“Oh, I never knew this was going on,” she replied and then added, “You don’t have to apologize Chris, it wasn’t your fault. The only person to blame is him,” Nicole said, her tone surprisingly assertive. “I’m just glad you and the security got there before anything worse could’ve happened. But that definitely shocked me to the core, I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life,” she sighed.
I got up from my seat and walked over to her. “Hey, you are stronger than you think. I’m amazed by the way you are handling this right now. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so strong.” I said, trying to console her. “And I hope you know it’s okay to feel vulnerable too, everything you’re feeling is completely justified.” I moved my hand on top of hers.
Nicole looked up. “I’m just so angry and frustrated. What gives him the right..,” she said, a hint of desperation in her voice. She sat up, shaking her head disapprovingly. “What happened, should’ve never happened but it did. That’s just something that happened to me but I refuse to let it define me. And right now, I just want to forget about it for the night.” She got up from her chair. “I’m gonna take a shower. I’ll get you something more comfortable to sleep in.” Nicole smiled faintly and walked into her bedroom.
I moved to the couch and tried to get comfortable.
Moments later she emerged from her bedroom, holding a pair of pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt. “I think these should fit,” she handed them to me and disappeared back into her bedroom. I heard the sound of running water start.
When she got back into the living room, I was in the pyjamas reading one of her books on the couch.
“Hey, I see you got comfortable,” she said with a twinkle in her eye and sat down next to me on the couch.
I slammed the book shut and chuckled, “I’m getting a slight déjà vu here.” After placing the book back on the sofa table I turned to her. “You know me, I’m a secret bookworm. How was your shower?”
Nicole crossed her legs and turned to face me directly. “It was great. There’s something miraculous about a hot shower. I feel like they always make me feel a whole lot better,” she smiled, looking surprisingly content. “I’m glad the pyjamas fit, otherwise this would have turned into you sleeping in your suit or a PG 13 situation,” she giggled.
“Oh, is that so,” I raised my eyebrow and then burst into laughter myself.
For a moment, we sat there and laughed together, forgetting the events of the night momentarily. Then Nicole’s eyes darkened and the memory filled her mind again.
“What is it? Is it about earlier?” I asked.
“I don’t know, no I don’t think so. I guess, just seeing you in those pyjamas after everything that happened tonight is making me feel a way,” she tried to voice her thoughts. “Those are my ex-boyfriend’s clothes, they were the only thing I had for you. We had a really bad breakup and I suppose seeing you in them just made me realize that I’m truly over it and over him,” she continued. “And I just really hated feeling so weak and helpless earlier that it made me wish I had someone strong looking out for me during those moments..not just this specific one but also in general.” Nicole glanced up at me.
“I completely get it. I want you to know that I’m here for you right now. And like I said earlier, I see how strong you truly are and I admire you for that,” I reached for her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Thank you,” she smiled, giving my hand a pat back. “There’s actually something I’ve wanted to ask you about.”
“What is it?”
She shifted herself and began speaking with a shy look on her face. “So, after our lunch I did something I don’t think I should’ve..I Googled you. And the change in my behavior that you probably noticed was because of what I found about you online.”
For a moment, I was stunned but then finally thought I understood what she was referring to. “Oh, you mean the stuff about my reputation with women?”
“Yes. They definitely paint you as a real playboy billionaire,” Nicole said, meeting my eyes.
I took a deep breath in. “I wish I could tell you that those stories aren’t real. But the truth is that most of them are. And I can see how that would turn a woman like you off.”
“So what’s the background story?” She asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, usually it’s something or someone that ends up being the reason men like to go down that road. And I guess to a man in your shoes it’s extremely easy.”
I was surprised by her accurate analysis and hesitated whether I should tell her my story. Seeing as what had happened earlier and the strength she had shown, I decided to go ahead.
“You’re right. It is a typical story. My only serious relationship with my ex-girlfriend ended very badly. She was my first and only love, and in the end she ended up cheating on me with my best friend at that time.” I felt exposed and avoided her gaze, but went on. “After it happened, I promised myself I would never let anyone have that kind of power over me. And so I turned to having casual relationships with beautiful women.” I paused for a few seconds. “But it’s never the same. It’s fun but at the end of the day it’s also meaningless.”
Finally, I felt comfortable enough to meet her eyes again. I was scared she would be judging me but the look in her green eyes was understanding.
Nicole took my hand. “Thanks for sharing this with me,” she said, giving me a reassuring smile. “And I have to say, I know how you’re feeling. My ex left me feeling like that as well, and it’s taken me a long time to let go of the bitterness and doubt. We were together for over a decade and just like in your case, he was my first love. I couldn’t believe that the only person I’d loved would treat me the way he did.”
I felt a weight being lifted off of my shoulders. For the first time in years I had shared something private and painful with someone and was met with understanding and compassion. It felt soothing to know that I wasn’t the only one who had struggled with these feelings.
“I have to say, it feels great to have said that aloud for the first time ever,” I smiled.
She responded to my smile with her own, and we continued talking till the late hours of the night, finally falling asleep on the couch.
