Chapter 24 (1/1)

The warmth of Raymond's lips on Charmaine created tingling sensations that ran from the sole of her feet all the way up to her muddled mind.  Losing herself into the kiss she allowed Raymond to gently lower her onto the bed until she was lying flat on her back with his body partially covering hers.  When she felt his hands run down the length of her arms to encircle her waist, the intimacy jolted her back to reality.  Turning away from his seeking mouth she rasped, "What are you doing?""I'm kissing you," Raymond answered simply and brought his lips down on her face, kissing a trail back to her mouth.Charmaine pushed at his chest, "Please stop," she said a bit roughly and Raymond immediately stilled.Leaning up on his elbows to look down at her, Raymond asked gruffly, "What's wrong?  Don't tell me you can't feel that there's a strong attraction between us."Unable to meet his eyes, Charmaine shook her head and said lowly, "I don't.  Can you please get off me?"Raymond looked down at her and saw the resistance on her face.  He reluctantly moved off to sit on the edge of the bed but his eyes remained glued on her.  "You mean to tell me you don't feel anything towards me?  No goose bumps when I'm sitting close to you, no racing heart, not even a slight tremor when I'm near you?"Charmaine felt all those things and more.  Yet, she wasn't going to admit them.  She didn't need the complication of having an affair with him, which was exactly what he wanted.  To Raymond Lam, who was a renowned womanizer, sleeping around is nothing new to him.  However, to Charmaine, when and if she decides to go to bed with someone, she has to be totally in love with that man and that man must feel the same way.  Call it old fashion or her being stubborn, but that's the way it was going to be for her.  Slowly pulling herself up to a sitting position, she lied, "None."Raymond saw right through her and accused, "Liar!"  He grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently, "You feel what I'm feeling!  You want me just as much as I want you.  You can lie all you want but I see it on your face!"Unwilling to let herself crumble under his piercing gaze, Charmaine had no choice but to keep her eyes averted.  Trembling with her words, she said, "You're mistaken.  I don't feel any of that.  To me the most you'll ever be is a friend.""Really?" Raymond almost snarled the word out.  He was reeling with anger and flustered that she was denying what she was feeling.  He hadn't been wrong in his perception of her feelings.  Raymond has been around women long enough to know how they feel and Charmaine was no exception.  When he kissed her, the way she voluntarily leaned into him, the small sigh of pleasure that escaped her lips, and her total surrender just before she pulled away, indicated that he was right.  "Why are you lying?" he asked the latter quietly."I'm not!" Charmaine insisted and when Raymond tried to take her hand she quickly pulled it away.  Looking at him with the detachment of a stranger she said casually, "I admit, you're handsome, charming and a great catch but so are many other guys out there.  Kevin for example is one.  And if you remember, I also happen to be dating him.""Kevin Cheng!" Raymond scoffed the name with disdain, "You're comparing me to him?  You actually think he's better than me?""I never said he was," Charmaine quickly asserted.  "All I'm saying is that I'm committed to Kevin and will not do anything to ruin it.  So I ask that you don't try that again."The reminder of Kevin enraged Raymond and with jealousy rearing its ugly head, he snapped, "Why?  Just what are you afraid of?  Are you afraid that if I continue to kiss you, you might eventually give in to your own desires?"Feeling her own temper rise, Charmaine glared hotly at him and retorted, "I'm sure you're use to having women fall all over you but let me tell you this: I'm not one of them!"Raymond stared at Charmaine.  With her eyes flashing angrily at him, spots of red coloring her cheeks and her hair mussed by his fingers she looked even more alluring than ever.  Realizing the absurdity of their latest argument, Raymond chuckled and softly said, "Look I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have insinuated anything where you're concern."Charmaine hadn't been prepared for his sudden apology.  To hear it made her look at him warily, "What are you trying to pull now?"Chuckling at her ever suspicious mind, Raymond smiled and said, "I'm not trying to pull anything over you.  It's just that it took us time to become friends and now that we are, I don't want to jeopardize that friendship."  Or any chances of getting anywhere further with you, he thought to himself.  Holding out his hand, he asked tenderly, "Am I forgiven?"Charmaine looked from his face to his outstretched hand.  