My Playful Heart 1

Owen is sleeping when he feels a gentle caress on his face, then a peck on his lips. He smiles as he recognizes his girlfriend even with his eyes closed just by her distinctive refreshing baby powder scent, so he throws his arms around her and pulls her to a tight embrace before kissing her passionately.

Then, suddenly he pulls away, which makes Keira sulk. She wraps her arms around Owen's neck trying to continue making out, but to her disappointment, he removes them from his nape.

"I need to take a shower. And when I get back, you've gotta be ready for an explanation, babe!" he says as he stands up and walks to the bathroom inside his contemporary Victorian-inspired bedroom.

Keira bites her lower lips apologetically before nodding. She looks around his cozy room. She can't help herself but admire her boyfriend's taste in interior design. The room has a refreshing ambiance as it is in forest green and white ensemble--- from the walls down to the carpet.

She is lying on his bed admiring the mural on the domed ceiling above Owen's king-size bed. It is a painting of a woman holding a stem of the rose in the majestic landscape outside their palatial home in Isla del Fuego. The woman is smiling but her eyes are full of pain and sadness which makes Keira wondering who she might be. Four yellow incandescent lights are installed around the dome giving the mural a sunset effect.

Then her eyes turn to the walls painted in forest green and every beautifully carved corner in white. The walls look plain, but they are actually cabinets with a magnetic lock so if you know where to press, then a closet full of clothes and other important stuff will emerge in front of you.

Then, of course, a white drapery flows in front of a sliding glass wall leading to a veranda overlooking the famous Kensington palace garden.

She stands up and moves to the sofa then reads a Cosmopolitan magazine she picks up under the center table. Then, a fresh scent of after shower gel catches her attention. She looks towards Owen who emerges from the bathroom drying his hair with a towel with his royal blue robe on. Keira blushes as she gazes at his toned muscles and can't help herself from imagining dirty things.

"Do you mind putting some clothes on?" she scolds trying so hard to focus on the magazine she's reading.

Owen smirks at her reaction. "As if you've never seen me naked before," he replies while walking towards the closet.

"Babe, don't even try denying how you enjoy the view even from behind," Owen says while putting his jeans on.

That's it! She loses it!

Keira throws the magazine at him before storming off and slamming the glass sliding door to the veranda.

She hears him laughing out loud.

"Crazy guy!" she exclaimed. She takes deep breaths to calm herself.

After a while, he opens the door.

"The adult show is over. You may now come in," Owen, wearing a white polo shirt and a pair of blue jeans, says with a mischievous smile on his face.

"So what up with this 'gay' thing?" he asks as they sit on the sofa facing each other.

"When we were in Isla del Feugo, my father called me several times because he was so worried about our safety even if Helena was there. That was the time Sheryl was kidnapped and Brad's mom was shot. When he couldn't reach me, he called Tamara instead. But of course, your brother and she were not with us. Therefore, he ended up calling Diana."

"We were at the hospital at that time. Still not convinced that were okay, he asked her to take a photo. And maybe you remember what kind of photo was taken at that time," she explains.

"Yes. I was hugging you from behind while you leaned on me as we sat down waiting anxiously for the result of mom's surgery at the hospital's parking lot," Owen recalls.

"I've mentioned before that my dad is so protective of me since I am his only daughter. On top of that, he wants me to marry someone the family knows for a long time," Keira adds.

"A traditional Englishman," he utters.

She nods. "The very reason why I never had any boyfriends before. He simply scared away anyone who attempted courting me."

"Yeah. I can be a living proof to that part," Owen says while smiling.

Keira creases her brows in confusion. "Proof to what?" she asks.

"Proof that you were pure when I took you on my yacht. Nothing can top that night! I thank your dad for that one," he exclaims.

Keira, with her face flushed, shakes her head trying not to remember it. Then, she hits his arm hard making him shout in pain.

"We have a problem to solve, Mcknight. Focus!" she yells masking her embarrassment.

"Right. Go on," he apologizes.

"To cut the story short, my father confronted me as soon as I arrived home after three months ago," she continues.

"And then?"

"Then, I told him that we're a couple and we love each other. He got mad. It was my first time seeing him that angry, so I got scared," Keira tells him as she holds her chest.

"So you told him that I'm a 'gay'?" Owen asks amused.

"Nope. Yesterday, he heard me talking to you. We had a serious talk after and he asked me to cut our ties or else he'll dig into your past to uncover whatever bones you have in your closet. So, I suddenly told him that you're a 'gay', so he has nothing to worry about," she answers.

"Whoah! Your dad is intense!" Owen exclaims.

"Do you want to change your mind?" she asks with sadness in her voice.

"Nope. Not once have I ever given up in my life, Keira. Your dad wants to challenge me and I am up for it," he replies with confidence.

"I know how competitive you are, but so as my father. Don't be so confident about this," she says in a worried tone.

Owen cups her face and kisses her forehead.

"Attorney Miller, I am not a romantic guy and you know that. For a long time, my brother and I worked hard to have a better life. And thankfully, we are now reaping the fruit of our hardships and sacrifices. All these years, I neglected my personal life resulting in casual datings. I never had any serious girlfriends until I met you. So, I'll do whatever it takes to win your father's favor even if it seems impossible to do so," he tells Keira who becomes teary-eyed.