No Letting Go

Chapter 42: Housekeeping and Fittings

Credits to Cosmo.ph/niceprint's yt channel for the header.
FICTION.
Disclaimer: All and fully disclaimed.
For ADN. 💚💚💚💚💚

*******ALDUBPARIN****************
Chapter 42: Housekeeping and Fittings

~~Ray's Penthouse, London~~

'Come live with me. Come live with me.' The phrase kept on repeating inside her head, like a broken vinyl record that wouldn't quit as she stared blankly at him.

"Alexa?" Ray said, trying to catch her attention by waving his hand in front of her. When that didn't work, he snapped his fingers. That did the trick.

"Yes?" Alexa stammered as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"You made a wise decision." Ray told her in his relief that she agreed to his proposition. For in truth, he feared that she would just reject it out right. He wanted her to say yes. He needed her to say yes. Why? He couldn't quite put his finger on it. She was only the fourth woman, aside from the very selected few in his family and Maine who inspired this being protective from him.

"And what decision did I wisely make?" Alexa queried, unsure as to what she decided that could be referred to as wise.

"That you're staying with me. Here." said Ray with a big cheery smile on his face.

"Oh you misunderstood me. I said yes to you when you called out my name. Not to your proposition," Alexa said with her eyes round, shaking her head to drive home the point.

"Touch move! No backsies!" Ray countered so as not to let her back out. He didn't care which question he raised that she answered; so long as it was the answer that he wanted hear.

"That's not playing fair! Besides who said we were playing chess that you can apply its rules to suit your whims?" Alexa retorted; irked that he was deliberately misunderstanding something as simple as what happened.

"Is thought of being my housemate that unappealing?" Ray said, answering her with another question.

"What does being appealing or unappealing, for that matter, have anything to do with what we've been discussing?" Alexa said, countering his question with another one of hers.

"Then why can't you say yes? If you say yes, you hit two birds with one stone. You will be safe and you have decent place to live. It's a win-win situation," Ray told her, hoping that telling her the pros of the decision will convince her to stick with her answer.

"I know," Alexa said dejectedly.

"Then it's settled. Let's go get your room ready then," Ray said taking hold of her hand to help her stand up. He was too relieved that she finally saw the logic behind his proposal that he didn't hear the glumness in her voice.

"But I still can't accept you offer," Alexa said quietly as she tugged back the hand that was trying to assist her to stand up from the bed.

"But Alexa you just said that you know," Ray said, a bit of exasperation in his voice. 'What is she playing at?' he asked himself irritably.

"Ray, please don't get upset. Hear me out first please," Alexa said to assuage the irritation that she sensed on his hold on her hand. It was just a subtle tightening but it was enough for her to realize that she was starting to tick him off.

"Fine. Tell me why you still can't accept my offer," Ray told her as he patted the hand that he held with his free one, sitting on the bed again beside her.