A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (18 page)

I couldn't understand mum's
insistence. Was there something she was not telling me about?

“
But
why?” I asked.

“
Please
just do it.”

I sighed and even if I
couldn't understand I didn't ask anything else. Instead, I opened the
door and got out of the car. I waved her goodbye and then walked
towards the hotel's restaurant. My legs trembled and my heart
hammered in my chest. Why was I so excited? Finally, I arrived. When
I opened the door to get in I saw a lot of persons looking at me.
Some gasped; some smiled and there was a lady who had tears in her
eyes. I felt uncomfortable, why all the persons who worked there were
staring at me like that? Just then a sweet waitress came to greet me.

“
Hello,
you must be Cassidy right?”

I nodded surprised.

“
Am..
Tyler told us about you, can you please follow me? You won't eat
here.”She informed me.

“
Then
where?” I asked a little worried. What was going on? She
smiled.

“
Oh,
he's the boss here, you'll eat in the private balcony.”

Private balcony? I shivered
at the thought of being alone with him but I didn't say anything and
followed her. The waitress took me to a large balcony where there was
a table for two ready set. There was a beautiful bouquet of red roses
on the side. I looked around stunned; the view was breathtaking. I
could see the beach, the sea and half of the city.

“
He'll
soon be here. Do you want something to drink? A cocktail maybe?”
The waitress asked gently.

“
Yes
thank you. Can I have one with pineapple juice?”

“
Sure.”
She smiled and left. I leaned against the balustrade, looking around
and enjoying the sweet breeze that kept hitting my face gently. It
felt like a caress. I closed my eyes and relaxed. It was at that
moment that I felt his presence. I felt his eyes on me, and I knew he
was there before I even saw him. I turned around to confirm. When I
did I nearly passed out. If this morning he was handsome, now he
was... he was just perfect. My God, he looked terrifyingly powerful.
He was sexy as hell in his dark suit. I couldn't take my eyes off him
and probably I was gasping. He leaned against the wall looking at me
with a smirk on his face. For a moment I was out of words, I just
couldn't talk. 

“
I'm
glad you came,” he said in his deep masculine voice.

“
Oh...
Yeah,” I just said knowing I sounded stupid. A hush prevailed
as we looked at each other. It lasted a few seconds before he broke
silence.

“
So,
what do you think? You like it here?” He asked trying to do
conversation.

“
Of
course,it's amazing. You're the owner of this hotel?” I asked
when I found my voice.

He laughed.

“
Sort
of. The hotel belongs to my father, but I'm the director here.”

“
Oh.”
I murmured.

He walked near me and put
his hands on the balustrade.

“
So
Cassidy, what can you tell me about yourself?” He asked.

“
Not
much really... Erm. I lost my memory, and I don't remember anything
of my past.”

“
I
understand.. but the information that interests me is this...”
He paused a moment as his gaze intensified. I expelled my breath
quickly as I waited for him to continue. “Are you single?”
He asked finally, making me realise why he had asked me to meet for
lunch. I should have known that a man like him wouldn't do that with
a friend. He wanted more.. but why me? We had only met once, we had
just jogged together. I couldn't believe that a man like Tyler would
fall in love at first sight. Probably he was one of those who changed
girl every weekend. I allowed my gaze to rest briefly on him before
giving him my answer. I was sure what to answer. Was I single?
According to my mum no. And then there was David.”

“
Ahmm
not exactly.” I finally said.

He laughed.

“
And
what is that suppose to mean?”

“
I...
I like someone but we're not a couple yet.. so I don't..”

I had to stop, I couldn't
continue. His hand had left the balustrade and found the small of my
back. He had moved nearer to me and his eyes looked deeply in mine.
His gaze was full of suffocated lust. I shivered. This man had the
ability to make me feel so weak.

“
Then
I still have a chance,” he said wrapping his arm around my
waist and pulling me into him. I looked down. I couldn't hold his
gaze. His body felt so hard against mine. With the other hand, he
grabbed my face and lifted my chin up gently forcing me to look at
him.

“
You're
so beautiful.” He said.

I looked at his face, and I
noticed that he had a small cut on one eyebrow that made him even
sexier if that was possible. What was I doing? I felt like a doll in
his arms. I had to gain control of myself. I couldn't let this
stranger weaken me like this. I put my hand upon his chest and pushed
him away gently. I needed air. He was taken aback for a second. Maybe
he wasn't expecting it. Maybe he thought it was that easy to have me.
That I would have let him kiss me. To be honest for a moment I had
been tempted to let him do it. For a very strange reason which I
couldn't understand I was oddly attracted to this man. My heart
pounded relentlessly each time we made eye contact. He was incredibly
handsome. David was handsome but this guy had something more, he
looked like a model or an actor. Too perfect to be real. Oh damned,
what the hell was wrong with me? OK he was sexy but that doesn't mean
that I had to let him do what he wanted with me. This was just
attraction. I wanted more than that. Luckily at that moment the
waitress arrived with my cocktail. I was relieved. I took the cold
drink in my hands and took a sip. Its cooling effect was just what I
needed, I felt better. He talked to the waitress and asked for a
juice and when she left he returned his attention to me.

