CHAPTER 21

 
 
Worrying isn’t going to do you any
good, Clarice told herself. And neither was chewing her lips,
because at the end of the day, they would just be swollen and ugly.
But she just couldn’t help herself. What if she didn’t conceive? It
was only one time.
Should she ask to sleep with him again? She
knew all the symptoms of pregnancy and she hadn’t experienced any
yet. Then again, it hadn’t been over two weeks yet. She was
scheduled to meet up with Anton today to discuss the presentation
she was going to give to his elderly guests. She wondered if he
would talk to her about that night, or even if he could remember at
all.
A sudden cough from her car drew her
attention away from her mulling thoughts.
“What’s wrong, Red?” she asked. In reply,
her car just continued to spatter and cough.
Was it playing up? Oh, please, don’t play
up now. Not when she was already halfway to Silverton
Hotel.
“No, no, not now, Red. Why must you get sick
now?” Thank heavens it wasn’t a busy road and she was able to park
on the curbside just before it released a final hacking cough.
Sadly, Red died a sudden death, smoke drifting from its bonnet.
“I just took you for your six-month checkup.
They said you were fine, and now you do this to me? Just when I
need to meet Anton too,” she grumbled and stepped out of the
car.
She lifted the hood and more smoke came
billowing out. She stood back before it could make its way into her
lungs. Once it dissipated, she went back to look at the engine. She
saw all the wires and containers, but having no knowledge of cars,
she just couldn’t diagnose the problem.
“What am I supposed to do with you? Replace
you?” she asked in frustration. But inside, she knew she could
never replace her beloved Corolla, or Red, as she so lovingly named
it.
She had bought Red during her final year of
dentistry, after working so many different jobs, as a kind of
reward for finishing her degree. Now, almost eight years had
passed, and Red was still with her, through thick and thin, through
sadness and happiness. She had money now, which could easily afford
her a brand new car if she so wished it, but it was the sentimental
relationship she had with Red that had stopped her. Red meant a lot
to her. But looking at its condition now, with its brand new
door—some unknown person had crashed into her a few months back—and
its sickness, she wondered just how much longer her Red would
last.
Sighing with resignation, she checked her
whereabouts with her cell phone GPS and found it was an hour walk
to Silverton Hotel. Deciding a car would be better, she decided a
taxi should pick her up, but first she rang her car insurance
company to have Red picked up. Once all that was done, she phoned
the taxi company.
“Hello. This is Efficient Taxi. How may I
help?” she heard the operator say.
“Hello, I would… Hello… Hello?” Clarice
looked at her phone and wanted to drum her head against poor Red’s
bonnet. Oh dear heavens, why didn’t she charge her phone? Just when
she needed to call the taxi too. She’d never been careless like
this before, well, before coming back from Queenstown anyway.
Lately, she seemed to miss so many things.
Glancing at her wristwatch, she saw she had
but an hour left before her meeting with Anton.
She glanced around. The scenery looked
picturesque, like the houses from The Stepford Wives,
starring Nicole Kidman. This was Herne Bay, the suburb where the
rich lived. Dear heavens, it was exactly the same suburb where that
Casanova Hunter lived. She just hoped she wouldn’t meet him today,
what with that kiss he’d imparted on her that she just couldn’t
stop thinking about it. If he were to appear, how would she face
him?
She could still remember the feel of his
lips resting upon her own, so soft, as he tasted her, teased her,
as if searching for something. She touched her own lips, tracing
her index finger softly along. Yes, right there, those lips touched
hers right there, so silky smooth, so velvety, like the taste of a
plum, ripe and juicy, deli—
“Clarice, stop it right now.” She lightly
slapped herself on the cheek when she realized she was fantasizing
about Hunter. “Why are you fantasizing about that Casanova kissing
you? Why are you comparing Anton’s kiss to that Casanova? Start
walking now.”
Yes, she should start walking. Walking was
good exercise. It makes you fit and strong… like that Casanova, so
big and strong and… and… that kiss… ahhhhh, so sweet. He was
tormenting her, but she liked it.
Clarice gently caressed her lips again, not
realizing she was doing so, until a car zoomed past her, snapping
her out of her delirium.
Clarice, start walking, you airhead.
It brings about positive energy. With this said, she smiled
as she made her way to the hotel. Always have a positive outlook
on life, she told herself. That was how to succeed in life. But
her outlook on life wasn’t all that positive some ten minutes later
when she moaned, groaned, and constantly stopped at every available
bench to rest her feet.
