The next day I decided to take the day off since Ansel was still a bit sick. I took his breakfast to the room. I arrived and the bed was empty. Where was he? I dropped the tray on the bedside table.

"Riley.", I heard and turned. I froze on the spot. In front of me was Ansel on a towel tied loosely at his waist. His hair was dripping a bit. It was clear he just got out of the shower.

His upper body was well-defined with his broad chest. His muscles were well-toned. My gaze went up to his face to notice his fine jawline and pink lips.

I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
"Um... I uh brought you.", I turned around. "Your food. So I'll just leave now.", I said and was about to leave when he called me back.

I stopped and turned around and forced myself to look him in the face but failed as my gaze lowered. I cleared my throat. "Yes?"
"I.. thank you so much. Even after making you feel bad you still took care of me. Thanks.", he said.
"Oh yeah alright.", I said.

For a moment I stared at his eyes and something about them was....beautiful.

"I'll just um go get your medicine and leave you to get dressed.", I said and he looked down at himself.
"Oh yeah.", he said and I left.

When I got downstairs and I saw Cj.
"I heard the young master wasn't doing well. I hope he's better now.", she said
"He is. I wanna get his medicine.", I said.

"So?", she asked and I looked at her.
"What?"
"You both are you on speaking terms now?"
"Oh we're better.", I said putting his medicine in a tray and getting a cup and a bottle of water.

I heard Cj sigh and I looked at her.
"What?"
"You're always saying that. Isn't there any new information.", she said and before I could talk I heard Nicola.

"Cecilia you know that curiosity kills the cat.", she said and turned to me. "How are you dear.", she said hugging me.
"I'm fine, thank you.", I said.
"I see you have a tray of medicine.", she said looking at the tray.
"Ansel's not doing so well. So I'm taking these up for him.", I explained.

"Oh, poor boy. Well you should hurry and go give him these instead of listening to Cecilia bother you.", she said and I looked at Cj.
"She was only concerned. Anyways I'll head up now. Thank you.", I said and left.

I managed to open the door when I got up to the room. I was trying to close it when Ansel took the tray from me, his hands brushing mine, causing me to look at him.

"I'll take this, and thank you.", he said heading back to drop it by the bedside table. He was halfway into his food. For a moment I just stood there, my arms folded, watching him eat.

Then he turned around, "You know you can come to join me if you're hungry.", he said
"Oh no that's for you.", I said and moved to the dresser table not knowing what to do.

"Have you had your breakfast?", he asked.
"Not actually, but I'll do it when you're done.", I replied.
"You know I'm a grown man. You don't have to watch me eat.", he said.

"I should. You may end up not taking your medicines.", I said resting slightly on the table.
"Hmm.", he said making a thinking face. "There's a possibility. After all, I do hate medicines.", he said and I chuckled a little.

I looked up at him to find him looking at me.
"I...I like what you did with your hair."
"Oh, it's a..."
"I know it, a French braid.", he suggested.
"No. It's a ponytail and I've done it before.", I said with a smile.

"I'm just kidding, I didn't know it.", he said
"It was obvious you just said the first thing you thought of.", I said.
"Guess you know me so well."
"It was just obvious, even from the way you said it.", I said.

"I love your outfit. Your blue top just uh goes with your..uh.. trouser."
"Okay what's with the compliments?", I asked tilting my head a bit.

"I m sorry I'm doing it again. Trying to please you.", he said looking down at his feet.
"I have...."
"Yeah I know what you want to say that I don't need to.", he said.

"I wanted to say I have no problem with that.", I said and he looked at me with some shock.

"You're not trying to please me, you're just talking. I'm sure that's what husbands say to their wives, especially in the morning.", I said and he smiled causing me to smile.
"Yeah, I'm sure.", he said and took his medicines.

He made a face and I just burst into laughter. He looked so funny. "What? These taste terrible.", he said.
"I'm sorry you just look....", I continued laughing.
"Yeah laugh all you want but I'll laugh later.", he said but later smiled.

Since neither I nor Ansel could go to work today we decided to stay home and to while away time we decided to watch a movie. He put on a movie named Forever My Girl. I asked him if he knew about it and he just shook his head.

We started watching it and it was very nice. Midway through the film. The couple were at a restaurant entangled in a romantic dance when I felt Ansel's hand on mine. I looked to find him staring at me. He had this beautiful look in his eyes. His gaze darted slowly to my lips.

Before I knew it he was leaning in and my heartbeat sped at our proximity. He was so close. I didn't know what to do so I bit my lip. Our faces were inches apart.

God! What was I doing?

I cleared my throat rather too loudly and he drifted back. I pulled my hand from his and the tingles I felt in that area were gone. We continued watching in silence till the movie ended.

"Sometimes I wonder if Brayden would ever come back.", I blurted out. "How I would be, if...", I trailed on and I felt Ansel stare at me.
"You are a great woman.", he said and I looked back at his loving eyes. There was something in them I couldn't decipher. "He made the mistake of leaving you.", he said

A question came into my head.
"Ansel?"
"Hmn."
"Have you ever been in love before? I mean have you ever dated someone before?", I asked.

