Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

Aware of where his hands were, Antonio reluctantly withdrew but it was too late as the softness of her bare skin was imprinted in his brain and there was nothing boyish about it as he'd thought. Gosh she was sexy and beautiful and her lips were plump and ripe like berries he wished he could take a bite. He wondered how Jeremy was able to see it even before he did. How was he able to see something between them even before Antonio could put a finger on it?

Antonio cleared his throat and took a step back. "You should go." He told her.

"yes." She managed feeling a little disappointed and light headed.

Indira staggered back to the ranch house, she was confused. She'd never felt anything like this before, this magnetic pull she has towards him is messing with her head and making her act like an idiot.

Indira had never been in love before, she had no idea what to expect.

Rowena dropped her bag on the floor before her arms flew around Indira catching her offguard happy that her friend is doing okay.

"Thank God you're okay I got so worried when I heard about it." She said pulling away from Indira.

Indira smiled. They only met a few weeks ago and their friendship was really growing fast. Rowena had never thought that she could find someone who understood her, someone she could share all her secrets with and neither had Indira.

"That must really hurt." Rowena said staring at India's arm in a sling with a grimace. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I am fine." Indira assured her. "Let's go upstairs."

Graciela smiled to herself, it warmed her heart to see Indira already making friends. Her daughter was naturally an introvert as opposed to Jessica, she disappeared into the kitchen to get lunch ready. Leandro had been busy lately with a problem regarding their chemical supplier apparently the man had found another client who was offering him a better deal, and there's also the problem with some mildew infested coffee seedlings, leandro is doing everything he could to contain the infection which had spread over one-third of the coffee plants and that's a sign that the year was going to be a bad one.

"Wow your room is awesome." Rowena gushed looking around the cozy room with brown rug and two large beds.

"It's not mine alone, I share it with Jessica."

"I still think it's cool. Can I tell you a secret?"

"sure." They both sat at the edge of Indira's bed.

"I share a room with my mom." They both giggled.

"That's not so bad." Indira said.

"whatever." Rowena said dismissively " Anyway, school was boring without you. When do you think you'll be fit to go back?"

"I don't know, it's the doctor's call." Indira realised now that she wants to go back to school not because it's fun but because of Rowena they practically only have each other now. "How is Erica and her gang?"

"I don't wanna talk about them." Rowena waved it off gloomily.

"Why do you let Erica treat you the way that she does?"

"If I fight back, my mom will be the one to suffer for it."

Indira could feel the sadness in her voice. "Why."

"Because my family depends on Erica's family. My mom works for them and if she gets fired because of me then we'll have no one to turn to."

"I am so sorry. It must be so hard." Indira said, she could only imagine what it must be like for her friend to have endured all of Erica's torture because of her family's situation.

"Yeah tell me about it, and Erica uses it to her advantage."

Indira closed her hand over Rowena's squeezing it to reassure her. "I wish there is something I can do."

"Why are we even talking about Erica? I am here to talk about you."

Indira smiled suddenly.

"I brought you some notes to help you catch up." Rowena said changing the topic. She unzipped her bag and brought out her notes which she handed to Indira.

"Thank you so much you're the best."

"Tada!" Niki flaunts his arms at the train of mannequins and busts lined up in Olivia's office, she couldn't help but whoa at the sight.

"Oh my God this is incredible!"

"I told you I could handle them." Niki said with a hint of pride swelling in his chest that the sleepless night he made the designers have is worthwhile. There were about thirty mannequins which were RTWs for the romance collection.

"This is great Niki, how long was it? A day?"

"Now all that's left to do for the remaining two days is to assemble all the models and decorators, this is going to be the grandest fashion show ever.

"I hope so."

"I know so." Manuel deep voice remarked from the doorway. He stood there tall and handsome wearing one of his sexy smiles.

Niki smiled and mouth 'have fun' to Olivia to which she rolled her eyes in response. Niki bowed slightly Manuel as he left.

Manuel strode into the room and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a kiss. When they finally pulled away he gazed into her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about last night?"

She gazed back at him moistening her lips, she wasn't sure of what to tell him. "No."

He cupped her face in his palm. "When you're ready, I'll always be here. I want you to know that you can tell me anything my love."

Olivia felt guilty; he's so nice and understanding. "We don't have to keep secrets from each other." He told her. "I want us to be completely honest with each other." She nodded. Manuel planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be going back to the office now. I'll see you tonight?"

"always." Olivia smiled. Then with one last kiss on the mouth he left and Olivia sighed in frustration.

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here's a new chapter i hope you like it!