20

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MILES

Bell looks at me with a delicate smile. "Yes, I'll be yours," she says.

My hand caressing her hair stops moving, and I can't keep the shit-eating grin from forming on my face. It takes all of my self-control not to lean in and kiss her. But I need her close. So, without saying a word, I gently sit her up and pull her as close as I can.

I tuck a stray hair behind her ear and whisper, "Really?"

I didn't think she'd agree so fast. I thought she would take days to think about it. Not that I'm upset she agreed so soon. I would've waited as long as I had to for her.

"Yes, really." She nudges me.

"I didn't guilt-trip you with my whole sad family talk, did I?" I ask nervously.

She laughs. "No, not at all."

"So now I'm allowed to show you off to everyone?"

She bites her lip to stifle a smile. "You don't have to go out of your way, but if you'd like."

I reach for her mouth, using my thumb to pull her lip out from between her teeth. She looks down at my hand, then back at me.

God, what is she doing to me? I wonder, looking into her beautiful brown eyes. She is changing me, that's what she is doing. More than I ever thought I could change.

"I would like to," I say. "Am I allowed to do this in front of people?" I take her hand in mine, interlocking our fingers.

"Yes," she breathes.

"And this?" I climb onto the couch, leaning toward her.

Steadily, I drag my fingers down her bare arm and watch her chest rise and fall in response. It feels good knowing I'm the one making her feel this way. I stop when I get to her hand, pick it up and place it on my back.

"Can I kiss you?" I ask. I watch her cheeks redden and she nods. Then I close the remaining space between us. Our lips lock, and a rush of relief floods my body, causing me to ball my fists. Before it gets too extreme, I pull away to see how she feels about it.

Her eyes are needy, and her hand doesn't hesitate to grasp the back of my neck, bringing my face back to hers. Our lips melt together again. I slide my fingers up and down her back and then settle over her bare skin below her neck.

The kiss reminds me of when you place the last puzzle piece into the final empty spot. Everything falls into place, and the picture comes into complete view. Then a wave of triumph washes over you, and you feel euphoric.

That's how I feel now. Euphoric because everything is falling into place.

Eagerly, I part her mouth with my tongue, which causes the faintest pleasure to escape her perfect lips. Oh, fuck.

I let my fingers trail down her neck, over her collarbone. Her eyes are blazing with a fire I've never seen. I slowly find the hem of her shirt and slip my hand underneath, taking in the softness of her stomach, but nothing more. My teasing touch causes her to close her eyes. It gives me a moment to smile.

She is so beautiful.

All the things I want to do with her, show her, but I need to take it slow. She is finally letting me in, and I don't want to betray her trust as I have in the past. This is a chance to redeem myself, and I want to make it as special as I can.

Before things move any further, I pull away.

I can tell she's taken aback by the sudden stop, but she only just agreed to be my girlfriend. We have all the time in the world, and I want to make sure she is comfortable with me before we do anything intimately.

I reach for the blanket resting on the back of the couch and wrap it around her torso.

"You can stay here tonight if you'd like," I say.

"You mean, sleep in bed with you?" She grins, tracing my chest.

"Yes, right beside me."

She nods and I hoist her into my arms bridal style, carrying her down the hall into my bedroom. She laughs the entire way there and tucks her nose into the crook of my neck.

When we reach my room, I toss her on my bed. "What do you need? A shower? Clothes to sleep in?"

"All the above."

I laugh. "Do you want to run down to your apartment and get things or—"

"Can I just wear one of your shirts?" she asks.

My heart flip-flops in my chest, and I tell her, of course. I pull my tee-shirt drawer open and let her choose while I start the shower.

We meet in front of my bathroom door. I step aside so she can enter, and the last thing I see is the faintest smile before she closes the door.

I dash to the guest bathroom and shower as fast as I can, trying to beat her. When I'm back in my room, I find the bathroom door still shut and the shadow of her feet underneath the door.

I change into my pajamas and climb into bed, grabbing a book off my night table, waiting for her to be finished.

Minutes later, the door creaks open and the steam from the shower wafts out, along with Bell. Her hair is wet, and my tee-shirt hangs loosely over her body. She sets her clothes on an armchair in the corner of my room and walks toward me.

I put my book away and lift the covers so she can join me.

"No funny business, mister," she says, climbing in beside me.

"No funny business," I repeat and turn the lamp off. I pull her into my bare chest. The room falls silent, and all I can hear is her faint breathing. I kiss the top of her hair, and she snuggles closer to me.

I smile, knowing I'll sleep well tonight.

✤

After a twenty-minute drive into the city, I finally make it to the obnoxiously large skyscraper with "Cunningham Tech Enterprise Inc." plastered on the side. I scoff as I walk into the building. That never gets old.

When I left the apartment this morning, Bell was cuddled beside me. The tee-shirt she picked out was ridden up, revealing her bare legs and black underwear, and her hair was spread all over my pillow.

I woke up early enough so I could lie in bed and watch her sleep. Even if I wanted to get out of bed, I couldn't. She had her hand on my chest and her leg strewn across my body, pinning me in place. But I didn't mind.

When she eventually moved, I had to get up for work. I left her notes like the first time she stayed at my place. I told her she was welcome to use anything she'd like, but I figured she would go back to her apartment to study since she has an exam tomorrow.

"Mr. Cunningham, it's so nice to see you back here." Gillian, my father's secretary, beams as I approach the front desk, snapping me from my thoughts. "Your father is in his office, you can go right ahead up."

