Chapter 15

I got dressed for my night and wore the clothes that I saw fit for what I was about to do. I pulled my hair into a high, messy ponytail as a finishing touch and then made my way over to my couch where I sat down and shuffled around until I was in a comfortable position. Was I ready to give up my night of relaxation for a night of fun with the guy I lied to about who I am? What was I thinking?! I'm not doing that. The hours I work are crazy, of course, I need my relaxation time.

But then again, it would be nice to have someone in my life to share my free time with. That time would always be limited, but it would definitely be nice. And that was the moment it hit me. Sure, it would be nice to sit on the couch and swoon while watching Gabriel Macht in his fitting suits, but that wasn't life. I jumped from the couch and hurried to my room to change my comfortable joggers for skinny jeans, not caring about the sweater I was wearing. I opted for wearing heels but instead chose my slightly worn off all-stars.

Once ready, I rushed out of my apartment and ran down the stairs, not feeling like waiting for the elevator. Where did all this eagerness to see him come from all of the sudden? Wasn't I planning on staying in just a minute ago? Suddenly, I felt strangely aware of the sweater I was wearing and how it wasn't fit for the lounge I was headed too, let alone for the man I was going to see. For a minute I thought about going back up the stairs and change, but I opted against that. If he couldn't handle seeing me in my comfortable clothes, he wouldn't be the man for me.

Sure, I was on a short timeline here, but that didn't mean that I would let go of my beliefs of true love and how it should be enough to just be yourself in every way possible.

By the time I was on the ground floor, I took a minute to catch my breath. Not because of all the stairs I had just run down. No, my exercise routine made sure that wasn't necessary, I did, however, have to calm the sudden nerves I was feeling. When I felt calm enough, I made my way out of the door on my building and towards the bar.

Because of the work, I had to finish back at the office and the fact that I still had to eat when I came back, it was now around 10. Which meant that there was a certain buzz in the bar. It was nowhere near the kind of busy where you have to push through people to make your way around, but the booths and tables were all filled. Not that that meant anything to me, as I was planning to sit by the bar.

I sat down on a stool by the right end of the bar and was happy to see that the seats by the bar weren't filled up nor that there were lines of customers waiting to buy a drink. It didn't take long for Julian to notice me and a big smile formed on his face. Was he that happy to see me?

Did his enthusiasm mean there really could be something there? No, I could not go there. I had to stay focused and remember that, according to him, I am not Lucy Harrington, CEO of a multibillion-dollar company. I was Allison Blake, an executive assistant.

Oh God, this should stop. I shouldn't have come here. What was I thinking? He was not the type of person who would shove away his morals en believes, or rather said, his strong opinions of wealthy people. He was not the guy I should marry and no way that I was the type of girl who would take this big of a risk. I had to leave. I was supposed to be chilling on my couch, watching some episodes of my Suits on Netflix and consoling all my feelings by finishing a tub of ice cream. All by myself.

For a quick second, I considered to leave the lounge before he could properly greet me, but then I thought back to that amazing kiss in Central Park earlier today. I could still feel the tingles on my lips and the butterflies in my stomach every time I thought back to that moment. Something that happened to happen occasionally during this afternoon and early evening.

"What is playing with your mind like this that you can't even greet me properly?" A voice broke my stream of thought, which I was pretty grateful for. The voice sounded beautiful and clear, sweet but yet firm. It was, of course, the voice of a man that I couldn't take my mind off. When I looked up, I was greeted by beautiful, deep chocolate brown eyes and Julian's magnificent shaped face.

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry. I was thinking about how I awesome it would be if suddenly NSYNC would appear and perform 'Bye, Bye, Bye'. Can't imagine how you would jump from behind the bar and join them, stealing the show."

There was something about conversing with this man that would just turn off the world around me.

"I would do that, but not without dragging the most beautiful girl here with me on stage." Before I could reply to what he said, he leaned over the bar and gave me a soft and tender kiss on my cheek. Neither a kiss that you wouldn't give your friend because it was too intimate nor one to overstep some boundaries we haven't had the chance to talk about yet. If I would even let it come to that point that is.

My cheeks heated up from his soft and intimate touch, displayed here in this bar for everyone to see. "So how are your sister and your niece? I hope everything is okay and they are both doing well". I asked, deciding to change the indirect subject of us as a potential couple, hook-up or whatever this may be.

"They are doing great. I am probably biased, but my niece is the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen. She has inherited the same brown eyes as I did. There is no doubt he will have the man lined up for her when that time comes. Which I hope is never." He rolled his eyes at himself and shook his head. "Look at me. Here I am, talking about the little girl as if she's mine. Her father is the one who should deal with stuff like that, not me."

"Anyways, I am happy you showed up after all. I was worried I may have scared you off this afternoon. That was never my intention. I just really wanted to kiss the beautiful girl that keeps on ruining my coffee."

I had no clue what I was supposed to say to the man. That I wanted it too? That I wanted him to do it again? Should I just confess everything he knows about me is a lie? That the real me is everything he is against? No relationship could form based on a set of lies, especially ones this big. But was that what I wanted? Was it a relationship I wanted with him. And if so, why? Because he could potentially be my Mr Right, or because he was everything my father would disapprove of?

And then it happened. I lost complete control over it all, my mouth went its own way and there was no way to stop the words I spoke next. "What if I told you that I would like you to do so again?"

-

That was a crazy night. What happened? Was that me? How could something that, from the core of my being, I knew was wrong, feel so right? I laid in my bed, looking at the ceiling reliving every minute of the night before. What was I thinking? As I was planning on giving myself a lecture my phone buzzed on my nightstand. A text from Allison.

Don't forget you have that conference call at 9.30. Where are you?

It was then that I looked at the clock and saw that is was 9.15 already. SHIT! This was not good. I looked around the room, slightly panicked. What was I going to do? Next to me laid the handsome Julian, as naked as the day he was born. I was in bed wearing my birthday suit as well.

In fifteen minutes I had one of the few really important conference calls and I couldn't screw this up. Normally doing the call from home was no problem, but I couldn't risk Julian finding out who I am. Neither could I make it to the office on time. I quickly got out of bed and got dressed. In this case, getting dressed meant that I quickly put on a blouse and putting my hair in a ponytail. As soon as I looked somehow decent, I beamed out of my bedroom and softly closed the door. Taking my seat by my kitchen island, behind my laptop, I took a deep breath. I would just have to plug in my earphones and hope I could lower my voice enough not to wake Julian and pray he wouldn't wake up just yet.

_

Hi guys,

I realize this chapter is so late and overdue. And I am sorry for that. I lost my motivation, spirit and time to write, but it is slowly coming back. 

As my life has changed over the last year, I feel like I have a better sense of where this story should go. It will not be fast, but I will try to keep writing on a regular basis. 

This chapter is kind of short, but I thought it ended in quite an interesting situation.

How will this all pan out? As always, I am happy to hear your opinions and to see what you think.

Xo Anna