Chapter 12
Nicole.
I woke up to the morning sun peeking from the windows. Feeling peaceful and at ease, I opened my eyes and stretched my arms up. My eyes scanned the living room and to my disappointment, realized that Chris was nowhere to be seen.
Why do men always have to make it seem like there’s a connection and then take up and leave? I wondered to myself, getting up from the couch. I tidied up around the living room and kitchen and then headed to my bedroom to get dressed. He may have left but I refused to spend my day pining after a lost connection. Especially after what had happened to me last night.
Quickly, I changed into a pair of leggings and a loose t-shirt, observing myself from the mirror. Physically I looked fine, and the attacker hadn’t managed to do that much damage. I had a tiny bruise on the side of my neck from when he had grabbed my throat and another tiny one in the corner of my left eye from his slap. I shrugged at my reflection and put my hair up in a ponytail. Those were my battle scars. And I damn sure had fought.
I heard the front door open and wondered whether it would be my mom or Katy since they were the only two people who had my keys. It wasn’t unusual for either of them to pop by on the weekend. I rushed to the living room and was amazed to find Chris in front of the door, holding up a paper bag.
“I thought you took off!” I said, surprised.
“Of course not. I woke up early so I took your keys and decided to get us some breakfast. I hope you can forgive me for stealing them,” he grinned, handing me the bag and taking off his coat. “And I hope you like lox bagels.”
I chuckled and headed to the kitchen to make us some coffee. “Well, I happen to love lox bagels. I hope you like coffee because that’s the only drink I have here.�
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After the bagels were put on plates and the coffee had been poured in cups, we sat down at the kitchen table and enjoyed every last bite.
“That was delicious and exactly what I needed,” I smiled, taking one last sip of my coffee.
“Likewise, I enjoyed it almost as much as the company,” Chris nodded.
After everything that happened last night and our conversations, there was almost complete understanding between us. I felt like I knew him well.
Chris got up from his chair and picked up the plates and cups and took them to the kitchen sink. “I actually need to get going, I have some work to do,” he hollered from the kitchen. “But if you’re up for it, I would really like to do something with you this afternoon.”
I got up and walked to him with a smile on my face. “I would love that.”
“Great. I have a plan in mind.” He came back to the living room, put on his coat and then stepped towards me. He took me in his arms and hugged me. I squeezed him back, my head resting on his chest. I could feel his warm, solid muscles and took in his intoxicating scent. I felt safe in his arms.
“I’ll call you,” he finally said, releasing me from his hold. He opened the door and I waved him goodbye.
I grabbed my laptop and laid down on the couch with it. After last night, I decided to do everything in my power to not feel helpless like that ever again. For the next few hours, I would be looking for a self-defence class near me.
AROUND 2 P.M. IN THE afternoon, Chris called me and said he would be coming to pick me up in an hour. He refused to tell me what he had planned, despite how hard I tried to convince him otherwise. After finishing up the episode on Netflix that I had been watching, I got up from the couch. Before my Netflix binge, I had successfully signed up to a self-defence class in my neighborhood.
I changed into a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. From what I’d been able to interpret, Chris was planning something casual. I took down my ponytail and re-did it, making sure I looked a bit more put together. After applying mascara and lipgloss, I paired the outfit with my favorite sneakers.
I was happy he’d asked me to spend the afternoon with him. I still felt a bit hesitant over his reputation but figured that by taking things slowly, I would be able to see what his real intentions were.
Like clockwork, my doorbell rang at 3 p.m. I put on my coat and opened the door, meeting a smiling Chris behind it.
“Let’s get going, I got a bunch of stuff planned for us.” He held out his arm and escorted me to the car. We got in and the driver took off.
“So, when are you gonna tell me what you have planned?”
Chris looked at me playfully. “Funny you should ask,” his expression turned into a bit more serious before he continued. “Actually, I have something special planned for tonight. And because that asshole ruined your dress, I felt the least I could do is reimburse you and take you out shopping. I hope that’s okay with you, if not we can of course do something else.”
I was speechless, both appreciative but hesitant at the same time. I could see why he wanted to do something nice for me, but for some reason I didn’t feel too sure about it. “Thank you but you really don’t have to,” I broke the silence, trying to assure him with a smile.
“Nicole, I know I don’t have to, but I really want to,” Chris replied.
“Well, I guess, if you insist. It just feels a bit funny because I don’t think anyone’s ever taken me shopping to be honest,” I let out a shy laugh. “Nor has that happened to any of my friends before.”
“You can think of it as the company reimbursing you for broken property, if that helps,” he chuckled and we rode the rest of the way in silence.
Soon, the driver pulled up in front of a famous mall, known for its luxurious selection of shops. I gasped internally, when I realized where we were. I’d been there a handful of times before, only to admire the designer creations. I’d never bought anything from there because frankly, I hadn’t been able to afford it with an assistant’s salary.
Chris noticed my bewildered reaction and winked at me, his mouth broadening into a sexy grin. He stepped out of the car and got my door, holding it open for me as I climbed out. Then he led me inside, past the revolving doors.