I thank her and meander to the elevator, hitting level twenty. As I stand there aimlessly waiting to reach the twentieth floor, my phone dings in my pocket and I dig it out.

"Good morning, handsome. Thank you for the coffee and nice shower that I took advantage of... Good luck with your dad today. - Your girlfriend."

I grin to myself like an idiot when I read 'your girlfriend.' It sounds so much better when she says it.

"Morning, Beauty. Glad you took advantage of my shower. From now on, when I'm in there, I will remember that naked Bell once stood here too. And thank you. - Your boyfriend."

I hit send before the elevator doors open, revealing the place I used to spend a lot of time at. Nostalgia hits me as I walk through the halls, picturing a younger version of myself running around. The floor is huge, with tall grey walls covered in paintings that reflect onto the marble floor.

I pass the second row of secretary desks and walk to his office. Inside, there is an assortment of old men in suits babbling amongst themselves. I quickly stiffen, trying to look professional for them.

"Miles," my dad shouts, cackling as he walks away from a business partner.

"Hi, Dad." I smile as he firmly shakes my hand. He is so full of shit. It's a nice show he puts on for these rich men. I can guarantee if they weren't here, he would scold me on how I'm "wasting my life and money away when I could work for him."

"I'm so glad you could make it today." He grabs me, whirling me around so we're standing beside each other in front of everyone. "My boy's been working hard at school to become a nurse," he says, pretending to be proud. Murmurs echo through the room.

"That's wonderful!" one of the old men shouts.

"I thought you'd be working for your old man over here." Another guy pats my dad's back. "If you're anything like him, you would excel working here."
"Ah, that's exactly what I've been saying." He looks at me, secretly scowling so only I notice. "Looks like we have some persuading to do."

Yeah, a hell of a lot.

The rest of the morning feels like an eternity. This meeting seems more like a shitty high school reunion rather than a business meeting. It isn't until two hours later we're getting down to business.

If I was the CEO, I wouldn't fool around like this, I'd get actual work done.

The corporation's name may have "tech" in it, but it is more of an investment corporation. Well, an investment for technological devices. People who have ideas come to my dad, and if he likes them, he will invest in them. It's a shark tank without the cameras and just one of him.

Even though he's an arrogant asshole, he is a brilliant businessman and worker. I will give him that much.

"So Miles, do you have a girlfriend yet?" Mr. Jones asks. Jeez, nosy much? I raise an eyebrow as I stare at the blond-haired man across the table.

"Yes, I do." I nod impassively. My dad's eyebrows knit together in shock as if I just told him I killed a man.

"Really? And when did this happen?" he says, nonchalantly hiding the anger.

"Not too long ago, she's wonderful." I smile as I picture Bell in my head.

He leans back in his chair and clasps his hands together. "Well, that's perfect! You can bring her to the annual cooperation gala."

Shit, I forgot about that thing.

"Perfect." I fake smile.

After the meeting is over, I head to my childhood home to visit my mom. My heart throbs in my chest; I haven't in a while. It's too difficult. But even if she doesn't remember me, I can't avoid her. My mother is still in there somewhere, right?

I knock three times on the large, black, wooden front door. "One minute!" someone shouts, fumbling around inside the house.

Not long after, Millie, my mother's caretaker, is standing in front of me beaming. "Miles, oh my gosh, it's so lovely to see you!" She ushers me inside and we hug for who knows how long.

When my mother started getting sick, Millie was always around helping us through it. She had been close with my mother before her Alzheimer's got bad. She is more so a second mother to me rather than a nurse.

As we learned to deal with my mother's illness, my dad had grown too depressed and buried himself in his work, hence why he is the way he is today.

"You look so grown up!" she says, as we make our way into the living room.

I chuckle. "It has been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry I don't visit often."

The place looks exactly the same though, a show house. It didn't always look like this. It used to look like an actual home, but that fell apart when mom got sick.

"Nonsense, you're working hard at school, that's what's your mum would've wanted you to do." She smiles sadly at me. "It's what I want you to do."

"How is she, my mom?" I ask nervously.

Millie sighs. "The same."

I nod my head, not knowing what to say. I don't want to see her just yet, so we sit here in silence for a little while.

"So, how is school?" she questions, tucking her jet-black hair behind her ear.

"Pretty good, exams start tomorrow." I cannot believe I have one more year of college left before I graduate. Where did the time go? It feels like just yesterday I was moving into my penthouse and starting my freshman year.

"You will do great." She smiles but then stares at me like she's trying to read my thoughts. "Something is different about you," she says.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"You look so much happier."

That's because I am.

I say nothing though; she will figure it out in three... two... one. "You! You have a girlfriend, don't you? I knew it!" she screams, clapping her hands together. "It's about time!" Do I have a sign on me somewhere that says "taken"? Everyone keeps asking about girlfriends!

"What's her name?" Millie questions, causing me to snort at her nosiness.

"Her name is Isabella, she's amazing."

"I'd love to meet her sometime," she states, smirking at me.

"Don't worry, you will." I then explain to her how we met and everything that's happened since. Well, I leave out the parts about The Game; I don't like to think about it, let alone talk about it. It makes me feel absolutely awful. I was so immature. Hell, I still am.

By the time we're done talking about Bell, I finally muster up the courage to see my mother, even though she won't remember who I am. I have little time left with her anyway, I better make the most out of it.

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QOTD: Who is your favorite singer/band?

Mine is Coldplay<3 I saw them in concert and cried like a baby.

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