When their gazes meet, Niklaus is taken aback by the stunning beauty of the woman who introduces herself as Cali. She looks seductively wonderful now that the dirt is gone (despite the mud on her sweatshirt and leggings). She has beautiful black almond eyes and a heart-shaped face. A freckle stands out on her straight-edged nose, giving her a dynamic appearance. Her full lips are delicate and barely parted. Niklaus couldn't take his gaze away from her.
He now feels he was a jerk for initially being harsh and upset at her. When he was disturbed in his grieving, he couldn't control his attitude, whether she was lovely or not. He expected to have complete privacy and quiet on this particular day. That day meant everything to him and forever altered what he was.
Ever since he was old enough to travel alone, Niklaus has made an annual solo trip to this valley in German town. This hazy, less trafficked area is his haven.
All of the buried memories, the dark ones, the good ones, the bitter ones, are alive in this area, allowing him to travel back in time and relive the moments before that fateful day. He relies on these memories to stay going.
Niklaus doesn't recall meeting anyone during his prior stays because travelers and locals rarely take the route he does. However, the appearance of this girl disrupts his cycle.
He approaches Cali, takes the last bandage, and raises her hand. Electricity is coursing through his body. Her pupil dilates, and her luscious lips part as if in amazement, indicating that she feels the same way. Niklaus couldn't resist the need to shape her petite, slender body into his own and kiss her.
"Emmm, thank you," Cali says as she withdraws her hand, breaking the connection.
"You are welcome," Niklaus says, returning to the bench, irritated by his reactions. He's never felt this way about a lady before. This is strange. Perhaps it's the weather. Maybe it's because he hasn't had sex in two months following his messy separation from Tina. He needs to get banged after his brief sojourn in Germany.
"Can I sit down?" Cali asks.
"Of course," Niklaus says, making room for Cali to sit next to him. There wasn't enough space for them to sit close together.
"I'm also caught in the rain." Niklaus murmurs.
"What?" Cali fails to apprehend him.
"I said I'm also caught in the rain." Niklaus turns to face her. The yellow light from the fireplace casts a lovely thin veil across her face, emphasizing her dark, beautiful eyes, which promise a country of warmth and tenderness. Her hair, which was previously in a sloppy bun, has been let down. Her long Barkley hair falls to her shoulder, and her lush curls beg attention.
"Oh, this is your first time here?" The way he looks at her makes Cali's heart skip a beat. Niklaus sighs. He doesn't want to answer this question. Sensing his reluctance, Cali fears she may stumble on something sensitive and struggles to come up with another topic to discuss. But she could not think of anything to say.
"Is this your first time visiting here?" Niklaus breaks the tense silence.
"Yeah. I came here with my friend Sophia. Sophia, Oh!" Cali screams.
"May I use your phone?" I need to contact a friend. She must be worried right now. My phone's battery died two hours ago." Cali begs quietly.
Niklaus opens his iPhone and delivers it to Cali, their fingertips brushing against each other. Both of them feel the energy once more.
Cali hastily takes the phone and walks to a corner of the cabin, attempting to conceal the effect of his touch on her. Niklaus's gaze follows her every step.
Cali calls Sophia's number rapidly. And gladly, she answers the phone right away.
"Hello, Sophia. It's Cali." On the other side, Cali hears a scream.
"Where have you gone, girl? I'm unable to contact you. I assumed you'd been kidnapped. I'm about to call the cops!"
"I'm OK. I got lost in the valley. I should not have strayed for so long. My cellphone's battery died."
"Are you all right now? Where exactly are you? It's raining cats and dogs outside. Which phone do you have?"
"I'm staying in a valley cabin. Don't be concerned about me. I'm not alone."
"What are you doing? Is it a man or a woman? You're not in any danger right now, are you?" Sophia's voice sounded worried to Cali.
"He..." Cali approaches Niklaus.
"Nik." Cali had no idea how he figured out what they were talking about.
"I'm with Nik." He is a nice guy. Don't be concerned about me. When the rain stops, I'll return to the hotel."
"Oh, Cali, the weatherman says the rain will last until tomorrow morning." "Should I call for help?"
Sophia's words seem like they could be more promising. Is she required to spend the entire night at the cabin? With this stunningly attractive man?
"No. I suppose I'll spend the night in the cabin. It will be tough for park guards to enter as well."
"Are you sure you'll be safe with Nik? Is he attractive? Does he have a nice body?" Sophia laughs.
"Sophie!" Cali exclaimed.
"All right, OK. "Can you tell me the name of the cabin?" Sophia has become solemn.
"Bergparadies." Cali is still determining her own pronunciation.
"Well, tell Nik that I will notify the police of your whereabouts. I also have his phone number." However, Cali knows deep down that Nik will never hurt her.
Her sudden faith in him astounds her. She believes she no longer recognizes herself. She is not the impulsive type. She always considers her options before taking a risk. Nik, the man she only met briefly, turns her into a different person.
