Teasing Phoenix novel Chapter 9

My head is hammering a thousand times. I open my eyes slowly only to see the unfamiliar surrounding. The smell on the room seems familiar to me though—it’s like one of my favorite scents in the world.

Panic settles in the pit of my belly. This isn’t my room. Where am? Did I go with someone?

I quickly check the king-size bed. It’s covered with a dark sheet that matches the blanket where I am neatly tucked in. It’s definitely a man’s bed, but the other side is empty.

I’m alone.

Before I can sit up from the bed, my stomach twists sickly. I run into the nearest door, hoping it’s the bathroom. I flip up the cover of the toilet bowl and empty my stomach.

Scanning the surrounding, I find a toilet paper and wipe my mouth. I flash them and rinse my mouth with the water. I look at myself in the mirror—a smeared makeup still on my face with my messy bedhead. I’m wearing a gray T-shirt with NYU logo that looks huge on me and boxer shorts.

The door creaks open, causing me to startle.

“Who’s in there?” I ask quickly.

“Princess?” Phoenix?

I sigh deeply in relief.

Am I at his house? He knocks the bathroom door.

“Princess, are you okay in there? Take a pain reliever from the medicine cabinet. I know your head is killing you right now with a hangover. Come down when you’re done. Breakfast is ready.”

How did I end up with him? Did we? Did he? Unknowingly, I squeeze my thighs.

After washing my face with cold water. I found a new toothbrush, squeeze a good amount of toothpaste, then brush my teeth. I grab a bottle of painkiller, take two tablets with me, and go back to his room. I find my dress neatly folded and my purse on the nightstand and my high heels on the carpeted floor.

I walk through the hallway until I find the staircase. His house is huge, modernized with cozy furniture. I wander around, but I can’t find him anywhere.

“Phoenix, where are you?” I don’t even know how to look for him, and my headache is killing me.

He emerges a few feet from me with a shirt, sweatpants, and barefooted, and he looks homie and yummier.

I walk toward him, and he beams at me, and the thing I never expect is he kisses my forehead.

“Good morning, princess! How’s your sleep?” He seems so lively in the morning. Then he grabs my hand, but I pull it back—I need to know what happened last night.

He stops then looks at me.

Did we sleep together?

“Princess, if you think I took advantage of my drunk little princess Samantha last night, you’re wrong. I’m not an asshole to sleep with a drunk woman.”

How can he read me so easily? I nod slowly, ashamed that I think so low of him.

“Do you really think that low of me, Samantha?” he adds. See? He just read my mind.

“How did I end up in your shirts and boxers?”

“Wow! Samantha is back. No good morning and back into questioning, I see,” he says flatly.

“I’m sorry. Good morning, Phoenix. My head is killing me though. I need water to swallow these tablets,” I say with a firm smile.

We reach his enormous kitchen.

“Take a seat. I’ll get you water. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sliced fruits sound good for you? Coffee or juice?” he asks while busy preparing the food on the table.

I sit in one of the empty chairs. After he hands me the bottled water, I pop two tablets into my mouth and swallow them with a gulp of water.

“That’s too much already, Phoenix. Thank you, by the way. Coffee for me.” I follow his moves with my eyes until my gaze lands to his firm ass that looks gorgeous on his sweatpants.

“Are you checking out my ass now?”

I stiffen, blinking rapidly. Guilty! When I lift my gaze, he’s already smirking at me. I must be as red as a tomato right now.

“You’re cocky in the morning, King of cockiness,” I say sarcastically.

He laughs. God, his laugh. I can’t help but smile back.

“It’s okay, Samantha. I won’t charge you. How’d you like your coffee?” He’s still beaming at me—it affects me so much that I have to press my thighs together.

“Stop making fun of me, Phoenix. I’m grumpy in the morning. Now, please feed me because I have to go home.” I scowl at him, but it only makes him laugh some more.

He hands me my coffee. I sip from the steaming mug and almost spit it out from my mouth.

I grimace. “Eww, where is the sugar, Phoenix? I don’t drink coffee without sugar because it tastes like mud.”

He barks out laughing. “I asked you, but you didn’t tell me you like to drink with sugar, Samantha. So, I assumed you drink it black and bitter.” He hands me the sugar with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

“You assumed. You really like to prank, aren’t you? Now, tell me how did I end up in your house? In your bed.” I put a spoonful of sugar into the mug, stir, smell, and sip it—it’s heaven.

“You don’t wanna know, princess.” The glint in his eyes shines brightly like a star in the night sky. And there’s also a devilish grin on his face.

Crap! Did I say or do something embarrassing? I start eating my breakfast. It’s so good. This human being can actually make breakfast.

“I wanna know. Did you actually cook this? It’s yummy. Can I come over every morning for breakfast?” I ask with my cunning smile.

“You can stay here if you want. At least I have someone to annoy every morning. I can cook, princess, not only breakfast. I love food. Haven’t you noticed? I bought a restaurant, a night club, and a coffee shop. Drink coffee in the morning, eat lunch in the restaurant, have fun at night,” he grins.

“Your devil!” I snap.

“How did I become a devil? Last night, I was a pure angel. I probably had a halo above my head. I helped your drunk ass to get home, carried you all the way to my bed, undressed and changed you to sleep comfortably, then I slept with the beautiful woman beside me in my bed, and that was torture, by the way. Now, I serve you breakfast.” He smiles, cocking his brow.

“Why you didn’t bring me home instead? So that you don’t have to take care of me and feed me? You undressed me and changed me into your shirt and boxers. Did you actually sleep beside me last night?” I demand.

“Why sounds so disappointed, princess? That you found the bed empty and that you were alone? How can I send you home when I don’t even know if your mom is at home? You’re drunk and slept in my car before we reach to your house.”

I feel guilty. I’ve never been so careless like this.

“Oh, you said you like it if when I call you princess.” His smile widens.

My face heats more. “What else did I say?” I focus my gaze on him.

“That you said you have a hot DD.”

I put down my fork, cover my face with my hands, and shake my head.

“And you said I’m a hot tease,” he adds.

Oh, my God! I’m going home.

He laughs at my reactions.

“I didn’t say those things. Tell me you’re kidding, Phoenix.” I glare at him.

He shrugs. “I wish I can say that.”

I dramatically slump my back to the chair. “I swear I won’t drink again.” Then I restart eating.

“You can drink as you like for as long as I’m with you or you trust someone with you. I can be your DD all the time, and your secret is safe with me.” He winks. “Don’t worry I was not a peeping tom last night. I swear I just changed you into my shirt.” He raises his hand up.

“Thank you.”

After we’re done with breakfast, I help him clean up the table and wander around his kitchen while he places the dishes into the dishwasher. He tours me around his house, and we end up at his patio.

“It’s very relaxing here. I can stay at this space all day long and be a nerd,” I say as I sit down, stretching my legs.

“Let me adopt you, and you can move in here anytime.”

I look up to him who’s leaning down against the parapet.

“You’re insane. I’m not moving in here with you. I can’t afford the rent.”