CHAPTER 54

I finished blow drying my hair and picked a pair of freshly linen jeans and a silky blouse from my closet. As I dressed and touched up my face with some mascara and lip gloss, I tried to figure out why Connor wanted me to come with him to the conference. I mean, if I was not his girlfriend, he wouldn't want to show me off to places and events that weren't necessary and didn't need us to prove our love relationship.
...unless he liked me and always wanted to be around me.
I shook the thought off my head and smacked my face inwardly.
Get a grip of yourself, Kenz.
He had said it himself. He only wanted me to keep him company. Probably because he was beginning to feel guilty for locking me indoors all alone.
The door gently pushed open and Connor's devilishly handsome face peeped from the door. His dishevelled hair looked darker and just fresh off the shower as he took in my frame. A small smirk crossed his face and his eyes danced.
"She's pretty."
I pretended not to hear him and I turned away to focus on arranging my hair as a warm blush crept up my face.
Connor stood by the door and did not leave until I was done dressing. I let my hair flow down my shoulders, and I picked up my purse and walked to the door but Connor did not make way for me to pass through as he continued to stare. I frowned and he smiled again.
"Your hair. Is that your natural colour?"
My fingers subconsciously reached for my hair and I played with the ends, the frown on my face still intact.
"Yes. Why?"
His smile did not waver. "It's rare. Beautiful."
He reached for it and felt it, his fingers brushing lightly against mine. "It's...art."
My frown deepened as I recalled Faris' words that sounded so much like Connor's.
"Those ashes grey hair. Your fox-shaped eyes. Those freckles...they make art."
I stared back into his eyes and he held my gaze, unbreaking. I tried to imagine the day I would finally expose Ryan and Tory. The day I would have to leave him to protect myself. I tried to imagine the hurt and pain of never seeing him again but even the imagination ached in my heart.
I would delay the gratification because of him. Because I wanted to have all of him now. I wanted to enjoy this moment that I could never trade any other for. I wanted all of him now till he would be eventually taken away from me.
"Are you going to keep drooling over my handsome face or do we leave already?" Connor finally broke the silence, his eyes bearing a sense of sarcasm.
I slapped his hand roughly off my hair.
"You wish."
He laughed and finally shifted his weight, allowing me to pass through the door. We walked down the spiral stairs and out of the condo where Jacob was waiting in front of Connor's white jeep. He gave a small curt nod to Connor and me and opened the door to the backseat for us. I stepped in and Connor joined me. I breathed in the fresh peach scent of the car and as the car finally got in motion, I stared outside of the window, admiring the elite neighbourhood we passed. I could never be able to fully express how much I felt cheated that for some people, the good things in life came so much easier while for other people like Zed, Jojo, and I, we had to work our asses off, losing a bit of ourselves along the way to get what we wanted.
In my case... he.
"Would you like me to buy you one of those mansions?" Connor's voice said from beside me and I looked at him to see a small playful grin on his lips.
I eyed him and looked away again, his sweet boyish laughter trailing from beside me.
"Ask, honey. And it shall be given unto you."
I did not reply to him and he did not try to bother me again. A minute later, his phone rang and he picked up the call as his conversation with his business partner lingered on phone, I began to feel dizziness wash through me and I tried to fight back the urge to black out and sleep.
But my eyelids failed to abide by my wish and gradually, they fluttered shut, allowing sleep to take over me.
......................
I felt the wheels of the car come to a halt and consciousness took over me again, my eyes fluttered and open gently and I stirred a bit but stopped immediately, feeling my head on a pillow. My eyes scanned around in puzzle as I took in the sight of Jacob in the driver's seat. Of course, I was in a car. There was no pillow here.
Except...
Cool lemon and mint cologne wafted through my nose and my eyes widened fully awake as my heart skipped.
Jesus Christ! Connor!
I jerked my head off the solid frame it rested on and my eyes quickly scanned the supposed pillow my head had been resting on the entire time I had slept.
Handsome dimpled smiles crossed my vision and my insides fell in realization.
"Don't worry. Your head isn't so heavy to support." He flashed his perfect set of white dentations at me and my eyes only widened the more as I took in the sight of the shoulder I had rested my head on. My fingers found their way to the sides of my mouth.
Tell me I didn't drool on him.
Even though they were no evidence to confirm if I did drool or not, I feared that Connor might have concealed it so he could use my secret against me someday in the future.
"We have reached our destination, sleeping beauty." He announced, ignoring my dramatics and I stared at the magnificence of the hotel.
