Hot and Cold

Theo and Lisa sat on the bonnet of the black custom-made convertible mustang, taking in the picturesque view of the open meadows before them.

Lisa's long, wavy red hair fluttered in the gentle breeze.

Her eyelids slowly shut away her crystal eyes as she deeply inhaled the fresh air.

She exhaled slowly, her mind refreshing itself with the aroma of fresh flowers and the dew of the clear spring.

Soon, her tense muscles relaxed from trauma.

Her sparkling emerald eyes opened up again, this time with a heartfelt smile that proclaimed her beauty to the painted horizon.

Theo quietly watched her from the side, taking in her own beauty. The meadows were now all too familiar to retain his attention. Lisa outclassed them; and not just them, everyone in his eyes.

'She's so beautiful.', he thought.

He observed her cool style.

Her large blue jean jacket fashionably hung off her shoulder revealing her polished skin to the mild sunlight. Her nude bodycon crop top stopped short, revealing the tinniest part of her waist. She paired the jacket with matching high-waisted, three-quarter, combat jean trousers, and some nude platform boots. She seemed to be wearing the perfect outfit for such a getaway as this.

'So classy. Always put together...', he commended her in his mind.

Theo himself looked like a blonde superman in his simple casual outfit. He had ditched his suits and blazers for a simple checkered designer shirt over a pair of jeans: jeans Leonard Hughes will never be caught dead in.

He thought about his search for clothes this morning...

He had put his entire mansion under intense pressure, trying to find the perfect clothes that would make him look normal, but cool, regular but stylish and unassuming, the perfect outfit to draw enough of her attention, but not too much of it to make her uncomfortable.

Gerrard weepily presented combination after combination in the disorganised walk-in closet (bigger than some people's entire homes), but Theo turned every single one down, until the hero, Vince showed up.

Somehow Vince was able to get him in these clothes.

'Hmm... these clothes seem to work.', he thought to himself, considering that Lisa was currently the most natural she had ever been with him.

'...Apparently, giving her space and just showing up when she needs help also works...', he added, analysing Lisa like a test subject.

...

Lisa's sparkling eyes finally turned to him.

"This place is amazing Theo.", she said with another refreshing smile.

"Yeah.", he agreed, giving the view a temporary gaze. "I come here when I need an escape. You should watch the sunrise or sunset here. It's divine.", he said honestly.

He turned his dark green gaze back to her.

"Wanna tell me what happened back there?", he asked softly, careful not to pry too deeply.

Lisa sighed.

"Well, I just found out James and his entire family have been using me and my mom right from the beginning... I- I got an anonymous tip last night with clear evidence that shows that after my dad's accidental death, the Willows embezzled billions of dollars from dad's - our company, the Hatton Group and ran the company down on purpose. They later used the embezzled funds to set up the Willow Group...", she said, calmer than she could ever have imagined she could tell the tale.

Lisa took another deep breath and continued.

"...It's hard to take because my dad and Mr Willow were such tight friends. A betrayal of this magnitude is unbelievable. The Willows covered up their evil deeds and convinced investors that dad mismanaged his own company and that the Hatton Group was already bankrupt at the time of dad's accident..."

She paused for a moment to blow a shaky breath and wipe a stray tear.

Theo listened quietly as she opened up to him.

She continued after a pitiful sob, occassionally biting her lips to hold back the pain she felt deep within.

"...Angry investors were going to come after us with charges of embezzlement, but uncle Willow 'helped us settle it'. His way of settling it was to pay investors off with all of dad's assets! Then he later moved all our clients and partners to the new rising Willow Group!...

...In the end, we had nothing left but the house and the bakery. We lost everything!", Lisa broke into fresh tears. However, these tears felt soothing, like the tears shed when one is healing, rather than those that rip the heart to a million pieces.

Theo held Lisa in a warm hug. She needed it.

"You know, you can stop here if you want. I don't have to hear the whole story.", he said, giving her back a gentle rub. Her long hair tickled the back of his palm.

"No. Telling is helping...", she said. Her words muffled in Theo's shoulder.

He slowly let her go. 'Space. Space, remember Leo.', he reminded himself as he let her slide away from his warmth and back to her initial position.

Lisa looked a little dissappointed.

She continued.

"My mom always kinda suspected shaddy business, but I guess she didn't question the Willows because she had no proof. Then again, I was engaged to James, and she was grieving from dad's sudden death. Plus we really had nothing to fight them with if we did prove all that. They would crush us...

...Thank goodness she had just started the bakery when dad died or we would have had nothing at all. Mom worked so hard on the bakery to get us back on our feet again.", Lisa said with her hands straightening out her hair. She wiped away stray tears with her wrist.

...

"She's an amazing woman.", Theo complimented Mrs Hatton sincerely.

