THE ORIGINAL NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN SPANISH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TRANSLATION. IF YOU WANT TO READ IT IN SPANISH LOOK FOR IT UNDER THE SAME PSEUDONYM AND BY NAME "GIRO DEL DESTINO"
As soon as I got out of the elevator I looked at Christian's office where he glanced back at me with anxious look on his face. He thought I'd give him my answer now, but he was wrong. I walked over to my desk as I watched him from the corner of my eyes change his face to a serious one while I held on to the urge to laugh. I concentrated on my work and the truth was that Christian didn't bother me all morning. At noon I got a message from him.
—"I'm anxious to know your answer, have lunch with me." —I answered him quickly.
—"I'm sorry I already have a lunch engagement, some other time". — and it was true that Mia had already asked me if I was going to have lunch with them today.
By the time I got back from lunch and checked my cell phone, which I had forgotten on the table, I had a message from Christian.
—"You don't know how hard this is for me." —And his message I don't know why made me smile. I really don't know if he meant the wait, or something else.
I decided not to answer and to continue my work. At 5:20 pm and after Mia and Ethan left, I got up from my desk, picked up my things and went to Christian's office, it was time to end his torture, well at least he would only need a little. I knocked on his door and after he said a deep voice came in, I went in. He was sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands, while they were resting on the table. He lifted his head and his eyes rested on mine as his face looked more serious than usual.
—Do you need anything? —he asked without taking his eyes off mine.
He was very serious, and his voice was not the same as other times, it was cold, without any feeling in his words. I think I had gone too far with the joke, I was just hoping he'd forgive me.
—I was wondering if you could give me a lift to the apartment, I don't feel well and I don't know if I could walk there. — I told him pretending as best I could that I felt bad.
Christian's face instantly changed to concern and he answered me quickly, getting up from his chair. Apparently he thought I felt bad.
—Yeah, no problem, come on. —he said as he pointed to the door.
We left the museum and after getting into his car he drove to my apartment in just 5 minutes. When he got there he stopped in front of my building, now I just had to make him wait.
—Thank you for bringing me Christian. —I told him as I turned to him, still pretending to feel bad.
—You're welcome to that. —he said still worried.
—Ah, I forgot to give you a message, Elliot left a backpack and asked you to pick it up if you could, if you wait a moment I'll hand it over to you to take it to him.
—All right. —he hesitated and I got out of the car while he was staring at me. And very thoughtful.
—In the end you didn't answer me. —he yelled at me as I stopped in front of the door of the building.
—Ah! I forgot, let me go to Elliot's.
I couldn't stand the urge to laugh any longer when I walked through the doors of the building where Christian couldn't see me. I quickly went up to my apartment, got my backpack and went back down to where Christian was sitting in the car. I got to the car and after opening the door I got in and sat back in the Porshe's luxurious seat, putting the backpack on my legs while Christian looked at me squinting.
—Is there something you want to tell me? —he said as he smiled halfway at me.
—Yes, we can go now. —I said staring him in the eyes and seeing his face change rapidly to surprise.
—I don't remember having to take you anywhere. —he said with a frown.
—I think so, yes. —I replied with a smile.
—And where to, may I ask?—he asked as he smiled sideways.
—To your apartment. — I said, smiling back at him.
—Oh, and you decided to wait until now to tell me. —he said to me as I laughed and looked him in the eyes.
—I'm so sorry. —I told him, even though it wasn't true, that I had enjoyed torturing him all week.
—You can't play with a man like that. —he said very seriously.
—I'm sorry. —I answered still laughing.
—I'm more sorry. —he told me as he started the car and we drove out to his apartment wherever he went.
Christian drove through town to the financial district. Did he live here? Well, it never occurred to me to ask him where he lived. He walked into the underground parking lot of a building, parking the car in an empty parking space right next to a Hummer and what I thought was a Ford Mustang. As soon as he turned off the car, I turned to him to watch him.
—Do you live here? —I asked him as he smiled at me.
—Yes, it was a gift, come on. —he said grabbing the backpack off my legs and getting out of the car.
After chivalrously helping me out of the car and setting the alarm on the car, he led me to an elevator. As soon as we entered he entered a code number and pressed a button where he read 50-PH while the doors were closing. It was one thing to live in this area and another to live in a penthouse. Christian put the backpack on the floor and leaned against an elevator wall, exactly the opposite of what I was standing on. The elevator climbed slowly, the silence that was only interrupted by the slight and almost imperceptible bells of the elevator every time it climbed a floor and our breaths. Christian folded his arms and stared at me.
—You know, you didn't kiss me today. —he told me as he bowed his head slightly to the side.
And I didn't answer him, I just shrugged my shoulders as I watched him slip his tongue over his lips and approach me. He wanted me to see it in his eyes, and in his movements as he got where I was. He came as close to me as he could and allowed him the wall of the elevator, pressing me against it. Slowly one of his hands moved toward my waist while the other slowly ran down my face and his mouth seized mine. My eager lips received his, the truth was that I had greatly missed his tempting lips and his persuasive kisses. My hands got tangled in his hair as he slipped his hands over my body, squeezing me tighter against him. I could feel the warmth of her skin burning on mine above my clothes. The sound of the elevator doors opening up made it difficult for both of us to breathe apart. Christian stared me in the eyes for a moment before smiling slightly.
—Welcome to my apartment. —he said as he took my backpack and we got out of the elevator.
