Sapphire's Vow

CHAPTER 14

Sapphire St. Clair POV

I realized my mistake as soon as I went to work Monday morning. From the curious stares from the hotel employees, and the interested looks from the hotel guests I was pretty sure that we were the subject of their whispered conversation.

Reluctantly agreeing to give our relationship another try was one thing—but it was an entirely different thing when you arrived for work together. I slid out of the passenger's side of Loukas luxury car. I pretended not to notice the curious gaze they threw in our direction.

I shouldn't have agreed with this. I told myself silently. I should not let him pick me up from my apartment and go to the office together. I should have thought of the unwanted gossip before I reluctantly rode his car this morning.

I hastily walked inside the lobby, paying no notice to the people busy giving us a not-so-subtle look. The sooner I was inside my office the better. But luck was not on my side today as it seems when he suddenly called after me. "Sapphire."

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face him. I threw him a disapproving look. "What?"

He approached me in the middle of the splendid lobby of his hotel with an equally disapproving look on his face. "What's the rush? Why are you in such a hurry? You can't even wait for me so we can go inside together."

"People are staring." I hissed at him softly, giving the curious onlookers' side glances. "In case you didn't notice. Coming with you to the office is a huge mistake on my part. I should remember to separate business from personal matters."

"That's utter nonsense." His magnificent eyes stared at me intently. "I thought you already agreed that we're going to give our relationship another shot? It is only normal if we arrive in the office together since we are both working here."

"But I don't want gossip in the work area." The obnoxious man merely smiled and took my hand in his. I tried to snatch away but he just tightened his grip. "What are you doing?"

"Holding your hands." He said simply. He appears to be utterly pleased with himself as he starts to walk in the direction of St. Clair Diamonds. I couldn't do anything but follow his track. I was aware of the spectators behind us. He was busy giving them something you could gossip about throughout the day.

"Loukas..."

"What?" He asked pleasantly, pulling me closer to his side so I could walk side by side with him. "I don't want to hide our relationship, agapiméni. If we hide it, it's like I am ashamed of you which is the total opposite. You know that I love you very much and I will not hesitate to show the world."

The butterflies in my stomach started to flutter but I ignored them. I wasn't still sure if this thing would last. We might just be in the phase of the trial relationship and we're just waiting for the ax to fall when the reality sinks in that we might be ill-suited.

"I know that I still have a lot to prove to you," Loukas said looking down at me with a smile on his face, dragging me from my reverie. "But allow me to prove my love to you. Allow me to be a better husband for you."

"Husband? I am not even sure if you can pass this trial relationship. I am still having second thoughts about this whole thing."

He gave me a mocking smile. "Don't sentence our relationship without giving it a proper chance to bloom again, agapiméni. I can assure you that things will be different now. I don't want you to think that this will not last, are we clear?"

"But..."

"Can you do that for me—for us, Sapphire?" His eyes held determination in their depth. From the set of his jaw, I knew that he would not take no for an answer.