71

A whole week had passed since each mysterious night that still lingered in my mind.

Of course I tried to distract myself as best I could, but since I somehow didn't want to go out anymore for fear of what could happen next, I had little choice but to flee into my many books.

But even that didn't satisfy me after a short time and I hardly managed to read a page with concentration without this stranger taking over everything in me again.

I remembered his dark eyes that held so much history it was almost impossible not to be curious. But the pain and the loneliness they radiated didn't leave me alone either, nor did his remaining dominant appearance and his smell, which even now seemed to be within reach.

A loud knock on the door snapped me out of my confused thoughts and immediately made my heart skip a few excited beats, causing me to nervously jump out of my desk chair and let the book slip out of my hands.

It fell to the ground, but I still stood there, stunned. A condition that made me tremble and I was only able to free myself from this rigidity when I heard Carlo's familiar voice from outside.

"Miss Parker?!" he called loudly and worried at the same time, whereupon I shook my head and quickly bent down to pick up the book and put it on my desk.

"One moment, Carlos!", I called back and quickly ran to the bathroom to pull a bathrobe over my revealing nightgown. Otherwise he would surely have problems taking his eyes off my cleavage again. I wanted to spare him that... and me too!

I hurriedly padded to the front door and turned the key, whereupon the door opened and I smiled at Carlos friendly, but he seemed anything but in a good mood to me.

"I was worried!" he explained reproachfully and entered my apartment without asking, which made me look after him in irritation.

Once again he was only wearing a white undershirt and his dark jeans, which certainly impressed many young women, but for me he was still just the puffing donkey next door.

"Why worry?" I finally asked when he turned around and eyed me thoughtfully.

"Why?" he repeated, shaking his head slightly to smile despite his concern. "You haven't answered your cell phone in a week and you didn't open the door for me yesterday either."

"I didn't hear any knocking," I immediately defended myself, even though I had heard it very clearly, but I didn't want to see anyone. This fleeting hour with the unknown occupied me far too much for that. He had become a part of me... A part of my thoughts, my dreams and also my fears...

"Sorry, Isalie, but did anything happen?"

Carlos came a little closer to me and the closer he came, the more uncomfortable I felt, because closeness had become something for me that triggered a slight panic in me. Another reason why I delayed my practice opening a bit. But I wouldn't be able to do it for much longer either, because I hardly had any money left to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

"Isalie?"

Carlos was about to put his hand on my shoulder, but I gave him an awkward smile and turned past him back into my small office.

"No, I'm fine. I just had the flu," I tried to talk myself out of it, and in that moment I asked myself why I was even accountable to him. Probably because he was my landlord and also my only friend here.

"You could have said something. I could have-"

"It's okay," I said assertively, turning to stare at him admonishingly. "You don't have to worry about me."

I hoped he would understand that I didn't want to put up with this pushiness on his part, but either this brazen handsome boy was a complete idiot, or I mispronounced myself, because as soon as I finished speaking, he came over to me with a grin and gave me his arm around the shoulder.

"You owe me lunch, remember?"

Damn crap!!!

"Yes," I said softly, trying really hard not to mentally break his arm.

"We're going to a fiesta today," he suddenly declared and I immediately removed his arm from my shoulder and looked at him with wide eyes.

"No way, Carlos! I can-"

"No arguments," he smiled at my attempt to talk me out of it again, pointing to the wall clock behind him that was mounted right next to my mirror. "I'll pick you up at 8 p.m. You have to get to know Alicante and it would be a shame if you were left alone in this office. You're in Spain now, the country that dances and celebrates."

"Aha," I said dryly and glanced behind me at the picture of me and Anja. I had been on the phone with her in the evenings all week and she didn't use the same words as Carlos, but she was of the opinion that I should get to know people here in order not to become completely lonely.

"Also?"

I looked at Carlos who was staring hopefully at me like a little puppy with his eyes until I rolled my eyes and then nodded.

"Okay, but if I want to go home, you'll bring me here right away!" I warned him and he just smiled stupidly and nodded happily at the same time.

"Of course," he agreed and then, luckily for me, left my apartment again.

