New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

"Yes. I asked you who let you up. Was it, Violette?"

"Ahh. Yes, it was Violette. Did she not tell you I was coming?"

"No. Is that what you talked about while she ran away with my phone?"

"Hihi. I think we are both getting played."

Alexander scratched the back of his head. Now that the woman was here, he couldn't send her back home, right?

Plus, they still needed to have a conversation. He sighed heavily and let the woman inside his home.

"Violette is in the living room, just ahead. Make yourself comfortable, while I go finish dressing."

"Ok."

Alexander walked back up the stairs, heading back to his room, all the while thinking about what he had done to the gods to deserve this tricky situation.

In the meantime, Kary walked forward to the living room, looking around as she did. She was impressed by the home Alexander had bought.

It was simply decorated, as what you would expect from a simple man, but the penthouse itself was very luxurious.

'This place could use a feminine touch,' she caught herself thinking, before blushing again, as she made it to the living room.

"Phoenix!" Violette screamed happily when she saw the woman entering the room.

"Please, we aren't in the game. You can call me Kary."

"Okay!"

"How are you? Is Alex treating you correctly?"

"He's been acting like a great big brother!"

"Is he, now? Good. How long are you going to stay with him?"

"I don't know. But I don't mind, either!"

Kary chuckled at the little girl's enthusiasm. For a girl who was living with a man she barely knew outside a game, she was taking it quite easily.

Kary heard Alex's footsteps coming down the stairs and turned her head to look at him. He was wearing a semi-fitting shirt that still let her imagination picture his toned physique.

The last time she had seen him, he was in the hospital. The loose hospital clothes he had on were far from being revealing.

To add to this, Alex had kept up his training after leaving the hospital, and his muscles were defining by the day. Not that she had never seen a man's bare chest before, but his was especially alluring to her.

She snapped out of her thoughts when he asked her a question.

"Were you staying for dinner?"

"This charming little girl offered to stay the night for a sleepover. She said you had an extra bedroom?"

"Yes... I do... But are you sure you want to stay the night over?"

"I'll just treat it as staying in a fancy hotel."

After saying that, she smiled widely, making Alex's heart flutter for a second.

"Fine. I was going to make some steak with some asparagus and mashed potatoes for dinner. Is that alright with you?"

"I'll eat whatever you were planning on making. I'm not a fussy eater."

"Okay. What should we do until dinner time, though? It's still quite early."

Alex looked at the time, and it was barely three in the afternoon. When he turned his head back at Kary, she had her finger set on her chin, with her brows furrowed.

"Hmm. How about we have that conversation?"

Alexander almost choked on his saliva. He looked over at Violette, who was snickering, before looking back at Kary.

"Here? Now?"

"We can go outside, for a bit more... privacy."

"Uh... Okay."

Alexander followed behind her, as she walked to the door to the balcony. Try as he might, he couldn't resist glimpsing at her taunting hip movement.

'No! Stop thinking like this, you dog!' He admonished himself mentally.

Once they were both outside, Alex closed the door behind himself, so they could talk without Violette hearing every word. They sat at the table, and they both watched over the horizon for a second, waiting for the other to talk.

Alexander was a confident young man, but not with women. He didn't know where to start, so he kept his mouth shut.

He had given some thought about this over the last few days, but he didn't know how to put it into words. Kary, on the other hand, was a lot more outgoing than he was.

When she noticed he wouldn't be the first to talk, she giggled and broke the ice for him.

"Have you given thought to what I told you inside the game?"

"Ahh... Yes. I have. I thought about it a lot, actually."

He then scratched the back of his head nervously.

"And?" Kary asked, a smile pulling the corner of her lips.

Alexander sighed and took the leap.

"I have never been much inclined to relationships, ever since my parents died. I always stay alone."

Kary frowned a bit at his words.

'Is he going to reject me?' she started worrying.

"But I can't lie to myself."

Her heart paused.

"Kary."

"Yes, Alexander?"

"I think I also have feelings for you. I don't know how deep they are yet, but they are there."

Kary smiled warmly at his half-baked confession.

"And so I would like to try this out with you. But I would prefer it if we can take it slowly. Is that okay with you?"

She stood from her chair, walking slowly over to him, before sitting on his lap.

*Bathump! Bathump!*

Alexander's heart was threatening to jump out of his chest.

Kary leaned in slowly, making eye contact with him, before closing her eyes and gently kissing his lips. Alexander almost froze up, but he returned her kiss, his hands sliding to her hips.

When she pulled back from him, she smiled.

"We can take this as slowly as you want."

*Bong! Bong! Bong!*

They both turned their heads to the glass door, where they saw Violette beating on it with an enormous smile. They could hear her muffled cheating through the door, and laughed together.

"I think she set us up," Alexander said, chuckling.

"I don't mind. Do you?"

"I don't think I do."

He leaned in again, fetching another kiss from her.

'I think I might take a liking to this.'