“You stupid heels. Why do I continue to wear
you?” Clarice moaned again when she felt the ache intensify. It was
definitely a curse to wear heels, especially when one had to
walk.
Feeling she couldn’t tolerate any more, she
took off her shoes and walked on bare feet instead. It felt much
better, but the hot concrete began to bruise her soles after
walking for another five minutes.
There’s no winning, is there?
Just when she was putting her heels back on,
she heard a loud honk blasting her way.
“Oi, Avocado?” The shout was followed by
another honk. “Out and about on a warm sunny day? What are you
doing in this part of town?”
Clarice turned to see Hunter, his head
sticking out the car window like a dog testing the wind, his
ponytail flying against the cool breeze.
When did his hair get this long? Then
she smacked herself and gritted her teeth. Why was she even
thinking about his hairstyle? And she wasn’t in the mood to see him
today.
Hunter’s heart thumped heavily as he drove
closer to her. Once he got next to her, he pretended there was
nothing wrong with him and started acting like the jerk he always
was.
“Well?” he asked when Clarice didn’t react.
“Are you going to bite your tongue today?”
“Piss off, Hunter. I’m not in the mood to
see you today,” Clarice said, staring ahead.
“So will you be in the mood to see me
tomorrow, then?” Hunter asked cheekily.
“Piss off. I don’t want to see you tomorrow
either,” Clarice said as she continued to walk faster, ignoring his
persistent comments.
“What’s wrong?” Hunter asked, concerned when
he noticed Clarice wasn’t in her usual playful mood. “Aren’t you
glad to see me?”
Of course I’m not glad to see you.
That kiss he’d imparted still left her wanting more. But of course
she didn’t say that. Instead, she said, “Nothing. So will you
please leave?” Then she motioned him away with her hands and walked
faster.
But Hunter didn’t listen. He just kept on
following in his car.
Clarice had had enough.
“What do you want?” she snapped, turning
towards him. “Stop following me.”
Hunter stared at her, wide-eyed. Clarice had
never snapped at him before. Well, not in that serious tone of
voice anyway. This really concerned him. Was she affected by that
kiss too?
“Where are you going?” he asked seriously,
driving slowly to keep to her pace.
“None of your business.” Clarice fumed. She
didn’t want to be any more confused—
Crash!
Clarice was so busy thinking about Hunter’s
kiss that she didn’t look where she was going. In turn, she tripped
over a crack in the concrete and now had even managed to twist her
ankle. What a stupid idiot!
Hunter opened his car door, leapt out, and
was cradling her in three seconds flat.
“For Christ sake, Avocado, would you watch
where you’re going?” Hunter shouted in fright and concern. He’d
never been that afraid before. He thought his heart was about to
leap out of his throat. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I don’t know,” Clarice answered. She was
too shocked to react, as she was now within Hunter’s embrace. And
it felt like… like… Anton’s hugs, when they were together in
Queenstown that night.
“Here, let me help you.” Hunter was about to
lift Clarice when she pushed him away.
“What are you doing?” she asked when she
woke from her shock.
“Lifting you up so I can look at your legs
properly.”
“I don’t need your help,” she said. “I can
get up myself.”
“Fine. Suit yourself.”
Hunter stood back and folded his arms,
watching the woman who thought she could get up without his help.
It looked as if she’d injured herself quite badly. And he hadn’t
even finished thinking about it when Clarice almost fell over
backward as she tried to stand.
“Clarice!” He wrapped his arm behind her
before she toppled to the hard concrete again. “Why don’t you let
me carry you?”
“No. Don’t carry me. I can walk!” she
shouted in panic.
“Goddamn it. Don’t be such an annoying
woman. I’m not going to kiss you, so you don’t have to worry about
it.”
Oh shit! There was silence all around
him. Why did he have to mention that?
Clarice swallowed. Now with him this close
to her, she couldn’t think of anything else.
Hunter could feel Clarice’s trepidation. He
knew she must have been thinking about that episode too.
“Wind your arms around me,” he said instead.
“I’ll put you inside the car. Then I’ll have a look at that foot of
yours.”
This time Clarice was obedient, letting
Hunter do his job. Once he placed her in the backseat, he lifted
her left foot so it rested on his bent knees. He started folding
her trousers back and feeling for any broken bones.
“Owww! That hurts,” she cried.
No, she mustn’t cry in front of this kid. He
was a kid after all. By seven years. But a single tear slid down
her cheek. The pain was so unbearable. Then she felt a soft hand
flick away that teardrop, and she opened her eyes, coming face to
face with Hunter. Her breath was immediately knocked out of her
chest and in that split second, she could feel the tension weighing
down upon her, constricting her lungs, preventing her from inhaling
enough oxygen.
