Chapter 15 Dustyn Franco

Dustyn Franco

It's been three days since New Year's Eve, but the memory of the kiss is imprinted on my mind. The way her hair felt in between my fingers. The way her lips moved, slowly and innocently. Her trembling hands on my shoulders. The way her mouth parted, red from the kiss we shared.

"Day dreaming again?" Veronica's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. The smile that made its way to my lips and the finger I had on it is a dead giveaway to Veronica. This isn't the first time she saw me reminiscing like a teenager during office hours. She even had to excuse my behaviour in a board meeting we had yesterday. "You have papers to sign." She reminded me, raising her eyebrow at my smile.

"Sorry." I said, smile still lingering on my lips as I started on the folder she recently placed on my table. I watch her leave my office with a shake of her head, probably cursing my lack of focus in work.

As the day goes by, I spent more time thinking about Mara than actually doing the work that has been laid out for me. Resulting to the need to bring some of the work home which earned me a laugh from Veronica. I think she's amused at seeing me not finish the work I have like I usually do.

What can I say?

I have a beautiful fiancée to think of and pick up from school.

Despite being buried in paper works, I give time to spend with Mara. Even if it was just picking her up from her classes and dropping her at their house, it was something I wanted to do. I didn't want to spend a day without seeing Mara if I could do something about it. I want her to know and feel the care and love I have for her wasn't just a spur of the moment. Words that were said after getting to first base.

However, I wasn't impressed by the number of media people hanging out near her school. Despite the security measures that I know Alec has put up for Mara, these people couldn't take the hint and leave her alone. They have been harassing Mara for days. Always comenting on her clothes or the way her hair is done, even going as far as making her look bad to the public's eye. My poor shortcake has been working herself out with all her requirements and exams that are coming up by the end of the week. To add all of this must be exhausting.

As I pulled up at the parking lot, my eyes immediately found Mara. She's standing with her twin friends wearing her black track suit, looking very relaxed in her outfit. She talks to them with a smile on her face. Just seeing that smile already makes me a thousand times better. Emil, who was quick to notice the arrival of my car, quickly called for Mara.

I parked my car a few steps away from them and exited. "Hey guys." I greeted them.

Mara's lips lifted up into a smile. She quickly waves goodbye to her friends and walks to me. "You're here!" She said as she stopped in front of me.

"I said I would be." I told her with a smile of my own. Whenever I'm around her, I couldn't help but smile like a lunatic. I'm crazy about her.

Her grey eyes twinkled in happiness as I open the door of my passenger seat for her. I instructed her guards to follow us using the car they brought, and they immediately followed my orders. They got used to me doing this every day, there wasn't even a choice.

Mara tells me about her day. About the busy schedule she's about to have, how she's nervous about her examination. But the one thing that stayed in my head was a certain Noah Natividad. I'll have to ask Emil about this guy. If he tried to bid for my shortcake on that charity ball, I would guess that he likes her. I won't let him ruin my chances with this beautiful lady.

It didn't take long for us to reach her house. I had to decline her dinner invitation as I glance at the stack of papers neatly placed on the back seat. Her eyes flit to it and she lets out a laugh of amusement.

"Good luck with that." She said, her voice teasing me.

I shake my head with a smile of my own. "Sure. Get in shortcake. It's cold."

She nods her head once and waves me goodbye. I watch her figure disappear behind their huge doors before summoning Emil who was just getting ready to go inside.

"Sir." He said as a way of greeting. His voice gruff and low. I asked him about who Natividad is his interactions with my Mara. "Miss Mara certainly doesn't want anything to do with him. She even asked me to make him leave when they were studying."

"You think he's a threat?" I asked right away. This could be Amelia's doing. Her ways are dirty, as Alec has told me.

He shook his head. "No sir. I'll keep an eye on him anyway."

"thank you." I said sincerely before driving away.

I don't like the sound this Natividad, he's something I should watch out for.

I shake the hand of the host. She smiles at me, pleased and grateful for the information I have exclusively provided her. Her face could tear apart any moment with that huge satisfied grin. As if she won the lottery.

"Thank you so much Mr. Franco." She said for the nth time since the interview began and ended. Are media people this fake? I'm gagging on my own vomit with how fake she is.

"It was my pleasure. I'll wait for tonight's episode."

