ASTRID

"Just dial 0 if you need anything. If you don't want to be disturbed, simply hang the sign on the villa’s front door. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Young! Enjoy your honeymoon," the staff said, bowing before leaving Art and me inside the enormous villa.

I blushed at what the staff said.

Do I really look like his wife? And does it look like we're on a honeymoon?

We have this entire place to ourselves, and it's definitely more than enough for just the two of us. It includes a living room, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and bedroom. I couldn’t help but feel mesmerized by the theme. The whole space is open-air and features intricate wood designs, beautifully blending modern and traditional island living. It’s so spacious that a whole family could easily stay here with us. Art really chose a great villa for this trip. I wonder how much it costs per night.

"Sorry, I didn't get a chance to clarify the married and honeymoon parts," Art said, rubbing his nape.

I giggled and started to push my luggage towards the bedroom. "I don’t really mind being mistaken for a married couple," I replied. Before I could enter the bedroom, I yelped when he suddenly carried me like a bride.

“We might as well do our part,” he joked, grinning at me. My pulse quickened as he playfully spun us around and then walked toward the bed. What are we going to do now?

“The tradition is carrying the wife at the front door of their home!” I exclaimed, giggling.

“We’ll eventually get there. For now, let’s settle for the bedroom version,” he said before kissing the tip of my nose. In that instant, my heart was filled with tranquility as I envisioned the day he would carry me across the threshold of our home as a married couple.

Wow. We’re not officially together yet, but I’m already imagining our future.

He kissed my head and then set me down on the bed. I stretched out to feel the comfort of the soft mattress, excited about this five-day vacation with him. I looked over at Art, who was watching me with an amused smile. "You can rest for a while before we head out," he said, placing the luggage beside the cabinet then turning on the air conditioning.

"What about you?" I propped myself up on my elbows to get a better view of him. "You can rest here beside me," I said, patting the space next to me.

"Don't worry about me. I'll just go to my room," he replied, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

Huh?

"What do you mean your room?"

"There's another room, and it looks exactly like this one, just a bit smaller. I'll stay there," Art said, now sitting beside me.

"We can share this room," I said firmly, sitting up fully.

"Is your body sore from traveling?" he asked out of nowhere. I nodded, still preoccupied with the separate room situation.

What’s the point of this vacation if we’re just going to act like roommates? We were more like a couple back in Germany, and we barely knew each other then.

"We're not together yet," he said, placing his hands on my shoulders and gently turning me around.

Despite the bedroom having an air-conditioning unit, it features an open-concept design that includes a private area leading to an ocean-view terrace. 

It’s still daytime, so I can see people engaging in water activities outside. I gazed at the serene waters while feeling Art’s electrifying touch.

"So?" My voice softened as he began massaging my shoulders. I fluttered my eyes shut. His touch felt like heaven, and I couldn’t help but let out a soft groan.

"That's why we should stay in separate rooms," he whispered, continuing to massage me.

"We already cuddled... we even made out in the past," I said, still enjoying his touch. I could definitely get used to this.

"I told you we're taking it slow," he said, laughing softly. The sensation of his hands on my shoulders made me tilt my head back slightly, leaning into his chest. He stopped massaging me and gently held both of my shoulders before kissing my forehead.

"And I need to restrain myself from having inappropriate thoughts about you, Ms. Mercer," he murmured in my ear before standing up. "I’ll wake you up later," he added, planting a soft kiss on my cheek before leaving the room.

Why not think inappropriate things about me?

I furrowed my brows, wanting to say what was on my mind, but my reserved self held me back. Ugh, I need some alcohol to have the confidence to speak my thoughts.

The real problem with our situation is that we haven’t made anything official yet. I want to say ‘yes’ so badly, but he hasn’t asked me. Should I just say it spontaneously, or should I plan something special before I say ‘yes’?

I bit my lip, contemplating my next move.

Should I just seduce him and end all this conservativeness? 

What if I try to lure him into the bedroom and lock the door behind us? But then what? I wouldn’t know what to do next!

Should I just wing in? Maybe I should. But I need him to come back here.

My eyes drifted to the suitcase I had pushed earlier. It wasn’t mine; it was Art’s. I had taken it by mistake.

An idea came to my mind. Knowing Art and how much of a gentleman he is, he wouldn’t want me to struggle, right?

I grinned at the thought. "Art! Could you please help me with my suitcase?" I called out.

Silence filled the room. He didn’t respond. I realized the villa was so big, he probably didn’t hear me.

I went out to find him, walking toward the second bedroom. Pressing my ear against the door, I listened. Is he inside? What’s he doing?

I knocked, but there was no response, so I opened the door, calling his name again.

"Art, could you help me with my luggage? It’s really heavy, and I’m just a girl,” I helplessly expressed.

“I’m weak,” I added, barely stopping myself from cringing. I wanted to slap myself for that, but I needed to sound helpless.

I scanned the entire room, but he wasn’t there. I frowned, feeling like my efforts were wasted. Just as I was about to leave, I heard the shower running.

Oh. He’s showering. The sound of the water splashing against the tiles created a soothing backdrop, making me pause. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was taking his time, enjoying the warm water.

I moved closer to the bathroom door and knocked. “Art, are you in there?”

Should I wait for him, barge right in, or just leave his room? The dilemma left me torn as I stood there, contemplating my next move.

Several seconds passed, and there was still no reply. What’s taking him so long? What could he possibly be doing in there?

Of course, Astrid. He’s just in the shower. What else could he possibly be up to?

"Art?" I called out louder.

The water stopped running.

"You can come in," he said.

Without thinking twice, I opened the bathroom door. "Can you help me with my luggage?" I asked, scanning the room. 

His bathroom was smaller compared to mine. Unlike my bathroom, which had both a shower and a bathtub, his only had a lavatory, a water closet, and a shower with a frosted glass partition.

After scanning the room, I found him, wet from the shower, with only the frosted glass partition between us. He opened the door slightly, revealing half of his body as he tried to catch a glimpse of me.

My eyes trailed over his body—his forearms, chest, and abs were exposed, while the partition hid his lower half. Blood rushed to my face as I quickly looked away.

I suddenly felt numb. He was naked in the shower, and I was standing here in front of him. I stole another quick glance at the frosted partition to see the silhouette of the lower half of his body but quickly turned away again. I wasn’t ready to indulge my fantasies.

"Do you want to join me for a shower?"

"What?" I stuttered, unsure if I heard him right.

"Do you want to shower with me?" he repeated. I squinted at him in disbelief. "Huh? Wha... what? Like, both of us? Naked together?"

"Yes," he said, still staring at me.

Unsure of how to respond, I stood there with my mouth open. Is this an invitation to kiss?

He chuckled. "You’re cute, but I’m just teasing you. I’ll hurry up and come to your room after this," he said before turning the shower back on and closing the glass door partition.

I quickly ran out of the bathroom to compose myself. He was only joking, but he already had me melting! How could he say something like that so effortlessly? He made me feel hot and flustered in an instant.

I felt annoyed with myself because I was determined to lure him into my little game, but facing him head-on like this was too much for me. I knew I wasn't ready. The plans I had in mind lacked execution since I was inexperienced with these kinds of things.

He's driving me crazier by the second.

This vacation with him is definitely going to be something.