An Arranged Affair

chapter 27 - confessions

Phillips POV

She had hugged me. With no hesitations. I could still smell the fragrance of her shampoo in her hair and the warmth of her arms around me.

Perhaps there was something there after all.

No there was definatly something there.

But the best part was the ride.

I had forgotten how much I had missed my bike, before Angela it was my favoured way to get around.

I called the office and had my secretary cancel all my appointments and spent the next few hours driving around.

I don’t know how I found myself  back at the university, outside her exam room.  she didn’t see me as she exited the hall, but I saw her, I watched as she smiled and talked animatedly with Simmi, the exam had gone well. I could tell that much from her face and  I admired how she was so elegant and graceful without even trying.

She was still wearing the jacket, her hair was open and fell in waves around her face, knapsack slung casually on one shoulder.

She was perfect.

And then she saw me.

And my heart skipped a beat as she smiled wholeheartedly, a smile that went right to her eyes which twinkled in delight and excitement.

And before I knew what happened her arms were around my neck, her body pressed to mine  and head on my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her, enjoying of only for a few moments, the closeness this hug had brought us.

******
Victoris's POV

The exams had gone well, better than I had expected , Simmi and I discussed  the questions as we exited the exam hall and when I looked up he was there.

He was sitting so casually on the side of his bike, one leg propped up, his perfect hair falling just over his eyes and I wanted to brush it away, wanted to feel his skin under my fingers, he looked so hot and I couldn’t help but notice the envious stares of some of the girls as they walked past him, flirtatiously trying to get his attention.

And all I could think in my mind was that this man was my man.

it was a stupid thought, but then again, it wasn't so stupid, he could be my man,if only I let him.

I don’t even think i did it consciously, I was probably riding off the high from finishing  the exams, but my legs moved before my brain could stop me and I hugged him hard.

He had been my knight in shining armour, on a steed of pure metal and I didn’t know how to thank him.

But when I moved to pull away, he didn’t let me go, instead he looked at me so intensely, I felt a blush creep up my neck. I could feel his heat against my body and the smell of his colonge filled intoxicated me. His nose was only centimetres away from mine and his hand palmed my cheek.

If he had tried to kiss me in that moment, I wouldn’t have stopped him, in fact , I think I wanted him to kiss me.

no.

I wanted him to kiss me.

A cough behind me caught my attention and he finally let me go and I instantly missed his warmth.

‘ I’ll catch you tomorrow ok?” Simmi said winking, as she slung her own bag over she shoulder. She gave me a wicked smile. ‘ have fun you two, that looks like a cosy ride! I have my own hot bod to catch up with!”

If I had something to throw at her, I would have, instead I watched as she laughed as she walked away, blowing me a kiss.
‘ wanna go for a ride?” Phillip asked, a twinkle in his eyes.


We had driven for about half an hour and ended up at the sea wall,  bought some fish and chips and sat in the grass, enjoying the beautiful day and each others company.

Phillip had been very quite for a long time, his eyes fixed on the horizon, but when he did speak, it was something I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear.

‘I think its about time I told you about Angela.’ He said, not looking at me at all, his eyes fixed somewhere out at see.

‘ the girl in the portraits?”

“ yes.”

He sat there quietly for so long, and I almost thought he had changed his mind, but then he started.

‘ I met Angela my very first day of university, it was love at first sight, you know? She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, it took me ages to finally get her to agree to go out with me, but when we did, we were inseparable.

She became my world, she was my everything, I loved her with every fiber of my being.

Everything I did was to give her a life where she could want for nothing, I started my company with an initial investment from my parents, worked hard and within a year I had made enough to repay my parents and put a deposit on the mansion.

I asked her to marry me, bought her everything she ever wanted and she moved in.

But then the headaches started. At first we put them down to migraines, but as time went on they got worse and worse, she started having hallucinations. We did everything, every test and scan but by the time the MR results  came back it was too late, she had a brain tumour and not only was it growing fast, it was inoperable.

I watched everyday as the woman I loved  slowly went insane, how the tumour robbed her of her mind , the pain medication robbed her of her senses. I watched her as she wasted away. My world was falling apart.

Then one day, without a word she up and left, leaving no trace and I searched for her everywhere. I was devastated. Then one day she turned out of the blue, she had track marks on her arms but she was pregnant and the baby wasn’t mine.

My world shattered around me, I couldn’t abandon her but she had destroyed me completely. I started drinking a lot, staying away from home for days on end, I couldn’t look at her, I couldn’t believe what she had done to me. I tried to numb the pain anyway I could, but even after everything she had done, I still loved her.

The one day she disappeared again and this time it was for good but I didn’t know. I was on a three day drug and alcohol fuelled weekend and when they finally found me I was a mess.

I found out later that she had had an abortion, but felt so guilty about it she accidently overdosed on pain medicaion.

The doctors said that the tumor had made her act like that, that she wouldt have lived long enough to have the baby, but I new better. It was my fault for not being there.

We had a small funeral for her and after that I threw myself at my work, determined never to let anyone else into my life like that again.

Then you came along.’