Page 22 of Until You Came Along

“Are you sure?”

My response:

“Absolutely sure. I’m home now, thanks”

I left the phone on the couch and got up to get some water. As I was walking toward the kitchen, it rang again. I went backthinking it was my friend again, but I froze when I saw it was a message from him. I hadn’t saved his number and there was no profile picture, but that message could only be from him.

“We need to talk”

I didn’t know whether to respond or pretend I hadn’t received it. I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to him. What was he going to tell me? That he regretted it? I regretted it too and I wasn’t about to explain to him why. Better to leave things as they were. I decided not to respond, maybe that way he would realize I didn’t want to discuss it anymore.

While I was drinking water, the phone started ringing, but this time it was a call. At that moment I was certain it was him; that man wasn’t going to accept my silence, he was used to people doing what he wanted and ordered. I checked the number and confirmed what I thought. I turned off the phone and decided to go to bed. I’d had enough for one night.

I put on a short, light nightgown and went to bed, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I don’t know how long I spent tossing and turning in bed. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I got up and decided to make myself some tea. As I was returning to my bedroom to drink it while lying in bed, the sound of the doorbell startled me. I looked at the kitchen clock; it was one-thirty in the morning.

Who could that be?,I wondered.

I realized it wasn’t the intercom buzzer, but the doorbell itself, meaning it was someone the doorman had let into the building without notifying me.

It must be Baco, I told myself.

I went to the door and, just to be safe, looked through the peephole. I nearly fainted right there. Hermes was standing on the other side of the door and he looked angry, which was nothing new.

“Open the door, Delfina. I know you’re there.”

How can he know that?, I wondered, but a second later he answered my question.

“The doorman told me you arrived a little while ago, so open the door or I’ll break it down, and I assure you I will. Don’t provoke me.”

I flung the door open because I was sure he was telling the truth, but the fury I felt at his threat made me completely forget that I was wearing a short and rather sensual nightgown.

“Have you gone completely mad? Stop following me and meddling in my life!” I exclaimed, looking at him furiously with my hands on my hips.

When his gaze traveled over my entire body and his eyes darkened, I realized what I was wearing and tried to close the door, but he was faster and didn’t allow it, entering the apartment in two strides.

“Get out of my apartment, n-o-w!” I ordered, pointing at the door with my arm stretched out.

“Stop behaving like a child and close the door, or do you want Baco to find out I’m here?”

“If he finds out, you’ll be the one who has to explain because you’re the one who’s where you shouldn’t be.”

He ran his hands through his black hair in a clear gesture of desperation and sat down on the living room couch.

“Close the door and let’s talk, please,” he said, in a weary tone.

I was surprised that he was pleading; I had never heard him speak in that tone and had never seen him with such a worried expression. I closed the door and turned to face him.

“Give me a moment to put on a robe.”

“Don’t bother on my account, you can stay like that. You’re quite a sight to behold,” he remarked, looking at me with desire.

I didn't respond and headed to my bedroom as quickly as I could. I couldn't believe he was there. I grabbed my robe and put it on, and as I was turning to leave, I found him standing at my bedroom door, leaning against the frame and looking at me seriously. Once again my heart began to race wildly—this man was going to be the cause of me having a heart attack!

“You have a bad habit of entering without being invited. You shouldn't be here,” I stated, trying to sound calm, although I wasn't in the slightest.

“I shouldn't do many things, but lately I've been breaking all my rules,” he replied, still standing there and looking me up and down.

“Mr. Darwich...”