“
Shall
we sit down?” He asked.

I nodded. We walked towards
the table and then he took out the chair for me. Afterwards, he took
off his jacket and his tie. Oh Dear, I tried not to stare while he
did this. His body was so toned and perfect. I had to admit that the
attraction I felt was beyond my tolerance. Had I felt like this
before in the past? I was curious to know.

“
So
what would you like to eat?” He asked pulling me out of my
thoughts.

“
Something
light, maybe some fish and salad.” I murmured.

“
You
can have whatever you want, do you like lobster?”

“
I
don't know, I don't remember if I have ever eaten it before.” I
said with a weak smile.

“
Oh
right. I forgot sorry.. well we'll try it out. What do you think? I
bet you do like it.”

“
What
makes you think that?”

“
Sixth
sense maybe. What do you think, shall we bet?” He asked.

I laughed. Was he serious?
He seemed to be.

“
OK.”
I said finally.

“
If
I win you have to give me something.” He said looking deep in
my eyes.

“
And
what would that be?”

“
I'll
tell you afterwards. If you win I'll give you something;whatever you
want?”

The way he had said
“whatever you want” had made me shiver. He said it in a
sexy tone and my mind went thinking pervert things. What the hell was
going on me with me? My imagination was running riot. I blushed, I
could feel my face burning. He smiled.

“
Why
are you blushing? What's going on in that naughty mind of yours?”
He asked playfully.

“
Nothing,”
I said grabbing my drink and taking another sip.

“
I
was talking on material things actually but if you prefer something
else well just say so.” He said with a smirk.

“
What?
What are you talking about? My God.. no.” I shouted, I was
almost scandalised especially since he had guessed.

He was so impertinent..

“
Sorry,
I didn't mean to embarrass you but I really really love to see you
blush.. you look so sweet.”

Was the whole lunch going to
be like this? My heart kept changing beat every time he looked at me.
When the waitress came with his drink, he gave her the order,
ordering my food as well. It's not that it bothered me, but it's
seemed that he liked to be in control. Probably he wasn't used to
someone saying no.

“
Cassidy,
what are you going to do with your life? I mean I know that you don't
remember anything of the past but are you going to start working or-”

“
I'm
not sure yet, however I think I'm going to start studying again.”

“
Really?”
He looked surprised.

“
Yeah,
I love Art and I'm good at it. Maybe I take a course at University.”

“
Oh.
Art. I like Art as well. I don't have much time to do anything
lately, but I used to be a good painter.” He said.

“
Really?
Maybe one day you can show me some of your work.”

“
Sure.”

“
You
know I used to work on accounts according to what my mum told me but
I seem to hate numbers. I wonder why I even studied it?”

He looked at me strangely,
he had a sort of guilty look.. why?  He seemed so sad all of a
sudden.

“
Maybe
you were good at it,”He replied. “Would you like a job?”

“
What?
A job?”

“
Yeah,
I really need someone on accounts right now. Are you interested?”

“
You
and me working together?” I asked looking stunned at him.

“
What's
wrong with that?” He asked with a smirk.

“
Well..
I.. I don't know, it's just that.. we're having lunch and...”

“
You
won't be in my office all the time, you'll have yours so don't worry,
I wouldn't try to distract you.” He said with a smile.

Distract me? Oh dear, here I
go again. My mind seemed to interpret things in the wrong manner
today. I was blushing again.

“
Unless
I'm asked to.” He added.

I was feeling uncomfortable;
my body was playing jokes on me and my mind seemed to have an
identity of its own as naughty things kept coming in my mind,
imagining me near him while his strong thighs brushed mine..STOP IT
CASSIDY!I stood up more abruptly than I wished almost knocking my
glass off the table.

“
What's
wrong?” He asked alarmed.

“
I..
I just need to go the ladies' room.” I said trying to hide my
anxiety.

“
Oh,
OK let me come with you, I'll just show you where it is OK.”

“
Oh
no, no need stay here, please. I'll ask at the bar.”

I disappeared before he
could say anything else. I needed to catch my breath. I needed to
stop seeing him for a second. I had never felt like this, it was
something physical. My body seemed to ache for this man, my senses
kept reacting on their own. It didn't happen with David. I loved his
body; I loved everything about him but what I felt for him was
something purer than this.

As I was walking towards the
restaurant a waitress came to greet me, asking me if I needed
anything. She had been very helpful and showed me where the toilet
was. I hurried inside. I closed the door and leaned against it. I put
a hand on my heart; it was beating fiercely. I breathed in and out.
My God, how come he had so much power on me? I wondered what to do.
Would it be a good idea to return back to him? I wasn't so sure.