Surviving the CEO

Chapter 20: Technique of Persuasion

**Aria's POV**

Xavier and I spend the rest of the day watching movies and eating snacks. It brings back the memory of when I helped him when he was sick. The time soon rolls around to 9:30 p.m and I decide that it's time for me to head home since it's a Sunday and I have work in the morning. I raise my head from Xavier's chest and look at him. I roll over onto my side and look at the clock wishing that time would stop.

"I think I better head home." I tell him as I stare into his eyes. Xavier rolls over, resting part of his body in mine and stares deep into my eyes.

"I don't think that you should." Xavier says with a wide grin.

"We have work in the morning and I need to get home so I can rest. I need my beauty sleep, if you can't tell." I say as I gesture to my body.

"I don't think that you need anymore beauty sleep or else I'll have to keep you locked up so no one can look at you." He jokes.

"Xavier, I'm serious. I need to get home." I giggle as rise from the bed, grab the clothes that I wore to the club and make my way to the bedroom door.

"Why can't you just stay here?" He asks as he follows me.

"Because I've been here for the majority of the weekend and I don't have any clothes here."

"I can have Shane get you some clothes and bring them tomorrow."

"No. I need to go home." I sigh.

"How can I convince you to stay?" He asks.

"You can't Xavier. So stand by my decision like a normal boyfriend would." I joke as I look at him with a smile but instead I see Xavier looking down at the floor with a hurt expression.

I walk out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen. My phone sits on the counter charging with my clutch sitting next to it. I set everything down in the counter and start to dial for a cab.

"Don't call a cab. I can take you home." Xavier says as he looks at me with an unreadable expression on his face. It looks like disappointment and sadness.

"Okay. Thanks." I whisper.

I grab everything and head toward the front door with Xavier following close behind. I walk out of the house barefoot, not wanting to put on the heels from Friday. We walk to the garage and Xavier grabs the keys to the Ferrari. I get in the passenger seat with my head spinning. Xavier gets in silently without and opens the garage door and proceeds to start the car. We pull out of the garage and into the night.

The drive to my apartment is silent and it makes me wonder if he's mad at me for wanting to go home. A part of me thinks so but another part of me thinks that he's just being a little childish. I've been with him all weekend and now it's time for me to enjoy some time to myself and to think about the new relationship I'm in.

"Xavier, are you mad at me?" I ask, cutting through the tense silence.

"No." He replies curtly.

"I feel like you are. Is it because I won't spend the night again?" I ask softly.

"No, Aria. So just drop it." I look at him to see that his jaw is tense and his grip on the steering wheel has tightened tremendously.

"Why won't you tell me the truth? I don't want to start this relationship with lies. You can tell me anything. I want you to know that." I whisper.

"Aria, let me tell you something. When you said that you wanted to go home I was fine with it. But then when you said 'so stand by my decision like a normal boyfriend' I felt like you didn't think that I stood by your decision. I was only joking by saying that you couldn't leave. I understood where you were coming from for leaving but it hurt that you said that." Xavier replied, his voice in a whisper and filled with hurt.