Chapter 4 Right One

She entered a quiet apartment and she assumed Luther is yet to return. They have been together for two weeks and they seldom see each other. Just like they usually were.

It was late and she was exhausted. She was about to enter her bedroom when a figure appeared at the door of the balcony. 

"How's your day?" 

Startled by the sudden voice from behind, she nervously flinches. 

"You startled me" holding her chest, she exclaims. 

"Sorry...I didn't intend to" 

"Have you eaten?" he continues.

"Yes, I had dinner with Tim. He had his usual procedure and we went out together to grab some late dinner" casually she explains. Instead of going inside her room, she walk to the couch and took a seat.

"How about you, have you had your dinner?" she heaved a relieved sigh after her back touched the soft backrest. She placed her bag beside her while she tries to relax her sore muscles. 

"I had it with some associates" he softly replies without leaving his spot. He could freely watch her from where he was standing. 

"Want some wine?" he continues after a while he got no response from her. Her eyes were closed and seemed to be asleep.

"Nah...I have my fill earlier" she softly mumbles without opening her eyes. 

"You rest now. And take off those shoes, it looks uncomfortable" his eyes turn to her black stiletto heels.

A chuckle sounded before she opens her eyes. 

"This is actually a comfortable one" she pointed at her feet with a smile. 

"I don't know about that. It looks like a deadly weapon to me. The heels are too high and sharp" he softly counters, making her chuckle more. 

"I need to be going. I feel like I'm about to fall from exhaustion" she playfully mutters while standing. 

"Need a hand?" worriedly, he was about to help her. 

"Nah...I got it" she smiles before turning away towards her door. Leaving him with his gaze following her back. 

"Good night Luther, see you when I see you" she spoke as she enters her bedroom.

"Good night, Arah. Have a good night's rest" he responded before she closes her door.

Silence envelops the entire place as he was left alone. It's too quiet, just like how it usually is. Arah's presence did not change the ambiance of his cold and empty apartment.

They seldom see each other, too busy to be together in one place. It's been weeks but they haven't stayed at home and done something like any other couples do. 

But then, he remembered. They are not the usual couple. 

Heaving a sigh, he empties his glass. It's late and he is tired. He was on the balcony for he doesn't know how long. The city lights kept him company while waiting for Arah. He had hoped she will have time for a drink before bedtime but she was with Tim. 

Even without their setup, they were friends and they always had a great time whenever they are together. But lately, he feels like he wanted them to connect. At least a step higher than what they were used to. Like having an intimacy they don't have while being friends. However, Arah seems to be not interested in anything. 

"So, this seems to be sleeping time" he mumbles before closing the door of the balcony. 

Heading straight to his bedroom, his eyes lingered on Arah's door. She may be preparing to sleep by now. A sigh escaped him before he enters his door. But before he does his nightly routine, he picks up his phone.

"I'm due for laser skin resurfacing. Can I have an appointment?" he composed a message and tap the send button. 

He waited for a while, holding his phone. Not long it lighted up for an incoming message. 

"Make sure to shave all facial hair. I'm available tomorrow at six in the evening. Just go to the clinic" a reply made him smile. 

"See you then. Dinner after?" he keyed in. 

"Sure, that would be great" he didn't wait long to have her reply. 

With a smile, he went to the bathroom to do his nightly routine. And have his needed rest next. It's a fruitful day despite it being exhausting. 

And to fulfill his appointment with the famous Dermatologist in the City, he is in the clinic before six in the evening the following day. 

"You're early" she smiles as she took her seat after coming back from her last VIP patient. 

"I can't miss my appointment. It's so difficult to get one" he playfully retorted, making her roll her eyes. 

"Funny, CEO Steel" snickering, she glares at him. 

"You will do my procedure?" he asks afterward. 

"Yes, of course. I can't trust the famous CEO's skin with anyone else" she teasingly smiles. 

She doesn't usually do procedures even for her VIP clients. She just briefly supervises after consultation. But for the Steel family, she is hands-on for all of them. 

"Excuse me, Dr. Rechner, the room is ready for CEO Steel" one of the staff excused herself. 

"Thank you, May" she just briefly responded before standing up again. 

"You want some drink, first? Water...juice?" she offers before opening the fridge.

"Water, please" 

"Here" handing him the bottle, she looks up to inspect the side of his eyes. 

Her three inches stiletto added to her five feet and five inches height against his towering height of six feet two inches, she still needs to tiptoe to clearly see the fine creases at the side of his eyes. An opportunity for their faces to be closer. 

"Just a few laugh lines and some stressed skin texture. Not much work" she mumbles, unaffected by their closeness.

He stayed still while she was a few inches away from him. He could breathe her breath and it was kind of refreshing.

