6| The Kiss

Fiona's POV

"Dad, I cannot marry Josh. He is a womanizer, and I already accepted my boss's proposal. Please, let me handle this. I will explain everything to you and Mom when I get home to pick up my bag," I said.

"Fiona," Dad said, his voice laced with disappointment. "Your mother and I raised you as a Christian, and this is how you choose to embarrass us—by secretly hooking up with your boss?"

"Dad, I am sorry. I know you and Mom will object. If I had any idea or remembered that you wanted me to meet Josh Edwards, I wouldn't have accepted my boss's proposal," I said, my voice breaking as I saw Rowan walking out of the store. He walked up to his car to meet me.

"I want to see your boss. He has to come and see us and ask for your hand in marriage properly. My daughter isn't going to secretly marry any man. I will not support or accept this. Get home quickly," Dad said, his voice thunderous as he ended the call.

My father had never yelled at me like that before. I wiped the tears from my eyes as Rowan sat in the car and looked at me.

"What's wrong?" Rowan asked, his voice soft compared to the way he usually talked to me.

"Nothing. It's my dad. He said I should come home quickly and bring you too."

Rowan looked at me for a long stretch of silence. I didn't raise my head to meet his gaze. He breathed out and said, "I wasn't expecting this to be so complicated. I'm sorry, Fiona."

"What do you mean? Aren't you going home with me to see my parents?" I asked him, thinking he wanted to back out now.

"Of course. I will go with you. I haven't forgotten. Here's the ring I chose for us. I don't know if you'll like it," Rowan said as he unlocked the ring box and unveiled the two golden rings inside.

The golden rings sparkled in the car as rays of sunlight seeped in and shone on them.

"It's so beautiful," I said, my cheeks flushing.

"I'm glad you like it," Rowan said as he peered at my face.

"May I put the ring on and test if it fits, or if we should change it?" Rowan asked, reaching politely for my finger.

Nervously, I gave him my hand, and he picked one of the two golden rings and slipped it onto my finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had been specially made for me. My cheeks flushed as I smiled, admiring the ring.

"Thank you, sir," I whispered nervously, taking my hand back.

"Won't you put the ring on my finger?" Rowan asked, his voice warm.

"Oh, I forgot," I replied shyly, my long lashes fluttering as I picked up the second ring and slipped it onto his finger.

Holding my boss's hand sent a wave of arousal through me. I tried to act normal as I quickly slipped the golden ring onto his finger.

Rowan smiled as he watched me slide the ring onto his long ring finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had been made just for us.

"This is only a fake marriage, sir. We shouldn't be wearing rings," I said after meeting his smiling face.

Rowan's face contorted into a deep scowl as he met my gaze and smirked.

"If we don't wear rings, how will the likes of John and others like Albert believe that we're legally married? You belong to me now, Fiona—for these two years, okay?" Rowan said, his voice firm, and I nodded.

"Okay," I mumbled, and he continued to peer at me.

"Or do you still think you're single?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he peered at me.

"No." My cheeks flushed as I looked away from his handsome face.

"I don't think our marriage is fake," I said to him, and his eyes locked onto mine.

"Do you have feelings for me, Fiona? Why do you find it so hard to meet my gaze? That reminds me—you should stop calling me Mr. Carson when we're together. You should call me 'husband' or by my name. Is that understood?" Rowan asked, his voice firm as if he were in his office.

"Um, I prefer to call you Mr. Carson. I can't call you 'husband' or by your name," I replied shyly.

"Is that so? Why, if I may ask? I'm aware that you don't have any feelings for me, so you won't have any issue calling me by my name," Mr. Carson asked, and I pouted.

"Sir, I don't want to develop feelings for you. Calling you by your name is too intimate," I replied, my voice cold as I finally looked at his face.

"What if I want to hear you call my name... and moan my name?"

"What?" My jaw dropped in shock, and I was instantly speechless.

"Sir, I cannot call you by your name. I—" Before I could finish my statement, Rowan pulled me toward him in the car and crashed his lips onto mine. He kissed me tenderly at first, before his lips firmly claimed mine, kissing me until I became breathless.

My heart raced, thudding loudly in my chest as I couldn't believe my boss had just kissed me.

"Now you can call me by my name. Any more issues?" Rowan asked, licking his lips as he let go of me.

My face burned hot as I couldn't believe my boss had just stolen my first kiss. Did he know it was my first kiss? How dare he kiss me like that? He hadn't even asked for permission. He had just grasped me close and claimed my lips with his firm ones.

His taste lingered in my mouth as I couldn't believe he would kiss me with the same mouth he used to kiss his true love.

Had Mr. Carson been planning to kiss me all this time?

My mind raced with numerous thoughts as I wondered why my boss had married me—even if the marriage was fake.

"Are you angry with me because I kissed you?" Rowan asked when he noticed my quietness.

I didn't bother to look at his face. My mood soured as I was overwhelmed by our fake marriage.

"Fiona," he called my name more intimately than he did at the office.

Was I overthinking the way he was calling me now?

"Fiona," Rowan called again, and I looked over at him.

"What's wrong, sir? You should keep your gaze focused on the road," I told him when I saw that he was taking me home.

"I'm sorry about the kiss if you're mad at me because of it. But you should know that we're married now, and I can kiss you whenever I want," Rowan said, his voice firm.

"You don't have the right to kiss me whenever you like—at least not without my permission. You don't love me, and kissing me like that isn't good. Besides, that was my first kiss, and you stole it," I snapped at him, clearly annoyed that he had kissed me without any notice.

"Seriously? So I'll need your permission to kiss you and touch you?" Rowan asked shamelessly, and I looked away, my arms crossed over my chest.

"Yes. You need my permission before you can kiss or touch me, so I can brace my heart for the fake kiss. We both know it's a fake marriage—not like we're truly in love. So we won't catch feelings for each other," I said, my voice firm.

Rowan remained silent, driving his black sports car toward my father's house.

"We're going to see your family to get your bag. After that, we'll go to my house. Or do I still need your permission to get your bag?" Rowan asked me, his voice laced with mockery.

"No. You don't need my permission for that," I replied, not meeting his gaze.

"Fiona, you shouldn't give me any attitude. First, I warned you not to pout your lips like you always do. You made me want to kiss you, and as my wife, I don't owe you an apology for kissing you. I have the right to kiss you whenever I want, and you have the right to kiss me too if you want. Understand?" Rowan demanded, and I remained silent, not bothering to reply.