Damn... what was I getting myself into...

_

I'd spent the next few hours showering, eating, and tidying my bedroom until I realized with a start that it was already 7pm and I was still just walking around with my towel on.

I hurriedly ran to the bathroom and grabbed my hair dryer to at least get my dark blonde hair going a bit. I wasn't happy with the light curls, but nobody knew me anyway, so I put on some more mascara and then went back to the bedroom.

"Shit," I whispered softly as I opened my closet and stared at the multitude of dresses, all of which looked equally buttoned. My father didn't believe in women revealing too much about themselves, which is why I only had old clothes that were definitely not suitable for a fiesta.

I ran my fingers over the fabric of the clothes and then pulled out a black one that at least looked a little sexy.... With a lot of imagination, of course.

It was long, falling to my ankles and barely cut out at the top, but most of my back was exposed.

I put it on, put on light flip flops and looked at myself in the mirror again, where I immediately knew that everyone would think I was a stuffy tourist, but what did I care anyway...

Since I didn't want to let Carlos into my apartment again, I grabbed my black shoulder bag, which contained my cell phone, tissues and my key, and then waited for Carlos outside my front door.

The air was very warm but not too hot and I walked across the street to the other side to have a look at the beautiful sea. The waves, so wild and uninhibited, played in perfect harmony with each other and I enjoyed the wind that blew so lightly and airy through my hair until Carlo's voice tore me from my observation back to the here and now.

"Wow," he breathed, impressed, and I already had to roll my eyes. Slightly overwhelmed, I turned to him and suddenly stared at him with wide eyes.

Well, that certainly wasn't Carlos, who usually wandered through my apartment sweaty.

He had styled his otherwise flat hair perfectly and instead of a clumsy undershirt, he now wore a black, tight-fitting shirt. In addition, dark jeans that perfectly rounded off his outfit with the watch and the light-colored sneakers.

"Wow yourself," I replied, impressed by his appearance and he immediately came over to me, smiling, to give me a kiss on each cheek. His smell was completely new to me, but unfortunately I recognized one thing immediately.

He was wearing the same perfume as the stranger, which suddenly aroused me slightly...

I beg your pardon???

Overwhelmed by myself, I pushed Carlos slightly off me and gave him an awkward smile, after which he simply took my hand in his and walked with me down the narrow road to the beach.

"Your perfume, it smells good," I said after a short period of silence, because I just couldn't get rid of the thoughts of the stranger and somehow wanted to at least find out the name of this fragrance that so captivated me.

"You think so?", Carlos gave me back a bit arrogantly and grinned at me crookedly. "Is a fragrance from the »Torres« series."

"What's a Torres row, please?" I asked confused and he gave a quick laugh before squeezing my hand lightly and pointing down at the beach.

"There's a big family here who owns almost everything. Not officially, of course, but just behind the scenes. I sometimes forget that you're not from here," he explained and I followed his words carefully while walking further away on the beach , spotted a stage with live music right where he was pointing. "This family may be at odds, but they still run everything. This fiesta is also only in their honor, because they drove poverty out of Alicante. There is certainly more crime than before, but only among them. This perfume is a Fragrance brought out by her son Emilio."

I let his words go through my head thoughtfully, remembering all the blood from the stranger. Had he become a victim of this family? And if so, did this family know that I had helped him? Hardly, otherwise I would certainly have become a victim.

"I'm sure he'll be there tonight too, but don't worry. He's an absolutely arrogant prat and doesn't even talk to his own family. Only to defenseless women."

"Well, a woman-hating snob," I grinned, glad not to have anything to do with such types. How arrogant to take over an entire city and spoil it with your own scent.

"Yes, but also a really dangerous snob. You should stay away from him," Carlos let me know, stopping suddenly to eye me intently. "You're new here and I know you're good at taking care of yourself, but let me tell you one thing, Isalie. He loves women who don't seem easy to get. If he gets too close, please move away."

"I've got you with me. Then why should he come too close to me?"

"If he decides to start a conversation with you, I'm the last person to interfere. Believe me, my life wouldn't be worth his pride."

Great prospects...