"You see I have lived an interesting life.", he said and I adjusted to fully face him. "I once tried something. After I became rich, no one knew my true identity so I disguised myself as an average man to find a woman who loved me, not my wealth and I did. We started dating and things went well. Then I decided to come out of my shadow to let the world know who I was."

"We were fine until she started behaving differently asking me for money for the slightest thing. It's like she had changed. Until I found out that she knew everything from the start. She knew I was rich from the start and she just played along till I revealed myself.", he ended.

I felt so bad. "And now I'm doing the same to you.", I said looking down at my hands. His hands held my chin and lifted it so I could look at him.
"Hey, you're not. You're way better than her. Your intentions are clear. So don't feel bad okay.", he said and I nodded slowly.

Then a phone rang, it was his. He excused himself and left. The call took a while. He came back.
"Who was it?", I asked.
"It was the office."
"Any problem?", I asked.
"Oh no. Anyways you wanna go eat out? I've told Cecilia not to worry about dinner.", he said.

"Seriously.", I said as my eyebrows shot up
"Yeah now go get ready.", he said and I went upstairs. Seeing as everything was fine, especially my outfit. I applied some makeup and soon enough we left the house.

"Ansel, where are you taking me to?", I asked for like the fifth time.
"You seem anxious to go out.", he said
"That's because the last time I ate out was....a long time ago.", I said remembering when I was eight. It was before my dad had met Theresa. It was me, Caleb and my dad. It was at some small restaurant but the food was very delicious.

Then the car stopped. I looked around and by our left was a diner. I looked at the sign on it which read. " PARIS IN AMERICA".
I read the sign out loud. "Ooh sounds interesting.", I said.
"It's very lovely. You like Paris right.", he said.
"Like, I love Paris."? I squealed with excitement. I'd never been to Paris before but I've seen and heard so much about the city of love as it has been called.

I wanted to get down when he stopped me. He came down and went around to open my door.
With one hand behind him and the other straight horizontally just below his chest, the way a butler would when he would be asking around.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle.", he said and I laughed lightly as I put my hand in his. When I came down we linked arms and with smiles on our faces we entered.

The place looked like some restaurant in France. It had pictures of The Eiffel Tower and some other places I guess were in France. There was an artist there moving from table to table drawing and painting pictures of couples.

The waiter came and took our orders. It was a French man.
"This place is truly amazing.", I said once the waiter had gone.
"You've never been here?", he asked sounding amazed.
"No.", I said. I was always at home so I never really went out. The times I went out were mostly with Brayden and it was either for a picnic or to his house.

He wasn't all that rich so he didn't want to take me to fancy places where we won't be able to get some stuff because of their cost.

"Well I never really went out of my house back then.", I said quietly.
"Oh. Might I ask why.", he said.

"Well, I was kinda addicted to my house. I mean I was always wanting to take care of my dad. That's how I've been since I found out my mum died after giving birth to me.", I said.
"Woah. And your college?", he asked.
"I never went on campus.", I said.

"Wow. You must love him."
"Yeah I do.", I said. "Um Ansel?", I asked after the waiter had served our meal.
"Yeah.", he said as he started eating.
"Can you tell me something about your dad?", I asked and he stopped eating for a while and I immediately felt bad for asking.

"Or not. I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't...."
"He was a dark man. A black American.", he said and my eyebrows knotted in confusion. The dad I knew that was his was a white man.
"I inherited my mother's colour so you won't think it's true but it is.", he said.

"Then who is James?", I asked. James was who I knew to be their dad.
"When my mum was young she fell in love with my dad. They had already planned on marrying. Then few days before the wedding, she found out she was pregnant."
"With you.", I murmured but he heard.

"Yes. So she told him. But on the day of the wedding he was found dead.", he said and I gasped. "He apparently got into a fight with someone. James was the policeman assigned to the case. They got used to each other and with time loved each other. He was a good dad also, though sometimes I wish I knew my real dad.", he ended and continued eating.

I didn't know what to do, that was such a touching story. I then covered his hand that was on the table with my free hand.
"Sometimes I also wish I could have known my mum.", I said and he looked at me. "But I guess some things are just for the best.", I said.

Slowly he laced his hand with mine. His other hand went to my cheek and stroked it gently and I leaned into his warm touch.
"You're beautiful.", he said silently and I opened my eyes to see him gazing at my lips. "Did you know your lips are very attractive.", he said. I smiled and looked down at my food, untouched.
"We should eat.", I said and his hands went back to his food, but his other hand was still laced with mine.

"Hello to you both.", we heard in a thick French accent and turned to see the artist holding a canvas.
"Hi.", we both said.

"I'm sorry but uh I couldn't help but notice this lovely piece waiting to be put down and I did.", he said and turned over the canvas to show a painting from the side view. It was of me and Ansel. His hand was on my cheek and we were looking into each other's eyes. It was lovely, he captured our eyes

"Lemme see that.", Ansel said and the artist handed it over this him. "This is beautiful.", Ansel said.
"Yes but it comes at a price.", the artist said. Ansel gave him seven dollars and the artist looked at him stunned.
"But Monsieur, I charge at two dollars."
"This is worth seven.", Ansel said smiling and I just looked at his smile

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The Sparkling Authoress,
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