Chapter forty-one : Lucifer

I settled back on the chair, my eyes falling on the little note Everly had left for me. Tiffany was the daughter of one of my partners and lately she was all over the place. She found the smallest reasons to drop by and it was starting to get on my nerves. Last night when I was heading home she called up stating the contract had some loose ends. How she managed to get my personal contact I had no idea. After I realized she won't give we decided on meeting at the restaurant two blocks away from the company. The so called beautiful night consisted of me leaving her there when she told me it was all a lie.

And if that wasn't enough today her father teamed up with her precious daughter and I got stuck with her for two hours. It was already too late when I came back which meant I couldn't see Everly, and seeing the bouquet in the living I immediately knew the sender. I planned on throwing it away but my eyes fell on the envelope and I tore it open. My eyes directly fell on the paper instead of the card. I immediately recognized the handwriting and my lips curled up when I read its content. So my girl was mad today.

Before I headed to her room I threw away the bouquet knowing Everly certainly didn't like it. My day was already tiring enough but the moment I saw Everly it vanished away. She even opened the door before I could even knock and was all over the place. By the looks of it, she was surly having second thoughts.

It took every ounce of my restraint not to pounce on her with the way she stared at me with those innocent green eyes. I also ended up making extra efforts to go slow so she enjoyed every bit of it. It was cute of her to think that I wouldn't feel her eyes on me. My senses seemed to have increased immensely from the moment I laid my eyes on her. I could literally feel her presence, feel what she did and other stupid shit. It was frustrating and beautiful at the same moment.

My chest warmed up when she told the reason about the note. She was jealous. She might've not accepted it but she was, I knew it because she had a give. Whenever she lied her ears turned a bright shade of red. I noticed when it when she moved in with me. Obviously I wouldn't be telling her that, after all there was no harm using it in my favor.

I ate up the last few bites of the pie which was the delicious like everything she made. I would've to make it up to her for missing dinner for two consecutive nights. Maybe we could do something together after she was done with her finals. Gathering my bearings I headed up to my room when I remembered about the pen Dad sent for her. It was something he did every time any one of us had our final exams, Blake was the last one in the line but with Everly it made two of them.

I knocked softly at the door and it flew open a moment later. Everly stood there looking like she'd just rolled in her bed a few times. I smiled considering there was a possibility of her doing so. "Here, Dad gave it for you." Getting straight to the topic I handed out the small box to her.

"For me? Why? What is it?" She shot out questions but didn't make any attempt to take the box. "Why would he-"

I pushed the box into her hands before she could complete herself. Couldn't she just accept a gift without asking a million of questions? She looked at the box and then at me. "Open it. It won't bite." Before she could go on with another questionnaire I spoke, "It's kind of a tradition. Dad gets everyone a pen before their finals. And you have to accept this. No questions asked." I sighed and looked down at her. She was still gazing at the pen in the box before she looked up at me and gave me one of her smiles that melted me, "Thank you. It's really sweet of him." Her eyes were practically shining. She was actually happy with just a pen? If someone told me earlier that a small gift like a pen could make one so happy I'd consider them crazy but seeing it with my own eyes was unbelievable. But nothing mattered if she was happy.

I sighed and shook my head, I knew everything about her yet I knew nothing about her. But we had time. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Now go sleep."

"Good night," she muttered before stepping in and closing the door. I stood there long enough to hear the lock click in place. After all the time we'd spent together she was still wry of me, but there was nothing much I could do except wait. I'd make sure soon enough she wouldn't just unlock her door but her heart too, and when time comes I'd be standing right there for her.

***

I wasn't able to get much sleep with all the thoughts that clouded up my mind. I gave up trying and got out of bed, it was only 5 a.m. and still early. If I couldn't sleep so I might as well start my day early. I freshened up and headed down to the gym. The door to Everly's room was still shut, maybe I could prepare breakfast and then wake her.

My trance was broken when I heard a muffled voice when I reached the end of the stairs. I stood still and then heard it again, it was coming from the kitchen. As I followed it I found Everly sitting on the breakfast island her back to me surrounded by two packs of chocolate milk and I could guess she was already on her third. It looked like we were soon going to be out of chocolate milk. And then I heard it again, heard her talk. Much to my amusement Everly was talking to herself.

"I shouldn't have done that, maybe if I hadn't said that he wouldn't have turned all vile and irritable. But what's done is done, if I were to fail it would be completely his fault." She murmured and took a long swig out of the pack. So chocolate milk did what alcohol did for other people for her. She sighed and jumped off the island, "Aah!" She screamed when she found me standing behind her. The milk pack flew out of her hand and landed on the floor, spilling its content all over the floor. "Are you crazy? You scared me to death." She said with a hand on her chest.

I just shrugged in reply.

"You could have at least made a sound. How long have you been standing?" She snapped and took a step in my direction. I smirked, it was going to be one hell of a morning. That's what I thought before she slipped on the spilled milk. She gasped and held onto the kitchen counter but her grip slipped and she landed on the ground with a loud thud. I rushed to her and saw her laying down in the puddle of milk. She groaned and tried to sit up but her hand slipped again and she fell down again. "Hey easy," I said and grabbed her under the arms to help her stand.

She gripped the counter in a death grip and took in a deep breath. I looked down at her, her pajamas were now drenched in chocolate milk and her wet hair stuck to her face. She looked like a tiny drenched kitten, the situation would've been comical if not for the look on her face.

"Are you alright?" I asked picking her up and setting her on the kitchen counter.

"If not being able to sleep, getting cold feet before my exam and covered in chocolate milk counts as fine, then yes I am alright." She snipped, and I stifled a smile.

"Hey don't worry. You're going to be just fine." I said brushing away few strands of hair that had stuck to her forehead.

"It's not me I'm worried about it's one of my professors. I dared to and I quote 'find a fault in his thesis that over a hundred colleges are after and I'd have to pay for it sooner or later." She sighed and shook her head.

"That's not possible sweetheart-" I started but she cut me off. "I know but I'm still worried, I don't understand why, but I just want to get done these stupid exams and have a long vacation." She jumped off the counter and almost slipped again but I caught her.

If vacation was something she wanted, then it was something she was going to get. "You finish off with your exams on Friday, right?" She turned to me and nodded. "Then how about we spend a long weekend?"

Her brows furrowed and she looked up at me, "Don't you have any work to do? I mean you're quite busy." I couldn't overlook the sarcasm in her voice and smiled, "No, I don't. So what do you say?"

"But what are we going to do?"She said pinching at her shirt which was sticking to her body. My eyes fell straight on the top opened buttons which were now wide opened, giving me a full view of what lay behind. I cleared my throat and looked away, "Don't worry about that. I'll find something good for us."

"Okay then. Get back to me when you've made up your mind. Could you take care of the mess for me?" She said, and I nodded.

"Cool. I'll go clean myself up." She murmured and turned around. I sucked in a deep breath, God, this woman would be the death of me. Did she have any idea how she was torturing me? As if on cue she turned around, "You'll be fine, right?" She looked up at me with those green emeralds.

"Yes I will be fine. Just go." I said. Fortunately she didn't start another questionnaire and walked away. I took a deep breath and looked down at myself, seemed like the milk will have to wait.