Take My Breath Away

Matthew took this opportunity to wrap Erica in his arms. He put his lips closer to hers and drank deeply. "Honey, I feel a little dizzy."

His voice was soft and seductive, like music to her ears. She hugged him happily. "Come lean on me. I'll help you in."

"Okay. You're so good to me."

The couple finally entered the villa. Erica kicked off her shoes and bent down to take Matthew's shoes off as well. He leaned against a wall for support.

Realizing what she was about to do, he yanked his foot away from her. "I'll do it myself!" He quickly took off his shoes and put on the house shoes.

"We'd better get you upstairs," Erica said. "Let me help you," she continued. 'We'd better take the elevator; we're both pretty beat.'

Erica had figured out the best way upstairs, but the man wasn't heading for the elevator. He stayed in the living room.

Confused, she looked at the man who stood rooted to the spot and asked, "What are you doing? Let's go!"

Matthew held her in his arms and cupped her cheeks. "Honey, do you love me?" His warm breath fell on her face.

She blushed and said, "What do you think?" 'Didn't I already tell him I love him?'

The man lowered his head and kissed her on the lips. "I want to hear it again." His voice was deep and hoarse.

The tenderness in his eyes and voice melted her heart. She asked uncertainly, "Matthew, is there a reason you're acting like a spoiled kid?"

He reminded her a lot of Adkins and Boswell when they wanted something from her. They came to her trying to butter her up. They looked gentle but a little cold.

She was now sure they got this from Matthew.

Colman and Damian were more like her. They often played it cute and sweet.

Embarrassed, Matthew raised his voice and retorted, "Spoiled? Seriously?" How could he act like a spoiled child? That was not like him. If word got out about that, wouldn't he become a laughingstock?

Erica stepped away from him and said, "Yeah. You should take a look in a mirror. If you're just trying to get something out of me, I'm not saying it. It doesn't matter anyway, does it?"

Matthew grabbed her wrist, stopping her right there. "It matters to me. Now say it!" This woman would drive him crazy sooner or later!

Of course he cared whether she loved him or not.

Erica snickered. "Okay, let's say I do say it. What's in it for me?"

"Seriously?" He looked at her clothes and fou

ibly displeased. "You know what I mean."

"How would I know if you don't tell me?" she retorted.

The man's Adam's apple bobbed and he slowly spat out, "The photo." 'And the bottle of stars, the letter she wrote to me, the lock of hair.'

"Oh!" It was not until then that Erica remembered what she had hidden. She had wanted to ask him about those things the day they came back from the zoo, but because he went straight to work, she had never found a chance to ask him.

Keeping this in mind, Erica raised her head and asked the man, "Why did you take a pic of me while I was still a teenager?"

Matthew didn't say anything, like a child who didn't know how to explain his behavior.

"Why did you ask me to fold those stars and say they were for Phoebe?"

The man still kept silent.

Erica withdrew her hands and said, "Those things are mine now!"

Unexpectedly, Matthew reacted quickly and pulled her out of the chair. He looked at the woman with a long face and insisted, "Give them back to me!"

It was a secret he had kept for a long time. When the secret was out, and he hadn't been prepared for it, he went a little crazy.

Even if Erica was the only one who knew, Matthew hadn't had any time to psych himself up to admitting anything. He just couldn't accept that someone knew his secret before he was ready to confess it.

Erica could see that he was clearly upset. But why should she give them back? They were hers, right? If she didn't know better, she would have thought the woman in the photo was not Erica herself, but someone else entirely, and he didn't want her to know.