"Okay, let's proceed to the room. This won't take long" she casually moves away and went straight to the door. Leaving him on his spot, frozen while taking deep breaths. 

Arah went inside the room with Luther following behind and she could hear the hushed giggles from her staff. She was used to it. Every time Tim and Luther would have their session, her staff was all elated to have the two men. Who could blame them, every woman is swooning at their mere presence. 

"Make yourself comfortable" she gestures to the bed. 

While she was checking the machine and the equipment she will be using, Luther lay down and made himself comfortable. 

"Let's see... " she turns to him with a bright light to check his face. Her still bare hands inspect his skin and the areas she needed to focus on. 

In normal sessions, she will never dare to touch anything without medical gloves. But with Luther, she is freely exploring his face like it's her own. 

"Just some fine lines" she mumbles while running her fingertips through the sides of his lips. 

"I'm quite sure you oftentimes forget to put on sunscreen" she continues as she moves upward, inspecting the sides of his eyes and forehead. 

"When I'm in a hurry..." he grins guiltily. 

"Always put moisturizer and sunscreen. Those are the basics for healthy skin, Ther" she playfully glares. 

"I will...sorry" he guiltily mumbles while enjoying her fragrant cotton soft hands against his skin. Her feather touches are immensely calming. 

"You should keep that in mind. You have been telling me that since the beginning" playfully, she cup his face and squeezed it to make him look her in the eye. With pursed lips from her squeeze, he can't help chuckling. 

"I will this time, doctor. Promise" he assures her despite having difficulty speaking. 

"Yeah...promises" she playfully counters before turning away to wear her gloves to start. 

She did the procedure over a once-in-a-while relaxing conversation. 

With their busy schedules, his session is a great chance to reconnect. They could talk about things they don't usually have no time to discuss in normal circumstances. 

"Haven't you had a change of heart regarding your terms with our marriage?" he suddenly asked, making her pause and stare at him. 

"Should I? And what change do you think I should reconsider?" she casually asked after returning to what she was doing. 

"The sex part... " shamelessly, he answers. 

Amused, she chuckles. She was surprised by his bluntness. 

"From all the terms I have, it's sex you want me to reconsider?" she amusedly asks. 

"What is a marriage without sex? I'm good in bed. I am way better than your fingers" he rolls his eyes despite it being close. 

"You are shameless, Luther Steel. I know you had bedded a lot but I'm not interested to be included in the collection of your sex trophies. And why are we discussing this in the first place? Isn't the terms clear the first time we discussed your marriage proposal?" glaring at him, she gently pinched his nose.

"Are you not curious about how good I am?" he continues, making her exasperated. 

"I am not curious. If you say you are good at pleasuring women, then I believe you. You don't need to prove it" she counters.

"And isn't it obvious? Women are jumping on your bed, indeed you really are great. Just be careful. Health matters most" she casually added. 

"I'm more than careful. But I'm not with anyone since we got married. So, can you reconsider having me? I have a full testicle by now. I can't jerk like a teenager, Arah. Have mercy on me" he pleaded and he meant it. 

"So shameless, Luther. You are making me embarrassed. I can't believe we are discussing this like it's the most casual thing in the world" she snickers though she could feel the warm blush creeping on her face. 

"We are married and we could have sex anytime or openly discuss our sexual preferences" he persisted.

"But what we have is not real and for goodness sake, Luther, this topic is awkward" incredulously amused, she rolls her eyes. 

She was so amused that she hasn't noticed Luther's silence. 

"And I didn't expect you would want to have sex with me, Ther. You've been telling me how cold and distant I am. I may not be capable to be passionate like any other woman you had been with. And please, spare me the details. I'm afraid my brain could not take it" she added with a chuckle. She focus her attention on what she was doing. Their discussion is getting awkward. 

He remains quiet while she continues gushing about the idea. 

"Do you find it dirty? What I mean...the sex act" he mumbles softly. 

He had known Arah to be meticulous and neat. He could not even remember seeing her sweaty. She is always neatly made up. 

Even without makeup, Arah still looks elegant and prim. Her glowing aura has never failed her. He never had a chance to see her with messy hair or undone clothes. She is always perfectly dressed even at home. It's the reason why they all perceive her to be meticulously cold. 

He can't imagine her to be messy and sex is messy. 

"I don't know. But maybe with the right person, whether it's unsanitary or not, it won't be an issue" she chuckles while mentally grimacing at the seriousness and at the same time awkwardness of their topic. 

"So the right person just hasn't come yet" he mumbles softly. 

Taken aback by his assumption, she was rendered speechless. 

"I didn't mean it like that" she tries to amend her words.

"That's how I understand it" he softly mumbles, sounding almost distant and dismissing. 

Not knowing how to amend herself, she just stared at him until she gave up trying. 

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