Jacob alighted from the car and walked to our side, opening the door for us to step out. I smiled politely at him and watched my steps as I stepped down from the car and my footing tasted the solid ground of the expensive-looking hotel. Connor followed from behind me and took my hand gently into his. He did not waste any time for us to walk into the building and as we passed by other elite people in business suits and suitcases and some ladies in pretty expensive dresses, he exchanged pleasantries with some of them who seemed eager to talk to him and to have him acknowledge their greetings.
When we finally reached the receptionist's counter, one of the receptionists, a tall elegant French woman in a sleek bun and dark corporate suit welcomed us and Connor asked her for a one-room stay for the two of us.
"One room, one bed please." He said and I opened my eyes in bewilderment.
One room one what?
My head turned to look sharply at him and he ignored my gaze as if he wasn't aware I was looking at him. He knows what he was doing and I was sure he was only doing this on purpose to start up an argument.
I looked back at the receptionist and a fake sweet friendly smile appeared on my face
"Uh..., I am sorry. Please forgive his forgetfulness. Can we have two separate rooms please?"
The French woman darted her eyes between me and Connor, confusion and uncertainty in hers.
Connor sighed and looked at me now.
"What is that for? Do you even know how expensive it is to lodge a room for a night here?" He paused and analyzed my stern face. "What? Stop glaring at me like that. Do you think money grows on trees?"
Oh. Now you know? What happened to all the thousand dollars you spent on my dresses just to impress people? Now you're talking about money and how expensive things are?
Hypocrite.
He looked back at the woman again, a look of impatience on his face now. "One room one bed please."
"No." I maintained my smile and faced the woman too. "Two separate rooms, please."
Connor groaned, getting fed up with our little argument. He turned to me again. "Come on, Kenz."
"I can't share a room and a bed with you." I emphasized the 'bed'.
"Why not?"
"Because I can't. Why do you want to share a room with me?"
"Because I want to keep an eye on you, silly."
"I can take care of myself perfectly well, good sir." There was a visible hint of sarcasm in my tone.
"Fine." He looked back at the woman who now had a goofy smile on her face. I shot her a glare and she wiped the smile off her face. Whatever she was thinking, she better get it off her head.
"One room, two separate beds then." He looked back at me one more time as if challenging me to argue again and I simply rolled my eyes at him. The woman nodded her head and I was sure she was glad to be finally relieved of two 'lovers' quarrel.
The woman entered a few pieces of information into her system and beckoned us to follow her as she led the way to the room we would be staying during our two days stay. She opened the door and I stared in fascination at the vastness and airiness of the large room. The expensive furniture was all white and brown and a few paintings and wall prints adorned the white walls.
She showed us around the room, past the open kitchen and into the large bedroom with two separate perfectly made kingsized beds. Finally, she ended her little tour and handed us the key.
"Please, let us know if you need anything." She said and Connor nods.
"Sure. Thank you. I'll have your account details from your manager and give you a tip. I like your services."
My eyes softened as I watched Connor. I didn't think he had the spirit of giving.
The woman's face beamed and her eyes danced in excitement. "Thank you, sir. I am honoured."
Connor smiled back at her and she added. "Please enjoy the rest of your stay here."
She finally left through the door and Connor sighed and sets himself on his bed and began to undress.
At least let me know before you rip yourself naked, Mr CEO.
"it's going to be a long and busy day for me tomorrow and the day after. I would like to have a nice long rest today to prepare for the days ahead. And would you please stop looking away like I have my dick on public display?" He snapped at me at the end of his words and I looked at him, surprised at his raw use of words without an ounce of shame.
I chose to ignore him and I sat on my bed and backed him, peeling off the heels from my legs. My stomach rumbled and I cringed inwardly at the embarrassment my stupid stomach was setting me up for.
"Have a change of clothes and wear something casual. Let's go get dinner." He said a few seconds later and I smiled a fake smile.
Damn this stomach of mine.
I got up and unzipped my luggage, bringing out a shirt and a pair of dark denim jeans. I moved to the bathroom to change but he called after me.
"Don't do that, grumpy." He clicked his tongue and turned his back to me. "You can change here. I won't look at that tempting ass of yours if that's what you are afraid of."
I ignored his words again and when I saw that he was true to his words and didn't spare me a backwards glance, I set to undress.
"I know you're probably wondering why I brought you here." He began to talk again.
Because you wanted someone to bully anytime anywhere?
"I can't have you all alone in the house when Ryan is still loose and about."
Oh. I didn't see that coming.
"I would have been doing fine, still. I'm not a child, Connor." I began to slip on my jeans.
"Kelly thought the same when I offered to help her."
My heart skipped and I paused instantly.
Did he know about Kelly?
"I am not going to let the same thing happen to you. I want to protect you in the best way that I can. Even if that's the last thing I do."