I didn't call him because I wanted to prove to myself I could be strong.
Smiling, because he's such a gentleman, I reply back.
Sarah Bella [2:31p]: Yup! I have everything I need, and maybe a bit extra too. haha. You didn't have to show me the booking, silly. I trust you.
Alex [2:32p]: Do you?
My heart pounds at those two words, and I flush at the sudden memory of how he wanted to hear me tell him that I wanted to please him. What do I say, what do I say, what do I say?
The truth?
What if the truth….starts something?
Sarah Bella [2:34p]: Yes. I think I can trust you.
I head to my car and sit for a minute before pulling out, letting myself feel these foreign feelings of arousal that I haven't been able to feel for so long.
And though I wanted to prove to myself that I can be brave, I apparently am not brave enough yet to flirt back so boldly.
So, I chicken out and send him a couple of pep talk videos of how to not be nervous and how to be animated with the crowd for his upcoming speech.
However, it's probably stupid because he'd been in his line of work for years.
But I do it to be helpful anyway, just in case.
Honestly, I need a pep talk myself because I'm so nervous about sharing a room with him.
Not because I'm nervous to be with him, but I'm nervous at being around him.
Because somehow, someway, I'm developing feelings for him, and it scares me.
Thinking to soothe his anxiety once I’m home, I send him a picture of my purple luggage and carry-on that's stuffed to the brim with hair products and anything else I could need.
I also made sure I packed my brand-new credit card that has a twenty-grand limit, just in case anything should go sideways while I'm out of the country.
I don't want to ever be stuck in a situation where I feel helpless like I did with Brandon.
Jerome and Christopher come over as promised later in the evening for dinner, and we binge on our favorite show and rice crispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, M however, right now I feel guilty for letting Alexander pay for them.
Even though he insisted it would be a housewarming gift, that guilt still eats at me because I'm not used to a man doing things like this.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since then...I just wasn’t prepared to find he'd given me a year's supply.
I was in total shock standing at the register in the nail salon yesterday.
The manicurist patted my back while I broke down in tears.
Lost in my thoughts, I startle when my phone pings loudly.
Alex [2:53a]: Are you downstairs? We’re pulling up, around the corner at the light.
Sarah Bella [2:53a]: Yes, been down in the lobby waiting for five minutes.
Alex [2:54a]: Did you double check you had your passport, your ID, and backup credit card? Not that you’ll need any money… but I know you’ll feel better with it.
I smirk, sending him a picture of my travel wallet that houses all my necessary documents with my thumb in the way, showing slightly longer nude-colored nails.
Alex [2:55a]: Good girl, so prepared. I like it.
Alex [2:55a]: Your nails are nice. What shape is that?
Alex [2:56a]: We’re here, come outside.
Putting my fingers to my lips, I feel my face turn red and shake my head. I'm giddy at seeing him call me a “good girl,” never imagining myself having a praise kink.
When the car pulls to the front, I stand and roll my luggage out into the humid night air and am hit with such a wave of shyness that I don't quite know what to do with myself.
The car hasn't even pulled to a complete stop yet before Alexander opens the door and jumps out.
He strides to me with a wicked grin, and I can't help the soft smile on my face when he leans in to take my bags.
The trunk pops open with a click, and I watch while he quickly places them next to his.
He turns his head to look over at me, that grin of his deepening. Despite the smile, his effortlessly smoldering stare is so intense I take an involuntary step back. He acts unfazed though.
"Hey you," he murmurs. His voice, a bit deeper and huskier than normal, has me floundering, as does the smile he treats me to. To my shock, it makes me weak and my panties wet. I'd brought several extra pairs, just in case.
"Hey." Dammit, why do I have to sound so breathless?
As he turns his back to me, reshuffling our luggage, my eyes lower slowly, taking a second to admire his outfit.
He’d also chosen gray sweatpants and a dark gray t-shirt, ironically.
A rush of pleasure flows through me at how good he looks and how good it's going to feel to match with him.
Though it wasn't planned, something akin to confidence blossoms inside me at the prospect of doing something so mundane with Alex that I'd never really done with Brandon.
“Squoval, by the way,” I say with a grin.
I cover a yawn and lift a hand, trying to rub my eye in a way that won’t mess up my mascara. Alexander closes the trunk with a bang and turns back around, looking me up and down. "Good morning," he says in a playful tone, bending down to give me a hug.
A full body shiver wracks my body when he runs a hand down my ponytail in a gentle caress.
As his arms pull me in, I melt slightly as his clean masculine scent also envelopes me, and I can't help but let out a small moan at the smell of him.
My nipples tighten, and my pussy clenches at just the feel of him so close.
The warmth of his body seeps into mine through the thin fabric of his gray t-shirt, making it all worse.
Unbeknownst to my suffering, he pulls away and chucks me under the chin, giving me a little squeeze. “So, what’s squoval?” He turns, opening the rear car door for me.
“My nail shape,” I reply with a small smile, getting in the car. I lean forward, greeting the woman who's driving us. “Hello, thanks for getting us so early!” I return her cheeky grin through the rearview mirror.
"No problem, miss," she replies before putting her eyes back to the front.
Clicking my seatbelt, I try to keep my eyes averted as Alexander slides into the seat next to me smoothly.
I wonder if I affect him as much as he does me.
He shuts the door, then reaches over to smooth a heavy hand down my thigh in a move so quick and absentminded that I don't even know if he realizes he did it before his hand disappears, and he shuts the door with a firm bang.