"No, I won't hear it. I'm coming with you and that is it."
"Nick, I have to talk to him alone. He won't understand it any way else."
"But I don't want to leave you with that man. Not even for a second. Yet this 'talk' is horrifying me the most!"
Ella kept silent and she didn't realize that she stopped walking along him through the exit of the airport. Nick noticed that and retreated to her and she said, "You don't trust me", while looking down at her canvases. He understood what she meant and cupped her face in his hands, making her look into his eyes.
"I trust you too much to come in this death trap of the situation. It's him I don't trust. I actually hate him. And no matter what, the feelings would stay the same, forever." His thumbs went to erase the frown in her eyebrows saying, "You look beautiful like this. Without any worries, burdens. You look calm. Free." She didn't know whether she actually felt that or was she feeling that after he said each word wonderingly. She didn't know what came over her, she went on to cup his face in one hand and kissed his lips. It wasn't a very passionate one, but a long peck on his lips, which meant how grateful she was to have him here now. Needless to say, Nick wasn't feeling that about this action, he was swooning all over his head. And must he say, he was standing frozen in the middle of the sidewalk, while looking at her after she pulled away from him.
A lady was exiting with a trolley and Ella had to pull Nick to the side for letting the lady pass. She looked over at him with concern. She knew she overdid it but she just felt to be doing that. It was so long since she had a feeling of belonging, other than her mother. Her father was there sure, but it was mostly for business related discussions and lectures.
She hailed the taxi for them to the mansion and dragged the creepy looking Nick inside it. He was truly adorable at times. Ella couldn't help but smile and shake her head, about it. She gave the address of the Brooks. That brought Nick out of his space zone, and he cleared his throat, "Yeah we can stay put today and will go to the palace tomorrow. I will take care of everyone. Sure they would be surprised to see you, but they will understand and-"
"I'm not coming to your place."
"But you mentioned my place address only."
"Yes, but I am dropping you off and then I'll be leaving for the palace. Alone."
Before he could protest, she interrupted, "It's final! You agreed." Ella said while looking at her side of the window.
"When did I agree? I don't remember any word coming out of mouth similar to 'Yes'!" He was feeling confused. And Ella had to admit that she was indeed confusing him. But it was better this way to distract him until she could put her off the hook of unwanted attention.
"Actually, you said just now after you got in."
"Hey, that was clearly to a different matter! You can't kiss a guy and reject him like that." Ella blushed at his childish complaint as they were not the only ones to hear him. He went on to complain, "You didn't even wait for me to reciprocate! You just made my knees feel weak. I also had to do my part." By now even the driver was covering up his laughter with a cough.
Ella turned over to him, who was already looking at her like she had stolen his favorite candy right out of his mouth. Worst thing was she didn't even know how to reply to that statement. So she changed the matter, "I'll meet you tomorrow at Broadgate mall. We can continue then."
The rest of the ride went with him trying to convince her again and again with his strange, funny faces. But she was adamant in doing what she came here for. Yet she wasn't stupid to go to the lion, without letting her foxes or rabbits or others know! She was keeping Nick as a backup for anything went wrong with her and if she needed his help.
After a few moments they came across the Brooks mansion, Ella was reluctant in entering the gates, so she had instructed the driver to stop on the side of the road next to the mansion. She got out of the car and went on to open the door of Nick. His stubbornness had led to reverse the universal law of a 'gentleman' opening the door for a lady. Not that she cared about the etiquette reversals.
"Get your butt out of the car now Nick Brooks." He grudgingly put one foot after another with his crossed hands and pouted mouth. She would have laughed looking at his face, if she hadn't been on a mission to put him away from 'her' danger. Ella went on to pull out his suitcase, exactly like she had put it in while getting inside the cab. Clearly, it seemed like their roles changed here.
"Don't sulk any more. I'll be there tomorrow."
"Where will you be staying then?" His eyes asked her intensely.
"A hotel?" His eyes narrowed at that. He was about to say something when she said, "I'll be fine. If I will need anything, I will call you Nick. You know you are the only one I can rely on to be not called a ghost here."
"You don't even have my number." To that Ella took out her small phone, which was an old model, but reliable one for her, and dialed a number. Nick felt the ringing in his pocket; she turned off the call then.
That seemed to put him in another thought of What-if's. He had begun to think a lot, since he had met her. Otherwise he had never cared about his actions or its consequences, but meeting her did it for him. He had started putting her first before him. He nodded his head and Ella felt relieved. She hugged him tightly and pulled away to bid her bye when he caught hold of her waist and kissed her like a kiss. His lips covered her lips, bringing it in rhythm, his other hand took hold of her face to her neck and pulled her closer to kiss her mouth open. She kissed back after a moment of recovering from the initial shock, and his other hand glided above her back moving upwards to her neck, clutching it with both hands now.
They broke off when the driver horned loudly. It was indeed very embarrassing for Ella that she wasn't even looking into his eyes, rather looking at his t-shirt. He tipped her chin above, making her look into his eyes, "This is how we kiss Ella. I would want more than that next time." Nick said it promisingly while his lips brushed against hers. Ella stepped back and sat in the car, "Goodnight", she said while looking out of the window at him. He saw her eyes to be longing to be with him. This just urged him to keep her with him, only to himself. He waved replying, "Dream about me."
The car drove off taking her to the palace. All her ride Ella was smiling about her day with Nick. She won't lie that she wasn't looking out to spend her life with him, just as he portrayed. Her mood was swelling along until her eyes sought the palace not a street far. All her thoughts jumped out of the window as she came closer to the place. Now that she was this close, she had the urge to turn back away from here.
But no matter, she had to face it to forget it forever.