Niles grinned awkwardly. What was he supposed to tell Wesley? That he had drugged them both, and was now trying to make amends? He didn't think so. He would rather take the secret to his grave than get beaten to a pulp by his mad brother.
Lucky for him, Blair called out for them at that moment. "Wesley, Niles! What are you two talking about over there?"
Wesley cast Niles a warning look and then said, pointing at the limestone cave nearby, "I'll throw you into that cave if you try to steal her away from me!"
Niles gaped at his words. 'How cruel. I'm pretty sure that there must have been a swap at the hospital, ' he thought.
Wesley picked up the shoe covers and walked towards Blair. Niles called after him, "Wesley, we're brothers. Why are you always being so hard on me?"
"You need the push to grow up," Wesley replied.
'To grow up? The kind of push you're giving me will make me grow into the Hulk, ' Niles thought sulkily.
Blair asked Wesley, "What's going on? Are you bullying Niles again?"
"No, I'm not," he lied.
Blair knew he was, but she let it go. "Give me the shoe covers. I can put them on by myself."
"Let me. Niles, get your ass over here," Wesley said to his brother, who was sulking over the unfair treatment he was receiving, wondering what he had done to deserve being treated this way by his own brother.
"Why are you talking to me? Be hard, just the way you like,"
Niles blurted out without thinking. Blair choked on her own saliva when she heard that.
'Wesley is hard for Niles?' she thought as she coughed and patted her chest.
Wesley looked at her with an embarrassed, gloomy face. "What are you thinking, woman? He meant I was being too hard on him."
"Oh…" Blair said.
Niles had no idea that Blair had misunderstood his casual words. He waded over, drooping, and asked curtly, "What?"
Wesley ignored him and told Blair, "Grab onto him and steady yourself while I put on the shoe covers for you."
"I can do it by myself," she said again.
Wesley glared at her and she said nothing more. As Blair clutched Niles' arm, Wesley stooped down to put the shoe covers for her.
Then, Niles began telling on his brother. "Blair, he said that he was going to throw me into that cave. Are you going to let him?"
Blair blushed. "My words don't work on him. I've asked him many times to lay off you, but he never listens. Maybe you should ask someone else for help. Other women's words may matter to him." Wesley's hands stopped when he heard that.
"Whom else would my brother listen to? There can't be another woman who matters to him," Niles said.
"Oh yes, there is. Patty, for instance," Blair whispered.
She actually didn't want to bring Patty up. It would spoil all the fun. But she really had told Wesley many times to cut Niles some slacks, but it always fell on deaf ears. Without giving Wesley a chance to speak, she continued, "Last time, at the party, when Megan insulted me, he didn't even care.
What do you expect me to do with such a man? I mean it. Maybe those two women can help you more than I can."
Anger was building inside Wesley's chest, but he remained quiet.
Niles thought about what she said. "Sounds like my brother has a lot of women in his life," he mumbled.
"Not really," Blair replied sarcastically. "Only those two. Wait a minute. Including Stella and me, there are four women. Oh no, don't forget Garnet. So, five altogether. That's not too many for a senior colonel like your brother."
After putting the shoe covers on for her, Wesley grabbed her hand and said to Niles, "Blair and I need to have a talk. You go back to your friends."
He took her camera off her neck and thrust it at Niles. Without a warning, he threw her onto his back.
"What are you doing? Niles, help me! Your brother is going to kill me!"
Waving to her, Niles simply responded, "Sorry, I can't help you. May God have mercy on you."
"Wha—? You ungrateful little—!" Blair yelled. She gritted her teeth and decided to join Wesley while he bullied Niles next time.
When they reached the bank, Wesley returned the shoe covers and ran back to her. "We need to talk," he remarked.
"I… I just want to have some fun," she said in a low voice, her head hung down and her cheeks crimson.
"I'll come with you."
Blair looked up at him. "You have time to hang out with me?"
The look in his eyes changed a little. "Just a short while," he said with a small smile. Blair didn't say where she wanted to go; she decided to let him choose.
Following closely behind him, she asked, "Where are we going?"
"Get some rest in the hotel first."
"But I'm not tired. We just started the tour." It hadn't been two hours since she had left her room.
Wesley took her to the parking lot. "I don't have much time. I should go back by noon."
"Oh." She was disappointed, but she also knew how significant his job was. She was content with just meeting him, no matter how short it turned out to be. "Duty comes first. I just need some fresh air."
"Okay."
As they drove, Blair found that the road was familiar to her. It looked like they were heading for the hotel she was staying in.
And she was right.
When Wesley killed the engine, she fidgeted in her seat. "You…Why did you bring me back here?" She thought he was taking her to the next scenic spot.
Wesley got out of the car and opened the door for her.
"I'd like to take a look at the room you are staying in." Then he added, "Whom are you staying with?"
The serious look on his face fooled her. She believed he really didn't know.
"I have the room to myself. The hotel is not so good, but they said this was one of the best in this place."
Blair took him to her room and opened the door. "The room is pretty big. It's spacious enough since I'm staying alone. Niles made the arrangements."
The trace of fragrance in the air drew him in. Her scent.
Wesley pretended to be checking the place out. He looked around the room first, and then examined the bathroom. He even looked out the window. "I know a better hotel. I can take you there."
"No, thanks. I should stay with the others."
Blair put her bag on the table, grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to him. "Are you thirsty?"
Wesley shook his head. She unscrewed the lid and drank some. "This afternoon— Mmph…"
Her mouth was sealed by a hot kiss as soon as she turned around.
Under his heated passion, Blair realized that the promise about hanging out with her, getting some rest in the hotel and checking out the room were all just ruses. Ruses that he used to get laid.
He sure had her fooled.
