Chapter 6 - Unexpected Kiss

(Fiona's POV)

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

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

"Dad, I am sorry. I know you and Mom will object. If I had an idea or remembered that you wanted me to meet with Josh Edwards, I wouldn't have accepted my boss's proposal," I said, my voice broken as I saw Rowan walking out of the jewelry 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 accordingly. My daughter isn't going to secretly marry any man. I will not support or accept it. Get home quickly," Dad stated, his voice thunderous as he ended the call on me.

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

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

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

Rowan looked at my face 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 more complicated. I am 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 do not know if you will 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 the ray of sunlight seeped in and shone on them.

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

"I am glad that you like it," Rowan replied, as he peered at my face.

"May I wear the ring and test if it fits, or if I should change it?" he asked for my left finger politely.

I nervously gave him my left hand, and he picked one of the two golden rings and wore it on my finger. It fit properly, like it was 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 wear 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 golden ring and wore it around his left 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 wear the ring around his long ring finger. It fit properly, like the rings were perfectly made for the two of us.

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

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

"If we do not wear rings, how will the likes of Josh and the others like Albert believe that we are legally married? You belong to me now, Fiona, for these two years, okay?" Rowan said, his voice firm, and I nodded.

"Okay, sir," I mumbled, and Rowan continued to peer at my face.

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

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

"I do not think that our marriage is fake," I replied to him, and his eyes continued to look into mine.

"Do you have feelings for me, Fiona? Why do you find it difficult to meet my face? That reminds me, you should stop calling me 'Mr. Carson' when we are together. You should call me 'my husband' or my name. Is that understood?" Rowan asked, his voice firm like he was in his office.

"Um, I prefer to call you Mr. Carson. I cannot call you my husband or by your name," I replied shyly.

"Is that so? Why, if I may ask? I am aware that you do not have any feelings for me, so you won't have any issue calling me by my name?" Rowan 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 as I automatically became speechless.

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

My heart raced, thudding loudly in my chest as I could not believe that 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 was burning hot, as I could not believe that my boss had just stolen my first kiss. Did he know that it was my first kiss? How dare he kiss me like that? He didn't even ask me for permission. He just grasped me closely and claimed my lips with his firm ones.

His tobacco taste lingered on my mouth as I could not believe that he would kiss me with the same mouth that he used to kiss his true love.

'Was Mr. Carson planning to kiss me all this while?'

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," Rowan called my name more intimately, compared to how he called me at the office.

Was I overthinking the way he called me now?

"Fiona," Rowan called me 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 back home.

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

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

"Seriously? So I will 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 me or touch me, so that I can brace my heart for the fake kiss. We both know that it's a fake love, and it's not like we are truly in love with each other. So we do not catch feelings for each other," I stated, my voice firm.

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

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

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

"Fiona, you shouldn't put on any attitude with me. First, I warned you not to pout your lips like you always do. You made me desire to kiss you, and as my wife, I do not owe you an apology for kissing you. I have the right to kiss you wherever 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 to him.