"Of course! I hope we can do one with Miss Ramirez." She replied, her eyes gleaming with the opportunity to claw out my shortcake. Not gonna happen, woman.

I shake my head immediately. "Maybe not. I'll go ahead." Disappointment covered her face as I walk away from her.

I toss the bag which has the suit I wore to the interview on the empty seat beside me. "Ramirez's, George." I said to the driver I brought with me. I have plans for my shortcake today. Plans to keep her away from the media, and to plan our upcoming wedding. We've been discussing most of it when I pick her up from school. Last Thursday, we finally finished the guest list for the wedding. After that, i decided to let Mara breathe and focus on her exams. I haven't seen her in two straight days, but it feels longer.

Emil greeted me as soon as I got out of the car. Without any problem, I got inside the house. I guess they got used to always seeing me her, that it wasn't a surprise to any of them when I just proceeded to go up the second floor. As Jack said, I can treat this as my second home.

A smile formed on my lips as her voice reaches my ears. I quietly leaned against the opened door of her bedroom and watched her in content. She's smiling and happily talking to her best friend, Artemis who was laid down in her bed. She smiles excitedly as she shows Artemis the designs Aurora have sent her since the engagement took place. Then, they started talking about Alec and Aurora's love story.

"Talking about Alec's love life?" I asked them, my eyes only on the back of her head. I watched as she jumps from my voice and slowly turned around to confirm it was me. Her gray eyes widened and sparkled with happiness upon seeing me.

Artemis waved and greets me when she saw me. Meanwhile, Mara tried to hide her excitement upon seeing me, but my shortcake is miserably failing at doing so. Instead, she settles for her plain old sarcasm. "Eavesdropping is a bad habit." she said, another thing we kept telling her when she was a kid. Mara was a curious child, always getting her small hands on things she shouldn't. Al and I would always tell her that eavesdropping is bad. "Alec would not approve." she added.

I walked inside her room, stopping right in front of the chair she is sitting on. She looked up at me, her bright gray eyes almost making me a speechless fool again. "Well, shortcake, there are a lot of things Alec would not approve of. One would be gossiping."

Her little quirks are amusing. She tries to hide her happiness and relief from seeing me after getting hounded by the media for weeks. She can't, however, hide the blush that has covered her cheeks as if something crossed her mind for a brief second before she looked away.

Her friend ran out of the room before she can say anything other than her name. Shouting something about her being single and the sexual tension in the air. I am quite amused by the small human who can intimidate my shortcake into things. It's highly amusing knowing that Mara isn't one to be pushed or ordered around by anyone but when it comes to the twins, she can hardly say no to them.

I try to hide my laughter as her face gets redder by Artemis' words. Sexual tension would be going too far for my innocent shortcake. The kiss made me want more, true, but it also made me satisfied knowing that I maybe her first kiss.

"Now. What do you say about those wedding plans?" I asked her with a smile. "We're going to pick flowers." I said, as a form of encouragement when I saw irritation cross her eyes.

She groaned, loudly and in misery. "Can we not?"

"Don't worry shortcake. Just you and me today." I winked at her, grinning from ear to ear as relief crossed her face. I guess dear old step mom was not something she was looking forward to. It would be awful to spend a day with the person you don't like while planning a wedding that is making you stressful.

"Which flower shop?" She asked.

I almost laughed at her. I wonder why she thought I would settle for a measly shop when I know Eros, who owns one of the biggest plantations in the South. A place where almost any flower could be found. "Oh. I never said it was just a shop."

"No way!" she exclaimed.

I remember when I first went to see the place. I wouldn't stop rambling and talking about it to Mara on the phone because I know she loves flowers and photography. It would be a vision when she does take a photo of the place.

"Yes way. Get dressed." I said smugly to her. I know she loves a good. I'm also low-key hoping that she bring the camera, the one I gave her with her to this trip. I haven't seen that ever since I got back.

When I got to their own living room, I found Alec dressed in one of his business suits. He's busy fixing his tie; he didn't notice my presence right away. When he does, he sighs. "Did you do it?" He asked, picking up his phone and car keys from the coffee table.

I nod. "It was exactly what the media wanted. It'll air tonight."

Alec and I were both furious when the news reached our ears. The thought of people thinking of Mara as a gold digger was preposterous. Even the thought of that word along with Mara's name enrages me. How can they think that? I'm sure their company is worth ten times that ours is.

