Troy And Athena (Forbidden Love Series Book 15)

Athena was stunned by his proposal. "Are you crazy? Why should I marry you?" She asked with disbelief going into the art room and settling at her desk.

"I'm not crazy. Tell me, do you love Brandon?" Troy asked with a grave expression on his face. He sat down opposite her, staring at her intently.

"No, we don't love one another but we've been best friends since kindergarten. We know each other very well and get on with each other. So it's not a big deal, " said Athena with a shrug. Troy listened very carefully.

"So there you go. See you're going into a loveless relationship? And I've seen Brandon. He might be your best friend but he doesn't care about you. I care more about you than him. So why is it so difficult to get into a loveless relationship with me. It shouldn't make much of a difference to you. You can just get to know me better," said Troy, his expression solemn as he tried hard to convince her.

"I'm not good with new relationships, Troy. I'm comfortable around Brandon. So, no, I must decline your offer," said Athena. However, this didn't deter Troy. He smiled and shook his head.

"The first time you met Brandon, even he was a stranger to you. You adjusted to him, didn't you? So how is it different with me? You've already adjusted with me. I want you to think about my proposal," said Troy. Athena had no answer to that. He was right and his proposal actually sounded quite interesting.

"You didn't reply, Athena. Tell me will you consider my proposal? It means a lot to me," insisted Troy. He wasn't letting this go. He badly wanted her in his life. There was an unspoken attraction that was drawing him to her like a magnet. He wanted to explore it, he wanted to see where it would lead them to. He wanted her, all of her and not just for 1-2 hours but for life!

"Why?" She asked, her breath stuck at her throat as she eagerly waited for his answer.

"I have my reasons. Be mine and I might tell you why, " he told her, glancing briefly at her with a sly smile. Athena had to accept that he was a very good negotiator who knew what he spoke. And he really had the guts. These qualities impressed her more instead of making her cringe and she just wanted to jump and accept his proposal. It was far better than what Brandon had offered. Troy was an open person and his proposal was like an open book. He liked her and maybe desired her and he didn't hide it from her.

"Shall we start?" She asked picking up the drawing sheets.

"Start what?" He asked, looking amused as his glance fell to her lips. She blushed at the teasing look in his eyes.

"Drawing, what else?" She told him, taking out the accessories and getting ready.

"So what will you teach me today?" He asked with interest.

"Colors. I'll explain how to mix and match colors to produce different desired shades," she told him. She started explaining about basic colors but Troy could only hear her melodious voice. He could only see her shining eyes like a moth hypnotized by a flame. He could only understand a basic color. The color of his heart, the color of love. Red!

"So now we'll produce the secondary colors, like this, " she went ahead to explain how to mix and match but Troy could only understand how to match his heart with hers, how to be one with her.

"Draw something where we can use these colors, " said Athena. Troy drew two hearts fused together. Athena rolled her eyes. This student was impossible. She knew from his love struck gaze that he wasn't paying attention to her teaching.

"Okay, let's color these. First we'll color them like these with a base stroke," she explained, painting the heart with red paint.

"Next we so sweeping strokes with orange, like this," she showed him. The way she painted it, there was a distinct 3-D effect to the heart. It came alive. "Next we shade it, this way," she showed him. "I want you to do the other heart in a similar manner, " she told him. Troy started coloring the heart.

"Did you think my proposal over?" He asked impatiently ad he created his masterpiece. Athena shook her head.

"I didn't get the time," she pointed out. "I need to go and check up on granny. Can you finish that heart in the meantime?" She asked him. Troy grinned.

"Sure. It's getting late. Aren't you going to ask me to dinner?" He asked with a grin, knowing very well that he was pissing her off but at least he would get to spend more time with her. Athena controlled the smile that was wanting to break free at his bashful self invitation.

"Then we cannot have a two hour class. You choose," she told him.

"We'll have a two hour class and order dinner, done?" Said Troy with a wink. Athena stared at him. Did he always have an ever-ready answer at the tip of his tongue?

"Okay, I'll ask granny and tell you," she said, turning to leave.

"No wait, I'll ask granny myself, " he said, leaving his work and striding towards her. Athena climbed down the stairs followed by Troy. They went to granny's room.

"What? Finished so soon? I'm sure you're a notorious student," chuckled granny, looking at Troy.

"That he is," said Athena. Troy looked at her with a hurt expression.

"That's not fair, I'm so tired yet I'm being such an obedient student, " he protested.

"Exactly Athena, the poor boy has come straight from work. Have some mercy," granny scolded Athena as Troy grinned at her. Athena rolled her eyes. Such a manipulative guy!

"Granny, can we order outside food since there's no time to cook?" Asked Troy.

"If you two cook together, dinner could be made in fifteen minutes," pointed out granny.

"Oh, is it? Well, I mean, I can't cook," he admitted with a shrug. Granny looked at him with disbelief.

"You can't cook anything?" She asked him. Troy shook his head.

"Come on weekends, I'll teach you basic cooking. It's a survival guide, son. You should learn a few basic dishes," said granny. Troy's face broke out into a smile while Athena rolled her eyes. So he would be here during the weekends too?

"So what do we do now?" Asked Troy,  hopefully.

"You can order tonight, " smiled granny looking at his hopeful face. So they poured over their options and ordered for themselves while Granny selected a simple fish dish for herself.

"It should arrive in 40 minutes, " said Troy. Athena went upstairs to get their art stuff and started resumed her class in the dining room. The food would be delivered and granny couldn't rush to receive it. In another 35 minutes, they completed another masterpiece when the food arrived. It was a delicious meal and they all sat together at the dining table to eat.

"This is very good, son," said granny, tasting hers. Troy smiled at her.

"They deliver delicious home cooked meals. I always order when I can't come over to Laurence's place for dinner," said  Troy.

"You poor boy. Do you live alone? Where did your parents stay?" Asked granny with curiosity. So all throughout dinner, Troy told them answered those questions as Athena quietly listened, getting to know him more. From their conversation, she learnt a lot about him. She learnt about his family, his business and where he lived. Apparently, he lived all alone in some luxurious penthouse where he felt very lonely.

"What do you do during weekends? Drink, go to the bar or party?" Asked granny. She seemed to be loving this and Athena knew exactly what she was doing. Hunting for a replacement for Brandon.

"No granny. I left all that after college. I .go to the club to play tennis or billiards. My friends are all family men and don't have time for this. They're all married and settled with kids," said Troy, a melancholy look coming into his eyes. Granny's eyes sparkled at this piece of information.

"Why don't you find yourself a good girl to settle down, son?" She asked him.

"I've asked her but she hasn't answered me yet," said Troy, staring at Athena. Athena wanted to hide under the table. Now granny would compel her to marry him! 'God, where did I get myself into?' She thought, completing her meal. Just as she had thought, her granny followed his stare and pinned her gaze upon Athena.

Athena felt more like an insect under a microscope. "What?" She asked both of them.

"I'm waiting for an answer to my proposal, " shrugged Troy. Granny nodded.

"Yeah, answer him already. Don't keep a guy waiting like this," said granny.

"Please, stop. I'm still engaged to Brandon. He hasn't broken up our relationship, granny, " she tried to reason. Her granny groaned and got up from the table to go to her room. Troy sat with a peculiar expression on his face while Athena guiltily cleared the table.

"I think I'll go home. Bye," he said abruptly and striding out all of a sudden. His behavior made her feel all the more guilty. She needed to talk to Brandon soon.