But through all that, never for once did I doubt myself, or ask the crazy, irrational questions that were now pouring through my mind. Or try to stave off sinful, erotic images of a woman I shouldn’t even be thinking of in the first place.
Sighing, I closed my head and let it fall to the headrest as I turned off the ignition.
I couldn’t even summon the will to go into the house. Or more accurately, if I went back inside and saw her again, I really didn’t know whether I could stop myself from doing the many things on my mind.
It was pretty ironic, honestly. When had my hands ever trembled at the mere thought of a woman? And when had I, billionaire and owner of multiple multinational companies, ever been twice reduced to spending an inordinate amount of time in my own car, in the garage?
I always took pride in my ability to control myself and my emotions – especially when it came to things like money, or women. If I didn’t want to be with a woman, I wouldn’t. No questions asked.
But Crystal was different. An unexpected exception to that rule which I once saw as second nature. And I’d be a fool to keep denying it.
I’ve tried various times within the past three days to trace the root of all this. When did this begin? Just when did she start to take such space in my mind, to the point I couldn’t even rest at night?
Was it since I took off her shawl in that alley and couldn’t even move again, held down by the shock that she was a woman? It was not that I hadn’t seen women before, but I had never seen a woman like that. A woman who would go so far as stealing and running to save her family. One who didn’t even flinch when I said I’d take her to the cops, and even went as far as to ask me to make sure she says goodbye to her family.
The friendship which I’d relied on for years before that – the pact I swore with Tom and thought we’d stand by forever – had been laid to ashes just a week ago. And throughout my years in the corporate world, I’d never seen such bold, unadulterated loyalty to anything. If that was not commitment, then I didn’t know what was. So I guess it made sense that I suddenly took interest in her.
Bringing her into my home had only been the nail in the coffin. And after that kiss, the deal was sealed.
I wanted her. More than ever.
But something was stopping me, a thought which, no matter how hard I tried to bar from my mind, wouldn’t go away. A fear that crept up within me whenever the image of Crystal’s face came up. That dread that, with her, sex wouldn’t be the end. No. It would just be the beginning. The start of a very long journey towards the deep-end where my dear friends Tom and Richard had both lost their heads.
Towards love.
Never before had I been so attached to the thought of a woman. And boy was I scared.
Why don’t you just call him?
I groaned, shaking my head against the car seat as that thought passed through my mind. Again. But no matter how hard I looked at it, that seemed to be the only solution. From every angle, it made sense. I even tried to consider the possibility of perhaps traveling back to Miami or even out of the country and vacationing in Asia or something – anything that would save me from the inevitable fate of having to call the one person I detested the most at this point in time – Tom.
But he’ll know what to do!
Tom has been here before. He has, as he so boldly told me in my former house, he'd ‘fallen in love’. He would know the signs and the pitfalls. He could tell me what to avoid.
Oh, what a twist of fate. But I couldn’t deny it. The conclusion was logical and if there was anything I understood perfectly, it was concrete hard logic.
With a grunt, I whipped out my phone, stared at it for a full, tension-filled minute before finally dialing the number.
I half-expected him not to pick up.
“I never thought I’d live to see the day.” And thus came his gruff greeting, tinged with more than just a bit of that annoying humor of his.
“This will be a quick one, I assure you.” I snapped, already regretting this.
“Hmm. Okay, okay.” He inhaled, and then I heard the sound of someone laughing in a distance. Was it a woman? His wife? “What’s up, then?” He said.
“I…” Pausing, I swallowed, wondering how on God’s good earth I was going to phrase this question burning holes through my mind, “How… did you know you were falling in love?”
He didn’t speak.
For a long time, so long I was starting to think that he’d cut the call, I heard nothing. I wouldn’t blame him if he indeed cut the call. Even I thought I was going crazy.
But then, I heard him make a sound. I couldn’t really place it. Was it a scoff? A small laugh? A sigh?
“Oh man,” He suddenly exhaled, his laughter becoming clearer, “Tell me… everything.”
Chapter Six
Crystal
"Are you…” I paused, swallowing as I looked at the doctor, my vision becoming blurry, “…are you serious?”
She nodded, smiling as she bit her lip and laughed, opening her arms, “Yes. I am. Your brother is fine now. Come here,
