Chapter 6 Captured

"I can blow dry my hair too, you know," I mutter silently. I closed my eyes as he combs my hair using his fingers.

"I can also blow dry your hair for you," he said huskily near my ear.

I cleared my throat. "By the way, how did you find me?" I suddenly asked.

"I have my ways."

I turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. "I hope you are not doing anything illegal just to locate where I am."

He turned his face towards me. My eyes widened a bit. Oh boy, he knows how to tease. "Not yet," he whispered while looking at my lips.

I feel the sudden surge of heat inside my body. I pushed him away as my defense and turned away. But he suddenly circles his arms around my waist and pulls me closer against him.

I can feel his body heat against mine. His face on my neck tickles. And I can feel something hard against my bum that makes me squirm a little. What the hell is he planning to do?

"Octavious!" I scolded as his hand began to fumble with the buttons of my clothes. "We have a deal," I reminded him.

"We will not do what husbands and wives do. Even sleeping next to each other is not part of our agreement,” I stated firmly.

"Hmm... right," his voice muffled against my hair.

"We won't consummate the marriage. This isn't real,” I reminded him.

"Really?" There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

He then started to trail soft kisses on my cheeks down to my neck. My breathing quickened. His light kisses are ticklish.

His hand draws circles against the soft silk of my pajamas on my stomach. The other hand is slowly moving upward. I arch my body as his hand reaches its destination and he squeezes one of my twin peaks. I moaned.

My head pushed back, and I felt the warmth and wetness of his tongue licking my earlobe. He kissed me wetly and sucked my pulse in my neck. I can't help but moan his name.

"Fifth..."

All of my senses are very active and sensitive. My mind is blank. He slowly rubbed my body against the soft silk of my pajamas. My mouth hung open, and then suddenly, when everything around me was blurry and when every senses of my being was sensitive, he stopped.

I'm breathing fast and my heart rate is racing. He embraced me tightly. I closed my eyes firmly. Oh god, did I just yield to his temptation?

"Let's sleep." What the heck?! After getting me all worked up, he just stops? He's such a tease!

"I don't think I can sleep," I mumble breathlessly.

I sensed him stepping back, and suddenly, I felt a chill. I glanced at him and noticed he was busy fixing the hairdryer cord. Seriously, is he more focused on the hairdryer than on me?

"I'll sleep on the floor then. You rest here," he said.

"That's not what I mean," I protested.

"I know." He looked at me and stared intently. "I might as well take distance. I don't want you to hate me tomorrow."

I didn't respond. I watched him pull something from under the bed. It was a built-in bed on the floor. I wanted to say that he could sleep beside me but seeing that he has a proper place to sleep, I didn't comment.

When he lay down, I lay down too. My breath came back to normal, but I still feel hot all over. I wrapped myself in the comforter. I can even smell him from the bed. It's so addictive.

"Goodnight, wife..."

"Goodnight," I simply whispered and closed my eyes.

The next morning, I woke up alone in the room. I feel light and warm. My head doesn't hurt, which surprises me because I drank a lot last night. I stretch my whole body as I get up slowly.

I can't help but blush as I remember last night's events. God! What the heck did I do? I even have the nerve to be annoyed because I was left hanging. The heck?

I combed my hair with my fingers and get out of bed. I head straight to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth using the new toothbrush I also used last night.

I went out of the room and immediately smelled the aroma of food. I went to the kitchen and found Octavious mixing something in the pan. He had his back turned to me.

I bit my lower lip as my gaze traveled down from his biceps to his back, which is naked and covered only by a black apron. He's only wearing gray jogging pants and cute slippers.

My mouth parted, and it became dry as I watched his back muscles move whenever he stirred the food. What more if he was in a gym and lifting weights? I wonder if girls act like how I act and flock to him like he was a fire and we girls are the moths?

He suddenly looked in my direction, and I snapped out of my thoughts, quickly closing my mouth. He stepped forward and closed our distance. In an instant, he was in front of me, kissing my cheek.

"Good morning, Ma belle," he said, causing my emotions to change as quickly as my heartbeats at what he called me.

"Mabelle?" I raised my eyebrow. Who the heck is Mabelle?

"You are Ma Belle," he uttered with a smile.

"No, I'm not. Did you forget my name that fast?" I rolled my eyes. What sort of husband is he? I even mention his name repeatedly.

"It means you are my beauty."

"Oh." My cheeks warmed up. I didn't know it was a compliment. "Uh, thanks. You are uh, pretty yourself too," I awkwardly mumbled.

He laughed and pinched my cheeks. His gaze traveled down my body. Hi brow furrowed while looking at my bare feet.

"Why?" I asked.

"You don't have slippers,” he commented.

"So?" He remained silent. Swiftly, he exited the kitchen, and I trailed him with my gaze.

Turning my attention back to the food, I took over the task. He had been preparing fried rice.

Octavious returned shortly with slippers. He approached me and placed the slippers at my feet.

"The floor is cold. Wear it," he urged, his concern evident in his eyes.

"Thanks," I smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know you were such a gentleman, Octavious. Is it because this is our third meeting after several years? Are you trying to impress me?"

He stepped forward, making me step backward. "What do you think?"

"We have a deal, remember?" I reminded him.

He crossed his arms and leaned down on me. "Speaking of the deal, have you forgotten my terms for you?"

I leaned on the sink and gripped it. I tilted my head. "Of course not! Duh!"

He grinned. "And yet you break my rules."

I immediately protested. "I'm not! I'm well-behaved!"

"Really?" He said with sarcasm.

He stepped away from me and took again the spatula I was holding. "I'll cook so we can eat first before we talk about your punishment."

"Punishment!" I exclaimed.

He turned coldly to me. "Yes. Now, go sit on the counter and wait for me to finish cooking."

"I haven't done anything, so why are you punishing me?" I said frustratedly. He didn't answer and just continued cooking.

"Octavious!" I called out in frustration.

He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "You won't follow my commands?"

I glared at him. "To hell with your commands!" I shouted and walked out. I left the kitchen and went back to the room to let off some steam.

My noisy cellphone caught my attention in the room. I swiped to answer, and I saw Zanaida on the screen.

"Hello—" she cut me off.

"Thank God! You finally picked up!" She sounded panicky and that made me worry.

"Why? What happened to you?" I asked with concern. Didn't she go home last night? Did she wake up in someone else's bed?

"Where were you?!" Zanaida questioned urgently. "I'm in your hotel suite, and they said you didn't come home last night! I thought you were kidnapped!"

"What?" Shocked, that brought me some relief. This girl, ugh!

"Yes! Where are you?" Zanaida yelled with a mix of concern and surprise. "I thought I was dreaming when I woke up earlier and realized you were already here! You surprised me! Why didn't you tell me you'd be coming home early?"

"Well, that's no longer a surprise." I sat on the bed.

"You silly girl!" Zanaida exclaimed. "What did you do last night? Have you heard the news? Did you watch it? And where the heck are you?"

My brow furrowed. "What news? I haven't heard anything yet." I ignored her last question.

"Remember Azielle?" Zanaida remarked. "He's now a famous actor and model! You were captured dancing erotically at the bar last night, and guess what? The nation thinks you're his mistress!"

"What?!" I exclaimed in shock.

Oh my god, is this what Octavious meant about breaking the rules? I mean, how?

And then I remembered something he said,

"...you will bring my name, so I expect that you will neither taint my name nor let yourself in harm."

Oh no, I'm doomed!