Strictly In The Bedroom 2

Chapter 3 Trail

M A L L O R Y

I shut myself up in my own apartment for a month after my breakup with Thomas because I was so devastated. I stayed home and tried to work out my emotions. I never talked to anyone, never went out, and never met with my friends even if they wanted to. I also kept everything to myself, all the pain, betrayal and everything else. Because of the betrayal and suffering, I was so emotionally spent that I could not bear the idea of having to face anybody again. It was the most severe sorrow, betrayal, and heartbreak I had ever experienced. All I wanted was to be alone, fully on my own, with my thoughts, to process the grief at my own speed.

Although yes, it was sad to say, but I was still in love with the person who broke my heart.

After a month of staying in and locking myself up, I stayed in the hospital for two months, only to find out that Kiara replaced me and took my position at work, at the same time she also stole my boyfriend from me. She was living her life, working on my position at work since she was promoted after I left, and now dating my boyfriend, I saw her posts on social media which was so unhealthy for me and I was so gutted, but at the same time, I came to realize that I was letting this woman ruin me even after she stole my man and replaced me at my job. She was living my life, while I was living in misery. I realized that I needed to learn to be happy on my own before I could ever hope to have a healthy relationship again.

But here I was in Lisbon. All I wanted was to be happy.

Being here, being this free, I wanted to finally live my life because I was tired of being held back by a toxic relationship for nine long years filled with lies, tears and fights and everything else. I had spent nine years with Thomas, nine long years and the list of women he had cheated on me from behind my back, and after the break-up, I had felt trapped and unable to move forward. I did not want to waste another year of my life being alone and sad while Thomas and Kiara were living together in happiness. I wasted nine years of my life with a man I was ready to end up with in marriage, but he never really saw us heading there despite the long years of being together.

I wanted to be free from my painful past and experience new things I never did before. I wanted to find happiness, maybe find a new hobby that I never thought I would even do in the first place, and maybe even find love again one day. I wanted to have the chance to live life to the fullest and not be held back anymore.

At night, Lisbon’s air seemed crisp and clean, with a little tinge of softness that made it feel like a warm blanket wrapped over my body. The hotel balcony was gently brushed by a mild breeze that carried a fragrance of salt and ocean flowers, which was rather soothing and at the same time therapeutic as well. I felt at peace despite all that had occurred to me before coming here and how I locked myself up in my own flat for a month that I did not even want to go out. But coming here with this serene environment, it was really calming and I deserved this, I deserved this happiness and newness. Below, the city was lit up by the brilliant stars that shone overhead. As I gazed out over the city, there was a calm serenity in the night sky and a quiet tranquility in my heart.

“Come oooon, tell us.” Max’s words caught my attention as he was once again insisting on wanting to know who the handsome stranger was, that even myself has no idea who as well.

“I told you already, I just met him today when he helped me translate my order from English to Portuguese,” I insisted all over again while responding, as we were in our hotel room’s balcony after we had left the restaurant while munching on a few chips, taking in the view from our balcony.

Max made this funny face which made me smile a bit wider, as I insisted once again, “I am not even lying.” I could not help but chuckle under my breath.

“So, he is a local here?” Gia asked me, as she munched more on the potato chips from the snack bag. “I mean, he speaks Portuguese.” She pointed out clearly.

I shrugged my shoulders, “Like I said, I do not know.” I laughed under my throat as I looked over the view from below, as Max and Gia were still talking about the handsome stranger as they were constantly teasing me at the same time which was absolutely absurd..

I could not stop myself from thinking about the really attractive stranger I had accidentally met earlier, but my mind was not focused on my friends. Even though he had not really talked much with me or had a lengthy conversation after the coffee shop incident, I was still thinking about how he had licked his lips and gazed directly at me while grinning sexily at me while doing so, without even trying. I was afraid of how intense he was making me feel since I knew for a fact that he was really affecting me in some way. His smooth, sensual movements, his smoldering, playful smile when he realized I was staring at him and licking his lips, and the fact that he seemed drawn to me had been on repeat in my mind ever since I left the restaurant with my companions.

