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Christian stared at me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I don't know what to say, Alex. It sounds a bit thin. But I’m definitely not surprised. This is just the type of thing you’d do."
“Do you agree then? Will you help me?”
He could say whatever he wanted as long as he agreed to pretend to go out with me. It was very important to me that he said yes to my proposal, but I didn’t really want to think about why.
“Fine," he said, his tone clipped. "I'll go along with this proposal of yours. But only until they say 'I do,' and only if you promise to repay the favor in like kind."
In like kind. That didn’t sound good. I didn’t want to be in his debt. He’d certainly make me pay it.
“My parents have been on me to get married, as you might remember," he said, his tone suddenly friendlier. They’re getting along in age and need grandkids. They’ve always loved you, and, surprisingly, they never blamed you for Tristan’s decline. I’m certain they wouldn't mind us being together. This could get them off my back, and give me some time.”
Mr. and Mrs. Sanchester had been married for over 40 years and were still madly in love. Mr. Sanchester was tall and lean with a head full of impeccably styled silver hair. He had a chiseled jawline and piercing blue eyes that seem to twinkle with mischief. And Christian looked just like him. He just wasn’t as fun as his father.
Mrs. Sanchester was equally striking with her perfectly coiffed auburn hair and flawless complexion. She had a warm smile and a regal bearing that immediately commanded respect. She loved wearing statement jewelry, and her collections of pearls and diamonds were the envy of many.
Despite their vast wealth and status, the Sanchesters had a down-to-earth charm that endeared them to everyone they met. It was just too bad they hadn’t passed any of that charm on to this son of theirs.
“Pretending to your family? That’s another level of degenerate Christian,” I said.
“Says the woman who’s has to pretend date so her best friends don't think she's a loser,” he said carelessly. “You need my help or not?”
“I do. I’ll be in contact to iron out the details” I said getting up from the sofa, straightening my dress. A resolution was a resolution, and this was better than an outright "no" anyway. I just had a lot more work to do.
“Surely you’re not leaving without giving your man a kiss, a little something to prove we’re perfect for each other,” Christian said mockingly as I turned away from him.
I was quite certain he expected me to say "no." And just to prove him wrong, I walked back to him, unbuttoned the first two buttons of my dress, and gave him a glimpse of my lacy bra.
I bent over him slowly, my eyes fixed on his. Pulling him in by his shirt, I kissed him hard. He responded by pulling me into his lap and unbuttoning two more buttons. His hand was slipping into my dress, his fingers pinching my nipple though the bra. I gave a breathy little moan and leaned into the kiss.
Biting his lip, I ran my hands over his body and down to his pants. It was a trick I’d learned in college. Put the man right on the edge, and then step daintily away. It never failed, but he was good, real good, and a woman could get lost in a kiss like this.
He pulled away and nipped softly at my neck. “You want to move the party to my bed?” he asked throatily, already standing up, lifting me off the sofa as he did.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in that. Let’s leave the show for the crowd,” I said, pushing away from him and turning away to button my dress. I had to get out of there fast. I was so tempted to turn around and kiss him some more, but in the long run, the worst way to end the evening would be with me in his bed.
“That was certainly proof enough that we’re perfect for each other, Christian,” I said as I made my escape from the room.
His mocking laughter followed me out of the door and to my car.
The air outside was crisp and refreshing, the sky clear, a deep shade of indigo, the stars shining brightly, twinkling like diamonds. Everything basked in the soft glow of the crescent moon.
I felt the gentle breeze blowing through my hair as I stood looking around. It carried with it the scent of freshly cut grass and flowers blooming. The street lamps cast a warm, amber glow on the pavement, adding to the serene ambiance of the night.
Off in the distance, I could hear the faint sound of music playing in a nearby bar, and the laughter of people having a good time. The sound bounced off the buildings, creating a symphony of happy noises that echoed through the street.
The night was in strict opposition to my bad mood. The night had ended how I’d wanted it to, but now I was stuck with Christian, and he was sure to make things as difficult as possible for me. I opened the door of my car and slipped inside. It would be long days from here on out.
***
Christian’s POV
Groggily, I opened my eyes and reached for my phone on the nightstand. I let out a sigh of relief. I still had about an hour before I had to leave for work.
It wasn’t like me to wake up late, but after Alex’s visit last night, sleep had been the last thing on my mind. I was restless, and the images of her flashing through my mind only made it worse. As I sat up, my mind drifted to the kiss from the night before. I frowned, thinking of her sparkling green eyes and pouty lips, the way she looked at me when she undid those two buttons.
Shaking the thought out of my head, I made my way to the bathroom and splashed water on my face, the cold waking me fully. I brushed my teeth and washed my face properly, trying to clear my mind of thoughts of her. But as I combed my hair, I couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about me too.
I'd been right. Alex was an arch manipulator. What other woman would pull a stunt like that? But now I had her exactly where I wanted her, and I hadn't even had to work hard to get her there. Now she was at my beck and call, and knowing her, she wouldn’t even tell her friends that she'd failed to seduce me.
