61| A Test Of Patience

"Yes. Right there." Zoey closed her eyes as Travis applied some pressure at the said spot.

"Am I doing okay?" Travis asked, staring at Zoey's clenched eyes. This was his first time doing this so he couldn't figure out if her face was contorted in pleasure or pain.

"Yes. Yes, keep doing that." She breathed out. Travis' fingers continued doing the magic and it made Zoey sigh in pleasure. Never had she felt so good before, as if someone has sucked every negative feeling from her body, leaving only pure euphoria behind.

"Is it enough?" He asked.

"No. Just... Just one more minute." She begged.

"You said the same five minutes ago." Travis pointed out as he moved his fingers expertly.

"Please, Travis. I have the back of an old woman and your hands feels like heaven. Keep massaging." Zoey requested.

Shaking his head, Travis massaged her bare back with the pore of his fingers. Her soft skin dimpled under his touch and she moaned in relief.

"So good." She hummed.

"What will I get in return?" Travis asked.

"I can massage some parts of you, if you want." Zoey winked and Travis blushed in return.

"No thanks." He said and took his hands off Zoey's waist. She groaned in complain and turned around on the bed to lie down on her back.

Travis lay down beside her, propping up his head with the help of his elbow. His eyes observed Zoey's ruffled hair and her bare face, the small pimple on her nose, the sheet of sweat on her forehead, the little rip in her top, the little imperfections that made her look even more cute. He felt special because he was one of those people who had the privilege to see this side of her because in school, she always looked picture perfect.

"Where are you going?" He asked when he saw her moving out of the bed. He wanted to talk to her, about her likes, dislikes; he wanted to know every minor, every insignificant detail about her.

"To take a bath." She said and wrapped her hair on top of her head, the action enhancing her long neck.

"Oh. Should I go?" He asked because honestly, he was too comfortable on the soft mattress to leave right now.

"On the contrary," she said and slipped out of her top. "I thought you could join me."

Travis' eyes settled on her heaving chest and all the blood of his body rushed south. "You... You can't just seduce me every time by taking off your top." He said, faking confidence.

"Really?" She unbuttoned her jeans and slowly took them off as well. His eyes travelled down her long legs and a ball of nerves settled in his throat. He wanted her, right here, right now.

When he didn't speak, she turned around and walked towards the bathroom. Groaning, Travis stood up and rushed forwards. Once he reached her, he bent down and picked her up in his arms, making her giggle in response.

"You, Miss. Zoey Crawford, are in grave danger." Travis said as he took her into the shower.

"Really? What kind of danger?" Zoey eyed him flirtatiously.

"The dangerous kind." He said and put her down on the cold floor. He then started the shower and within no time, they were wet from all the water.

He claimed her lips roughly while his hands freed her of the rest of the clothings. He then took off his own clothes and after breaking the kiss, pinned her front to the nearby wall.

"Did I unknowingly wake up the beast?" Zoey teased but Travis silenced her by kissing the soft spot on her neck. He stood behind her in a way that her back was cradled against his front.

"You should be scared, Zoey." Travis warned her mischievously.

"Scared of my cinnamon roll. No thanks." She teased him again and he just narrowed his eyes in return.

Bending her a little, he entered her from behind and Zoey gasped all of sudden. Travis was a foreplay kind of person so this was a little unexpected. "A little warning, Travis?" She exasperated as the mixture of pain and pleasure hit her.

"Nope." He said as he sucked the delicate skin of her neck. "No warning today."

Zoey couldn't help but moan loudly on experiencing this not-so-gentle version of Travis. He silenced her muffled groans with the palm of his hands. "Ssshhh. Someone will hear us." He said.

"Mmmm..." Zoey closed her eyes in response. His hand reached her front and brushed against the soft curves of her body, starting from her bosoms down to her thighs. She was perfect, so perfect that no other person can ever come close to what he felt for her. Even though she always acted like she wasn't as pretty as Althea, as athletic as Olive, as smart as Travis himself, she was still the embodiment of perfection for him.

They were lost in each other's world when suddenly, Travis's phone started ringing. Their synchronised movements stopped for a moment and Travis's eyes followed the sound to his mobile resting beside the soap bar.

As he read the name on the caller ID, his body limped suddenly.

"What happened?" Zoey asked, turning around to face him.

"Why the hell is your father calling me, Zoey?" He asked her with widened eyes.

"How would I know?" She said. "Ignore him. Let's continue." She said and clung to him once again.

"Really? Aren't you curious?" He asked, staring at the ringing screen, ignoring Zoey's lips on his neck.