I was unable to shake the images from my thoughts as I felt that there was something special about this man, and as time passed more and more, while thinking about him, I began to have a strange affinity, like the oddest attraction for him, that made me want to see him one more before returning home in the U.S.

When the sun was about to show its sun rays behind the clouds, and showing out from the clouds, I tied my hair up and faced my mirror while Max and Gia were still sleeping. There was something undeniably sexy about rouched workout shorts as it honestly made me booty look a bit bigger than it normally was. The way the fabric really clinged to every curve and accentuated my body which was both glamorous and alluring as it showed my curves.

The comfortable and flexible fit made it the perfect combination of style and function, which was why it was so attractive to see especially with the fact that it was in the color black. It looked really sleek. It not only showcased my body in a fashionable way but also highlighted the confidence in me that I doubted I had.

“So throw on those sexy shorts and be active, and feel powerful with every step,” That was my first thought when I woke up earlier, since hiking and walking in the mornings helped me a lot after Thomas. After Thomas, I wanted to embrace my femininity and wanted to show myself that despite the times he cheated on me over the entire course of our relationship, I wanted to love myself and heal myself.

The early morning hike trail was a peaceful and serene place, with the morning clouds slowly being lifted by the rising sun. The fresh air and tranquility of the nature surrounding me made it a perfect spot for a morning hike. As I started walking down the trail, I heard birds chirping and insects buzzing all around me. The quiet sound of my footsteps crunching on the earth underneath I created its own tranquil melody. As I continued down the path, the calm and peaceful vibe continued, allowing me to sink into my own thoughts.

But as soon as I noticed a man who was ahead of me pausing in mid-way and seemed utterly bewildered due to the two roadways in front of him, I immediately stopped as well while looking intently at him from behind. He appeared perplexed and as though he were going on a trek as well, but he seemed lost in the hiking trail without a map in his hand, “What a brave one you are coming here without the map.” I hollered.

Him not having a map with him was not the reason why I was shocked right now of his bravery; instead, I was shocked because it was him—the really attractive stranger whom I had been unintentionally spotting around quite a few times—who turned around the second he heard my voice and, now he was meeting my gaze.

Yes, it was once again the handsome stranger.

His brows raised as soon as he knew who I was, he had a bit of sweat dripping from his forehead to the sides of his face as he was panting, trying to catch his breath, but smirking at the same time at me. There was definitely something about him that was pulling me so much towards him.

Damn him. I thought to myself.

“Well, aren’t you a stalker?” He grinned while fully facing me now.

“Me following you? Never. The real question is, who has been stalking who?” I commented, trying to hide my smile as I kept my eyes glued on him before I bravely asked him, “Are you following me around?”

He laughed under his throat, “Very bold accusation. You are the one behind me, no?” He smirked mischievously.

I smiled wider as I sarcastically commented, “Well, aren’t you a smart mouth.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Just being a step ahead.”

I scoffed as I could not help but smile at him, no matter how I tried to suppress myself from smiling.

I took a pause and just let the view of a sweaty him sink in, his face and chest glistening with sweat from the intense physical activity, I could not help but notice how hot he looked. The sweat made his muscles seem even more defined and intense, and the glistening drops accentuated all of his curves and contours. It was hard not to be attracted to such a hot image of him, especially that his shirt was hanging on his side as it was tucked in his shorts.

He chuckled, “Stop staring at my abs, woman. I worked hard for these muscles, and they aren’t meant to be appreciated from a distance.”

I scoffed as he looked smug but annoyingly handsome.

“Or do you need a closer look?” He grinned as soon as he said that. “Just bask in the glory for a minute.”

I scoffed at how boastful and smug he was while I was shaking my head and keeping my eyes glued on his face, while glancing at his sculpted abs for a split second, “You are so full of yourself, you know that?”

“What is not there to boast about?” He flexed his arms and goodness, this guy definitely works out a lot.

I just simply rolled my eyes at him while he was just responding with a chuckle leaving his mouth, but suddenly he asked, “Could it be fate or just a random circumstance?”

I blinked my eyes at him, “What is? You and your stupid abs?”

He replied with a little chuckle, “No, this is hard work.” He smacked his abs playfully, as he added, “I meant us, meeting quite a few times now. Could it be fate or just a random circumstance?”