CHAPTER 4:STAY.

I was standing in the living room and watching Michelle's boss pace the floor in front of me. He was listening to the ringing on the other end of the phone and there was no sign of Michelle picking up.

He was totally pissed!

"Michelle,I need you to explain to me why I've come home to find a strange woman in my house.Call me back!"He snapped,and hung up the phone after leaving a voicemail.

I was looking at him,bitting my bottom lip in uncomfortableness."Strange Woman?"

"Don't take it personally,but to me you are a strange woman. I didn't expect to come home to a stranger living in my house."He walked towards the couch and sat down with a sigh.

I folded my arms across my chest,not really knowing what to say to make things right. I've been living in this man's home and he didn't even know about it. This is beyond awkward."I thought Michelle talked to you about me staying here. I wouldn't have agreed otherwise."

"I'm guessing you're here to take care of Max?"He asked,and I nodded my head in reply."I should have known that she wasn't a dog person. She didn't pick you up off the street did she-I mean you two actually know each other?"

"I know her through a friend. I'm new in town and Michelle was just trying to help me out."Max walked towards me and stood by my legs so I crouched down on rubbed him.

"That woman is unbelievable!! She should have just told me."His phone rang in the pocket of his tightly fitted navy trousers and he pulled it out and looked at the screen."Speak of the Devil!"

He stood from the couch and walked towards the double back doors to take his call. I watched him as he stood in the garden,chatting with a pissed off expression on his face. I couldn't hear what he was saying, frankly I didn't want to.

I found myself admiring how good looking he was,Handsome with incredible ocean blue eyes. His body in a towel was one that I will never forget, although he looked just as good in the white fitted shirt he was wearing right now.

I know I shouldn't be admiring the man after everything that I've been through with Liam,but admiring was all I was doing. I won't make the mistake of trusting another man-I can't put myself through that.

I sat on the armchair,still uncomfortable in my little black dress. I should have never taken Michelle up on the offer to stay here, look at what it's caused.

After a few minutes of chatting,Zachary walked back into the living area."I've um-chatted to Michelle and she apologized. Obviously she shouldn't have invited you to stay here."

"I'm so sorry,I didn't mean to cause any trouble."I looked away in embarrassment,but mostly because I found my eyes tearing up a little. It feels like I always make things worse, even though not intentionally.

"Well to be fair,you thought that I knew that you were staying here."He sighed."I asked too much of Michelle, it isn't her job to take care of my dog."

"It was no trouble for me,Max is great company."I looked down at Max, snuggled up by my feet. I know what comes next,Now that Zachary is back I have to leave.

I thought I would have more time.

"He looks quite peaceful,I haven't seen him like that since..."He paused mid sentence and rubbed his forehead instead of continuing."Anyway,I'll pay you for taking car of him of course, it wasn't planned but I appreciate it."

I wonder what he was going to say there before he stopped himself. I haven't seen him like that since...Since who?

Zachary walked around the leather couch and towards me. He held his hand out to shake mine."I'm Zach."

I smiled lightly at him and reached my hand forward,while still in a seated position."Nice to meet you, I'm Kate!"I found it weird the feeling that I had when my hand touched his. I don't know how to describe it. All I know is I've never felt it before.

"I'm pretty jetlagged so I'm going to go to bed. I'll leave you your money on the counter incase you leave before I do."Zach left the room and walked up the stairs to bed.

I went to bed not long afterwards and changed quickly before slipping into bed. I left the door opened just a little just incase Max wants to come in. I've been doing that since I've arrived here, but mostly because of noises in the night.

I lay in darkness looking up at the ceiling and unable to sleep.

~~~

FLASHBACK

Liam and I walked in his front door with our lips connected,kiss after kiss as he carried me across the room towards his bed. I have a feeling that tonight is the night.

I was loving everything that he was doing but at the same time I was scared. I was hesitant about taking the next step, an important step in our relationship.

I chuckled,nervously as I moved my lips away from his."Things are going a little fast here,Don't you think? I don't know if I'm ready for this!"

Liam lifted his head up and looked at me. He had a smile on those perfect lips of his."Relax,Babe. You don't need to worry. You love me,Right?"

I smiled back."You know I do."

"And I Love You Too."He moved over me,and moved the hair back from my face."Lie back and Relax. This is going to be a night you will never forget."

I guess this is happening now,but Liam was right. I Love him,there's no one I'd rather loose it too. I've never been so in Love. I did what I was told,resting with my head against the pillow giving him permission to take my virginity.

END OF FLASHBACK

~~~

I woke up feeling of the worry of what the day was going to bring and where I was going to go. My plan was always to make enough money to go to Paris,but I'm going to need a lot more to make that happen.

