CHAPTER 7

Elle's POV

It was five o' clock in the evening when I woke up. The sun was about to set, and the surroundings were growing dim.

"I slept so long. I'm sure it will be difficult for me to sleep later," I whispered.

I stood up from the sofa and stretched, raising my hands and bending backward.

I was in that position when suddenly Navid emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a white towel wrapped around his waist. A few drops of water dripped from his hair, flowing toward his bare chest. My gaze followed the trail, feeling like my throat had suddenly gone dry.

'What a sexy man,' I thought.

Navid suddenly cleared his throat, causing me to quickly return my gaze to his face. He was staring at me, his left brow raised.

Hold on. Was that amusement I saw in his eyes?

"Ahm, I was..."

"Go take a bath and dress properly," he said before he turned his back on me.

I was dumbfounded at first, until I felt my cheeks gradually warming up. My heart started beating faster—not because of nervousness, but because of excitement.

He was amused by me.

I wasn't dreaming, was I?

I shook my head.

'You look stupid, Elle,' I silently told myself.

God, I needed to take a shower. I needed to freshen my mind and stop thinking about unnecessary thoughts.

Was it really, unnecessary, though?

I shook my head again.

Yep. I definitely needed to take a damn cold shower.

I walked towards the walk-in closet to get some clothes. I made my way inside, forgetting that Navid was still there.

That was why I froze when I saw him standing with his back to me, completely naked.

My eyes widened.

His broad back, his legs… and—

Navid seemed to have felt my presence, causing him to turn around.

I yelp in surprise, not expecting him to face me.

He frowned. "What the hell are you shouting for?" he asked with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm... I was just going to get c-clothes," I stuttered, my face burning with embarrassment.

It wasn't new for me to see his body, but I still couldn't help the rush of adrenaline every time he was naked.

'Damn, Elle! Stop acting like a freaking virgin!' I silently chastised myself.

Navid’s frown disappeared, and he raised an eyebrow at me again.

"Then what are you doing there? Come and get your clothes!"

He spoke as if giving an order, then turned his back on me again.

But I couldn't move. My mind was debating what to do. He was standing so close to where my clothes were. If I went to grab them, our skin would definitely touch. I didn't want that to happen—not just because he might get angry, but because of the effect his touch had on my body.

God knew how strong Navid’s effect was on me.

He looked at me again, and this time, I could clearly see the anger on his face.

"How long do you plan to just stand there like a fool?"

I looked away. "I'll... I'll go take a shower!" I blurted out, then bolted from the closet and headed straight for the bathroom.

Once inside, I quickly closed the door and leaned against it. I clutched my chest, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Just calm down, Elle. Just calm down," I told myself, taking deep breaths.

Once my breathing returned to normal, I realized what I had done.

I hit my forehead against the door.

"He must not have liked the way I turned my back on him. He must be mad at me again." I messed up my hair in frustration. "How could you be so reckless, Elle?"

I stopped when someone knocked on the bathroom door.

"Open up," Navid said impatiently.

Ah, this is it. He is surely going to scold me.

"I know you haven't started showering yet. So open this goddamn door," he said again.

I bit my bottom lip. I could tell he was beyond pissed. I nervously opened the door with just a crack. When we finally faced each other, I kept my eyes on the floor.

"S-sorry...I..."

I couldn't finish. He suddenly threw something at me, and I caught it instinctively. I looked up at his expressionless face and cold eyes.

"Wear that," he said curtly, before turning and walking away.

I stared at his back, stunned.

What was that for?

I thought he would be angry. He was always cold and rarely talked to me, but whenever he was mad, he usually yelled.

I looked at what he had thrown at me. My eyes widened.

A dress.

He gave me a dress and asked me to wear it.

Am I dreaming?

I pinched myself, and felt pain from it.

No. I wasn't dreaming. It was real. Navid, indeed, gave me a dress to wear.

I clutched my chest as my heartbeat grew erratic again.

It was the first time he had ever done something like this, and I couldn't stop my mind already from hoping.

Was he starting to change?

I quickly shook my head.

No. That was impossible. He wouldn't change his attitude toward me overnight.

"Stop hoping, Elle. You're only going to hurt yourself," I whispered to myself.

***

My mouth hung open as I looked around, admiration filling my eyes as we entered the restaurant called 'Piacere.'

If there was one word to describe it, it was 'elegant.'

It was the kind of restaurant that screamed wealth.

Which was why I wasn't surprised anymore to see the prices on their menu.

If it were up to me, I wouldn't eat at a place like this—the meals were far too expensive. But Navid had made the decision, and I wasn't about to complain.

I honestly hadn't thought Navid would take me with him. He never brought me to restaurants. He would never share a table with me unless we were with his parents or with my Grandma. When it was just the two of us, he always found a way to stay apart, as if he felt suffocated by my presence.

But here we were, sharing the same table, facing each other while we waited for the food.

We were both silent. Neither of us spoke when the meals arrived, and we remained quiet until we finished eating.

I wanted to start a conversation, but I chose not to. I was afraid to ruin his mood.

"Let's go," he said after paying the bill, not even waiting for me.

I followed him with hurried steps. He walked so fast I was almost running to keep up.

He reached the room first. When I entered, I found him coming out of the walk-in closet, already changed into a white shirt that hugged his body and white pajama pants.

He looked good in pajamas.

I closed the door without a word. While Navid lay down on the bed, I went into the bathroom, then to the closet to change. I put on my pajamas and a sweater; even with the heater on, I felt a chill. Navid, however, seemed perfectly used to the climate.

After I was done, I stepped out and headed toward the sofa.

"What are you doing?" Navid asked, his arm was covering his eyes.

"I'll sleep on the sofa."

"Sleep here," he said, patting the space next to him.

"Huh?" I stood in shock.

Navid removed his arm, and our eyes met. His gaze was cold. "I said, sleep here." He repeated himself firmly. "And no questions."

Then he covered his eyes again.

I was rooted to the spot.

Did he really say that? Did I hear him correctly? Did he really want me next to him in bed?