chapter 20

Matthias POV

"How do I look?" I asked, spinning around like the girls in the movies while tugging out my suit jacket to give Helena the full look. "Dashing, right?"

''Absolutely.''

''Helena, can you please help me?'' Josie said. I turned around and saw her standing on a stair as Helena adjusted her straps.

The creamy silk dress slipped onto her shoulders, peppering her body with soft, sensual kisses. Like a lover, it seduced the senses and conveyed with utmost skill the art of pleasing.

I couldn't keep the beaming smile off my face as I spoke.

"Are you in love?" Helena pinched my side and chuckled. "You look like a man in the first wonderful flush of love."

I let out a nervous laugh. ''Uhh... I mean.... umm... I'm lost at words,'' I said Josie's eyes connected to mine. We both blushed at the same time when I placed my hand behind my neck, scratching in slow motion.

"You know, this Josie girl is very beautiful. I'm glad she's caught your eye. You seem a lot happier with her in your life. I can't wait for the wedding it's going to be magnificent."

I nodded slowly and thoughtfully. I didn't answer her, mostly because I didn't want to get to that topic that made me miserable.

I rolled my eyes and clicked the door behind me, trying to shake off the anxiety. I needed to be cool and confident if I was going to keep Josie interested in me.

As far as I was concerned, no woman had ever liked a guy who showed off his shyness. I looked good - now I just needed to feel the part, and everything would be fine.

....

''We've arrived,'' I whispered, entering Greys. Everyone was dressed up in ravish clothing from high-end brands; Gucci, Alexander Wang, and Versace. As Destiny said, there was food, music and a lot of people wandering around.

''Matthias Lekas, and you must be the beautiful fiancé? Correct?'' Destiny said to Josie. Josie exhaled a weak laugh and nodded her head slowly. I could tell she was nervous and wasn't expecting that my ex-girlfriend invited us here.

''Yes, correct.''

''Would you please come over and join us?''

''Who's us?'' I added myself.

''Oh, me and Rubert, my boyfriend,'' she smiled.

''Uh... no... I uh...''

''Oh don't be such a wuss, come on over and say hi.''

''Fuck,'' I mouthed as she grabs Josie's arms and takes her over to Destiny's boyfriend.

''Rubert, this is Josephine, the lovely I was telling you about and her fiance, you already know who this is.''

''Ah yes, the playboy they say,'' he drew a smile ''Matthias Lekas geia sas {*yeah sas*} Hello."

''Geia sas.''

''Love it when he speaks Greek,'' Destiny chuckled. ''So Josephine, tell me about Matthias.''

Great.

''What do you want to know?'' I answered.

''Oh come on, like everything,'' she winked at me.

''Matthias is a changed man, he's been good to me and has always protected me,'' she looked at me.

''Does he still eats peanut butter as his so-called snacks?'' Destiny grinned.

''He's allergic to peanut butter.''

My eyes widened to Josie's response. How does she know that?

''Ahaha, I was kidding, that was me!'' She poked Ruben and laughed hysterically as the two of us stood there in silence. ''Ohhh, I'm so hungry, baby do you want to eat?''

''Yes darling, let's eat,'' Ruben boxed out his arm and Destiny wraps her arms around his.

''Soon?'' She winked at me again.

I clenched my jaw and released a rough sigh. My body was facing Josie as she stood there with her hand down, not making any eye contact.

''Do... you.. want to dance?'' I asked nervously.

''Yes,'' she nods.

I touched her hand softly and grab her by her waist and slow danced to Flight Of The Stars by Zayn. People were slowly coming to the dance floor dancing along while others whereby the food was.

When Josie flowed in dance it was as if it were the only way her body truly knew how to speak. Verbally she was guarded, physically she would shrink and fade into the background no matter where she was.

''You are really good, you know,'' I said to her.

''I've danced my whole life.''

''Seriously?'' I said with fascination.

''Yeah, seriously. I've danced with Maya, ballet, tap, hip-hop, and salsa.''

''That's... uh.... talented. I didn't know that.''

''There's a lot of things you don't know.''

''Yeah, I know,'' I whispered. I know that for sure. We've been doing this thing for how long now and I still don't know a dime.

How can I force someone into my life without even getting to know them? The sadness drained through me rather than skating over my skin. It traveled through every cell to reach the ground. I filtered it yet, strangely enough, I kept what was pure and it was the dirt that left.

The music transitioned which made everyone dance crazy. Josie lets go of my hand softly but I rejected it.

''Let's go.''

''Where?'' She asked.

''Up, on the rooftop.''

.....

As we stepped into the elevator, I was transported back to the first time we were standing next to each other back at the headquarters.

Everything about that moment was hazy, but I could recall some chemistry circling us. Even then our bodies knew that something was going to happen between us.

"I-"

"You-"

We both started speaking at once before laughing awkwardly. It was almost as if we both had something serious to say to one another, but neither of us knew exactly where to start.

"You go first," she offered helpfully, but I furiously shook my head at my suggestion.

"No, please, you go."

"I was just going to say thank you for a lovely evening," She finished.

"Yeah, it was."

Out of the elevator, we went over to the bench outdoors, and begin to look through the city lights. High buildings, cars driving down the streets, honking, the siren, and the people walking around like tiny ants above us.

''Didn't know Destiny was your ex,'' Josie said.

''How did you--''

''People talk, I heard the voices in the back, especially when we were dancing. Did you come because of her?''

''Well, yeah, she invited me, I couldn't say no. I know her too well enough to test me. She's good at it.''

The silence between us made my skin crawl. It was so awkward that I mentioned about Destiny to Josie. I don't like talking to anybody, not even Zach and he's my best friend. I cleared my throat and broke the awkwardness by coming up with a new topic.

''How'd you know that I was allergic to peanut butter?''

''Shirley told me.''

''Shirley?''

''Mmm hmm..''

''Why?''

''Because she thought if I could know some fun facts about you maybe it'll help me understand you better.'' A grin spread over Josie's face, wide and open, showing her over-whitened teeth.

I replied with a smile and checked my phone. "Let's go home.''

.....

Josie was struggling to unravel her dress.

''Stop fidgeting, let me help,'' I said to her.

''No, I got this.''

''Josie.''

''Matthias.''

''Josephine, don't start. I got this."

The tips of my fingers slid down on her zipper and released the hourglass body that she has.

My body reacted to her in a new and exciting way. I wanted to explore that in every possible way. I felt like I needed to know absolutely everything about her.

She shivered, which was exactly what I wanted. I'd gotten under her skin.

''Your hands made my blood boil, your skin felt wonderful to touch,'' she said in a low voice.

''Your body made me sweat. There was a spark there," I murmured as I got closer to her mouth. "Do you want to see if it still exists?"

I didn't wait for Josie to answer. I could feel her body swelling and pulsating under the power of my words, so I pulled her in for a deep and passionate kiss.

I claimed her hungrily, like a man starved of any attention for far too long, which in a way I was.

I had been rejecting anyone and everyone while I waited to find Josie again, and now that moment had finally come.

Grabbing her face under her chin, I brought her mouth nearer to mine. I paused only for a moment so we could breathe one another in, then I took the plunge. I kissed her hard.

''What about the contract?'' She whispered to my lips.

''Fuck the contract.''