16.0 A Playboy's Confession

That evening, Eloise was busy tidying up her place. She also ordered some takeout since she was in a hurry. She did not have time to go grocery shopping and cook so delivery was the best option. Eloise also changed into a nice dress and dolled herself up. When she heard the doorbell ring, she broke out in cold sweat. After taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

"Here," said Nikolai who offered her a bouquet of roses. "Thank you," she replied with a smile. She was happy to receive the roses, even happier to see him. Dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit, Nikolai truly had golden proportions. "Take a seat. I will get the drinks ready then we can have dinner," said Eloise who was preparing sparkling juice. At the coffee table, Nikolai was seated. He was amazed at the table filled with food. "Did you skip lunch today? I don't think we can finish these," he said with a smile. "I didn't know what you like so I just ordered whatever that came to mind. Are you allergic to anything?" she replied. Nikolai found her to be really adorable. He smiled and said "My favorite food... burgers and pizza. Also, I am allergic to tuna."

"Really? Oh thank goodness I did not order anything with tuna. I was so close to ordering Korean tuna rice balls," said Eloise who let out a sigh of relief. "So, why did you invite me over?" asked Nikolai who was curious as to what the purpose of his visit was. "No particular reason," she replied while avoiding his eyes. "You always avoid my eyes when you are lying or when you are nervous," he pointed out. "Do I?" she asked, feeling nervous. "So, what is the reason for inviting me for dinner?" he asked again. "When I thought about it, I never really thanked you properly for saving me. You helped me a few times and I did not even thank you properly. Just take this as a token of appreciation," she replied. "That's it?" he asked, prying for more. "Wh-What were you expecting?" she asked, still avoiding his eyes.

Nikolai fixed her hair with his gentle touch that was enough to make any girl fall head over heels for him. Plus, this action was able to make Eloise look him in the eye. "I was expecting something else," he said. With a smile, he patted her on the head. "Finally you are looking in my eyes," he said. Eloise immediately blushed since his statement made her shy. "Eat up," she said as she put a slice of pizza on his plate so as to change the subject and shift the attention to the food. All Nikolai did was smile at how cute she was acting. Throughout dinner, they were silent but Eloise could feel that Nikolai kept looking at her. She did not need to look at him to know. You can say that it is a woman's sixth sense. She could feel his gaze on her. "Keep looking at me and there will be a hole," she said so as to hide her embarrassment. "Didn't you dress up for me? I have to appreciate your effort by looking. If not, what is the use of you looking so pretty at home?" he replied.

"Why do they call you a playboy?" asked Eloise who decided to break the silence and use this chance to get to know him. "Quite a few girls confessed to me. I just said that I don't date just one girl. I guess that's why," he replied without any hesitation. "Is…it true?" she asked, feeling anxious. "I don't date. Dating is a hassle. There are so many commitments and trust issues," he replied. "Then why me?" asked Eloise who needed to know if she was being toyed with. "I don't know… You seem different. Somehow, I wanted to get close to you," he answered. "Something about you drew me in. At some point, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Weird, isn't it?" he added. A soft chuckle was heard from him. "Romance and relationships are not my thing, I guess. Love always ends up hurting others. I promised that I will not hurt anyone, and I will not be the cause of anyone's misery. I thought I had finally gave up on love until I saw you…" Nikolai said as he looked Eloise in the eye.