When I opened them wide Christian was sitting next to me, smiling at me in that way that I liked so much and made my heart start to speed up. But there was something strange about him, I turned my head to one side and raised one of my hands towards his hair.
—When did you cut it off? —I asked him by sliding my hand along the side where his hair was now very short.
—The moment you've been sleeping and after dinner, I called my barber and asked him to come. What about now? Do you like it? —he asked me, raising one eyebrow.
His hair was still long on top, so some locks kept falling on his face and as he descended to the nape of his neck he lowered the length of his hair until it became very short. His hair was so short at the nape of his neck that I could no longer pull it as before. But while I was sliding my hand through it I felt a different sensation, it felt as soft as before but the rubbing with my hand now sent shocks through my skin. I raised my hand to slide it through the longest hair.
—I like it. —I answered him as he smiled and brought his lips closer to mine and kissed me.
After kissing me he saw the sketchbook next to me in the bed, open, where there was a drawing of him. He stared at the drawing and then smiled at me.
—When did you draw me? —he asked curiously. — I don't remember posing for you at any time. —he said as I smiled.
—I did it some time ago, one of the days I was drawing while you were sending me messages. Apparently I couldn't get your image out of my mind. —I answered him as he got closer to me by gluing his lips to mine but without kissing me.
—I can't get your image out of my mind either. —he said, stealing a kiss from me. —Now, let's take a bath for dinner. —he said, getting out of bed.
—Shall we not bathe in the yacht? —I asked him curiously.
—Yes, but I think I need another one after the haircut. —he said as he ran one hand through his hair and smiled at me.
—Okay, but first I have to ask you something. —Christian stared at me, wrinkling his eyebrows.
—You know you can ask whatever you want. —he said to me while I smiled at him.
—Do you have plans for the weekend? —I asked him while he looked at me intrigued.
—So far I haven't planned anything, why, you've got something in mind. —he said as he sat back on the bed next to me.
—I want to go to my parents' house, I haven't seen them in a while, and I wondered if you'd like to come with me. —Christian smiled at me.
—There's nothing I'd rather do than go with you. —he replied while I smiled at him like an idiot. —I guess they know we're together. —At that moment I stopped smiling.
—I mentioned something, but they don't know who you are, only that I would be accompanied on Friday and that we would arrive for dinner, I want to surprise them.
—Well, they'll be surprised when they see me, I'm sure. —he answered me while we were both laughing.
—But let's go in my car. —I asked him while he looked at me now with curiosity.
—What's wrong with mine? — I think we'll get there faster.
—Yes, but then my father will spend the whole weekend looking at your car and believe me, he'll know how much it cost.
—All right, let's go in yours then, now we can take a bath. —he pulled my hand and made me get out of bed.
—Yes, let's go. —I said, following him to the bathroom.
His wet hair continued to make him look sexy, but now he was much sexier, and I assumed it had something to do with the new haircut. The tufts fell on his face but now not as much as before.
When we were having dinner, Kate and Elliot arrived and we told them about our plans for next weekend. They had come by to pick up some things and then they left again. Lately they were hardly ever here, mostly the apartment was for the two of us, so we took advantage of it. That night we slept hugging as Christian whispered words of love in my ear and I slipped my hand through his freshly cut hair.
Today we were alone at work, Ethan and Mia were still on their honeymoon and did not return until next week. Today and as was customary lately we came walking from my apartment, although today there was a difference, we did it holding hands. At noon we went out for lunch on a hamburger and returned around 1:00 pm as was customary. We were smiling like two silly lovers, we no longer hid our love, now we were demonstrating it in public as we climbed hand in hand the steps of the museum entrance.
—Christian. —someone called to our back and we both turned there.
Just in front of us, a few steps down, there was a girl about my age, or a little older, with long, wavy blond hair loose on her shoulders. She approached us as he removed the sunglasses he was wearing, showing very deep blue eyes. She stood right in front of us and for a moment stared at me before turning to Christian and smiling at him.
—Why haven't you returned my calls? —she asked him while he grimaced.
I could see that he wasn't very pleased to see this person. The cheerful and smiling Christian who came to my side just a few minutes ago had disappeared.
—Because you and I have nothing to talk about. —he replied coldly as he squeezed my hand briefly.
—You're wrong, we have a lot to talk about, I think you didn't make the right decision. —she answered while Christian laughed sarcastically.
—You're not the one to decide whether or not I made the right decision, besides, I know well why you were with me, even though I didn't want to accept it for a long time. —he replied fiercely.