We both wanted the issue to go away. So Alec made the decision to tell me about a trust fund that Mara would receive when she turns twenty years old. Just like when Alec received his, Mara would soon realise that money would be the least of her worries when the time came.

Along with the trust fund, Alec has also decided to tell me a little more about his suspicions of Amelia. Amelia is a very greedy woman. She and Jack never signed a prenuptial. With that, and Jack being the benefactor and next of kin of Mara at the moment, anything that might prove Mara incapable of receiving the fund would result to Jack getting it and resulting to Amelia, getting almost half of it. Alec has made it clear that another visit to the psychiatrist isn't something Mara needs right now.

Alec didn't go into much deeper detail on why Mara would or needed to go to a psych.

Things would be easier for my shortcake if it weren't for Amelia always trying to sabotage her health. The whole walking in the snow thing last October was one of the reasons why she's engaged to me now. Along with the other incidental things that Alec kept noticing as her twentieth birthday approaches, pushed him to make a decision for his sister's sake.

"You didn't actually tell them everything, did you?" He asked, suddenly worried of what I said on the interview.

"I'm not an idiot, Al." I told him in a straight face. I really am not. I want to shield Mara from the world just as much as he does. One of the things that we have in common is the protectiveness we have over that woman.

"Good. I figure that's why you're taking her to Eros' place?"

I looked at him in confusion. "How do you even know that?" I certainly never told him about my plans. I doubt Jack did.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I own a company which produces techno shit, you idiot." Silently, he's admitting to stalking his sister when it suits him best. He even told me he spied on

"Oh, so you were spying on us. Eavesdropping is a bad habit." I told him with a tsked.

He rolled his eyes at me. "Make sure she haves fun before everything gets down." He reminded me.

"Sure. Make me out the bad guy. Again." I said sarcastically. As usual, Alec gets me to do the worst parts when it comes to Mara. Ever since she was a kid, he'll always find a way for me to do the worst part then he comes in like her saviour of some sort.

"Shut up. Don't think I don't know about that kiss Franco." He said threateningly before fully leaving the room.

"Great." I muttered in annoyance. I didn't really think I could keep it this long from his stalkerish ass. I was hoping he wouldn't say anything but fuck my luck. My bestfriend is anything but patient.

Mara emerged from her room not long after her brother left the place. We were almost out the door when their step mother shouted for Mara. Irritation immideately crossed her features and she was forced to see what Amelia wanted with her.

Surrounded by hundreds of wedding magazines, Amelia sits on the couch drinking a glass of orange juice. She's dressed in one of her too short to be appropriate clothes. She gets to the point, telling Mara about her very expensive wedding gown ideas which irritated Mara even more. Before things get worse, I decided to intervene.

"I'm very grateful for your help, Amelia. But we already have a designer in mind for her wedding gown." I said calmly, hoping that Amelia would let the whole thing slide. "You do understand, don't you?"

"My husband asked me to plan this wedding. I intend to do so." She said with bravely. Her eyes twitching in pure anger.

Deciding to pull out the worst card I have about her as of yet. "Yes. But then again, I'm sure you won't mind id I tell Dad about that accident." The image of Mara's injuries that day flitted through my brain and anger rushes in my veins. This woman did that to her. For what? The money Mara's going to get? Jack is already rich on his own, if she's not content with that, she will never be. Mara will just be in more danger as we wait for her twenty-first birthday.

Ignoring her next words, I guided Mara to the back of the car we would be using with Emil driving and Andrew sitting on the passenger side. I opened the door for Mara and helped her get in. Then, I rounded to the other side of the car and entered.

"What was that?" She immediately asked me. I should tell her but Alec has told me not to until everything settles down with his whole bizarre and stupid plan. I have to lie to her. I'm sorry, shortcake.

He smiles at me but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Don't worry about it." I hold her hand in mine and guided her head to my shoulder, offering as much comfort as I could.

We arrived late afternoon to Eros' place. Emil and Andrew took care of our luggage as Eros welcomes us in a very happy manner. He snatches a very groggy Mara from my arms and envelopes her in a huge hug like some long lost friends. Glaring at him, I carefully removed his hands from her body and shoved him away.

"You're so possessive man." He said, laughing at my obvious jealousy.

