Chapter XXXVIII

I quietly went to the balcony, fully clothed with a huge frown sitting on my face. I met Sebastian there whose attention was on the sea.

"You're here now, love." His eyes were sparkling when he saw me.

"As if I have a choice..." I said bitterly.

He grinned and offered his hand. "I shall tour you around. I want you to familiarize yourself with our private island." His voice sounded gentle as he looked like the prince charming that I had been waiting for.

I only stared at his open palm before I walked past him. "Tour me now," I commanded him. I don't care now if he was my boss or not.

The point was I was with a fucking creep and I did not know how to get away from him since I was living under the same roof with him.

I flinched when Sebastian held my hand without a warning. "L-Let go!" I was flustering right now when he was smiling from ear to ear. "Sebastian!" This damn freaking man... Why couldn't he just leave me alone? "This is harassment!" I said through gritted teeth when he did not falter.

Sebastian brought my hand to his lips. I was rendered speechless after that. His gaze was lingering on me as well.

"I shall show you the hammock where we can rest." He smiled and gently tugged my hand. "Come, love."

My eyes lowered to his hand when he intertwined them. I felt more shivers down my spine. This delirious feeling was tickling me. I did not know where it came from or why I was letting it tickle me right now.

And why did my hand suit him somehow? What the hell was this feeling?

Sebastian showed me the hammock as I tried to let go of my hand from him but he was strong. "Sebastian... You are making me uncomfortable..." I couldn't help but be annoyed at my heart when Sebastian did not stop glancing in my direction.

It was as if I felt surreal to him and wanted to see if I was really beside him or not.

"Hold on. We are crossing the river."

My attention went to the big stone that served as the bridge to cross from where we were at. I was awed by the surroundings and how clear the water was in the river. I could even see some fish.

"Whoa... Are they edible?" I asked, jaw-dropping. I knelt to the ground even though Sebastian was still holding my hand. I used my other free hand to soak in the water, feeling how cool the water was. "Can I drink from it?" I glanced at Sebastian who was creasing his forehead.

"No, love. You should not do—" Sebastian gasped when I did not hesitate to scoop the water and drank from it. "Cejay! What the hell!" He snatched my hand and cupped my face. "Spit it out."

I opened my mouth and stuck my tongue out. "Don't be such a pussy." I removed his hands from cupping my face. "It will not kill you. You should try it." I rolled my eyes and scooped some water, showing it to him.

Sebastian had this contorted expression, not liking what I was doing.

I drank from it again. "Oh my... I feel more refreshed..." I smiled.

"Cejay..."

I decided to stand up and faced him. "Why? Are you turned off now that I drink some water here?" I asked, arching my eyebrow.

"What?" Sebastian parroted. He looked at me in disbelief. "Do you think my love for you is that shallow?" My stomach somersaulted from his question. "I am just worried that your stomach might be upset later." He looked annoyed.

"I am fine. And I do not need you to get worried with me." I tried to ignore my heart which was racing rapidly right now because of his words. I was really having a hard time setting up my feelings with the way Sebastian was doing it.

"Don't ever question my love for you, Cejay. I have admired you and loved you from afar for more than 15 years so whatever you do, it shall not upset me." I held my breath when he gently grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him even though he looked annoyed right now. "I am more thrilled that I would get to know you more than invading your privacy."

"You are a creep!" I jerked his hand away from me. "Do you think what you did makes me happy? It is not! Instead of properly asking me for a date, you took me here without my permission!"

With this annoyance I felt that he invaded my privacy, I felt like I couldn't trust my surroundings anymore. I felt like there would always be someone who would watch over me.

"Yes, I am a coward." Sebastian took my hand. I tried to yank it back but he won't let me again. "I am not going to do that anymore. If you will give me a chance, I will show you how earnest I am with you, Cejay." He pleaded. "I cannot even imagine myself marrying someone else if it wasn't you."

I shook my head. "How... How can you ever love me that long? I am not that lovable..." I was full of doubts about this man. I felt like he was just playing pranks on me.

"Don't say that, love. You are the most precious human being I have ever met." I was shocked when he cupped my face. "You inspired me to become like this."

"By being a grumpy one? I certainly did not." I scoffed.

Sebastian grinned. "Yes. Well... That was a different case. What I mean is you have been my inspiration ever since I met you."

I stepped backward. This time, Sebastian allowed me to be apart from him. "I... You are really creeping me out. I can't trust you. What you did is still wrong..." I looked away.

"I am sorry. I am really desperate to know your welfare."

My eyes widened when he said those words. He said sorry? He apologized? "Y-You are capable of apologizing?" There... I expressed it.

