A wisp of breath escaped Belinda's lips as she watched Stavros with a frown on her face.
What was he planning?
When they had parted, he did been so angry at her for asking him if he was connected with the Gonzalez family, and for asking him if he were now rich Belinda was sure he wouldn't want to lay eyes on her again, but here he was heading towards her again, and Belinda didn't think she have the energy for another confrontation.
So before he could get to the table she was serving, Belinda quickly surrendered the last glass to the guest who was asking for it and hurried away.
Just when Belinda thought she had escaped, and was about to enter the route which would take her right around the corner, to where they had parked their white Stavros appeared and blocked her path causing Belinda to suck in a breath with a hiss, as she took a staggering step back to avoid ramming into him.
The cold breeze which blew past them made Belinda to shiver slightly and she hugged her empty tray to her stomach.
For a while, Stavros said nothing to her. Only gazing at her curiously. His face was wiped clean of every expression so Belinda had no way of telling what he was thinking, so she focused her attention on his eyes, which were pinned on her, and he opened his mouth and said,
"Are you hiding from me, Belinda?"
Then his lips twitched to the side mockingly. His eyes hard as he drawled, "Still disappointed after so many years."
For sometime now, whenever Belinda talked to Stavros. it had always come as a second nature for her to speak in a voice so full of contempt and scorn. She did it without thinking.
So when she lifted her chin to answer him, it was in this manner that she muttered, "I have no need to hide from you." Then "What can I do for you?"
As she watched, his expression turned cold, and it looked like he was contemplating something before he drew his tux jacket back, and he fished out what seemed like a cheque book, his eyes pinned heavily on her.
"Earlier, when I had ruined your glasses, i said i will reimburse you. I did like to do that now."
Belinda swallowed. So he hadn't been following her because he wanted another confrontation? Or discuss the fact that earlier, he had been looking at her lips like he wanted to kiss her! Belinda turned her face away harshly and bit out. "There is no need for you to pay. I can handle it."
"I insist," He hissed. As though he did like to get this over and been done with her. As though he wanted to rid himself of her presence, which kind of annoyed Belinda to a great extent, so she waved her hand like she was talking to an employee, her tone condescending. "Really, there is no need for you to do that. Like i said, i can handle..."
"Is this enough?" Stavros quickly scribbled an amount and handed it to her. More like threw it at her. Belinda gritted her teeth as she felt her anger rising. What was he trying to do?
"If that isn't enough, perhaps this will," he scribbled another amount, tore it off, and this time shoved it into her hand.
When Belinda looked down at the cheque, somehow she had the sudden prescience they were no longer taking about the same thing. Because, for one, the amount he had written there was ridiculous.
Too high a price for those wine glasses and champagne flutes he had broken. And with each time he scribbled a new amount and handed it to her, he looked at her like he expected her to remember something. It was as though he was transported back to the past, while in the present with her.
However, Belinda could remember nothing and was irritated at his behavior. The only thing she could remember was that time seven years ago, at that stony pathway in their garden. She'd told him he was poor and had nothing to offer her. Was that it? Was that why he was acting this way? Showing off because he now had the money and suddenly thought he had a lot to offer.
She was filled with so much annoyance at that act of pomposity she leaned close to his face and sneered, "Fuck you." She turned around to go immediately and slammed into another server, who was coming from the opposite direction.
Her breath was knocked out of her and the next thing she knew, she was falling.
In a flash, Stavros rushed towards her and caught her, but somehow her flailing hand landed heavily on his eyes with a stinging force.
He vented out an expletive. It must have hurt a lot because he released her arm instantly and Belinda imagined it was to rub his eyes. His feet moving backwards, and the next thing she knew he had fallen into the pool behind them.
"Oh my God," Belinda cried as she realized what had happened and hurried to the edge of the pool.
Stavros surfaced seconds later in the gleaming water. His hair was plastered to his skull. His tuxedo clinging to his skin. And with blazing fury in his eyes. If looks could kill, she did be dead already there. Now people have turned to stare at Stavros.
Belinda saw his jaw jutting out in defiance and gaze straying to her before he went under the water and appeared at the edge, stepping out of the pool.
Belinda felt remorseful. He had only been trying to help her. And now...
The server who had run into her had somehow gotten a towel from a maid from the mansion and handed it to her.
Thanking him, Belinda collected it and stretched out her hand to offer it to Stavros, and he snatched it up from her hand and place it on his head and started to rub his hair.
Belinda followed behind him meekly. He really looked a mess. She winced. "Sorry you fell into the pool because of me," Turning towards him she said, It's there anything i can do to help you out."