Contrary to what I thought, the doors opened directly into his apartment, and suddenly I found myself standing in the middle of the room looking at a huge, beautiful picture hanging on the wall right in front of me. The truth was, that was what had caught my eye the most. It was an amazing view of New York City at dusk.
—I see you liked the painting. —he told me from behind me.
—Yes, it's very beautiful. —I replied still amazed by the beauty of the huge painting. —Any known painters? —I asked curiously.
—It may be. —he said as I approached the painting to see the brushstrokes in more detail.
It was done with a lot of patience, you could feel the calm with which the brushstrokes had been made. It could be said that the author was truly amazing and of a unique talent. Each brushstroke was different from the other but together they completed the beautiful view. My eyes turned to the lower right edge automatically looking for the author's name to see if I knew him. And what was my surprise when I saw the acronym CTR next to it in 2013.
—Did you paint it? —I asked him in amazement.
—Of course. —All the paintings the apartment is decorated with are mine. —he said very proud of himself.
—May I see them? —I asked you very curiously.
—How about I show you the apartment first.
—All right. I answered him.—I walked away from the painting and approached him who was still standing by the elevator doors.
—Well this is the room as you can see. —he told me, pointing to the huge room.
And this time my eyes picked up all the details of the apartment as he showed it to me. The room was huge right in front of me and underneath the picture was a huge white leather sofa with several black cushions and on each side of it a small table with a modern style black table lamp as well. On the far left next to the sofa, there were two seats separated by a table lamp, also the same colour as the others. At the far end of the wall there was a TV with several seats on a carpet, a stereo and a video game so I could see it. At the end there were dark curtains covering the wall completely.
Opposite the sofa was an elegant oval coffee table, all of this on an elegant black and white carpet that stood out over the polished wooden floor so dark it looked black.
—The kitchen. —he said pointing to my right.
There were four white benches with a huge stainless steel worktop behind them with a bowl of fruit on it. On the back of the counter there were several doors and drawers that I imagined outside for the plates and cutlery. Separated from it was the imposing stainless steel kitchen. With gates at both the top and bottom of it. Right in the middle was a coffee maker but what I couldn't see anywhere was the refrigerator.
—Excuse my ignorance, but where's the fridge? — I asked him as he smiled and walked to the kitchen where I was.
And to my surprise right on the left after pressing a hatch it opened.
—This is the refrigerator, all the floodgates open under pressure. —he said as I looked at him with my mouth open.
—Ah. - was all I could think of to say.
—Come on, I'll show you to your room. — he told me as he drove me down the hall to the left.
After passing the kitchen there were two doors, one on each side of the corridor. After we open the door on the left, we go in.
It was a single room, consisting of a bed that dominated the room. It was made of dark wood while the sheets were white with a kind of black flowers as well as the cushions on the headboard. On either side of the bed was a bedside table with a lamp on each side, which, like the lamps in the living room, was black. At one end of the room was a chair just below another beautiful picture and next to the huge panoramic window where you could admire the view of the city.
—You can sleep in this room. —he told me as he left the backpack on the chair.
—It's bigger than mine. — I replied in amazement.
—We're going to finish showing you the apartment, you haven't seen the best yet. —he said as we left the room.—You can use this bathroom. - he said as he opened the door that it was right in front of the room.
The bathroom was simple but very elegant. It consisted of a sink mounted on an elegant black plateau, a transparent sliding door shower and a cup. Unlike the rest of the apartment, the floor and walls were dark marble.
—The towels are there. —he said, pointing under the plateau where about four towels were lying on a basket.
We continued to walk down the corridor, which was decorated on both sides with small squares, until we came to a double glass door that led to the main room. Mine was big, but this one was even bigger. Like the rest of the apartment, all the walls and ceiling were white. As in mine, the most predominant thing in the room was the huge bed, while on the far left there was a easel and a pile of paint all located in front of the panoramic windows of the room.
—This is my room, you can sleep here if you want. — he said to me, smiling mischievously.
—Yeah, that's why you're showing it to me. —I said trying not to laugh.
—You can always change your mind. —he said as I smiled as well.
—I'll think about it. —I said to him, as I put a finger on my lips.
—Well, so you don't get lost, that's the bathroom. — he said pointing to the left. —And the closet. —he said as he pointed to the right of the room.
—There's a beautiful view from here. —I said as I looked out of the panoramic windows.
—Yes, very beautiful. —but when I turned around he was watching me sitting on the edge of the bed.
—I'm going to change my clothes and take a shower. —I said walking to the door.
—You're at home. —he told me as I left the room.
I walked up to my room and after entering I closed the door and threw myself on the bed, I had a lot to process. The apartment where Christian lived was very luxurious, must have cost a fortune. But I think it was best to process it in the bathroom. I took my backpack that was in the chair and after looking for the clothes and the necessary things I went out to the bathroom across the hall. I got undressed and got into the shower and the warm water immediately made me forget everything. What I wanted most of all was to stay under the warm waterfall all afternoon, but I had to get out at some point.
I took one of the towels and dried my hair as much as I could and then dried my body completely. I wore a short, not too short, a white short-sleeved shirt and some short sandals. I walked out of the bathroom into my room and felt a noise coming from the kitchen, apparently Christian was there. As I entered the room and looked at the clock, to my surprise I had spent half an hour in the bathroom, which was why it had been so relaxing.