Meeting Mr. Mogul(37)

"If you're afraid that I might do something to you, I won't. I'm not  well enough for anything at the moment," he said with a teasing grin.

My lips twitched upward at his arrogance. Even when he's sick, he was  still arrogant. I shook my head in amusement as he continued to stand  there, shifting his weight from one foot to another, waiting for my  reply.

"Mr. Maxwell..." I started again. My voice had more force to them than before.

"Please," he interjected again pleadingly. His eyes gleamed as if they  were crying out to me. It was filled with sadness and a sense of  loneliness.

With sigh of defeat, I shook my head in disbelief as I placed my bag and  coat back down beside the couch. "I'm going to regret this," I pointed  out softly to myself.

William smiled brightly at my actions and went back to his couch,  placing the tray back on his lap. I can't believe that the man that I  once hated convinced me to stay the night. I can't believe that he was  able to weaken my resolve with his blue eyes. What is happening to me?





Twenty-Four





While William silently finished his chicken soup, I sat across from him  as I entertained myself with one of the magazines on his table. This one  had him on the front cover. He saw me eyeing it as he dug into his soup  and asked me to read it. I refused at first but he wanted me to read  about his interview and give him my opinion.

Once I finished reading the magazine, I stalled giving him my opinion  and pretended to continue reading. As soon as he was done with his  chicken soup, I got the tray from his hands and washed the dishes.

He didn't stop me or wrestle the tray away from me as I took it from  him. He was rather silent and observant as he gazed at me curiously. I  was glad to be out of his sight for a while as I washed the dishes. I  didn't need him distracting me and messing with my head.

When I was done, I went back to the living room awkwardly. Now, we had  to start talking or this would lead into one of the most awful nights  for both of us.

"So, what do you think?" he asked worriedly as I settled back down on the couch across from him.

"You did fine. Your reply was very convincing..." I replied bleakly as I  tried to dodge his eyes. I don't want those blue eyes hypnotizing me  again.

"Fine? Are you certain? My quotes and replies in that magazine is Nobel  Prize worthy," he stated smugly with a chuckle, after which he coughed  twice.

"Yes, because telling the reporter crap about business and life is Nobel  Prize worthy. Did you even listen to half of what you said in that  article?" I stated sarcastically and rolled my eyes.

"No. I have not," he replied seriously, his tone making me turn to look at him.

"Oh, come on. At least you turned your enemies into your allies in the business world," I remarked with a small smile.

"Well, I did some things in the business world. But, not really turning  my enemies into my friends," he countered as his eyes gleamed brightly.

"Then, don't pretend," I stated seriously, eyeing him deadly.   





 

"I'm not. So, are you pretending?" he asked after a short pause.

I scrunched my eyebrows, not sure where the topic was going. "What are you talking about?"

"Are you pretending to be friends with me?" he asked firmly, his eyes grave and serious.

"Mr. Maxwell. You insisted to be friends with me..." I said in annoyance, but trailed off as he cut me off.

"I didn't insist on anything. I asked you to be my friend."

I eyed him sharply, not sure how I was going to respond to his words.

"So, are you pretending?" he asked again after a few moment of silence.

"I'm not the kind of person who-" I started, my tone rose an octave as my anger raged within me.

"Why are you denying it? It quite obvious you take my friendship as a  joke," he cut in again but this time he slowly stood up, towering over  me.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to pretend but you're making it really hard for  me..." I began again and rose up to his height, though he was still a  head taller than me at six two or three from my five eight frame.

"Why do you shy away from people's help? I read some of the files that Mark has gotten for me about you..."

"You don't know anything about me!" I gasped in rage, stopping him  mid-sentence. "You might have read and you might know secrets that only a  few know, but you'll never know what is in my head or heart. I don't  know what you are you trying to prove, asking me these ridiculous  questions... Are you really that interested in me that you would go to  such lengths? And, where do you even find these files?" I asked harshly,  my voice breaking slightly as I controlled my anger. As much as I  tried, I still sounded pissed.

"Yes. I'm interested in you and it pisses me off that you aren't  interested in me," he replied in the same tone as he stepped closer to  me. The distance between us was becoming way too close for comfort.

I gaped at him, my mouth hanging wide open in shock. Did he really say that?

For a second, silence was the only thing I could hear in the room. Then,  William started coughing again. But, this time it was a lot harsher and  his breathing became ragged.

"Do you have any medicine you can take?" I asked softly as I lightly placed my hand on his back, rubbing it in comfort.

He nodded his head for a second and slowly leaned on me when his knees  buckled at the severity of his coughs. With a grunt, I held on to his  waist and helped him get back on the couch. But he stopped me and  pointed at the hallways across the room.

"Please take me to my room. I have my medicine there," he instructed with his raspy voice as he tried to take a steady step.

With a nod of reply, I helped him get to his room. The hallway was  poorly lit by one lamp on a table in a corner. The walk took a bit  longer since his room was located on the far end of the hallway. When we  reached his bedroom door, I struggled to open it while taking some of  his weight. After that, I half dragged him to his bed across the room.  For a second, I was stunned at how spacious and empty it was. Another  thing I knew about William Maxwell was that the man liked to live in a  spacious place with little furniture. That just says a lot of things  about him.

"Here we are." I helped him recline on the right side of his king-sized  bed, with gray and white sheets, which was mostly what the color of his  room was.

"My medication is just on the table there," he stated as he pointed at  the working desk across from me, on the left corner of the room. And  from the looks of the piles of paper on it, I'm surprise he hadn't  gotten this cold virus earlier in the month.

After getting the medicine and a glass of water from a small fridge  beside the desk, which I didn't notice until he pointed it out, I helped  him drink it. When he was finished, I was about to leave when he  suddenly grabbed my wrist.

"Can you stay here for a while?" he begged, his voice low and sleepy.

I stared at him for a second and glanced down at my wrist where he  tightened his hold. I looked back up to him and raised my eyebrow. He  continued to look at me and tightened his grip again. In a sigh of  defeat, I sat down by the foot of his bed and he let go of my hand.   





 

"So, why did you come here?" he asked after a short silence.

"I told you I wanted to say thank you for everything. It was very  generous of you," I replied with a sigh. I won't mention about the  papers he had to sign. He needed to take his mind off work just for  tonight.

"Do you really expect me to believe that reason?" he asked with a weak smile playing at the ends of his lips.

My lips tightened into a grim line as I eyed him. "Yes. You can think  whatever you want to think. What I said is the truth whether you believe  it or not."

"Why do you like arguing with me?" he asked seriously.

I looked at him confused and opened my mouth for a reply, but no words  came out. I closed them and cleared my throat, trying again. "I don't  like arguing with you," I defended.

This answer might be what he expected from me with the way his eyes glinted in amusement. "You are doing it now," he accused.

"Then why are you trying to piss me off?" I countered sternly, eyeing him deadly.

He chuckled at my question and snuggled up in his comforter, bringing it  up to his chin. "I'm not trying to piss you off. The truth is I'm  trying not to," he mumbled softly in admission.

I stiffened at his words. "Stop talking nonsense and get some sleep," I suggested as I shook my head in disbelief and stood up.

"Do you still think I'm joking around? I meant what I said about being  interested in you," he said, bringing me to a halt as I turned towards  the door.

I turned back to him, my eyes wide in shock. "What are you saying?" I asked.

"You know what I'm trying to say," William pointed out as he sat back up  in his bed, his eyes staring directly at mine. "Don't pretend that you  don't get what I mean, Andy."

"If what you're saying is true, then why be a jerk?" I asked, frustrated.