25
“Melanie, are you okay?”
Melanie moves back in shock at hearing her name. She looks down to see Mr Gordon standing up on his feet, holding the head with his palm.
She takes a few steps back in shock, no she can’t let him manhandle her as he did earlier.
“Are you okay?” he repeated, he moves his legs towards her and Melanie keep on taking steps back until her butt hits the table.
“I’m sorry, but can you stop moving closer?” she cries, unable to run away as her eyes are glued to his face. She fears he might do something bad to her if she tries to take her gaze off him.
Mr Gordon closes the gap between them and pulls her to his body.
“I’m sorry, Melanie.” he let out, hugging her tightly to his body.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me but please stay still and listen to my heartbeat. You’ll feel how sorry I am.” He cries in regret.
Melanie stay still not knowing what to do.
She sighs and moves her hands to his chest and pushes him off her.
“I’m glad you’re back to your sense. Please save your needless apology for I don’t need it.” she spat and brush her shoulder against his, in an attempt of escaping his sight.
Mr Gordon tugs at her arm and hugs her from the back.
“Please I’m sorry, I swear none of what I did was my idea. Please believe me, I’m pretty sorry,” he says, one could sense grief in his tone.
Melanie didn’t say anything, she stayed still have pondered what to do next.
“It’s fine, I forgive you.” she blurted out absent-minded.
Mr Gordon releases his hold on her and turns her around to face him.
“Promise me you won’t avoid me after this,” he says and Melanie scoffs at him.
Why would she avoid him? She’s working for him and living under his roof, how can she possibly avoid him?
“No, I promise, I won’t,” she tells him and tries to peel his hand from her arms. His hand mistakenly press on her wound and she moans in pain.
“Fuck! I made a dug on your skin.” he cursed and pull her to the living room.
He makes her sit on the three seaters could and told her not to move till he get back. Melanie nodes like a child that’s been scolded by her father.
Mr Gordon walks away from her and returns seconds later with the first aid kit.
“Stay still. I will dress your wound,” he says, plunging beside her on the couch, making a demarcation with the kit by putting it in their midst.
“Seen Archie anywhere?” He asks. Focusing on the job in front of him.
“Yes, he help me up and went up the stairs angrily after we had a short fight,” Melanie reply sadly.
“This is going to hurt a little. So, open up your mouth,” he announces.
Melanie wonder why he asked her to open up her mouth, she parted her mouth open anyways and he shove a chocolate in her mouth.
“Bite it when you feel a sting on your wound. Don’t scream,” he instructs her and she smiles in response.
“Did you guys fight because of me?” Mr Gordon asks, applying ointment on her wound.
“Hmm.” Melanie moans and nibbles on the chocolate in her mouth.
“Good girl.” Mr Gordon smiles and applies another ointment on the wound.
“Ouch!” Melanie groans, suppressing the pain by eating the chocolate.
“I’m sorry.” Mr Gordon mumble.
“All done!” He announces, he applies a band-aid on her wound and closes the box.
“Wait here, I’ll quickly return this.” He says and tries to walk out. Melanie tug at his wrist and gulp hard like never before.
“Thank you!” she mumbles and he nods his head, moving a strand of hair behind her ear.
“It’s fine,” he assures her before walking away from the living room.
Melanie stands up from the couch and moves toward the fridge. She feels the stings from her ankle and she ignores it and continues her walk to the fridge.
She opens it and gets three can of soft drinks from the fridge. She closes it back and drags her feet upstairs.
She meets Mr Gordon while walking in the hallway and she stopped. She stretches out her hand, offering him a can of soft drink and he takes it from her.
“Where are you going?” He asks, staring into her eyes.
“I need to apologise to Archie.” she mumbles and Mr Gordon let out an “oh”
“What if he’s sleeping already?” He asks with a raise of eyebrows.
“Ahh!” Melanie hitch her chin with the can.