"...You're both so strong.", he added, captivating Lisa again with his deep green whirlpools. At the same time, his thumb wiped another stray tear running down the left side of her face.

Lisa paused with her manicured fingers in her hair, getting lost in his gaze again.

They stayed like that, quiet, inches apart, and locked in eachother's gaze for a few seconds more...

...

Lisa could feel her heart starting to tingle like her already blanking mind. And then she could feel a rush of heat building up from the bottom of her stomach and spreading all over the insides of her body.

Her heavy eyelids narrowed to the level of his lips.

Looking at them made the heat increase 10 times!

...

Lisa blinked her gaze away just a second before she was overtaken by her need...

"I- I... um...", Lisa's mind had forgotten what she was talking about. Her full eyelashes blinked about 20times in a second like a malfunctioning doll. She tried to look at anything else, anywhere else but him as she waited for the overheating, cheap knock-off of a brain she now had to load.

Theo came to when enchanting eyes left him.

"...Ahem...", he sharply inhaled and cleared his throat to clear his own haze. He could still feel the steam from that moment of attraction just then. His mouth had even started to hunger after her glossy pink lips.

He swallowed.

...

Lisa finally loaded to 100%. Her eyes dropped to the bonnet of the mustang.

"...Um... Yeah. You've got an awesome car, Theo...", she blurted out, swiftly, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Theo burst out in a chuckle so deep he quaked.

Lisa followed him with a light giggle. His rare smile tugged at her heart strings. His reclining movement revealed some sculpted muscles.

She looked away, still red with a pile of blushes.

"No, but I do mean it. This mustang is bomb.", she said, referring to the car compliment.

"Thanks.", Theo smiled again.

...

Lisa got serious.

"Uh... Thanks again for saving me, Theo. I know it was probably reckless to confront James like that but, I just couldn't help getting mad. James is trying to use me again; to steal my talent! I will never let him!!", she said, her face bore a look of determination. Determination to make James pay.

Theo admired her determination.

"I'm always here to help. Call me whenever.", he said with a wink.

That immediately earned him a giggle from Lisa.

'Hmm... Vince seems to know his stuff...', Theo thought to himself, surprised at the miracle of a wink.

Lisa cut short his train of thought.

"Oh! Right! I don't have your number. I can't call you if I don't have your number.", she answered his former statement.

Theo imputed his phone number on her phone.

...

Lisa thought about their first lesson at Theo's workplace.

"Uhh... I think kicking you in the face back then may have been a bit over the top. Haha...", she started.

Theo was happy to talk about the tutelage.

"It was a good kick. I was being a bad student... Haha", he joked!

Lisa laughed again.

'Hmm... she likes jokes', Theo thought, still analysing and learning.

"Haha... I think we can resume the lessons.", Lisa added.

Theo's eyebrows raised with pleasant surprise.

"Thank you.", he said, sincerely.

"...Yeah, but just not at your office... It's just a weird atmosphere. Everyone seems so serious, like they have to act a certain way. And your boss keeps loading you with tons of work! I can't help feeling on edge...

We can have subsequent lessons at your house. It's probably more comfy, right?" Lisa suggested.

Leonard Hughes' enormous mansion immediately flashed through Theo's mind.

'Nope. That will certainly blow my cover.', he thought to himself.

"Hmm... how about your house? I think that's a better idea. You will be most comfortable.", he suggested, quickly dodging a bullet.

"Uhhh... Well, my mom could be a major distraction, but... she's usually at the bakery till 8, so... Ok. We could try that." It was decided.

"Good."

Theo blew a sigh of relief within.

He expertly changed the topic.

"So how is work at Platinum Entertainment so far?", he asked, suddenly being extremely chatty.

Lisa released a nervous laugh.

"Hehe... Well, great so far. Only, my supervisor is working me to death."

"Supervisor?", Theo was curious.

"Yeah. Mr Vince put me under a supervisor to oversee my rigorous training. It's Kevin... You know, hardcore, super cool rockstar Kevin?..."

Theo's ears peaked when Lisa mentioned Theo's latest love rival.

"Kevin... You think he's cool?", Theo found himself dangerously tilting toward jealousy.

"Well, he's alright really. He's a great trainer and I'm really learning a lot, but he's really stressing me out..."

Lisa went on discussing about Kevin and the state of her training at Platinum Entertainment.

Theo listened attentively to every word.

...

"Kevin... Huh.", he whispered to himself.

The wind whistled, prophesying a coming hurricane.

...

Back at school, Ralph suddenly felt a horrific chill right down to his bones.

'Huh... it's suddenly chilly in here... Feels like a storm is coming.", he thought to himself.

...

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MORE BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:

- Celebrity Crush! In My Bed (romance, comedy, fantasy drama, ceo, showbiz)

- Thirsty Royals: NEW (romance, comedy, fantasy, drama, action, villain, R18)

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