Chapter 214 - Insane Taste
Meanwhile, Ximena was unable to meet up with Liam for lunch, so she asked to have dinner with him the following day. It was such a bummer that the idiot was not being compliant.
"I am too busy to run around the city for you, Ximena. Do you think I have all the time to keep making plans that you will cancel as you please?" He reprimanded her.
Before, she would have grabbed the opportunity to rain on him a series of insults but this time, his words pierced into her heart like a knife. What was wrong with her? Was it because she couldn't stand the thought of being turned down by anyone?
She held her phone against her ear with no intention to speak. Just as she wondered whether to hang up, he finally spoke again. "If you want to cook for me, I can consider dropping by your apartment when all my work is done."
She was crazy to even consider it. How could he let him into her apartment? What would it mean?
Even after giving herself several mental warnings, the word that left her mouth baffled her. "Okay."
"See you in three hours, Xim." He hung up.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" She asked out aloud.
She looked down at herself. She was wearing a perfectly fitting black dress that Zaria had picked out for her, but one had to know that Zaria was too playful. She had helped her pick out a woollen one that barely reached the middle of her thighs and had paired it with a pair of silver heels. Was she really going to a meeting with Liam dressed like this? It looked almost like she was trying to seduce him!
Damn Zaria and her choice of clothes. She was definitely mad. Luckily, she had made the call and had the chance to take a second glance at herself before leaving the house.
However, there wasn't really much difference now. She had called him into her apartment and promised to cook for him like she was a girlfriend of sorts. Urgh. That was definitely something she would never become in this lifetime. Not that she cared. It had been her choice to beat the crap out of every man who tried to pick her up. Why did the thought irritate her when she replaced all the men she had beaten up with Liam in her mind?
"Pull up your big girl panties, Ximena." She gave herself a friendly talk aloud. "You can simply give that man a call and cancel everything. You don't really need to meet up with him, do you?"
Her hands flew to her hips. "Or you can wait for him to show up so you fry his balls. Yeah, that's definitely not a good idea."
She went back and forth with the debate that she was certain would scare her neighbours away if a word of it leaked out.
She sighed. "You can either go to the kitchen and make yourself useful, or keep standing there and moping about your stupid mistakes." The part of her that she thought must be the devil warned. It must be the devil, because the angel would ask her to cancel the meeting. Definitely.
After an insane mental debate, she tied an apron around her waist without getting changed out of her dress.
She hummed as she cooked and by the time she realized that her dress was not comfortable to move around in, she was almost done. She put all the food on low heat and left the kitchen, but was yet to make it to her bedroom when the doorbell rang. She instinctively went to open the door only to find Liam standing outside.
"Hey." He grinned as he presented a bouquet of roses.
"Wait for a second. I'll get changed." She ignored the roses and left the door open. If he didn't take the cue to get in, that would not be up to her.
"What's wrong with the clothes you are wearing? You look gorgeous." He settled on the couch nearest to her while ignoring the fact that she had not taken a glance at the roses he brought. He should have known that she wouldn't.
"Why did you bring me flowers?" She asked, ignoring his comment.
So she actually saw them.
"I thought women liked flowers." He felt uncomfortable under her gaze.
"What am I to you? A substitute for other women because you couldn't get them?" She snapped.
He was flabbergasted. "Jeez, Ximena. All I did was drop by and bring flowers. When did I call you a substitute?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Wait for me to get changed." She sauntered away without waiting for his response.
He had no choice so he waited. He thought she was going to change into something more comfortable like home wear of sorts but to his surprise, she was seductively dressed when she came out of her room.
Her black dress had been replaced with a silk, red one and her hair had been let down. She had not applied an ounce of makeup but she looked so perfect that he couldn't get his eyes off her as she made her way to the kitchen.
She turned off the stove and flipped her hair, having felt his gaze. "I know. I was also thinking of wearing something more comfortable. Hell knows why I ended up changing into this." She was frustrated at the thought.
She plated the food and yelled from the kitchen. "Aren't you supposed to be famished?"
"I am!" He practically sprinted to the kitchen and she was speechless. Was he out of his mind?
She placed their food on opposite sides of the kitchen island and sat down, letting him take his seat on his own. When he didn't, she had the urge to taunt him. "Are you waiting for me to pull out a chair for you, Princess?"
Her remark made him frown. Was she addicted to starting fights with him?
He looked at the bowtie pasta in his plate and was awed by her culinary skills. It looked yummy, but that was not what he said. "Do you actually know how to cook? If not, who will want to marry you?"
He was merely teasing her to get back at her for her comment but it blew her fuse.
"So what if I don't know how to cook? I have no desire to marry you! Do you understand?" She snapped.
She was definitely on her period.
He ate quietly. It was the most awkward meal he had ever had with her and he would have changed the situation if he had the chance. How unfortunate that she didn't seem to even want to talk to him during the meal.
When they were done, the first thing she did was dismiss him. "You better not be thinking of trying to spend the night. I don't want spoilt, rich brats under my roof." She showed him the door.
"I am not a spoilt, rich brat. Can I stay?" He pleaded. When she looked like she was about to slap him, he grabbed her hands and held them against the sides of her body. "Please. We need to talk."
"What's there for us to talk about?" She fumed, forgetting that she was the one who had wanted to talk to him in the first place.
"Xim," He lowered his voice as he stepped into her personal space. "Hear me out."
"I don't want to." She shook her head stubbornly. "I don't want to hear what I already know."
"And what do you know? That there is something between us?" He asked.
Her eyes went wide for a moment. "That's not… listen. You can fool all the women in the world but that will never be me." She grabbed a floor lamp to use as a weapon.
He raised his hands in surrender and burst into laughter when she looked like she would really hit him with it if he made a move. "Desmond was right about my taste in women. It's insane."
She glared at him.
"Put that thing down." He ordered, pointing at the floor lamp in her hands.
"You don't get to tell me what to do." She hissed.
He ignored the weapon and closed in on her.. Before she realized what he was up to, his arms were around her and his lips pressed against hers.
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