"Yes, Madam," Cali responds as she kisses Sophia goodbye and locks Nik's mobile.
Cali returns to the bench and delicately holds the tip of the phone to Nik, avoiding any touches that would cause more confusion. Nik is conscious of her efforts.
Nik accepts the phone despite being unhappy with her attempt.
"My friend says the rain will last until tomorrow morning," Cali couldn't help but start a discussion.
"Then we'll have to sleep overnight in here," Nik teases, his use of the words "we," "sleep," and "alone," causing Cali's mind to wander and her face to blush.
Niklaus can read her mind and finds her flushed cheeks endearing.
He wants to tease her even more, to kiss her for no reason. He has been aroused.
This is dangerous. This is not something you want to do. She is not the type of lady with whom you can have a fling and then walk away nonchalantly. He cautions himself. He has had several relationships with women who want to date him, bed him, and have his children. He is often in the news as the richest eligible bachelor. They recognize him before he recognizes them. These women sometimes make him feel confined. He goes along with it, dating models with long legs and actresses who want him to walk the red carpet with them.
But this woman is unique. He was able to tell. She has no idea who he is, yet she is drawn to him and he to her. She is unique in so many ways. She is not arrogant; she has a genuine grin and is a little awkward in an appealing manner. When she looks at him, her eyes sparkle with sincerity and warmth, yes, warmth, which he has been missing for so long since his mother died. She is a little shy and self-conscious in his presence. Has she dated a lot of men?
Niklaus is amazed that he has picked up on so many details about her in less than an hour. Maybe it's because he's tired of ladies continually fluttering their eyelashes at him, attempting to seduce him. Cali is unique and exciting. She even sought to avoid physical contact as minor as a fingertip touch.
It had to be the two months of celibacy he had maintained. He needs release.
Niklaus stands up hastily to conceal his desire. He walks over to the window and pretends to be watching the rain. It also works.
"The rain will probably flood the roads," Cali predicts.
"Yes, it does," Niklaus replies. "What are you doing in this town?"
"My colleague Sophia works for a German firm. She has a business trip in town and has requested me to accompany her. This is the first time I've visited Germany. So here I am."
"Do you enjoy the trip?"
"Yes, except for being lost in the valley." The truth is that getting lost in the valley has led to Cali's most memorable encounter.
"You should take off your sweatshirt..."
"What?" Cali exclaimed. Her head is full of filthy thoughts.
"For drying your clothes. It's wet." Niklaus said the obvious. Cali's face is the color of a ripe tomato. Niklaus is trying hard not to bust out laughing.
He enjoys how nervous she feels in his presence. He appreciates how she has brightened his day on this gloomy day.
Cali is relieved she has a T-shirt underneath and uncomfortably removes her sweater.
"Let me," Niklaus says, placing the sweatshirt near the fireplace to dry.
Then he removes his dark jacket and hands it to Cali, even though he likes Cali in her white T-shirt, which hugs her body wonderfully and emphasizes every curve.
Cali admires Nik's bravery. She slips on the oversized jacket, surrounded by his aroma, a combination of rain, pinewood, and freshly cut grass, her favorite scent.
She couldn't stop glancing at Nik, dressed in a dark T-shirt and jeans. When he wears the jacket, he appears lean. Cali realizes he appears thin but muscular and athletic, perfectly her style, not too buff like some men who make her feel threatened by their presence.
Niklaus takes a seat beside her, his knee accidentally touching hers. She was on the verge of jumping. Niklaus laughed. Cali's cheeks turn bright red once more.
"Have you been here often?" Cali attempts to hide her humiliation through talk.
"Yes," Niklaus's face shifted from a light to a somber, even painful, expression. Cali is aware that she has touched a sensitive area again in haste. She hoped she could retract it.
"How long are you going to stay here?" Niklaus is attempting to change the subject. Cali is aware of this. She could see that this place was weighing him down. Is he reminded of anyone by this valley? Someone who means a lot to him? Maybe an ex-girlfriend? Cali feels a twinge of envy.
"We will leave on Friday," Cali responds.
"In town, there is an Italian restaurant called Baroque's Pizza. Try it. It serves the world's best seafood spaghetti. ...I used to..." Niklaus comes to a halt. His expression is loaded with anguish.
Cali wishes she could stomp off his sorrow. She wishes she could hug him, comfort him, and never let him go. But she is aware that she is daydreaming. They are, after all, simply two people who happened to be in the same cabin on a rainy day. An attractive man like him will likely have numerous ladies admiring and pursuing him. But she's simply a regular girl living an average life.
Niklaus is taken aback by this. He was on the verge of revealing his secret. The secret he'd kept hidden in his heart since that fateful day. He wants to continue telling her what has happened to him and what causes him grief every day. He couldn't, however. He couldn't drag her into his insane world, filled with hatred, intrigue, calculating, and malice. They will split up. She will be free from the bitter turmoil of his life, leading a serene existence full of laughter.