“Does it hurt?” Hunter asked softly,
dropping his eyes to her ruby pouty lips.
Clarice couldn’t answer so she just nodded
and looked away, taking deep, slow breaths.
“Do you want me to take you to the
hospital?” Hunter asked.
Oh, no, she must go to Anton. She had a
meeting with Anton today. She must see him.
“No. No.” Clarice shook her head. “I should
be fine now. Could you let my foot go?”
“Wait, not yet. I’ll check if your soles are
all right first.” Then Hunter proceeded to remove her heels
gently.
“Jesus, Avocado!” He swore when he saw her
soles covered in blisters. “What the hell did you do to yourself?
Why are your feet blistered?” Then Hunter lifted her other foot and
removed the other heel. “For Christ sake, and here you tell me you
can walk? What did this?”
“Those shoes. They’re too high for me. Plus,
I didn’t expect to walk that far.”
“Where were you going?”
“Somewhere.”
“Where is somewhere?” Hunter reiterated,
starting to get irritated with Clarice’s monosyllable answers.
“A hotel,” Clarice said, looking away.
“A hotel!” Hunter sputtered.
A hotel? What would Clarice be doing at a
hotel? And about this hotel, was it like a normal hotel or a
love hotel? He was very curious. By this stage, his heart
was almost leaping from his throat.
“Why?”
“I’m meeting with someone.”
Shit. It must be a love hotel,
then. No way was he taking her to a love hotel.
“Who is this someone?” Hunter asked again,
almost bursting at the seams when she wouldn’t give him a straight
answer. “Older than me or younger than me? A man or a woman?
Clarice stared at Hunter, wide-eyed. What
was with all these grilling questions? And why was he so interested
in the person she was going to meet anyway?
“He’s older than you, if you must know.”
“So it’s a man, then,” Hunter said, looking
directly at Clarice like he was accusing her of having an affair.
“And older than me too. Ha! Must be some old grandpa, then.” He
pretended to laugh. “What does he do? Where does he work?”
“That’s my personal business,” Clarice
yelled when he refused to stop firing questions at her. Dear
heavens! What was wrong with him today? Why was he acting so
strange and being so nosy?
“Fine. Then what kind of business do you
have at this hotel?” Hunter couldn’t help asking.
“Also my business,” Clarice said again.
“I’m not taking you, then, if you won’t tell
me.” Hunter gave out his ultimatum. He refused. He refused
straightforwardly. If she wouldn’t tell him, then he wouldn’t take
her. There, no negotiation at all. See how see would get to this
love hotel now. What was she going to do? Walk? He doubted
it.
“Suits me just fine.” Clarice grinned when
an idea popped into her head. She smiled and then said loudly,
“I’ll just call a taxi, then.”
There! Let’s see if this Casanova is
willing to let a casualty go even when that casualty is in
pain. And to test her theory, she took out her uncharged phone
and pretended to call a taxi.
“Hello. I would like to order—”
“Give me that phone.” Hunter snatched it
from Clarice and pocketed it in his jeans. Then he jerked his azure
eyes to meet her round black ones. He ground his teeth in
irritation and clicked his tongue in frustration before saying to
her, “I’m confiscating this for now. Until you’re well again.”
Who was she playing with? Did she think he
was stupid enough to allow her to call a taxi? Over his dead body.
He preferred to take her to this hotel himself. At least this way
he could see this bloody old grandpa too.
“I’m not sick,” Clarice yelled. What was
wrong with her? Why was she yelling constantly?
“You look sick to me. Now, I’m not going to
argue with a child who lives in an adult’s body. Let’s go.”
“Hunter! Arrrggghhhhh.” Clarice screamed
when Hunter lifted her again. “What are you doing?” she shouted,
her hands wrapping around his neck for dear life. “Put me down
right now. I’m scared of heights.”
“Oh, really?” Hunter’s sky-blue irises lit
up with mischief. “You might want to hang on tight or my hands
might accidently slip.” And then he pretended to loosen his grip,
in turn making Clarice scream in fright and grip his neck even
tighter, her body snuggling closer to his chest. Hunter laughed
when he saw the lovely result he’d produced.
“You… you…” Clarice wanted to swear at him,
but no profanity came to her head at that moment, so she sent a
simmering death glare at him, which in turn just… just…
“What? Trying to think of a swear best
suited for me?” Hunter smiled. Happiness radiated from his chest,
the likes of which he had not experienced in the past two weeks.
