~ Bella ~I walked back into the office alone. Maggie looked up at me as I came in, an unspoken question in her eyes."Eliza is fine and back with her children," I informed her before she even asked."Hun-hun," she muttered, eyeing me blearily. Obviously, she had more to say but wasn't saying it.I fidgeted under her gaze. "I'll be in my office," I said and headed there, trying to run away from her. I had an idea what she was planning to say and I wasn't ready to confront it just yet."Oh no, you don't," she exclaimed lightly. "Sit your ass down, we have things to discuss."I groaned but obeyed my friend. I'd known this conversation was coming anyway. There was no point running."Hi," I said needlessly while Maggie eyed me up and down.She was silent for a few moments. I knew what she was doing. Drawing it out so that I could get as uncomfortable as possible.I jerked my chin up defiantly. She sighed. "So what's up with you and Nikolai," she asked finally."What do you mean?" I aske
~ Bella ~I stood on the balcony of our luxury vacation condo overlooking the ocean.The gentle sway of the water back and forth was so calming. The gentle morning sun kissed my skin delicately like the warmth of a lover's embrace.The air moved calmly with a soft breeze causing Parker's oversized white shirt to float around me.I closed my eyes and drew a deep breath. I loved the feeling of the wind against my skin; my face and my bare legs.The glass door slid open behind me and Parker stepped out onto the balcony.I immediately knew it was him because we were alone in the beach house we'd rented for the week.He came up behind me and hugged me from behind.I smiled contentedly. "Hey you," I whispered."Hey back," he said."Last night was awesome," I said."Why, thank you, Mrs Smith. I try my best," he teased.I laughed. After arriving yesterday, we'd spent the better part of the night making sweet, sweet love.I'd discarded my clothes at some point and honestly, I'd been too lazy
~ Bella ~"We aren't expecting anyone, right?" Parker asked, looking confused.I shook my head. "No, we're not." It wasn't like there was room service or anything like that here.There were also no neighbors to randomly pop in to say hi around here. Each house was built a good distance apart. Word on the street was that these house were actually owned by celebrities and billionaires who liked to protect their privacy.But since they barely lived there, they rented it out to vacation seekers like Parker and I from time to time.One of my main reasons for choosing this place was that we were assured not to be disturbed."Stay right here," Parker said and went into the room to find out who was at the door.Despite his instruction, I trailed behind him to the door but I stopped a good distance behind.He opened the door. He gasped aloud. "What are you doing here?" he exclaimed.Intrigued, I drew closer to the door to see who or what Parker was seeing.Finally, I saw the person standing
~ Nikolai ~I stood in front of Bella, hand beside her head, her back to the wall. It was a position we'd been in before. The last time she'd been scared out of her mind. She'd cowered down, whimpering like a hurt dog.But not this time! This time, she was staring up at me defiantly, her eyes blazing with fury.I don’t think she realized how inviting her eyes were like that; how tantalizing her lips looked thinned in anger.If only she knew, she wouldn’t be looking up at me with that look.If only she knew the thoughts going through my head right now, she would know that she was playing with fire looking like that.Fuckable... that was the word. She looked deliciously fuckable. “Fuck me?” I asked in a low voice, repeating the swear word she threw at me earlier.“Did I stutter the first time? Yes, fuck you!” She repeated.I leaned my head down closer to hers and let my eyes trail to her lips. “Are you quite sure you want to fuck me?” I asked in a whisper, slightly dipping my tongue
~ Bella ~"Mr Isaiah, I'm really sorry about last time but I had something very important to do over the past few days," I said to the man in the chair facing me.He shook his head. "I totally understand. But if you don't mind me asking, why did you change your mind?" he asked.I smiled. "This man," I pointed at Nikolai, "was kind enough to come to me and plead your case," I said."Thank you," Isaiah said.Nikolai smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It was nothing," he said."I never caught your name the last time," Isaiah said."Austin Wireman," Nikolai said, shaking his hand firmly. "I'm Mrs Bella's assistant.""Nice to meet you," he said. "And this is my partner, Isabella Morov." He pointed at the woman sitting at his side.She smiled and stretched her hand out to me. "Thank you for agreeing to help us," she said."So are you like partners...or partners," I said, differentiating between the words by adding different inflections to each one.She laughed. "
~ Bella ~I swallowed heavily. "Nikolai, you--you can't say things like that."He sighed. "I know but it's the truth."I raised my eyes to his. "Please, don't say things like that to me. Don't toy with me like that.""I am not toying with you, Bells. I mean every word I'm saying," he said quietly.I could see something in his eyes like maybe...maybe he meant every word. Initially, I'd always just thought he was flirting with me because it was his habit.But now, now I wasn't so sure. But I didn't dare examine his motives.If I found that he really meant it. If I found that he had feelings for me... I couldn't trust myself.I wasn't sure what I would do so I did the only thing I could do.I turned my face away from him. "So how do we tackle this case?" I asked.He was silent for a few seconds. I could feel his eyes on me but I kept my face firmly turned away.After a few seconds, he spoke. "We should do some investigating. Find out why the writers are doing this in the first place," h
~ Bella ~"Oh my gosh, Parker, what's all this?" I gasped, looking at the sight spread out before me.Without even realizing it, my lips were hanging open. I slapped my palm over my mouth.He smiled. "I just thought I'd surprise you. You've been working so hard. You deserve it."The dining table was set with a new pink table cover. My favourite color! Dishes of food sat on the table covered with the cutest ceramic bowls. It also had pink flowers and trimmings.He'd added a vase of fresh flowers in the centre of the table and nice aesthetics candles on silver stands."This is so beautiful," I gushed, my eyes misting over. "When did you even get time to do this?"He pulled out a chair and pushed me gently into it. "I left work a little earlier to get everything done," he said.I knew he'd had a particularly busy day today. He'd had two court session that day and various meetings at his office.How he even had the strength to get all this together was beyond me."This is so beautiful, P
~ Nikolai ~I walked out of the house with a bounce in my steps that morning.Hell, I was even whistling as I went. I was in a really good mood that morning.The reason? Things were progressing really nicely with Bella.The last time we saw, which was yesterday, I felt like we'd really taken a step in the right direction.I hadn't been planning to confess my feelings to her just yet but it had just popped out unplanned.If you ask me, I think the unplanned confession was the best really.The fact that she hadn't slapped me or run out screaming was an indication that something had gone right.I smiled. By the time we saw today, things could really start progressing as long as I played my cards right."You seem to be in a good mood today, boss," Ahmad said, holding the car door open for me."Do I?" I asked and got in, thinking that was the end of the discussion.He hurried around the side and got in next to me. "Why are you so happy?" he asked.I sighed wearily. I should have known he w