Patricia's POV
I didn't stop him when we arrived at my gate. Hell, I didn't even stop him when he followed me all the way up the elevator, into my house. It was his second time here. The first time was when I put it together, now, it was completely finished and he looked surprised.
"Your place is beautiful. You've got any food? I'm hungry."
He removed his shoes and walked into my kitchen like he owned the place. I stood, stunned, watching him ransack the fridge. I really had no idea what was in there and I couldn't care less.
"What the hell are you even doing?"
I asked, then I watched him stop, then he turned around to face me. My arms were folded and it felt like a staring competition for a second, even though I couldn't make anything out of his stare.
"What?" I asked again, the weight of his stare becoming uncomfortable.
"The only thing you've put in your mouth today is a glass of wine. Aren't you hungry? What were you planning to eat because clearly, there's nothing here. Have you been taking care of yourself?"
He asked sternly like he owned me, and for a second there, it shocked me that someone could care and notice things like that about me. Truly, I hadn't really eaten all day, but that was not something I expected anything to notice or care about me. I was always going to take care of myself. Yet, he cared. He noticed, he saw it all. It terrified me.
"Stop whining! Why do you even care?" I asked, my brows shooting up.
He stared some more, then shook his head.
"I care about my partners like this, Trisha. Relax, it's not just you. You know what? I'll order take outs, and you'll finish yours before I leave so if you want to complain, forget it. You'll listen to me today."
"Nope, you're leaving now! It's my house, remember?" I yelled out, my gaze settling on his handsome features and I swallowed hard, amidst my feistiness.
"I've told you! I won't do as you wish!" I blinked, refusing to believe that he was actually talking back at me. I couldn't say a single word.
"I guess I won't be going anywhere then. I might as well relax." He added.
Dumfounded, I watched him bring out his phone from his pocket and order fast food. To my shock, he stated out my exact address to them like he always knew it. The fuck?
When he dropped the cell and I gave him a shocked look, he didn't even twitch or hide the fact that he shamelessly knew my friggin address. He simply eyed me briefly before he took a seat on my couch.
"So you're really not leaving?" My voice cut, annoyance settling after the shock died down. Liam wasn't playing. What even gave him the audacity to think he could boss me around like that?
"No, I'm not." His voice was heavy with finality, one I couldn't even question. I was feisty but also quiet, all because of him. It's almost like I wanted to be quiet, because he wanted to boss me, and I was letting it happen. I heaved a sigh of resignation.
"Whatever, I'm going to shower."
I freed my arms and proceeded to go in to do just that.
"Hurry up, so your meal won't get cold and oh, don't miss me too much in there!"
He yelled out from the living room, and I've already made it to my bedroom.
"You wish!"
As I grumbled all the way to my room, I hated myself for a second. Is it that I couldn't send him away, that he was simply allowed to act like that?
The darkest side of me wanted it and I hated it.
What was happening to me? The minute I entered my room, I locked the door and hit my back against it, then slowly lowered myself to the ground.
I was dead tired. After staying in that position for like two minutes, I forced myself to get up and draw up a bath.
My whole body really ached but after a relaxing bath of what felt like hours, I came out fully relaxed. Throwing in a pink tiny top and shorts, I sauntered out of the room in high spirits, totally forgetting that I had a visitor. I didn't even dry my hair properly.
The second I popped out, our eyes met. While I gasped in sheer horror, his gaze dropped to my chest for what felt like hours, my full outfit and then to my hair
Well, the mistake had already been made. If I panicked like I was bothered, he would probably use it to taunt me and I wasn't ready for that at all. It was the second time he got to see me out of place and with no makeup.
"Wow." He said. He looked like he didn't just say it, like he was someone else. I saw the take outs lying on the table. He hadn't touched anything. I guess he had been waiting for me.
"What?" I asked curiously as I approached him while he kept scrutinizing me with his dangerous gaze.
"You look breathtaking, Patricia. I mean it as a partner."
An odd thumping began in my chest and my cheeks heated unexpectedly. The way he looked at me. Everything was awfully amazing.
Why the hell was I blushing when he meant it in a nice way?
"Even though I didn't dry my hair? I asked, erupting into a teasing laughter as I was unsure of what to do with his compliment.
"Yes. Even your laugh is beautiful." He sounded dead serious, and the air in the room shifted and completely charged. Something dangerous played in his gaze.
I had to say something, do something, anything.
"Thanks. Oh, our food's here, what did you order?" I immediately changed the subject, ignoring the erratic rise and falls of my chest.
"Well, a good sandwich. You like sandwiches, don't you? Who doesn't, right?" He was seated on the couch, so I joined him, secretly wondering when the fuck he would leave.
He really meant it when he told me he would leave after I had finished eating my food. He had gotten rid of his suit jacket and tossed the tie som
ewhere and truly made himself comfortable. The nerve of this man!
"Yeah, you're right."