Estranged Lovers

9. Tension rising

The next day Loki needed to see her. 

No, that wasn't true. After yesterday, he needed to have her. 

But she was always surrounded by people. Really, how could she stand them all? It was beyond him. He walked the hotel halls and saw a side table, on top of the table stood a small glass vase with some cute flowers. "Perfect," he said to himself.

He grabbed the vase with flowers and walked the stairs towards Y/N's room. He knew she wasn't there. He had checked her schedule and knew she had a meeting. Leaving flowers with a note was just another move in this game of chess.

He pushed the handle down but the door did not budge. Well, nothing a little magic couldn't fix, he thought to himself. After looking over both his shoulders he waved his long fingers over the handle which radiated a green light for a moment. He entered the room and quickly closed the door behind him.

The entire room smelled of her. Even her scent turned him on. After putting down the vase, he walked over to her bed and picked up her cream coloured satin nightgown. He pressed the soft fabric to his face and took in a deep breath. A seductive fragrance of orange blossom, honey and patchouli filled his longs.

He missed hurt so much it hurt, his body longed to be intertwined with hers again. The entire situation left him conflicted. He felt angry, frustrated and sad. But he would not be the God of Mischief if he didn't also enjoy playing this game just a little bit. The tension, seduction and strategy of it all aroused him as well.

"I just need to grab my laptop, I'll be right out!" Loki heard Y/N's muffled voice from the other side of the door.

He dropped her negligee and sprinted over to the table and the flowers.

As Y/N entered she saw him in the middle of the room, setting down a vase with flowers.

At once, she knew something was up. She could feel it, the air in the room was so brittle it just might have snapped.

"What are you doing in my room?" Her fingers still firmly on the door handle.

"I brought you some flowers," he gestured towards the vase as he straightened his back, a dominance emitting from his posture.

"Why not just give them to me? Why break into my room?"

He just stood there, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths. With every breath, she could feel the oxygen leaving the room.

"Leo... What is going on?" She felt her muscles tighten as she stood still.

"Close the door," a low, gravelly and breathy demand.

Y/N swallowed as she guided the door shut with her back, not once taking her hand off the handle or her eyes of Loki. With one last step backwards she heard the click of the door falling into its lock.

The moment the sound filled the room Loki walked over to her.

Slowly.

Seductively.

A predator on the hunt.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He stopped about a foot from her.

"I longed to see you."

Both of their chests heaved in unison as she saw his eyes flicker to her lips and back to her eyes.

"Leo..." she whispered.

"I'm going to kiss you now," intent dripping from his words.

He took a step forward and she let him. She felt his hands on her hips and his breath on her face. He lowered his head and gently nudged the tip of her nose with his own. 

She parted her lips and started to raise her chin towards him.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

The sound startled Y/N so much she pushed Loki away using her one free hand.

"Y/N, are you coming or what? The meeting is starting," said her colleague on the opposite side of the door.

She needed to make a decision and she needed to do it fast. 

She looked Leo in his eyes and couldn't make out his feelings. She saw lust, annoyance, anger and plea. But she didn't see love, kindness or warmth. It scared her a bit and simultaneously turned her on.

"Coming," she called back to her colleague. 

Loki's eyes widened just a little in anger. 

She inhaled deeply, trying to push down the tension in her chest.

"I'm sorry..." In one swift motion, she opened the door using the handle she had never let go of, turned around and walked out of the room.

---

Y/N had not been paying attention the entire meeting. All she could think of was Leo, the look in his eyes and the tone of his deep familiar voice.

Why would he break into her room? And how?

This was getting ridiculous... She acted differently when she was with him. Every time she got a new familiar sensation she felt herself being pulled towards him, like two magnets waiting to touch.

She could still feel the wet arousal on the inside of her thighs from their earlier encounter and she mentally kicked herself for being so easily turned on by him. It bothered her that the sensation of danger heated her up even though it also warned her that she needed to run, that something wasn't quite right. Y/N pressed her thighs together, trying to stop the throbbing between them.

She couldn't put her finger on it but she just knew that he was hiding something. He skilfully evaded questions, was always just there at the perfect time and in the perfect place. Life just wasn't that coincidental.

---

Later at dinner, she decided to sit next to Henry instead of Loki. Loki was a splendid companion for the colleague who was sitting next to him but he kept glancing over at Y/N and she knew it. 

They hadn't spoken since they saw each other in her room and Loki didn't know if he had ruined their progress or not. 

Every couple of minutes she would check if he was still looking at her, which of course he was. They would lock eyes and he would give her the warmest of smiles. The bitter storm that she saw in his eyes earlier that day had completely vanished. It was as if he was an entirely different person; comforting, kind, innocent... 

How can this man be everything all rolled into one, she thought to herself. She didn't know if she feared him or wanted him, but as long as he acted so inconsequently she would protect her heart by keeping a safe emotional distance.

"My Lord, I cannot sit through another dinner with you two eye-balling each other," Henry rubbed his eyebrows as if the cause of his remark was also the cause of a headache.

"Excuse me?" Y/N asked, she hoped he wasn't talking about her and Leo.

"It's pretty obvious to everyone that you and Leo like each other," he tilted his head and raised one eyebrow.

"There is nothing going on between me and Leo." She didn't really know why she lied but as long as she wasn't sure about the situation she was not going to advertise it.

"Right..." Henry nodded his head sarcastically, "Just look at him."

Y/N turned her head and saw Leo staring intently, his lips curling into a gently smile the moment they locked eyes.

"Right, okay there is," she admitted. "But I truly feel like he is hiding something. Like he has not been entirely truthful."

"Well, then you might as well confront him."

Y/N remained silent.

"I'm serious. I haven't known you for long but you seem like a strong-willed woman. What is holding you back?"

"Good question. I don't know..."

"So, beard the lion in his den."

"Maybe I should," Y/N said self-assured.