This happiness made him grin, contorting his lips until he couldn’t
stop smiling. He turned to face the woman in his arms and then he
just…
Hunter froze. God, she looked majestic. He
couldn’t breathe.
Clarice was also experiencing a lack of
oxygen. Hunter just smiled. That smile that had captivated her and
made her heart go thump, thump, thump, just like in the
elevator when she’d pretended to be a sick old woman.
Both Clarice and Hunter swallowed, trying to
appease their dry throats. Their eyes continued to stare at one
another as if they were fighting a battle to see who could stare
the longest. There was definitely a spark, a thread of electricity
blazing between the two, as they continued to gaze at one another.
Until a random car zoomed past them and broke the spell.
Hunter recovered first. He cleared his
throat, trying to regain some dignity.
That felt like an eternity, he
thought, when in actual fact it had only been mere seconds.
“Let me put you in the front,” he said,
moving to the other door. He dropped her off, then went back to his
seat.
Hoping to lighten their mood a bit, he
started teasing her again.
“God, you’re so heavy, Avocado,” he
commented cheekily. “My arms almost broke. What did you eat this
morning? Roast pork?”
“I had rice porridge, thank you very much,”
Clarice said, fidgeting in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the
whole topic of weight.
Clarice didn’t want to tell Hunter about her
ailment this morning. She had resorted to eating rice porridge
because she just couldn’t seem to take down any proper food. She
tried to eat her normal cereal, but she just wanted to gag every
time she was about to take a spoonful. She suspected it was because
she was so nervous about the prospect of seeing Anton today and
having to face their unknown future together. Plus, there was also
the possibility that he didn’t remember their night of passion in
Queenstown. But for her current conversation here with Hunter, she
still had her pride, so she said, “I am not fat. I am within
the range of my ideal body mass index.”
“Fine, whatever you say,” Hunter said,
grinning at her. Then he realized she still hadn’t put on her seat
belt. “Are you not going to do up your belt?” he asked, quirking
one eyebrow in question. “Or do you want to feel the thrill of
having your stomach contents jumping about inside you?”
Clarice couldn’t retort. She didn’t know
what to say. She was being careless again. Seatbelts. Of course she
needed to fasten her seatbelt before Hunter started the car. She’d
never ever driven anywhere with her seatbelt unbuckled before. That
was way too dangerous. And this situation was dangerous. She
seriously needed to check her mental status. This was definitely
unhealthy.
“God, Avocado, why are you being so
difficult?” Hunter sighed and shook his head when he saw Clarice
still struggling to pull the belt from the side.
“It’s too tight. I can’t extend it. Clearly,
you need to fix your seatbelts. It’s dangerous and not functioning
properly,” she said, tugging on the belt again, but it just
wouldn’t budge.
“Let me do it for you,” Hunter said. Then he
leaned over her, pressing his own body mass into Clarice’s small
frame so they were practically molded together.
Clarice tried to press her body back into
her seat as much as possible to avoid touching Hunter, but his body
was just so close to her that she was literally crushed tight, like
a ham sandwich. Dear heavens, she could feel his rippled abs. And
his heart, his heart was beating so fast. He wasn’t sick, was
he?
Clarice didn’t know what Hunter’s ailment
was, but she sure did notice her own. His face was so close that it
made it hard to breathe again. She had to turn and look toward the
steering wheel just to avoid her face touching his.
“What’s taking so long?” she asked,
squeezing back into the seat farther.
“It’s really tight Avocado. I really need to
get this belt looked at.”
After a few more tugs, Hunter got it to
work. Then he buckled it around her. But accidently, his nose
brushed against her cheek when she turned to the sound of his
voice.
Hunter sucked in his breath, just as his
lips touched her. Again.
“You, you kissed me again.” Clarice touched
her cheek.
“That’s not a kiss. It was an accident,”
Hunter said, wanting to caress that soft cheek again, inhaling her
sweet orange blossom scent.
“Get off me, then,” Clarice shouted, pushing
him away. Then she folded her arms and turned to face the
window.
“Fine,” Hunter said, now back in his own
seat. “It’s not that spectacular anyway.”
“If it’s not spectacular, then stop kissing
me,” she yelled, jerking her head to give him another death glare,
which was supposed to make her look scary, but it just had the
opposite effect on Hunter.
God, she was so adorable. He wanted his lips
on her again. And this time he wanted to make sure it was
not an accident. But his big mouth had a mind of its own and
just couldn’t help teasing her. So it decided to open of its own
accord and speak without his brain even registering what it
said.