"Hi, Eros." Mara said, yawning as she does then dropping her head again on my shoulder. "I'm sleepy." She's tired from the plane and the fact that we played Boggle was not relaxing at all. Mara is competitive when it comes to that game.

"I'll get into bed soon." I told her softly. "Where's her room?" I asked Eros.

Mischief immediately crossed his features. "I'm so sorry. I only prepared one room. The others are under renovation." He smirked and entered the house without another word.

His house is huge. One side is made out of pure glass, overlooking his vast property and the flowers. It's an open floor plan with the kitchen fully exposed to the living and dining rooms. Not a wall blocking the view will be seen in this floor. A simple staircase is on the far side of the room, with the back door in front of the steps.

"Asshole." I muttered under my breath and guided Mara up the stairs of his front porch. Inside, the rays of the setting sun flowed freely through the glass window of the house. The plantation could be seen from here and under the setting sun, it looked marvellous. "Hey, look."

Mara turns her head to the direction of the window and almost instantly brightening up from her sleepy state. A smile slowly formed on her lips at the sight and she turned to me with her eyes sparkling in happiness. "It looks beautiful, Dy. Just like you said."

I smiled at her and took a hold of her hand. "Eros only gave us one room." I explained softly. Despite knowing that we have already shared a bed, Mara was too drunk to even remember what exactly happened. The fact that she will be completely sober tonight lessens my control over my thoughts of having her in all ways possible. I'm getting worse with my thoughts of her since the party and the kiss that we shared. "Don't worry. I would have Emil find me a blanket and I could take the couch."

She looked at me as if I said something funny. With a smile she pulls at my hand. "It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

"Oh. I heard that." Eros' teasing voice made us look in his direction. Sporting a smirk on his lips, he walked to the nearest couch and slumped on it. "I guess you can share again, right Mara?"

"Sure. Not a problem." She replied with a smile of her own for Eros. She turns to me, "That's okay right?"

Oh. You don't have to ask shortcake.

"Are you kidding me?" Eros says and let out a laugh. "The poor man has wanted that since I met him."

I glared at him. Eros and his mouth will be his death someday. "Shut up, will you?"

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Sure." I can hear the sarcasm in his voice but I decided to let it slide. He won't see me angry tonight, not with shortcake in my arms.

"Where's the room Eros?" I asked when Mara hides the yawn that still escapes her. She drops her head on my shoulder, her eyes shutting close again.

"Up, first door to your left." He said, his eyes glued to the television show in front of him. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'll call you for dinner."

I rolled my eyes at him. Some host he is. Pulling Mara behind me, we walk up the stairs and found the only door other door with a 'do-not-cross-the-line' tape on it. I'm guessing the other room is for Eros who is still engaged with his show to even bother to lead us to the room. I opened the door and found a spacious room. Oddly enough, this one doesn't have a spare couch at the far end of the bed like most rooms in his house does. The fucker has set this up good.

"Eros is something." Mara mumbles amusedly as she finds the lack of couch like a sore thumb. "Left or right?"

I let her settle down on the bed before closing the door and leaning on it. "Any side is okay. Do you prefer one?"

She nods her head, a tentative smile on her face. "As long as it's near the door."

"Okay then." I said, smiling at her despite the kick I felt on my guts at her words. My shortcake might be traumatized for the rest of her life. I wonder what else she's afraid of now. I wonder if Alec really did tell me everything there is to know about that incident.

I never understood Alec when he said I don't know everything about Mara now. This Mara is not like the kid I watched grows up. She was never afraid of anything. As I spend more time with her, I find little things that oddly don't sit right with the person I remember her to be.

"When are we going to see the flowers?" She asked.

"Tomorrow." I tell her. I pulled her bag to her and put mine on top of the dresser. "You want to freshen up?"

She yawns despite the nod of her head. "Maybe I can sleep for a bit first?"

I grin at her cute face. "Sure thing, shortcake."

She gets into the bed after removing her shoes. She wraps the blanket around her before smiling sleepily at me. I smiled back to her and moved closer to her. I drop a tender kiss on her forehead and pulled back.

"Sleep now." I said to her softly, my voice barely a whisper as my eyes landed on her lips. Closing my eyes, I release a shaky breath. I want to kiss her again, badly but I'm not sure if she wanted to be kissed again.