She also didn't want to go back to the hostile relationship they started off with, especially with how well it was going between them now.  Sliding her hand into his, she smiled, "You're forgiven.  And, I'm sorry too."Raymond shook her hand but held onto it.  Quirking an eye at her he asked, "What are you sorry for?"Giggling, Charmaine answered honesty, "Absolutely nothing but I figured it's only fair that I say it too."Her response caused Raymond to burst out in laughter.  When his laughing subsided he retrieved the bowl of congee, "Now that we are back to where we were, are you going to let me feed you?"Charmaine leaned back against the bed and nodded happily, "Of course.  It's nice being pampered by you for a change."Putting a spoonful of congee into her mouth, Raymond smartly responded, "Don't get too use to it.  Once you're fully recovered I expect us to reverse roles again."----------------------------------------Charmaine couldn't fall asleep.  She tossed and turned in bed, unable to find a comfortable position that would eventually lull her to sleep.  Every where she turned, whether with her eyes opened or closed, visions of Raymond swam before her.  It was driving her to the point of insanity.  She kept recalling what happened in the afternoon.  What he said was true.  She did want him.  When he kissed her, it was like he ignited a small fire within her that only inflamed with each passing second, ready to erupt and explode.  Kevin had kissed her several times but he never stirred up any of these intense, powerful feelings in her the way Raymond did.This past week Raymond had shown a different side of him to her.  He was polite, humorous and extraordinarily caring towards her.  It was this side of him that made her view him differently.  Each time she found his eyes on her, the way he looked at her made her stomach flutter and her breath catch and she would shyly turn away for fear of him seeing how he affected her.  Now, alone in the darkness of her room, Charmaine tried to analyze what was happening to her?  Why does this man have such an enormous effect on her?  Why did he stir these feelings in her and not Kevin?  Sitting up in bed she realized she had the answer all along: she was in love with Raymond Lam.  No, she moaned with frustration.  She can't be!  Not Raymond Lam!  Yet, even as she continued to deny it she knew it was the truth.  She had hopelessly fallen in love with him and she also realized with a sinking heart that the outcome of that would not be a good one for her.Coming to terms with her feelings, Charmaine felt some of the tension leave her.  She glanced over at the clock and noted that she still had time to catch a few hours of much needed sleep before Raymond comes in with breakfast.  But first, a glass of warm milk is just what she needed to ease her into sleep.  She quietly opened her room door and made her way into the kitchen.------------------------------------------------------Raymond didn't know what woke him but he was awake.  It was still dark out and he could make out the illumination of the moon through the sheer curtains covering his windows.  Yawning with fatigue he glanced at the clock.  Still a couple of hours to go before morning hits.  Now that he was awake he doubted he would be able to fall right back to sleep.  Perhaps a shot of brandy will do the trick he thought as he swung his legs off the bed.  Coming out of his room he heard noises coming from the kitchen and immediately headed towards it.  Inside the kitchen he found Charmaine standing in the dark in front of the stove stirring into a small pot.  "What are you doing?"Raymond's out of nowhere question startled Charmaine and she accidentally bumped her hand against the pot.  "Ouch!" she cried out in pain.Raymond hurried to her side and picked up her hand.  Stroking it lightly he asked softly, "Does it hurt a lot?"Charmaine couldn't seem to answer with him standing so close to her and their heads bent towards each other.  She felt Raymond move in closer and her mind screamed for her to quickly turn and walk away but her legs and feet weren't listening.Raymond slowly lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed the sore spot.  "Better?" he asked huskily, while his free arm curled itself around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer to him.Charmaine looked up at him then and through the darkness she was still able to make out the outline of his face and the lazy smile on his face.  "Raymond," she whispered his name and lifted her lips to his as her hands slowly moved up his arms to rest on his shoulders.Raymond didn't need any further urging.  His mouth swoop down on hers and he kissed her with a passion that surprised them both.  With their lips still locked, Raymond lifted her into his arms and carried her into his bedroom.