“It wasn’t intentional anyway,” he said.
“The first time was an accident. You bumped into me, remember? At
that Cambodian restaurant? The one in Queenstown, I had to shut you
up by kissing you because you just wouldn’t stop yelping, and the
third time it was an accident. See, unintentional.”
So that was it? She wasn’t someone special
enough to receive his kiss.
Clarice, you dork. Why would you even think
something would come of it? Here you’ve slept with Anton, but all
you constantly do is replay that kiss Hunter bestowed upon you. You
even imagined Hunter was the one that had slept with you. You’re
really pathetic. How could you feel like this towards this
person?
She wasn’t replying to his teasing. Had he
gone overboard? If he could take back his words, he would have done
so. Maybe he should stop teasing her for a bit. She really didn’t
look like she was enjoying it at all.
“Clarice… I…” He wanted to apologize, but he
really didn’t know why. He guessed he just didn’t like it when she
wasn’t talking or getting mad at him. This was another tension
altogether. It looked as if she were really upset with him.
“Clarice… I…” he repeated.
“Just start driving,” Clarice shouted, then
turned her face towards her window, avoiding his gaze.
“Okay,” he said passively, then obediently
put his car in drive. The car roared to life, and soon they were in
the fast line, heading towards Central Auckland.
Hunter stole a few glances at Clarice during
the trip. Once or twice, she would look straight ahead and give out
directions. For the rest of the time, her eyes were directed out
the window, her back facing him.
It was so strange. Maybe she was really
upset with him. The Clarice he knew never behaved like this. Maybe
she was in pain because of her blistered feet. He came to the only
conclusion he could think of. Her face sure looked pale.
That thought sparked his anger, so he
started grinding his teeth again. How did she manage to walk thirty
minutes with those torture devices on her poor feet? Stupid woman!
Who would do that to themselves?
He’d have to ask the receptionist for the
first aid gear when they reach the hotel. But five minutes later,
when they reached their destination, Hunter didn’t know if he would
be brave enough to venture to the front desk at all.
Oh shit! “Silverton Hotel?” Did
Clarice give out the wrong directions? Who was Clarice planning on
seeing at his family’s hotel?
“Thanks for the ride,” Clarice said swiftly,
then opened the door and proceeded to walk herself into the
hotel.
Hunter suddenly snapped out of his thoughts,
jumping from the car, leaving the keys in the ignition for the
valet. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, grabbing her
hand just in time. He was so perplexed at the moment that he really
needed answers.
“Didn’t I just tell you that I have an
appointment?” Clarice said, shaking his hands loose. Then she
started hobbling slowly to the large entrance.
“You are not going anywhere in your
condition,” Hunter said as he swiftly scooped her into his arms
again.
“Hunter, put me down. I’m embarrassed,”
Clarice said, her eyes nervously scanning all the people milling
about in the foyer.
“If you’re embarrassed, then just snuggle
your head into my neck. That way no one can see you.”
“Just… just put me down. Please…” she
begged. She wasn’t feeling too well. Maybe she should have
postponed the meeting. But she thought it would be fine. And then
when Red started acting up and she had to walk in her blasted high
heels, she couldn’t shake the exhausted feeling. And now, just
being carried within Hunter’s arms really did her in. She wasn’t
comfortable at all and just wanted to faint.
“Say one more word and I’ll kiss you. Not a
peck on the cheek, but the mouthwatering kind.” Hunter blackmailed
her. “You choose, Avocado.”
“You. Urgh,” Clarice groaned softly, clearly
out of energy, and then snuggled her face in the hollow of Hunter’s
neck and closed her eyes.
Hunter grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“Which floor?” he asked just to stop himself
from grinning like an idiot.
“Third,” Clarice said quietly, her eyes
still closed.
This must be his lucky day, getting to carry
Clarice three times. And he’d even get to carry her up to the third
floor. But that thought soon evaporated like hot air when not a few
meters from him, coming out of the elevator, were three people who
were sure to ruin his day if they were to spot him carrying a woman
in his arms.
From this distance, Hunter could see they
were in some sort of argument. So being the smart and mischievous
Hunter he was, he took this opportunity to make his escape before
they could see him.
“Are we there yet?” Clarice asked when he
was about to make his move.
Like dogs on the hunt, the three looked up,
their eyes already locked on him.
“Hunter!” they all said in unison.
“Oh shit!” he muttered under his breath.
Here comes trouble.