"Robbie..." she called again but he still didn't turn to her.
Finally, she was able to reach him and she grabbed his arm. He turned with a serious look on his face.
"I have a video conference at ten. If you want to join, you're welcome to and I can introduce you as my new assistant," he told her.
'Why does he sound business-like all of a sudden? What's going on?' Alex was baffled by his sudden change of mood.
"What... what just happened?" she asked him.
Why does she feel hurt by the way he is acting?
He was giving her a cold-shoulder and she didn't like it.
He scoffed. "Nothing happened, Alex. You must be dreaming."
Was that an insult?
Then, he opened the door and it revealed the shiny marble floors. The light from the kitchen gave a glassy look on the floors. His shoes squeaking and her low-heeled sandals tapping on the floor were the only ones that can be heard. The deafening silence between them was something she was definitely not enjoying.
He went towards the fridge and took a can of soda. He opened it and drank quickly. He needed something cold to wash down the heat he had that was left in his system as his senses were still widely aware of her.
Alex stared at him like he was crazy. Her eyes were asking for answers and he swallowed hard. He didn't look her way as suddenly he felt guilty. He had always been compassionate and gentle to her, yet, he was pained by how she saw him. He just wanted for her to see... even if he had to hurt her for awhile.
'What the hell is he playing at?' she thought angrily. 'Didn't he know that he was being a jerk right now?'
She was getting agitated by the sudden coldness that Robbie was giving her. Should she blame herself for it?
'No. It's not my fault. Why would it be?' her pride won't take it.
She raised an eyebrow at him and open the fridge. Then, she took a can of soda without leaving her eyes off him. Robbie stared at her, too as she opened the can and drank from it. Then, she licked her lips slowly from her lower lip around to the upper lip. She then bit it and gazed at his eyes. He, on the other hand, couldn't resist not to stare at her lips as his throat suddenly felt dry.
'Damn,' he cursed in himself. 'She's a devil!'
She smirked as she saw his eyes stared at her lips momentarily. If this was the game he's playing, then she was happy to play along.
He cleared his throat and crushed the can then threw it in the bin. He needed to get out of there before anything else happens. So he walked past her and she drank the rest of the soda quickly before following him to his home office.
The home office at the beach mansion was more like a girl's dream room with a collection of all the beauty products that have ever been made. Different shades of foundations, lipstick and other cosmetics lined up in transparent shelves like the ones that could be seen in the stores. Binders were on wooden bookshelves along with other magazines where the products were featured.
There was also a white desk with drawers by the wide-framed windows overlooking the ocean and a gray swiveling chair that was shoved in with it. Indoor plants were posted in the corners of the room, as a metal white drawer was leaning against the wall in another side of the room.
Robbie had always wanted the view at the beach and it made him feel calm most especially when he needed to come up with a new shade of any of the beauty products. Since they have added perfume in his brand, he had worked extra hard on making it more enticing for customers most especially men.
In his more than ten years in the industry, he had gained some partners and investors, and of course, some enemies as well. Now, as they continue to expand all over the world, adding more countries to the list, he was hoping to get the toughest client of them all, Ms. Edlena Brovinchi. She was one of the richest woman in Italy who owned almost half of the companies in that country as well. Upon learning about his product, she had been eager to meet him and made a deal with him. But because of unexpected events yesterday, he almost lost her.
It was a good thing he had a really great Marketing Head, Tonette Adler, otherwise he would have lost one of the best opportunities he ever had.
That was his ten o' clock meeting will be about. He hoped she would still be interested despite of his cancelling the meeting last minute yesterday.
"Robbie, are you really just going to ignore me the whole time?" Alex demanded as soon as they gor in the room.
He went to his desk and started taking out the laptop from the black bag that was beside the chair. He was glad that the new maid, Elizabeth, had followed his exact instructions this time where the bag should be placed in. Last time, she put it in his bedroom and it took him a couple of minutes before he found it inside his wide walk-in closet underneath his suits. He almost lost one of the important clients because he didn't get on time. He was really grateful for Tonette who was always on top of things.
"Robbie!" Alex called him desperately.
"Sht, Alex!" and he turned to her in irritation. "Don't you have anything to do but pester me? I told you I have a meeting and I need to set-up everything."
"It's only nine thirty, Robbie. You have at least a few minutes to talk to me."
"Those thirty minutes were important to me."
"And I'm not?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. She hated what was happening... and she wished they never had that confrontation at all.
Why did it have to be so hard for both of them whenever sex was involved?
She didn't understand it, too but she needed to get answers so her mind would be at peace. Although her heart was starting to feel pain... it suddenly missed him being nice to her.
Robbie turned around to face her and crossed his arms.
"Why? Have I any importance to you, Alex?"
"How can you say that? Isn't it enough that I'm putting down my pride just to have you talk to me despite of..." she couldn't make herself to say it.
"You're still thinking about what happened awhile ago, have you?" he said, grinning. His eyes mocking her.
"Well..." and her foot shifted as if to put out a cigarette. Her cheeks flushed. She did this every time she was feeling caught of something and this time she couldn't hide from him. He knew she was still shocked of what had happened.
"Good. Dream on it and we'll talk later," he said and he turned back to his desk.
"Why you- ughhh!" She sighed in frustration and she slammed the door, making a loud noise. Robbie closed his eyes for a moment, guilt starting to creep in. He didn't want to be mean to her in anyway, he just needed her to learn her lesson.
He needed to focus on the task at hand. This client was more important... once he got this, then he and Alex could go back to the loving couple they should be.
If he could eat his own pride...