“Where do you want to start from?” He asked, observing me attentively.
I shifted my gaze back to him from the luxury shops. “Honestly, I have no idea..,” I replied in awe. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes I am, humour me, ” he said sternly and placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the nearest shop. My skin tingled from his touch.
I was in over my head, browsing through all the different dresses and clothes. It wasn’t because I didn’t like shopping — I knew my sense of style was decent. It was the fact that I was used to buying clothes that were one tenth of the price of these. Everytime I found something I liked, I couldn't help but glance at the price tag in shock.
“What size are you?” Chris asked, going through a rack of black dresses.
“Usually a six or an eight.” I saw him pick up a few dresses from the rack and then move onto the next one to grab some of the dresses I had been looking at.
I let out and audible sigh and he stopped dead in his tracks. “Chris, I’m not sure if this is appropriate. I mean, the dress I wore last night was nowhere near as expensive as these are.”
“Don’t worry about it, we’re already here and I’ve seen you look at some of these in adoration,” he said, nodding to his arm that was holding the dresses. “Please, just try them on and if you don’t like any of these, you can choose where we go next.”
I gave in, took the dresses and stepped inside one of the changing rooms, flashing him a look of defeat as I closed the door behind me. I got undressed and put the first dress on. The fabric felt so exquisite on my skin I almost couldn’t believe it.
“And make sure you show me each and every one on you!” I heard him yell from behind the door. When I stepped out of the changing room, he nodded in approval. “A good choice but I think we can do better.”
The following two dresses were also nice but I knew I’d found my match when I tried on the fourth one. The cut of the dress was made for my figure: it hugged my curves perfectly and accentuated all the right parts. I looked at myself in the mirror, noticing the glimmering detail in the black fabric and how it draped asymmetrically over the black satin bustier. This dress was truly something else.
As soon as I stepped out, Chris’ jaw dropped. I saw his eyes shifting from the bodice that showed my cleavage tastefully, down to my waist and my hips. I felt a tingling deep in my core. I enjoyed him looking at me like that. I blushed at the thought.
It took him a while to pull himself back together. “You look absolutely amazing,” Chris gasped, his eyes still roaming over my body.
I stumbled back into the changing room, feeling hot all of a sudden. I changed into my own clothes and then got back out.
He insisted on paying for the dress and I reluctantly obliged. We ventured into the next store, which happened to be Christian Louboutin.
“So, I need a new pair of shoes for tonight,” Chris told me mysteriously. I still had no idea what he was planning for the night but apparently it would be something a bit more formal, judging by the dress and shoes.
“Let’s play a game. You choose a pair of shoes for me and I’ll choose one for you,” he suggested. “And we have five minutes to do so. Deal?”
I shrugged and agreed, having already been defeated at the first store. This man clearly refused to take no for an answer. We hurried and went our separate ways, and within seconds I was rummaging through the men’s section for a pair that would look good on him. Before I knew it, the five minutes were up and Chris called my name, waiting at the center of the store.
“Ladies first,” he chuckled. I pulled out a classic, patent leather dress shoe from behind my back. “Very well done, Miss Miller. I see you have great taste in men’s shoes.” He revealed
the shoe of his choice from behind his back. “I thought these would look amazing with the dress,” he gushed, showing me a classic black pump with a mesh and diamante detail.
“Well, Mr. Chase, it seems your taste is almost as good as mine,” I teased him and he shook his head in amusement. We proceeded to try the shoes on and before I knew it, I had another shopping bag in my hand.
We stepped outside the store and Chris called for his driver. After a few minutes of waiting, he arrived and we were on our way.
“So, you can probably guess the next step. I’m dropping you off to get ready and then coming back to pick you up. We’re gonna have dinner in one of my favorite restaurants,” Chris revealed. “It’s one of those fancier places, so I think your new dress and heels will be perfect for tonight. I’ll be wearing my new shoes as well.”
“That sounds amazing, I can’t wait,” I smiled.
The driver stopped in front of my building and Chris glanced at me. “Make sure you have a snack, it’s gonna be a while until we get to eat,” he winked.
I got out of the car and nodded at his instructions, while wondering why. Just as I was about to slam the door Chris’ head peeked out from inside the car.
“Be ready in 60!” He added and they drove off.
I rushed inside to get ready. I only had an hour and I was determined to make the most of it. I jumped in the shower to scrub my body and wash my hair. After getting clean, I moisturized with vanilla body butter, to make sure my skin felt soft and smooth and I smelled good. Not that I was expecting Chris to be touching me like that but just in case.
Feeling a bit more daring than usual, I decided to wear a black lace lingerie set I had bought after my breakup. I’d always wanted to wear something so scandalous and beautiful, but always thought I couldn’t pull it off. Plus it hadn’t helped that Jason always said that ‘only easy girls wear sexy lingerie’. I knew in my heart that his remark was stupid and childish, but I’d still governed myself according to his ridiculous standards.
Forbidden Attraction: An Office Affairs Romance (My Billionaire Boss Book 1) Page 5