That was the time Sebastian looked embarrassed. "I-I do. Only for you."

"You are not like that to me while I was working with you for one year." I arched my eyebrow. I seriously doubt that he was apologizing right now. It did not feel right after all.

"Ah... Of course, I did not want to show that I have feelings for you but I truly regretted every time I did that." Sebastian cupped my face and gently caressed my cheek. "I swear, Cejay. I have never felt so remorseful seeing how I treated you back then but I just did not know how to approach you. It is the first time that I am having you so close." My eyes widened when he hugged me. "If only you could hear how my heart pounds when I see you in the interrogation room... You are so beautiful. I told myself that I will not waste my opportunity to be with you."

I blinked, not knowing what to do. Every time he would utter such shocking words, I was always rendered speechless.

He separated from me and held me on my shoulders. "I can be a good boyfriend if you are still not ready to marry me, or a good husband, when we get married, or both. However, I cannot promise not to be a jealous one with men surrounding you, Cejay."

His intense gaze was making my heart flutter. "What if I don't see you in any way? What if I don't feel the same way? What if what I felt for you is just some sexual attraction?"

"Sexual attraction leads to a relationship," he concluded. "I would be more clingy if we ended up in bed."

I looked at him in disbelief. "I don't want a man who is clingy, grumpy, or possessive." They are hard to deal with, I must add. I read some romantic, erotic books. Sebastian had those traits so I already knew that he might have the same traits just like the male protagonists I knew.

He scoffed. "Sorry, love. You have to deal with me." He shrugged. "We are not going to leave the island unless my feelings and your feelings are on the same page."

"In your dreams." I shook my head, shuddering.

I ignored him and jumped to the rock. But I screamed at the top of my lungs when I slipped. I closed my eyes ready for the impact but I gasped when I was already inside Sebastian's arms.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

I could have sworn my heart was racing so wildly. Was it because having his face so close to mine? Or was it because I almost slipped and fell to the river?

I mindlessly nodded, clinging to his shirt. Sebastian must have felt the wobbly of my knees so he scooped me and carefully traversed the river from jumping through the big rocks.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, feeling my breath shaking.

Shit... What would have happened if I hit my head when I slipped? It was a good thing Sebastian was there to catch me.

"Thank you..." I murmured, blushing.

Sebastian smiled and kissed my forehead. "I won't let anything happen to you, Cejay. I'd rather be the one in your shoes than see you that was about to fall."

I knew his lines were freaking cheesy but I seriously melted from them. I looked away when I felt my cheeks turning red.

"Cute."

"I am not cute." I glared at him. "Stop saying that." I huffed before I turned at the road and saw that Sebastian had managed to cross us from the river. "Can you put me down now? You have crossed the river now. Can't you see?" I wriggled from his hold so I could get away from him but Sebastian tightened his hold on my back and on the under of my thighs. "Sebastian!" I was frustrated now that he was being stubborn.

"Nope. I can handle your weight if that is what you are thinking about." He smiled sheepishly.

I looked at him in disbelief. We fought glances. However, the more I stared at Sebastian, the more my heart reacted so fast.

Huffing, I crossed my arms over my chest before I looked away. "Hmph! Suit yourself!"

"Thank you for the opportunity then," he said in a sing-song voice.

I only frowned more and didn't say anything. I felt like if I kept feeding him that I was annoyed with him, it would mean that he would keep teasing me until I gave in to this kind of annoyance he was sparking right now.

"Where are we going?" I asked after a moment of silence.

Actually, it was not that silent. Sebastian was humming while he was walking and I was in his arms.

"To our love nest."

"What?" Love nest? "What the hell are you talking about?" I creased my forehead, bewildered.

Sebastian did not answer me. His eyes were focused on the road as he was leading me to the forest. I twitched my lips, not knowing where we were going right now.

I couldn't help glancing at Sebastian's side view. He really looked so attractive in that view, especially his jawline. I could even see his newly trimmed bread. I had been secretly wanting to caress my hand on his beard, wanting to feel it again.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I would melt now, Cejay." My heart jumped when he turned at me.

"J-Jerk!" I could feel my cheeks turning red right now from embarrassment. I did not know that he noticed that I was checking him out.

He chuckled softly. "I don't mind if you are going to check me out, love. I am all yours. You are free to drool over me just how I am to you."

"Gross..." I uttered but I surely did not mean that. I just did not know how to respond to that.

He scoffed a cackle. "We're here."

I turned my head at the front and had my jaw dropped upon seeing that we were in the vast field of...

"Tropical hibiscus...?"