Coffee at first sight

Chapter 17

I open my eyes lazily and suddenly realize that I'm still on Xander's bed. I get into a sitting position instantly and look around. He's not in the room. Thank God he's not here. It would have been awkward otherwise.

I take a shower quickly and return back into my closet. Just when I finish dressing up, I see him entering the room. He's drenched with sweat from training. When he finally gets inside the bathroom, I walk out of the closet.

Am I nervous suddenly?

"No", I murmur to myself. "I'm not."

Besides, why should I be nervous? There's no reason I should be.

Xander's worried face flashes in my mind when he was looking at my thigh. Maybe he cares after all. Maybe he is a good man behind his strict facade. He looked so vulnerable yesterday and he appeared to have emotions which he always tries his best to hide from the world.

I recall his prescription had mentioned that he should take another pill in the morning before breakfast. I remove one from the tablet and pour a glass of water for him. I hear the door opening and closing and turning around, I see Xander wearing his suit jacket. He looks better than yesterday.

"You need to take the pill", I extend my hand for him to take it with the glass of water in my other hand.

He turns to look at me and there I see it again. The old Xander is back. Cold and heartless. His guard is back up again, shielding him from everything including me. Regardless, I stand still for him to take his medicine.

He stares at me for a few seconds before taking the pill from my hand. I notice how reluctant he is when he takes it. He makes sure that his fingers don't even graze with my palm.

Well, at least he took the pill. So it can't be that bad.

"You can sleep on the bed from now", he says in a coarse voice. "I'll pay you."

What am I even hearing? Did I even hear that right? It takes me a minute to process that he will pay me for sleeping with him.

"Excuse me? What?", I ask like a dumb person.

"I'll pay you for sleeping in my bed", he repeats arrogantly.

"What do you mean?", I demand in a slightly angry voice.

What does he even take me for?

"Why will I even sleep on your bed?!", I continue.

"You don't need to probe so much", he says in a nonchalant tone and his gaze turns icy. "I'm even willing to pay you. Besides, that's what most women want, right? You even come from a family who loves only money."

"I helped you last night and slept in the same bed and is that why you are thinking so low about me?", I question in disbelief.

"So you are taking me for a tramp? Is that it Xander?"

"Does that really makes any difference Porter?", he shrugs. "You are getting money out of it."

"How dare you!?", I snap and throw the glass of water on his face. At this point, I'm already trembling with anger. He stares at me in pure fury with water dripping from his face but I'm not backing down. Not after what he just told me!

"What do you actually take me for?", I almost scream and fling the glass on the floor, smashing it into thousand pieces.

"You were the one who told me to stay", I say furiously and jab my finger once at his chest. "And like an idiot, I stayed only for you to enunciate that I am a fucking tramp! I helped you when you were sick because somehow I felt that beneath this cold facade of yours, lies a good man. But you know something? You're not. You deserve to be alone!"