Ella groaned quietly, her eyelids fluttered and she squinted at the streak of light streaming through the lace curtains, bathing the room in warm gold. She was too lazy to open her eyes or get out of bed. She squeezed her eyes shut and caressed the pillow all the while dreaming that she was on a water bed–soft, cosy, and floaty.     Ella smiled and drew in a satisfied breath relishing in the scent of fresh roses and water from the ocean. She cracked open half-lids to inspect the other side of the bed for Kristina as they always slept side by side. Not completely trusting her eyes in situations like this she reached out and felt with her hand. But Kristina wasn't there and

 After the introduction Ella couldn’t quite call an introduction, she was glad that Dylan finally led her away with the two following closely behind.She slipped easily out of Dylan’s hold as soon as they got to the expansive sitting room; if he noticed he gave no sign he did.    The room had a coffered ceiling and the decoration was a mix of warm colours. The walls were painted ivory white, the gas fire-place stood against the wall to her left and there were in-built cabinets on the other side housing the home’s stereo systems and electronics. Beautiful tapestries and ornate paintings hung on the wall.    Ella peered through an open door that had access to the rear stairwell and back deck. They manoeuvred f

     Dylan froze momentarily, but he was not cold–quite the contrary actually–he was warm all over, almost feverish…his skin was alive from the prickling sensation of the soft night breeze. Tremors of delightful sensation rocked through him, shaking him in the unexpected way; almost knocking the wind out of him.    For how long he’d been that way, Dylan couldn’t tell as his ravenous eyes feasted on the goddess-like feminine figure that stood exactly five feet from him. This was probably the best time to look away, if possible turn back from whence he came. But common sense eluded him, his body betrayed him and his limbs stood rooted to the ground.

    ‘’Where are we going?’’ Ella asked as soon as she got into the car with Dylan and he began to drive. It was the next afternoon and Dylan had come to get her from the café.       ‘’It’s a surprise.’’ Dylan said. Ella didn’t know whether to panic or jump with glee at the prospect of being surprised by Dylan Vergara, so she opted to being silent all through the ride until they got to one of those high end neighbourhoods almost at the outskirts of Lucena. Ella’s mouth fell open as they stopped in front of a gigantic two-storeys white house—no mansion with a large beautiful garden at the side and a lake.     ‘’Wow! Whose h

  ‘’Your money your rules I see. Perfect.’’ She said between clenched teeth throwing his earlier statement back at him. ‘’But I have no desire to be your puppet where you can pull the strings whenever you want, you can have me as your prisoner but it still wouldn’t make a difference.’’ With that she turned and left crossing the pool area to the back door and up to her bedroom, slamming the door hard enough to rip it off its hinges. She collapsed onto the silky sheets, buried her face and screamed into the pillow.       Dylan didn’t know what possessed him to say those awful things to her and he couldn’t forget the hurt in her eyes before she walked away. Just a few days ago he had assured Doña Bianca that he was immune; that he wouldn’t lose his head…or his heart, but now he&rsq