He gave her a cutting stare. "Of course, were you hoping to disappear?" He gritted his teeth.
"You have ruined my clothes and shoe. They are expensive. You have to take responsibility for them."
And before Belinda could utter any word, he rasped out, "There is a dryer in the mansion. Follow me."
Just then, Belinda's feet froze and refused to move.
When he walked a few steps and she still wasn't following him. He craned his neck back. "What are you still waiting for?" Impatience oozing out of him.
She and Stavros in a closed space?
Belinda's thoughts were running away from her.
After their earlier encounter, she had tried to convince herself she wasn't attracted to Stavros. That was why she didn't want this situation, which would test if that assessment was true or not. "Are we even allowed to go in there?" she rasped out.
"This house belongs to my friend," Stavros announced. Then he stopped and craned his neck back as if noticing her hesitation. "And don't even think of running away."
With no other choice, Belinda followed him. If he asked her to pay for his clothes and shoes and not to talk of his phone and watch she'd be in another trouble. It was better this way.
They entered the house and Belinda cringed as water from his clothes dripped all over the floor. The hallway was long and large. The wallpapers of exquisite taste. The predominant color being white and gold.
A maid greeted them as they passed. Stavros seemed to know exactly where he was going because soon he reached the end of the hallway and pushed a door open. He's been here many times, Belinda realized.
The door gave way to what Belinda would call a breathtaking room. The views outside from those floor to length windows which covered one end of the wall were picturesque. It's been so long since she's been anywhere as beautiful as this.
Belinda didn't have time to explore more because Stavros quickly headed to the bathroom. A minute later, he came out wearing a robe and shoved his clothes into her hand and pointed to where the dryer was.
When Belinda came out after putting the clothes in the dryer and setting a timer for it. Stavros was by the window rubbing her hair with a white towel casually, and then he turned, and her whole word stopped moving. Her blood crawled to a stop in her veins.
Belinda didn't know why, but seeing Stavros in that robe did something to her. Maybe because she was aware that underneath that robe, there might be a possibility that he was naked.
The idea gave way to plenty of imaginations. Possibly because she remembered how it used to be between them. Stavros smoldering her with kisses. Whispering dirty, dirty thoughts into her ear. Gently cupping her breast with his shapely fingers,
Deep in her stomach, muscles tautened as she stood there immobile, her lips parted and releasing a weak breath, delirious with pleasure.
Lost in her fantasy, she didn't know when Stavros closed the distance between them, was now standing in front of her until she heard in a dark timbered drawl,
"If you keep looking at me like that, Bee, I'm afraid I won't be responsible for what I would do next."
Belinda's eyes widened as she met his tawny gaze, hot with hunger, her face flaming at what he let her see there.
Embarrassed, Belinda suddenly wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She tried desperately to give a smart reply, but her throat was suddenly so dry and closed up, she wasn't sure she could voice anything.
Just then, Stavros suddenly pulled her into his arms and dipped his head so close to her face, their lips were almost touching. His breath, harsh on her face, which made Belinda feel delirious with pleasure, she abandoned herself to his dark driving passion.
They weren't kissing yet, but the sensation it built was so thrilling it made Belinda feel that if Stavros didn't kiss her now, she would perish.
At that point, she would have given anything for that kiss. She even leaned in to invite a greater intimacy. Her breast crushing on his robe covered chest.
Then, she didn't know who started it first, but somehow their lips touched, brush slightly. And then their mouth parted, and they shared their breath.
She felt Stavros' eyes heavily on her lips, dark like the night and full of intent, and she knew undoubtedly he wasn't going to tease her again.
Somehow she knew that if he kissed her again, he wasn't going to stop until she was delirious with pleasure and was panting for air. Belinda liked that idea and couldn't wait and to show her encouragement, she put her hand behind his head and slowly pushed his head down, but just when he was about to possess her lips, Belinda suddenly tensed.
Out of nowhere, she remembered how Stavros had betrayed her by sleeping with her sister and then her for a bet. Wasn't that why she was angry with him? Then how could she have…
Suddenly, Belinda wrenched away from his arms.
The action surprising Stavros because she saw the little way his eyes widened and then narrowed. And then he was gritting his teeth.
Five seconds passed.
When next Belinda looked at him, there was not an atom of softness in that lean, darkly handsome visage of his. He clenched his jaw, so tightly, a nerve throbbed there. Belinda was so afraid he did do something crazy.
Then he rasped out two words:
"Get out."