Bound by Tension
33

"He always told me that he had always wished he flushed me into the toilet when I was born."

I gasped. "Is he crazy?"

"Was," he corrected, "he's dead now."

"Whatever, it gives him no right to have tortured an innocent child with such harsh words." I frowned.

"What makes you think I was innocent?" He smirked, still fiddling with my fingers.

I blinked twice at once, "you weren't?"

"Nah, I was a badboy from 5, but he was still crazy. He was poor and my Mom was the rich one. He only married her for her wealth and because she was infertile but she was fortunate enough to have me so it hurt his soul." "Who wouldn't be excited to be a father?"

"My father wasn't."

"Then he was crazy!" I hollered.

He burst into laughter, throwing his head back. "You're so adorable when you're angry."

"Adorable? I'm not adorable." I still frowned.

"Okay. What are you?" He leaned his face closer to mine.

"Uh..." I moved my head backwards.

"You're beautiful and hot." He smirked, held me to stop me from moving my head backwards and planted a kiss on my forehead.

He sat up straight then I did so too, frowning a bit. "You have no right to kiss me."

"Why not? You're giving me a chance, right?"

"Right, but you haven't proven yourself to be worthy of my approval."

"Jeez, so tough."

"What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head excessively, holding my hand again to fiddle with my fingers.

"It doesn't sound like nothing to me."

He rose to his feet again, lifting me to my feet by my hand. "Let's go on a walk, you'll like me soon." "A walk? The movie?"

"We'll return to watch the movie. A nice walk should be romantic." It didn't sound so romantic to me. "Okay," I replied.

He still held my hand to lead me out of the barrier of chairs then led me out of the restaurant.

I was welcomed by the coolness of the evening breeze greeting my skin with its wonderful harmony playing in my ears. The moon was shining its glory in my direction, enough to make me fall in love with it in an instant more than Hames. "Let's go." He continued holding me, and began walking on the pavement.

We still maintained silence for the next few minutes, only swinging our linked hands.

"Imogen," he called, breaking the silence and I glanced at him to catch his graceful smile. "I love you."

That was so unexpected so it sounded awkward and made nervousness ignite in me.

"We've talked about my crazy father but it'd be nice to talk about you."

"About me?"

"Yes."

"Talk about me to me?"

"Kinda, but related to me."

"Weird but go on."

"There was a day I met you in a store then I secretly followed behind you." He chuckled. "You were with a woman I assumed was your friend, then you both bumped into a man and were smiling at him as you exchanged words with one another. Obviously, I got angry and attempted to storm towards the man but I fell and was hit by a car." He laughed.

"Are you kidding me?" My jaw dropped.

"It was so funny. I almost had my leg amputated but being the strong man I was, that didn't happen."

"Why'd you want to storm to the man?"

"I thought he was your boyfriend or something and it annoyed me. After the accident, that didn't stop me from stalking you. Some people- oh wait, just one person, called me crazy."

"It's indeed crazy. Why were you stalking me?"

"It's clearly because I'm madly in love with you. I never believed in love till I met you, neither did I ever believe in love at first sight. I don't know what special characteristics you possess that intoxicates me so bad."

I stopped in my tracks, making him stop walking too and turned to him, furrowing my forehead in bewilderment. How could he love me this much? It still made no sense. "You were hit by a car because of me?"

"Yes. And when I figured out you were having a few financial problems a few months back, I made Kade give you a raise."

My mouth went agape. "That was because of you?! I thought it was for my... well, being a good secretary."

"You were and you are but it was all me. And there are a lot of things I've done for you in secret. If I'm to continue mentioning them, I won't be done talking even after a week." He had an extremely amazing smile plastered on his face which I had to admit made him look more approachable and different from the usual cold-faced, crabby Hames Hendrix I knew him as.

"I can't believe you've done all these for me and I didn't realize it. You're always acting grumpy so I could never imagine it, I'm still surprised to know you claim to love me and no one would ever imagine you could've done crazy things because you were stalking me."

"Exactly. If Mom ever replaces out, she won't believe it."

"And..." I peered at him, tilting my head a bit to study the happiness etching on his face. "...you should smile more often, it makes you more approachable and look like a nice person."

"Really?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes. Smile more." I placed my fingers on the sides of his lips to extend his smile. Before I could return my hand to my side, he held it and placed a kiss on my palm.

"Your wish is my command, oh dear Queen." He chuckled with a bow of his head. I chuckled at that. "I'll do anything you ask of me so if you want me to smile more, I will."

I smiled, nodding. I think I liked this side of Hames better. He was being sweet, gentle, smiling, confessing. It was a good side and preferable. "You'll do anything I ask of you?" I retrieved my hand from his grip. "Yes, definitely." He nodded.

A smirk slowly appeared on my lips. "Oh, really?"

He lifted and curved an eyebrow. "Yes?" That came out as a question.

"Hm..." I trailed off, biting my lower lip gently. "Mr. Hendrix," I called in the most seductive voice I could ever possess, walking closer to him and held his shoulders.

"As far as I remember, we've agreed to calling each other by our first names." He said monotonously, staring at me in absolute confusion. We never agreed.

"I know." I smirked, moving closer to him.

He was slowly moving backwards. "I know this is something I'd love but you're scaring me. What's with the sudden change of attitude?" He stared down at me, furrowing his forehead in perplexity. He couldn't move backwards anymore because his back hit a wall.