Max was laying beside me on the bed and I turned around snuggling into him. This is the boy that I'm going to miss the most. I didn't like the thought of starting my day without him. After all Max is what has kept me sane all these weeks.

What the hell am I going to do?

I heard the sound of the front doorbell ringing and the sounds of people talking seconds later. I got up from the bed and walked quietly out into the hallway and down a couple of steps of the stairs.

Zachary and Michelle were chatting about me. Chatting about why I've been taking care of Max all these weeks and she hasn't.

Zachary sighed,in frustration."Well you should have told me that I was asking too much of you. I would have left Max with my Grandmother while I was gone."

Michelle clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth."You know that would have been a disaster. She hates dogs even more than I do."

"Even more of a disaster than having a strange woman in my house."Zach snapped his head in my direction when Max started to make noise on the stairs,giving me no choice but to make an appearance.

I walked down the stairs and towards the two of them."Good Morning!"

"Good Morning,Doll."Michelle smiled."I have a lot of explaining to do I know.I'm so sorry,Kate. I shouldn't have just told you that Zach didn't know that you were staying here. Forgive me?"

"Obviously I would rather know than not,but it's okay. You are forgiven."I smiled at her,a closed mouth smile to show that I wasn't holding it against her.

Zach walked towards the counter and filled up his coffee cup."It's done now, Kate has somewhere that she can stay."

"Where?"Michelle asked,and I paused in thought of what to tell her. But from our conversation in the club last night she already knows that I haven't found an apartment."You don't have anywhere to go,Do you?"

I folded my arms across my chest,in embarrassment."Well No. I was going to check back into the motel-just until I get a job a find an apartment."

Michelle shook her head."No,Kate. Not the Motel. You're staying with me, I only have a couch but at least it's something."

"I don't want to be a burden."I've only known her a few weeks but it feels like my whole life. She was being so good to be and I appreciated it.

"You're not a burden-You're a friend." She winked at me."I have an appointment that I have to get to,I'll come back and pick you up in a couple of hours?"

"Sure,sounds great!"I watched Michele as she left the house and it was just Zach and I alone. I was alone with him again and it was awkward, I didn't know how to act or what to even say.

"So um-I left your cash on the kitchen table just incase I didn't see you."He pointed towards the brown envelope on the table.

"No, That's okay. I'm not taking your money."As much as I needed that money I wasn't going to take it. It just didn't feel right.

He furrowed his brows,walked towards the kitchen table and picked up the envelope. Zachary placed it down in front of me at the island."You took care of my home and my dog. This money is yours."

I shrugged my shoulders."I stayed here for free and you didn't know about it. I don't feel comfortable taking your money. I should go pack my things."

Zachary smirked at me."You're a very stubborn woman!!"

"I've been told. I get it from my Mom."I smiled,before turning around and walking towards the stairs. I stood in my room packing what little I had into my little red bag.

A knock came to my bedroom door and it opened a couple of seconds later. Zach stood in the doorway in his casual wear of shorts and a t-shirt. He looked at me."Stay!"

Stay..

"You want me to stay?"I asked, surprised that he changed his mind. Of course he seemed adamant that I was out of his space and I understood why, but how he's had a change of heart.

He shrugged lightly."It makes sense,until you find a place of your own. You're already here,you shouldn't be sleeping on someone's couch for the next couple of weeks."

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't ask if I wasn't.I'm gone a lot so you would be doing me a favour by taking care of Max when I'm not here.You can stay rent free and I'll pay you."

Zachary stood at the door waiting for me to answer. Of course I didn't want to go anywhere,but living here under the same roof as him was a different story."Um,Okay. I guess I'm staying."

It's better than sleeping on Michelle's couch.