"Did you ever go to the beach as a kid?" Ian suddenly asked me.Wondering why he asked, I paused but answered anyway. "Yes.""Is that why you stopped back there? When did we come?"So he hadn't thought it was about the apartment.Slowly, I answered him again. "Yeah."He smiled. "I saw the look in your eyes. Like you were recalling the waters from a past time."I let out a silent chuckle, and our gazes remained connected till I could feel that heat building in me again, starting from my neck and then down in the pit of my tummy. It equally started up in my core between my crossed legs stretched out on the beach chair while I blinked constantly and put more and more focus into not letting my breath pattern change in the slightest.Watching Ian, I knew that he could feel everything that I felt right now too.One of his hands was relaxed over his chest, rising and falling calmly with it, and with his other hanging hand, he slowly made contact with my left hand, which was equally hanging d

The calming yet roguish scent of the room instantly welcomed me as soon as I entered, filling my senses and embracing my inner being.Unable to resist the feeling it brought, I leaned myself back against the door and reveled in the feel of it with closed eyes. God. This felt extremely safe here.Like times ten of Ian's presence.The extremely safe, comforting feeling was very thick in the atmosphere, especially with the look of the room and the fact that I knew that I was in his own personal room. My phone rang after I finally started to take a few more steps.My father.

I couldn't tell what it was about him that made me want to find out everything about him, but I knew I was drawn to him. The excitement on his face was something I wanted to see every minute, but more than that, I wanted to know who or what it was that got him that way. I drained my cup of coffee that's now cold, and my tongue tasted the sugar at the bottom, forcing me to drop the cup quickly. I went in search of him, and I found him on the balcony in his bedroom, and the glass door that separated both rooms slid closed. It was my first time entering his room, so I was fascinated by its class and exquisiteness. I lingered in the room, taking in its beauty and stylishly trying to listen in on his conversation, but I could hear nothing. The glass door was either soundproof or he was speaking in hushed tones to keep me out. 

“Ian!” I called out nervously. “What are you doing at home at this time of the day?” I asked, pushing the journal into mine properly and keeping it out of sight. “It's almost six, Iris,” he responded, a wide smile on his lips. My eyes were still on him, and my brows creased in curiosity. “P.m.? It's evening, Iris.” He closed the distance between us in his usual gentlemanly gait and brushed strands of hair from my face. He tucked them behind my ear and tilted my face to look at him with his index finger as he examined me like a doctor would. “Have you been in here all day?” I forced a smile in response, and he shook his head in disapproval. “I want this case cracked, yes, but not like this, Iris. I can't believe you've been in here all day.&

Ian stopped suddenly to look at me as if he remembered something. He glanced at my feet, still clad in my stiletto heels, and with an apologetic smile, he swept me off the floor into his arms for the umpteenth time. We earned stares from onlookers, but we were undeterred as we both laughed loudly. We arrived in the car, and Ian placed me in it like a child. He hurried to the other side and got into the seat beside me, his eyes fixed on me. The driver waved his greeting to us, announcing his presence and spoiling our fun. Ian glanced at him and stifled a courteous smile, which vanished the same second it appeared. He returned his gaze to me and smiled gleefully. “Sam?” He called out to the driver, his eyes still fixed on me. “Go home and resume at the mansion by morning.” The driver