Episode 19: I hate this

Above them, perched on the spectacular height of a cliff, the large domed roof of a pale building came into view. The higher they climbed, the bigger that building seemed to become. It couldn't be called a villa, Stella decided wide-eyed, it could only be called a palace.

 

 

'Is this your home?' she prompted tautly. As the limo glided to a halt in front of the massive entrance, Dior gave a bleak nod of confirmation.

 

 

If you're going to be socializing with friends and family now, just find me a room somewhere and lock the door. I don't want to intrude—' 'You're staying with me,' Dior countered steadily. 'But what am I supposed to say if anyone speaks to me?' Stella's dismay was unhidden. 'I don't even know what your father was called!' 'His name was Aaron.

 

 

He was seventy-one and I was his only child,' Dior framed, his accent thickening to roughen his vowel sounds, his jawline squaring. 'He was one of those good guys you mentioned. He may have passed away peacefully in his sleep, but his death was both sudden and unexpected.' 'You had no chance to say goodbye.

 

 

That's very hard to bear.' As she had listened Stella had paled, briefly plunged into her memories of the loss of a loved and loving parent. Dior sent her a flashing glance of pure disdain. 'Spare me the platitudes,' he derided harshly.

 

 

 

 

My father and I had been estranged for some time before his death.' 'It wasn't a platitude. Whose fault was it that you were...estranged?' she dared to ask. ‘'Mine...' She watched his lean brown hands slowly clench into powerful fists and then carefully unclench again the instant he realized she had noticed that betraying gesture. 'You couldn't have known—' 'This is none of your business!' Dior ground out thunderously.

 

 

They climbed out of the car. Stella stole a troubled glance up at Dior's rigid profile and suppressed a rueful sigh, recognizing the stoic, all-male but unnatural control he was determined to maintain.

 

 

Maybe it was easier for women to let go emotionally, talk it out, forgive themselves. It was certainly wiser, she reckoned. Right now Dior Harlequin was like a big simmering volcano, struggling to swallow back a surging lava flow.

 

 

Hanging back, she let him stride ahead of her. A large cluster of the staff was waiting in the huge, opulent entrance hall. Dior spoke a few words. Stella hovered awkwardly in the center of the marble floor, her attention roaming over statues in alcoves and magnificent paintings and then centering on the gorgeous brunette who had unexpectedly appeared in a doorway.

 

 

Not having noticed the other woman, Dior swung back an imperious head. 'Stella!' he gritted impatiently. Her color rising as ever watching eye swiveled to examine her with keen interest, Stella quickened her step.

 

 

Just as Dior clamped a large imprisoning hand over hers, the sophisticated brunette strolled forward. She looked to be in her late twenties. She had short, glossy black hair, exotic dark eyes, and creamy skin.

 

 

Her designer dress and her jewelry were simply breathtaking. 'Aria ...' Dior drawled, his long fingers suddenly closing so tightly over Stella's smaller hand that she almost yelped with discomfort. Aria planted a cool kiss on his cheek and then addressed him in Greek.

 

 

She ignored Stella. But Stella was grateful to be ignored because she was embarrassed by Dior's stubborn determination to keep her by his side. Still conversing with Aria, whom Stella now assumed to be a close relative, Dior walked them both into a vast reception room. Other people began to arrive.

 

 

 

 

Aria took up position like a seasoned hostess. Dior's grip on Stella's fingers had mercifully loosened, and she tried to pull away, hoping to retire to a dark corner. But not only did Dior retain his hold on her, but he also swept her forward and introduced her, although nobody got the chance to engage her in an actual conversation.

 

 

Many curious eyes lingered on her, but Dior kept both of them on the move. He exchanged a word here, a sentence there, his bleak, brooding tension forestalling any more intimate dialogue.

 

 

 

 

Skylar… I hate this!' he bit out rawly under his breath at one stage. Some minutes later, an exuberant older man grasped him in a bear hug, forcing him to release Stella. Stella backed away and then walked out onto the balcony that appeared to stretch the entire length of the house.

