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"I'm not playing with you" 

In my sleep too I felt his nearness. He had dabbled his arm around my waist as my face rested in the crook of his neck. His intoxicating scent made me feel drunk with every breath I took. His fingers kept stroking my hair, somehow massaging my scalp. It felt like he even had the power to control my sleeping form. I don't know how long I stayed like that in his arms drenched in his intoxicated. I felt rumbling in my stomach and that's what made my eyes flutter open. My heavy eyelids tried to close again but my stomach remembered even louder calling for attention. 

I have not eaten anything since morning. My eyes opened again. My face was indeed in the crook of his neck. I felt his warm breath fanning on my face as I moved it up to look at his sleeping face. He was sleeping like a baby. He looks like an angel when he is sleeping, capable of deceiving anyone who doesn't know how much of a devil he is. I tried to get out of his hold by removing his arm from my waist very slowly. I didn't want to wake the devil up. Yes, I was still mad at him. But as soon as I tried to lift his arm. He pulled me more towards his chest. My eyes widened as he firmly pressed me to his hard chest, his eyes fluted open. 

"Where do you think you are going?" he questioned me in his sleepy yet firm voice. I don't know why but I swallowed hard as he kept looking down at me with his forest green eyes. My stomach growled, answering for me. My cheeks turned red as it chose perfect timing. 

"I'm hungry," I said in my small voice. I was still exhausted from what had happened between us. He lifted his hand and moved it all over his face. He let me go and I moved away quickly. It made him remove his hand from his face and look at me with forest green eyes. I didn't look back instead I sat up and started buttoning my blouse which was undone. 

Exhaling, he too sat up with his eyes still fixed on me. I kept looking at my fingers not knowing what to do next because no energy was left in me to do anything. I kept sitting at the edge of the bed as he stood up while taking his cell phone. He called someone while walking toward the glass wall. I kept looking at his retreating back, still biting my lower lip. I don't know who he was talking to. He was still busy talking on his cell phone. So I stood up and walked towards the bathroom to wash my face. Sleep was still so heavy in my eyes. I was washing my face when the bathroom door suddenly opened. It made me lift my eyes and look at him. I found him looking at me with a pinched look on his face. His face relaxed when he looked at me. I averted my eyes from his talking towel. I wiped my face when he closed the door and walked away. 

"Let's go," he said when I walked out of the bathroom. He was busy wearing his blazer. I didn't reply to him, I just sat on the bed and wore my heels. Soon I found myself seated beside him in the car. He was driving it as we didn't exchange any words with each other. He kept on looking at me from time to time but I ignored him and focused on the empty footpaths from the window. Once I reach home I will eat four packs of instant noodles. I was still very hungry. He stopped his car suddenly and that made me avert my eyes from the street to what was in front of me. He parked his car in front of what looked like a restaurant. My eyes furrowed when I looked at it with furrowed eyes. It was three in the morning. Which restaurant remained open until this late? It was my first time seeing it. 

"Are you going to keep sitting inside?" he asked me in his firm voice which made me look in the direction of the voice. He had already opened the door for me. I bit my lower lip and got out of the car. He took hold of my small hand in his big one. He walked me inside the restaurant still hand in hand. 

"Welcome sir" a man greeted him. He looked like the manager. He smiled at me and I smiled back. 

"Table" Skyler asked in his firm voice while pulling me towards him, making the mad look at him and smile slip away.  

"This way sir," he said, gesturing towards the open balcony. I found it strange that the restaurant was empty. Why do they keep it open this late if no one comes at this time?  

"This way ma'am" I heard a man saying to me as I was busy looking at empty seats. It made me avert my eyes from them and look at him. I smiled at him sheepishly and walked fast. 

Skyler was still holding my hand in a tight grip. When I looked at the table in front of me my eyes widened. I blinked at them several times. The table was decorated and the lights over there were dimmed. Everything looked so beautiful and captivating. The manager was about to pull my chair but Skyler stopped him. He pulled the chair for me and I quietly took my seat. Ge walked around and looked at his seat. Candles were placed in the middle of the table which was helping us to see each other's faces. I sat there quite not knowing what was happening. He looked at me with his forest-green eyes and they looked like shining emeralds. I felt a surge of emotions the way he was looking at me. I looked away as I couldn't hold his gaze. 

This place looked like lots of effort was put into it. The manager handed us the menu and asked us to call him when we were ready. I gave him a polite nod and took the menu. When I opened it I gasped. Everything was so expensive here. It's not my first time eating in such a restaurant. In the past, it was sponsored by a company because I only stepped into such big restaurants for business meetings. I would prefer to eat it in a small and cosy restaurant than the places where they even charge you for the air you breathe. I have still not received my paycheck and I have already sent my part of the expense to my mothers for new treatments. In short, I didn't have a lot of money left for my expenses. I lifted my eyes to look at him and he was looking at the menu with a serious expression on his face as if he would rip the card into two. 

Is he too finding this place overpriced? 

As if he felt my gaze on him he looked up at me making me immediately hide behind the menu. I bit my lower lip in distress.  I was hungry as hell. But I can't afford it and the month-end is still far away. I need to save for the remaining days. I again bit my lower lip in distress and moved my eyes all over the menu. The only thing I could afford was a salad and that too would cut my remaining expenses to half. Do they serve food this costly at night or do they even charge the same money during the day? Maybe they do that's why no customers are here. If they continue they will soon have to close it. 

"Ready to order" I heard the manager asking us which brought me out of my thoughts. I blinked my eyes and looked at him. 

"I will have the usual and bring the wine too," the green-eyed devil said in his firm voice while closing his menu and handing it back to him. Usual! So he keeps coming here often. 

"Ma'am" the manager called for my attention. They both were looking at me waiting for my order. "I will have salad," I said in my small voice while pointing to a small portion of salad on the menu. I know it's not enough to fill my monster stomach but I can eat instant noodles once I reach home. It can suppress my hunger until then. The manager looked at me with furred eyes. He was waiting for me to order something more but I don't have that kind of money. I gave him back the menu so he understands it. 

"Bring usual for her too," he said while dismissing him. He gave him a small nod and walked away before I could stop him. I panicked because I don't know what his usual is. I don't want to spend everything on a single meal. 

"I don't want this usual thing you are having. I will eat salad" I said in my hushed tone as I saw one of the waiters coming toward us with a bottle of wine. He poured the wine into his glass. He first tasted it and then approved it. He poured the wine into his glass and after that in mine it made me bite my lower lip in more distress. I can't afford this. I don't know how old and expensive this wine is. 

"I don't want it, you can have this too," I said in my distressed voice while moving my glass in front of him once the waiter walked away. 

"Drink it. If I want more I will get it" he said while pointing towards the wine bottle the waiter left. I looked at the wine and then moved my eyes to him. I had no other choice but to tell him. 

"But I can't," I said while biting my lower lip and looking straight into his eyes. I felt a little embarrassed while saying it. 

"Is it because of money?" he asked, looking straight into my eyes, making my face go red even more. 

"If it's for that then don't bother. I'm paying for everything" he said looking straight into my eyes making my eyes go wide. I can't accept this. I don't want to be in any kind of debt. If he is paying then I won't eat anything. I was about to argue and even opened my mouth but my words died in my throat. My eyes widened in utter shock and my heart palpitated a hundred miles per second as he talked before I could. 

"Don't argue. I'm not going to let you pay on our very first date or fifth or fiftieth."  
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A/N
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