—I see, then you looked for someone else as soon as you left me, don't you think she's with you for the money, that's the only thing that should matter to her, I'm sure, just look at her as she's dressed. —she said, pointing at me with one hand.
But whoever thought it was this woman to talk about me like that didn't know me, now she was going to see who she was messing with. I got ready to talk, but Christian stopped me.
—I don't allow you to talk about her like that, she's not just anyone like you. —he shouted as she looked offended.
—You have no right to call me that, I never deceived you, yes, it is true that I was with you because of your position, but I also loved you, I still do, I have never stopped. —she said as she tried to take his free hand but he stopped her.
My ears couldn't stand listening to that conversation where I had nothing to do with it. But I wasn't going to get away from Christian and he squeezed my hand tightly to keep me from leaving. He needed me by his side, I knew it and I was going to stay there.
—You don't love me, you never did, you just want me to come back with you to continue taking my money. But listen well, I told you once and I will tell you for the last time, we will never go back together, I never loved you and I won't do it in the future.
—You did love me.
—No, I didn't love you, now I've realized. —he said as he looked at me and smiled at me slightly.
—And you want this one. —she said scornfully towards me.
—This is my girlfriend, and no, I don't want her... I love her, that's something you'll never know what it means. Now if you'll excuse me we have to get back to work, don't call me or show up here again, or I'm going to be forced to take certain measures. —he said as he turned his back on her, pulling my hand towards the museum.
I was walking fast, I could feel in the way my hand was squeezing that he was angry, very angry. At no time did he speak, not even when we were in the elevator. The doors opened and he came out, letting go of my hand and walking at a fast pace towards his office, closing the windows as he entered. I stood in the middle of the basement looking over there. After a moment I went to his office and entered without touching. Christian was lying on the sofa with one hand on his forehead staring at the ceiling.
—Do you want to talk about it? —I asked as I sat on a corner of the couch.
Christian sat down and stared at me. For a moment I thought he wouldn't answer me.
—I'm sorry you had to meet her. —he said, taking one of my hands in his own.
—Who is she? —I asked, although I had already imagined the answer.
—Her name is Elena, she's my ex-girlfriend. —he replied, staring me in the eyes, evaluating my reaction to what he was telling me.
—Apparently she didn't agree to separate from you.
—I knew she was with me for my money, but at first I wasn't interested in her.
—Why did you go on with her then? —I asked him strangely.
—If I tell you, you'll think I'm an idiot. — he replied as he shook his head.
—Tell me about it. —I asked him, giving him a brief squeeze in his hand.
—That way I didn't feel alone. —he answered me as he slid his fingers across the palm of my hand.
—You can explain better. —I asked him while he was breathing hard before answering.
—I met her in London, right after my parents died and by the time I moved to New York she kept telling me that she loved me, that she couldn't live without me. And I believed her like an idiot, even though I knew she was only with me for my money. That way I had someone by my side. I broke up with her a few days before I met you. —he said as he smiled at me tenderly. —Since then she has called me on several occasions, she has even come to see me at the museum. I asked her to try to forget me, not to come looking for me again, but apparently she didn't understand.
—Why don't you change your cell phone number?
—I thought about it, but I get a lot of calls and I have so many important contacts that they call me several times a day that I don't think they'd like to know that I changed my phone number. So I just block his calls, so it doesn't bother me. But if she keeps coming back or comes near you, then I'm going to take severe measures. —he answered me as he fixed his gaze once more on me, I could see in his gaze that he was serious. I squeezed his hand a little and smiled at him.
—What can I do to make you forget this whole thing? —I said to him as he looked at me squinting.
—Can you give me a kiss and make me forget everything? —he smiled seductively.
—You're hopeless. —I said to him as he brought his lips closer to mine but without touching them yet.
—No, I don't, I've become addicted to your kisses. —he said as he kissed me. —To your body. —he said as his hands went towards my waist to squeeze me against him. —Everything about you. —he said kissing me one more time.
—I told you once and I'll repeat it again, I love your kisses, I too have become addicted to you. — I said to him, sliding one hand down his cheek and smiling briefly at him. —I love you. —I said to him as he smiled at me, a dazzling smile that took my breath away.
—I love you too, Ana. —he said as his lips joined mine.
This week there wasn't much work, the next work I had to restore would be disassembled on the weekend so most of the time I spent touring the museum, as so many other times already, or in Christian's office. On Thursday night we packed a suitcase with both their clothes and on Friday we both left in my car on our way to the museum. We put the suitcase in the back seat, and as soon as we finished working, we got in the car and drove to my parents' house while we listened to some music.