Page 31 of Michael
Amanda
The soothing soundof the ocean’s rhythmic waves tears me from a pleasant dream. I open my eyes to an immense bedroom that looks like it belongs to a luxurious villa.
I sit on the bed, enthralled by the beauty of the ocean in the distance. To my left, a steaming cup of tea waits with a fruit bowl on the side. I’m grateful that the herbal drink is warm when I hold the exquisite mug between my hands. I take a few sips, savoring its creamy sweetness as I take in the breathtaking view.
I can’t believe I’m in such a wonderful place.
My stomach churns with the slightest hunger. I turn to the bowl, noticing several tropical treats: mangoes, papayas, starfruit, oranges, and bananas. My mouth waters just looking at them. After a minute, I choose an orange and peel it delicately before digging into its juicy goodness.
As bits and pieces of what transpired last night flash in my mind’s eye, I can’t help but wince. I think I made out with Michael’s finger? My face hopelessly burns, and I pray to all the gods that it was just a dream. But there is one part that I recognize as real—my feelings for Michael. Last night, he was the sweetest. And he’s so fucking attractive…
I shouldn’t fall for him. I can’t.
“Ugh…!” I groan, slipping off the bed until I softly land on the most plush rug on the floor.
I get on my feet and wander around the room. Everywhere I look, there’s bright sunlight reflecting off polished marble tiles. As I make my way out to the balcony, I exhale deeply, feeling grateful to have woken up to such a beautiful place.
“Good morning, Amanda.”
I startle and turn to discover Michael, handsome in a casually disheveled white shirt and jeans, leaning against the doorway. He runs his hand through his blonde messy hair and his eyes flash with a burning blue fire, like a smoldering volcano.
“Oh, um.” I look down, trying to free my eyes from his sculpted chiseled chest. “Morning.”
“How’d you sleep?” he asks.
My heart races beyond control. I swallow hard before I force myself to say, “Well. And you?” I bite my lower lip, thinking about how I slept with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me.
“I’m good.” He pushes off the door frame and steps into the hallway. “I brought you a little something,” he says, reentering the bedroom.
My eyes widen as he lifts a familiar black kennel, and as I look closer, I can’t help but let out a gasp of amazement.
“Michael, you caught it!” I exclaim, darting to his side. “You caught the kodi!”
“Thanks to you,” he says with a shrug. “Those magic treats were just the ticket.”
Ice skitters down my spine at the wordticket. My gaze drifts to my bracelet and I shudder as Richard’s warning come back to haunt me: “Think of this bracelet as your ticket to hell.”
“Amanda?” he asks, concern twisting his gorgeous features. “Everything all right?”
I blink, pushing those grim thoughts to the back of my mind. “Yeah...” A brief smile thins my lips. “It’s so cute.”
As Michael lowers the cage, I drop to my knees to get a better view of the dark, fluffy kodi tucked inside, its small blue eyes darting back and forth.
“I can’t believe you caught it,” I mumble, amazed and delighted.
Michael hunkers down next to me. “I kept all my fingers, too…” he purrs, charmingly showing me his hand.
I crack a smile. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Oh... I’ll probably send it back to hell,” he mumbles offhandedly as he straightens.
“You—what?” I gawk at him, uncertain whether I heard him correctly.
Michael shifts restlessly and scratches his nape, looking down at me and the kodi. “I mean, I don’t know,” he mumbles, waving his hand dismissively.
“I’ll keep it,” I say, determined.
“You want it?” He scowls, confused. “You want toadoptit? As a pet?” Slowly, Michael stoops a little, enough for his eyes to meet mine. “Are you sure about that?”
