Sam asked directly when Arlo bent down and helped her as her nails were grazing., "Sky! How do you know him?"
Sky replied, "He is my senior in college. We were in the same drawing class as elective. He taught me how to draw than the professor we had. This was painted when we went on a college trip to a hill station and camped at the peak of the mountain. Before his graduation, he left the college. Since we never shared our contact details, once he left, we lost contact."
Sam felt like tension and worry in the atmosphere decrease a little. "If he painted it for you, Why didn't he give it to you?"
Sky stood up as Arlo held the painting. "It wasn't completed on our trip. He had said he will finish it and give but he left the town in less than a week after that. Nobody knows the reason."
Everyone hummed as they went towards their hotel. Arlo unknowingly remembered about her diary and connected it with Ellis which ruined his mood. His mood was down even during dinner, Sky tried to ask but he gave a faint smile and ignored.
Sky again tried to ask in their room but he brushed it off saying he was tired. Sam drove the hummer and Ethan was in shotgun. Arlo and Sky seated on backseats.
"You said you are tired, Sleep for some time." Sky said to Arlo concernedly.
Arlo realized her worried voice and his face turned gently. "You should rest." He said and made her lay on the seat as her head rested on his lap. Sky still felt something's off but she couldn't put finger on it.
She was talking with Ethan and Sam as Arlo stroked her head. She slowly drifted off to sleep due to caress on her head. Then the hummer fell into silence.
She woke up when they had stopped for a coffee break. Since Sky was sleeping, Arlo didn't go but shortly she woke up.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Arlo looking at the distance giving off a lonely vibe. She didn't sit but asked, "Arlo! Can you tell me why is your mood down?"
Arlo looked at her, stroking her hair he replied, "I'm just tired."
Sky furrowed her brows, "Keep on lying till I stop bothering about your mood. Then you will have nobody to even ask."
After finishing, she was about to get up in anger, Arlo held her back and asked, "Did you had any special relationship with that painter?"
Sky was speechless. 'If he was bothered by it, shouldn't he ask instead of thinking too much?'
She pulled him down and bit his cheek before letting him off. "This is for you to stop roasting your brain on trivial things."
Then she knocked on his head, "He was like a mentor to me, nothing else. If I had any special feelings for him, I would have asked his number. Wouldn't I?... Did you sell off your brain in the flea market? If yes, let me buy it back for you."
'Is biting on the cheek is punishment? That was fab.' Arlo thought to himself as he liked the punishment.
He wanted to kiss her forehead but dropped after seeing Sam and Ethan reach the car. "I have it, don't worry."
Sky knew he didn't say anything due to Sam and Ethan. She couldn't feel the vibe of loneliness anymore so she didn't say anything.
Ethan and Sam stayed in the outhouse as it was late. Arlo carried his sleeping wife to their room.
--
The next day, all woke up for their workout. Sky was surprised to see Ethan in the gym. After working out, All got fresh and had breakfast with the other three.
Ethan went to work. Sky sent Sam home and went to the office with Arlo. After finishing two meetings back to back, Sky was bored to sit in the office and went to the kitchen a few minutes early.
Arlo had just started to prep when she entered. "Ms.Sky is early today."
"I'm giving you the honor to spend time with President Harley." Sky said and chuckled as she sat on the cabinet where he was cutting veggies.
She took carrots and ate. Arlo took a few more and gave her in a bowl. "You eat so much, then why are you so slender?"
Sky smiled before giving a cheeky reply, "So that you can carry me easily."
Well, Wife-slave liked the reply and his smile grew wider. Sky smiled to herself thinking it was so easy to make him happy.
Sky finished carrots and asked, "Arlo! Shall I make something? What would you like to eat?"
Arlo turned to her from his place, "You!" His voice can't be more magnetic,
She saw his face, 'We can't have a normal talk. Holy!'
Sky thought to herself as she got down from the cabinet, "I forgot my mobile. I will get it"
She said and ran towards the door. Arlo saw her mobile on their dining table where she always keeps. He turned off the cooktop and caught her before she could exit.
He twirled her and wrapped his hand around her waist. She looked tiny in his arms gripping his shirt looking at him.
"Why are you so fast?" Sky didn't know whether to cry or not. She clearly ran first but he still caught her.
An alluring smile appeared on his face, "Only a strong man can handle a strong woman like you. So I have to be a little faster."
He moved ahead as she stepped back when he asked, "Do you remember what you were answering whenever I said YOU?"
Sky bit her lip. Of course, she knew well.
'Yes! I will prepare.'
'Yes! I will do it'
'Yes! I will get it.'
That time she didn't think like that because she treated him as a secretary or as a friend upon that she had assumed him as gay. Even if her mind wandered she was bringing back in seconds.
Her expression told him everything as his left-hand thumb caressed her red soft cheek.
He pinned her to the wall as he locked the door, Sky noticed and tried to stop, "Arlo! Wh..."
She widened her eyes as his lips stroked her lips gently. Seeing his gleaming face so near and feeling of the soft, gentle teasing strokes on her lips made her slowly close her eyes as her clutch tightened on his shirt...
Her heart raced as her lips were caressed. Those feathery touches were unexplainable to her...