"Nope." She said and continued tracing a path down to his abs with her mouth.

At any other moment like this, he would only be thinking about Zoey but it was different this time. Richard Crawford was calling her while he was naked in shower with his daughter. "I am." He said and extended his hand to reach the phone. Parting away from her, he answered the call and listened to it silently.

It would be a lie to say Zoey wasn't freaked out with this. The previous excitement left her body as she watched Travis talk to her dear father. Did he know about them? If yes then he will leave no stone unturned in separating them and the thought was enough to make her sweat.

Once he cut the call, Zoey tried to decipher his expressions but failed badly. He was staring at her silently with no hint of emotion on his face.

"What is it?" She yelled. "Does he know about us?"

"Um... No." He said, putting the phone away. "Mom told him about my admission in Harvard. He wants to offer me a two-month internship at his company."

"What now?" Zoey frowned at the new piece of information.

"Apparently, I am now a paid employee of your Dad starting effectively from tomorrow." Travis shrugged and then added. "So now you are not only my mother's boss but my boss too."

Son of a bitch, Zoey thought.

•••••••••••

After spending one whole hour in the bathroom, scrubbing each part of her body and doing her 12-step Korean skincare routine, Althea wrapped a bathrobe around herself and walked out of her bathroom. Once inside her room, her eyes fell on the masculine figure sitting on the bed and she jumped up in her spot in alarm.

"What are you doing here?" She asked Ethan who was now observing her form clad in the thin robe.

"We need to talk." He said, eyeing her milky legs that were peeking out of the robe.

"No thanks. I don't talk to intruders. Leave now." She stated firmly, pulling the bathrobe around her tightly.

He stood up and walked forwards, stopping few inches away from her. "We need to talk, Althea. I am not just going to forget about what happened in the forest and move on."

"Just because I said something in the heat of emotions doesn't mean we have to talk." Althea said, not wanting to show her nervousness to him. He was making her thoughts jumble up, usually it was the other way around.

"Yes, we have to. You said you feel something for me and this is not something I will forget easily." He said and took a step towards her, entering her personal space. Althea angled her neck to stare at his face. Their eyes linked together and Althea felt a blush crawling up her neck.

"What do you want, Ethan?" She said with fake annoyance.

"I want you to give me a chance, give us a chance." He said, gently cupping her chin. All she wanted was to push him away because his proximity was messing with her decision making abilities.

"What's the point, Ethan? We are going to part away anyway. College is starting soon, highschool is almost finished. Move on with this stupid crush of yours." She said, staring into his warm brown eyes.

"It's not a crush, idiot. I love you." He whispered, bending his head so their faces were almost touching.

"But what about---"

"I got my acceptance letter from Wallace institute. It's near Harvard. College doesn't have to be an issue." Ethan said.

"But what about---"

"Don't find excuses when we both know you want to be with me. Just for once, listen to your heart and not to your brain." He said and held her face in between her hands. Althea's breath hitched as she felt his warm breath on her mouth.

"I don't do things based on feelings, Ethan. If I am going to date you, I need reassurances." She said.

"What kind of reassurance?" He asked with a hint of mockery in his tone. "You want to sign a contract?"

"Yeah, if you want me to date you, then you need to sign one." Althea replied calmly.

"Fine. Take whatever you want." He said, feeling dizzy because of her heavenly scent. He wanted to hide his face in the crook of her neck and never let her go.

"I don't need your money Ethan, I have enough of my own." Althea replied.

"Then what do you want?" He asked impatiently because right now, the only thing on her mind was the thought of kissing her, or more.

"A promise. A test. If we start dating, you and I won't sleep together for the next two months so that I can find out if you are with me just for sex." She stated.

"What?" Ethan's eyes widened.

"Why? Too much hassle for you?" She raised her eyebrows.

He stayed silent for a long moment and kept staring at her, trying to figure out if she was joking or not.

"It will be hell for me. Seeing you and not doing anything to make you mine..." He slowly caressed her jaw and Althea closed her eyes. "But anything for you."

Saying this, he captured her soft lips that he had been dreaming to kiss since their kiss in the jungle. She slowly brushed her lips against his and it was magical, just like the kisses in the movies, the kisses that can make your toe curl and your stomach fills up with butterflies. She smelled like a dream and staying away for the next two months will be a torture.

"Can we do other things?" He joked in between the kiss.

"Shut up, Ethan." Althea snarled and angled her neck to deepen the kiss.

She was fire and he knew she was going to burn him, not that he minded. She can stab him for all he cares and he will still kiss the ground she walks on.

After all, for him, she will always be his princess.

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