Chapter 73

73 Emotional Business

EROS nodded and sat down next to me on the sofa. He sat down so close to me that our thighs were practically touching. I scooted over a little to put some space between us, but my effort was thwarted when EROS moved over as well. In the end, we had our thighs pressed against each other again.

“Where’s your script?” I asked, eager to start so that we can get this over and done with as soon as possible.

“Before that, can you tell me what really happened yesterday?” EROS asked.

“What are you referring to exactly?” I asked.

Honestly, I didn’t want to recall the episode from yesterday or tell him about it.

“When you walked out, you had a very troubled look on your face. I could be wrong, but it looked like you had seen a ghost. You looked...so scared...” EROS said softly as his golden eyes met mine.

My heart skipped a beat, and I wasn’t certain if it was because of his maddeningly hot looks or the genuinely worried expression in his eyes.

“It’s nothing,” I replied as I broke eye contact with him and looked away.

“If you say so...” EROS whispered.

.....

I could tell that he was far from convinced with my answer, but I didn’t want to tell him any unnecessary things. It was something long in the past and although I couldn’t bring myself to forget it completely, I had come to terms with it. I grew up and I learned to live with it rather than fight it and try to forget it. My adoptive parents have decided to disown me already and I was just waiting for the papers to arrive so that I could sign it. Of course, I was willing and ready to sign it. After all, I didn’t want parents that no longer wanted me. I’ll set them free so that I can be set free too.

That also meant that I no longer had to keep my past hidden and pretend to be the person that they wanted me to be. However, that didn’t mean that I had to tell EROS anything either. I didn’t owe it to him to tell him anything about myself or my past.

“Well, then...shall we start?” EROS asked and his tone was strictly business.

His sudden change in attitude surprised me but I was happy that he was finally getting serious with the work at hand.

“What about your script?” I asked, seeing that he didn’t have one.

“I don’t need one. I remembered all my lines already,” he said as if that was supposed to be expected.

I see. Wow. I haven’t remembered any lines at all though.

“I’ll need a script though. I’m ready to start when you are,” I said with a nod of my head.

I grabbed the script tightly in my hands to stop my hands from shaking. Despite preparing myself mentally or this, this scene still disturbed me deeply. It was bad enough when I watched EROS and Doreen act it out together. This was the second time that I’m going to hear this scene being played out so it might be better than the first time around; however, the big difference was that I’m now playing the part of the female lead, Naomi, instead of just sitting by and watching.

Suddenly, EROS turned to me with an extremely concerned look on his face that I was shocked at the care that I saw in his eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hand and I saw it slowly approach my face until he was cupping my cheek with the warm palm of his hand. My mouth hung open and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his golden ones.

Oh, right...it’s my turn to say something now. I blinked rapidly to break eye contact with him and looked down at the script in my hands.

“Umm...I’m...I’m so scared. I don’t know what happened. Why did my parents...” I recited the line as it was written on the script.

Usually, I was a pretty good actress but the line I delivered just now was a train-wreck level of disaster. I was too flustered with EROS’s touch and the intensity that he was gazing at me that I couldn’t do anything properly anymore.

“Let’s go to my room for now,” EROS suggested comfortingly.

His arm wrapped itself around my shoulders as he pulled my body even closer to his. Slowly, as if I was a non-living doll, he supported me off the sofa until I was standing. Then he led me toward what must be his bedroom with his arm around my waist.

I leaned my body against his and felt the warmth from his naked skin seeping into mine. His arm around me was comforting and gentle. In a daze, I let him lead me to his bedroom. He closed the door behind us once we entered. His bedroom was very spacious but only had necessary furnishing. Basically, in that large room with white walls there wasn’t much besides a very large four-post bed.

“Careful. Watch your step, Naomi,” EROS said, and I knew that it wasn’t part of the script.

EROS led me to the bed and sat me down on it before he sat down next to me.

“Thank you for helping me...” I read from the script awkwardly.

EROS smiled at me before he leaned in and kissed my ear. Instinctively, I turned my face away and at that moment, his hands removed the script that I was holding from my hand.

“Wait...” I protested softly.

How am I supposed to act out the scene without a script? I haven’t memorized any of the lines!

“Naomi, look at me,” EROS said softly as his gently turned my face around to face him.

I couldn’t speak and it wasn’t because I didn’t know my lines. EROS stared deeply into my eyes and once again, the look of concern for me that he had in his eyes made me felt strangely sad. I didn’t want to feel like this...ever again...

–To be continued...