 

 

She breathed in deep in the hot still air. The view out over the bay was incredible. An endless blue sky arched over the lush, forested pine slopes sprinkled with wildflowers and the majestic rock formations that jutted out into the sparkling turquoise sea far below.

 

 

It was so beautiful it almost hurt. She stood there for a long time before she turned away again, becoming conscious of how very tired she still was. A couple of catnaps hadn't made up for the stress of a long trip and the loss of a decent night's sleep. As she glanced back into the crowded room, she immediately noticed Dior.

 

 

He was so tall he couldn't be missed. He had a dark frown on his starkly handsome features as he glanced restively around himself, only paying partial attention to what was being said to him. Then his keen gaze lit like a falling star on Stella, where she stood outside in the sun, her silver hair gleaming like precious metal.

 

 

The marked strain on his lean, strong face instantly eased. Across the distance that separated them, Stella collided with glittering green eyes. Her heart gave a sudden violent lurch and her mouth ran dry.

 

 

She watched Dior plow through the crush surrounding him. She could focus on nothing but him and was as blind as he was to the buzz of speculation his abrupt departure had created. 'Where the hell have you been?' he breathed in a driven undertone.

 

 

But a couple of feet from her Dior ground to an equally sudden halt, an almost bemused frown pleating his winged ebony brows.

 

 

Emanating Graceawatt tension in abundance again, he studied Stella with ferociously intent green eyes that questioned even before he demanded, 'Why do I want to be with you right now?' As tense now as he, Stella jerked a slight shoulder in an awkward movement.

 

 

Keeping tabs on me to ensure I don't get near a phone has b-become a real bad habit?' she stuttered in a strained and breathless rush.

 

 

At that moment, Aria Bailey strolled unhurriedly out to join them. Beneath her coolly enquiring closely inspect, Stella found herself reddening with fierce discomfiture, although she could not have explained why. '

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Comments

yadelee

yadelee

am i the only 1 whos characters in this chap appears randomly without a word or something?

2020-02-13

6

See all
Episodes
1 Episode 1: He's getting a witch
2 Episode 2: Murmuring with satisfaction
3 Episode 4: Get off that phone now
4 Episode 5: I'm afraid I can't trust your word
5 Episode 6: Free will
6 Episode 7: I have no desire for a company
7 Episode 8: That wasn't his only problem
8 Episode 9: Put them on
9 Episode 10: An adventure
10 Episode 11: You have betrayed my trust
11 Episode 12: You're a very convincing liar
12 Episode 13: Passion and Sensuality
13 Episode 14: Oh, dear heaven
14 Episode 15: 'Who's the woman
15 Episode 16: I don't like to be boss around
16 Episode 17: He's got a taste
17 Episode 18: Calling me a babe
18 Episode 19: I hate this
19 Episode 20: What on earth was the matter with her
20 Episode 21: Quite extraordinary
21 Episode 22: Did you have a happy childhood
22 Episode 23: Don't you realize that
23 Episode 24: My turn
24 Episode 25: So sweet
25 Episode 26: She couldn't believe
26 Episode 27: Can't talk now
27 Episode 28: It didn't seem to bother him
28 Episode 29: What's wrong
29 Episode 30:
30 Episode 31: Is Grace still employed?
31 Episode 32: I’m going in tonight
32 Episode 33: It's not Okay
33 Episode 34: Who the heck do you think you are to say that to me?
34 Episode 35: I'm not backing off
35 Episode 36: You belong with me
36 Episode 37: You're not supposed to know me!
37 Episode 38: Stop running away
38 Episode 39: I made it my business to know
39 Episode 40: I think I might be pregnant
40 Episode 41: Can I go out on the balcony
41 Episode 42: Trust me
42 Episode 43: I don't want to be your mistress
43 Episode 44: I don't care who I see
44 Episode 45: We're going to be parents
45 Episode 46: What's wrong with tonight?
46 Episode 47: I don't want your money
47 Episode 48: You do deserve her
48 Episode 49: I wouldn't have you as a gift
49 Episode 50: A little amusement
50 Episode 51: One month's notice
51 Episode 52: I saw you kissing him
52 Episode 53: Do...do you love her?
53 Episode 54: Do you love her (2)
54 Episode 55: I make a very bitter enemy
55 Episode 56: You look just gorgeous
56 Episode 57: I wish he'd met you
57 Episode 58: What's wrong?
58 Episode 59: I promise you
59 Episode 60: To make you welcome
60 Episode 61: You are so perfect
61 Episode 62: It's our wedding night
62 Episode 63: She hadn't liked that
63 Episode 64: Then what?
64 Episode 65: Lack of discretion?
65 Episode 66: What do you expect?
66 Episode 67: Don't be slow
67 Episode 68: Would I do that?
68 Episode 69: Rational
69 Episode 70: I don't want you anymore!
70 Episode 71: No! No way was it wrong!
71 Episode 72: What on earth are we doing here?
72 Episode 73: She's a nice person
73 Episode 74: I adore you
74 Episode 75: That's what I'm here for
Episodes

