Butterfly and Flame - Alina and Evan

Second Chances

She locked her room once inside and quickly messaged Alina. She would book a hotel and stay there as long as Alina needed her to remain in the city. She simply told her that she didn't feel at home in the huge house and that it was better for her and Evan to have their privacy. Next she quickly packed her overnight bag and gathered her things. She called down stairs and asked Olivia to call her a cab. She couldn't see past the blur of tears that over whelmed her. Angry tears and sad tears. She had thought him to be different. She knew she could never stand a chance with him but he had insulted her deeply and proved her right. She needed to get out of near as soon as possible.

Christian stood up and groaned as the pain still traveled to his belly from his balls. She was strong and he had just found out how much so. He was a complete moron for having said what he said to her but she had insulted his pride. He should have anticipated how it might look to her what he was doing. Any of his other previous flings would have given him anything he wanted in order to have what he had offered her. And she had rejected it with an insult. He was sure she never could have afforded more than one outfit in that room and she simply tossed it back in his face. But what else would she have thought. He had said it himself. Any of his other flings would have offered him anything for it ....in payment. Oh my god he was as a moron! He needed to go to her and apologize and explain that for him it was a pleasure to surprise her with it. After all he was..... he was what? Infatuated with her? In lust with her? What? Precisely what was it that he felt for her? This was something a boyfriend would do. Not a stranger. That's what they were; strangers. And now more than ever.

"Thank you Olivia for the car but a cab would have been just fine. Please be sure to thank Evan for the hospitality. I will call with where I'm staying as soon as I can". Olivia was puzzled at the lovely woman in front of her and asked "is there any message for Christian should he ask for you?" Miranda looked back at the older woman and simply said "refund. Tell him good luck on the refund".

"Thank you Olivia". He loved that woman. She had been with them since he was a child and she had been like a second mother to him. Knowing all his emotions his successes and his flaws. Now she was giving him a piece of her mind. "That young lady is not a pastime Christian. It would be better for you to let her go than to pursue her if you are experiencing a passing fancy". He had known idea right now what his feelings were but they surely were not passing. He ran across the back side of the house and hopped into one of the SUV's that drove them into town when needed. Olivia has told him that she wanted a cab but that she had called for the car instead. He asked to keep the car in the garage and he would tell Walter the driver what to do next. As the car drove up to the house he saw Miranda standing out front alone. She was wearing jeans her black leather boots and her parka. He hair up in a high ponytail and no makeup . She looked gorgeous except for the frown on her face. He would try and fix that. It was dark already and he hoped that by the time her eyes adjust to the car that he could prevent her from hopping out. He told Walter to turn the interior light off in the car before he opened the door for her. He saw her walk down the steps of the house and then look back. She looked up to where his window was and realized that's he had looked for him. That was positive. He hoped. The windows were tinted black so she couldn't see but he could clearly see out. Walter took her bag and opened her door he said something g to her and she looked back at him as she put her leg inside ready to get in. Christian was seated away from her I. The dark and hoped that she would shut the door before she noticed him. It wasn't until she moved to out the seatbelt in it clasp that she saw him and screamed and then cursed.

"Miranda wait". He grabbed her hands. The car had was made for privacy and had a privacy screen that separated the two rows of seating from the driver. Christian had made sure it was up. He held her hands as she tried to move away. "Are you crazy. Let me go this instant." He didn't move his hands off her "not until you listen to me. I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I only intended to do something nice for you. That's it. No bad intentions. No strings. Nothing seedy. Please believe me. I had no bad intentions whatsoever". She was looking into his eyes and hers were full of tears. He loosened his grip on her hands now that the car had begun to move. "Miranda please believe me. I really only wanted to let you have some fun. The past few days have been hell on everyone and you have been nothing but a trooper. I should have asked you first but I thought I would surprise you instead. It was dumb". Her eyes were on him and he took in her sad frown and her face as tears slid down her cheeks. "Christian you said....." he quickly moved closer to her. He kept her hands in his loosely and said "I got angry. You insulted me and I got angry so I lost my good sense and reacted. I never do that. I've never just reacted without thinking. I'm sorry. Please forgive me".
She turned away from him and he released her hands. She folded them in her lap clearly not wanting him to touch her again. After a few minutes she said. "Have you ever done that for any "other" woman before". He was wondering where her mind was going but he needed to answer her. "No". "Was it because you never had to or because you never wanted to?" These were dangerous questions but he answered with honesty. "I never wanted to". She looked at him slowly and then said "why did you want to for me?" Well that was a tricky question he thought. He looked at her face and reached out to stop a tear as it fell and said the truth "because I wanted to see you smile." They looked at each other and he reached out again for her hand with his hand palm up. She looked at it and didn't move or react for a few moments and then she slowly put her smaller hand in his. He closed his hand around it and brought her knuckles up to his lips and kissed it softly. "Please forgive me. I've never done that for anyone. There are no strings. No conditions. Nothing. It's just clothing that I thought you would like and need. I'll send it all back but at least don't leave. Please". Miranda had her eyes glued to his lips on her knuckles. His touch sent a shiver down her spine. She had felt something for him and then he had been such an ass that she questioned if she had really felt it. Now she knew she really had felt it and she grew scared. "Will you forgive me Miranda. I am sorry. If it makes any difference to you I'm still in pain from your well placed knee". At that her face lit up with a small smile as she lifted her gaze to him. "I'm sorry. I was so humiliated that the only thing I could think of was that". She frowned again and then asked "I hope you won't have any trouble in that department because of me". Suddenly the car was filled with laughter as they both released the tension and anxiety they felt but they never let go of each other's hands.