"You know," I trailed my fingers down from his shoulder to his arm. Gosh, his arm was so rigid. "You make your employees overwork." I was speaking slowly, returning my hand to his shoulders and laced my fingers behind his neck, locking my eyes with his. He looked nervous, confused and his chest was rising and falling rapidly. I had to stop myself from laughing. How on Earth did I do this to him?

"I know."

"And I'm your employee too,"

"I also know that."

"You make me overwork." The closeness between us was killing me, it could make me go crazy if it didn't end soon. "After going to Australia and overworking for you, we returned and you only gave me a 2-day break. Isn't that mean?" "Mean?" He chuckled. "I never give anyone a break, else they recently gave birth."

"So I'm like every other person to you?" I pretended to make a sad face.

"No, no, not at all." He shook his head.

"If I'm not," I leaned closer to him and his hand went to my waist. I also had to stop myself from gasping and jerking away from him. His touch was making me feel dizzy. I needed to end this soon. "You should give me a week break." "A week?!" He laughed. "That's not possible."

I frowned, pulling away from him. "You said you'd do anything for me. I'd have to meet Mia tomorrow with Lila but I'll also resume work tomorrow. I need more break."

"Imogen," he smiled again. No dude, your smile ain't affecting me anymore. "For two days, you've not been working with me, it's been damn stressful. I have to work extra time and no one can complete the work you've started with me, else they'll receive a 2-month training from you."

That meant I was doing a good job and was a compliment in a way but I deserve more break. "You said you'll do anything I ask of you."

"I know I said that and I mean it but I need you at work. Plus, you said I should stop stalking you and I'd stop that so I won't have enough time to see you. Do you know how hard it'd be to have a day without seeing you? I always ensure I see you everyday by stalking you."

"It's not so much, just a week."

"Okay, I'll give you one more day for your break."

"Make it four."

"No,"

"Okay, three?"

"No, one more day would make it a 3-day break."

I glared at him for a while then sighed. Well, it was only a day I needed actually. "Okay, but it's still against your words. You didn't do what I asked of you."

He smirked, held my arm to pull me to his chest wrapping an arm around my waist. "I'll make it up to you. Would you like to go on a 1 or 2-week vacation to another country with me? Not for work, just for fun."

Another country? I was going to leave the country again? And not work?! "It won't affect your work schedule?" Why did I care?

"It will but I'd ignore that for your sake."

I gazed at him, considering whether or not I should agree. Why was I being hesitant? I had always loved travelling around the world.

"We'll do any activity you choose."

"Yes, I'd love to!"

He let out a chuckle relief. "For a minute, I thought you were going to refuse. You'd love it, I promise to make it perfect for you. Aren't I such a nice person? I'm ready to give up work for a week or two, for you. I've never done that for my mother." "You-"

I was interrupted by his lips crashing against mine. He removed his hand from my arm to wrap his arm around my shoulders, pulling me even closer to him to deepen the kiss.

His kiss was igniting a weird type of fire in me, resulting in a series of sparks that made my heart and brain throb really hard against my rib cage and skull respectively. His kiss was breath-murdering and caused a shiver to flow through my spine.

I knew if I returned the kiss, it could lead to something more intense so I broke apart from it, panting to catch my breath.

"H-Hames," I breathed out, still panting.

He kissed my forehead and let go of me. "Thank you for coming into my life. I'm glad I ever met you. We should return to watch the movie now. I hope I don't sleep off or get distracted by work-related things." He held my hand again to intertwine our fingers.

I didn't know what to say about his kiss. Was I supposed to be mad at him, happy or just ignore it?

This was all too confusing. I was just going to ignore his kiss, and the effect of it in me, as well as our intertwined fingers.

***

The driver finally brought the car to a stop in front of our house.

"Goodnight." So he could say that?

"Goodnight." I smiled at him.

I opened the door to leave but he held my hand. Oh no, not another kiss.

"Hames, don't kiss me."

"Why not? I'll miss you." How on Earth was he so different today? Miss me? "I won't see you for another night and day, then another night." He wore a gloomy face.

"I have to leave now." I slipped my hand out of his grip. "Stop being a big baby."

"Yeah, right." He cleared his throat, maintaining his usual bold, work face. "You can leave now." Here we go again with the authoritative tone.

"Please smile, I hate this face." I admitted.

He chortled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I said again, picked my purse, got out of the car and shut the door. After a wave at him, I turned around to leave.

I sauntered to the door of the building and reached for my keys in my purse. Taking the key out, I unlocked the door then shambled in, shutting the door behind me. Everywhere was pitch-dark so my hand grazed the wall till I touched the switch and turned on the lights.

The living room was as messy as hell, confirming that it was either due to Nikita being angry or she had lost something and had destroyed the entire house in search of it.

"Nikita, so silly." I shambled to the stairs and climbed it, then to my room.

Nikita's wasn't in here either so I guessed she hadn't returned from the weird party.

I kicked my shoes from my feet and stripped my clothes off me, grabbed two towels from my wardrobe and left for the bathroom.

After a long bath and a shower, I brushed my teeth, wrapped a towel around my body and the other around my head, returned to my room for my night skincare routine, changed into a see-through nightdress.

I arranged the room then plopped myself onto my bed.

Hames had proven to be a sweet person tonight. He smiled, communicated, and wasn't so cold. Maybe giving him a chance wasn't such a bad idea.

I wasn't certain if it was the right thing but I knew I loved the idea of going on a 2-week vacation, whether or not it was with him.