After Hours

19. Question Time

"Where have you been?"

The question itself was said with a considerable amount of hostility.

Rainy stopped mid-bite as she lifted her head up to find where the negative energy was coming from. She was sitting outside in one of her many skimpy bikinis casually reading the latest issue of vogue. Peering up at him through her large sunglasses that covered half of her face, she smiled toothily.

"Hey babe." She drifted off, putting down grilled cheese sandwich on the plate in front of her and leaned back against the deck chair. "What's wrong?" The innocence in her words could've fooled him, but he knew better.

Standing in front of her in a pair of comfy-looking fitted jogging bottoms and a cotton shirt, she cocked her head to the side blocking the sun with a raised hand. Elijah sneered at her feigned surprise, snatching the magazine off her stomach and throwing it on the ground. She frowned when he took the seat across her on the vacant chair, and sat with his legs spread, elbows resting on his knees.

"Where the fuck did you go?" Her boyfriend repeated, he did not look happy in the slightest.

Rainy rose a brow, clearly confused at his sour mood. "What are you talking about? I didn't go anywhere silly."

She was trying to improve her acting skills.

Elijah had searched the entire premise from top to bottom, going to each room, every area of the house. Nothing. He'd even asked all the members of staff if they had seen her, and received the same answer; no. And when he decided to check the backyard one last time, he couldn't believe his eyes at the unexpected woman lazing around on one of the many sun chairs - reading.

He could've sworn he checked the yard.

"You didn't come back to the room last night, and I couldn't find you anywhere this morning."

She was now sitting upright, letting his watchful eyes take in her relaxed self. "Oh yeah, that. Well that would most likely be because I passed out in the bathroom with my head in the toilet." She told him as if it was the most natural thing to say with a careless shrug. "You would've known that had you taken note of my intoxicated state last night."

Like clockwork, his face fell with the look of remorse taking over his current emotion of worry.

"Shit." He mumbled instantly feeling bad while scratching the back of his head. "I'm so sorry Rain, I can explain-" Before he could open his mouth to further apologise, she cut him off holding up one hand.

"I'm not mad at you."

Rainy couldn't be mad.

She couldn't even be the tiniest bit angry, not when she had so obviously lied to him. How could she begin to explain that she hadn't passed out in the bathroom like she had told him but rather in the room right next door to his.

His dear Uncle had taken enough care of her.

Elijah's gentle hands came to caress her smooth legs, before pulling her out of her position so that she was turned to him. "Come here." She rolled her eyes when he tugged her body towards him with ease, placing her on top of his legs. Sitting on him lap sideways, she lifted her glasses up so that they were resting in her hair, and wrapped her arms around his neck with a hum.

"Eli... It's fine, you couldn't have known." She exasperated, her eyes fixated on his sea-foam ones. But her words were dismissed as his lips attacked her neck with soft kisses.