“I’ll just drop it in his room and go to bed.” she gulps, looking away from him.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Okay.” Mr Gordon shrugs his shoulder.
“Whatever you say. But you can’t sleep yet, cone downstairs when you’re done.” He let out and walk away from her, not waiting for her response.
Melanie creases her brows and shrugs before proceeding to Archie’s room.
On getting to the door, she inhaled and exhale deeply before knocking on his door.
“Go away!” Archie yells from inside and she sighs before twisting the doorknob.
“Look, Archie, I’m…”
She hasn’t completed her words before she feels a buffer thrown at her face.
“Archie!” she yells.
“What… Oh, oh! I’m sorry.” Archie apologises, realising what he just did.
“You should have just told me to go away, why throwing objects at me?” She glared at him and Archie jumps down from the bed.
“I already told you to go away, and besides I didn’t know you would come in,” Archie says, sitting on his bed with his leg on the floor.
“Is that why you’re throwing objects?” she rolls her eyes before taking her seat beside him on the bed.
“Objects? It’s just a buffer. And it doesn’t hurt, stop exaggerating it.” Archie groans grabbing a can from her hands.
“I guess this is for me,” he smirks as he opens the lid.
“I never said it’s for you,” she yells hitting him on his shoulder.
“Then why are you here with two drinks?” He scoffs and she pulls his ear.
“I’m using it to apologise, okay?” she groans, opening her drink.
“Apology not accepted,” he smirk, gulping a large quantity of the drink down his throat.
Melanie smiles.
“Let me have my drink back, then,” she says, pretending to grab the can from him.
Archie quickly moves his hand to his back.
“Don’t be petty with food, huh!” Archie yells to her face.
He moves his gaze to her arms to see it has already been taken care of, he moves his gaze to the nightstand to see the first aid kit laying gently on it. He sighs and sips from his drink.
“I’m sorry about what he did.” Archie sighs and Melanie pulls him for a hug.
“Thanks for worrying about me.” Melanie smiles, patting his back.
She releases him from the hug and he flashes her a charming smile.
“Don’t ever worry about that beast, never again.” he hardens his face at her.
“I cross my heart.” Melanie did a cross sign over her chest and they both laughed.
“You should be sleeping by now, what are you still doing here?” Archie asks, standing up from the bed.
He pulls Melanie up and drags her toward the exit.
“Are you seriously chasing me out?” she glared.
“If that’s how you see it, then off you go,” Archie says, pushing her out of the door before locking the door.
“I swear I’ll have your ears pay for it tomorrow,” Melanie yells and she hears his faint giggles from inside.
“What a joker.” she laughs.
Her laughter fills the hallway as she walks toward her room. A few steps to her room, she suddenly stops walking like there’s something she needs to take care of.
‘What is that, that I need to do before going to bed?’ she thought and then her mind drift to Mr Gordon.
“Oh, Mr Gordon!” she exclaims.
“Oops, I forgot.” she groans. And started dragging her feet to the living room.
Getting downstairs, she watches Mr Gordon standing in the dining room, his back facing her. For the first time, Melanie realises how broad his back is.
His muscle moves from the shirt he’s putting on, as he moves his body. She marvels at how hot he looks with a shirt on.
‘What if he’s not putting on anything?’ She chokes on her thoughts which divert Mr Gordon’s attention to her.
Her legs suddenly become fragile and she doesn’t seem to be able to walk with them, ever again.
She tries to move her legs but it feels like something glues to them to the tile floor.
“Are you okay?” Mr Gordon asks. His breath on her face sends a shiver down her spine.
Why are you this hot? She roams her eyes on his lips and she watches his mouth switch to a seducing smirk.
“Because I was cooked on the fire.” he winks at her and brushes his hair backwards, revealing his charming face. Melanie feels her heart stop beating at his actions.
Am I dead already? She yells with eyes widened.
Mr Gordon smirks, not knowing what this is all about but he’s ready to give in.
“Yes, welcome to Paradise.”