Updated 74 Episodes

1
Episode 1: He's getting a witch
2
Episode 2: Murmuring with satisfaction
3
Episode 4: Get off that phone now
4
Episode 5: I'm afraid I can't trust your word
5
Episode 6: Free will
6
Episode 7: I have no desire for a company
7
Episode 8: That wasn't his only problem
8
Episode 9: Put them on
9
Episode 10: An adventure
10
Episode 11: You have betrayed my trust
11
Episode 12: You're a very convincing liar
12
Episode 13: Passion and Sensuality
13
Episode 14: Oh, dear heaven
14
Episode 15: 'Who's the woman
15
Episode 16: I don't like to be boss around
16
Episode 17: He's got a taste
17
Episode 18: Calling me a babe
18
Episode 19: I hate this
19
Episode 20: What on earth was the matter with her
20
Episode 21: Quite extraordinary
21
Episode 22: Did you have a happy childhood
22
Episode 23: Don't you realize that
23
Episode 24: My turn
24
Episode 25: So sweet
25
Episode 26: She couldn't believe
26
Episode 27: Can't talk now
27
Episode 28: It didn't seem to bother him
28
Episode 29: What's wrong
29
Episode 30:
30
Episode 31: Is Grace still employed?
31
Episode 32: I’m going in tonight
32
Episode 33: It's not Okay
33
Episode 34: Who the heck do you think you are to say that to me?
34
Episode 35: I'm not backing off
35
Episode 36: You belong with me
36
Episode 37: You're not supposed to know me!
37
Episode 38: Stop running away
38
Episode 39: I made it my business to know
39
Episode 40: I think I might be pregnant
40
Episode 41: Can I go out on the balcony
41
Episode 42: Trust me
42
Episode 43: I don't want to be your mistress
43
Episode 44: I don't care who I see
44
Episode 45: We're going to be parents
45
Episode 46: What's wrong with tonight?
46
Episode 47: I don't want your money
47
Episode 48: You do deserve her
48
Episode 49: I wouldn't have you as a gift
49
Episode 50: A little amusement
50
Episode 51: One month's notice
51
Episode 52: I saw you kissing him
52
Episode 53: Do...do you love her?
53
Episode 54: Do you love her (2)
54
Episode 55: I make a very bitter enemy
55
Episode 56: You look just gorgeous
56
Episode 57: I wish he'd met you
57
Episode 58: What's wrong?
58
Episode 59: I promise you
59
Episode 60: To make you welcome
60
Episode 61: You are so perfect
61
Episode 62: It's our wedding night
62
Episode 63: She hadn't liked that
63
Episode 64: Then what?
64
Episode 65: Lack of discretion?
65
Episode 66: What do you expect?
66
Episode 67: Don't be slow
67
Episode 68: Would I do that?
68
Episode 69: Rational
69
Episode 70: I don't want you anymore!
70
Episode 71: No! No way was it wrong!
71
Episode 72: What on earth are we doing here?
72
Episode 73: She's a nice person
73
Episode 74: I adore you
74
Episode 75: That's what I'm here for

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