Just for Thirteen Hours.

Daniel practically flies out of his chair, his hair falling down his face but this time, he does not agitatedly throw it back. He grabs me, pulls me up from the couch and gives me a hug...

I don't remember we've had such physical contact, even one as simple as a hug. It makes me blush slightly. He's so happy to see that I will be helping him...

"If I should get this contract, I will be forever indebted to you. I will take you on a well-deserved vacation, to Honolulu, to Fiji, to Copacabana, everywhere you want to go!"

I chuckle as he pulls back, his smile wide enough to blind the whole room in white light.

The door opens while we are having our moment and the secretary comes in with two glasses of juice for both of us, placing it on the table.

I could have sworn I saw a small exchange pass between the duos but it does not really matter. I am the one who would be making my husband happy.

"You know, I don't have to win before I show you how much I love you. Have your drink, we'll leave together. I'm the boss here so I can have a half day if I feel like it." He winks playfully and I laugh, drinking up my juice while he does his own too.

In about five to six minutes after, we are both in his car, his driver will drop mine back at home while he takes me somewhere he has been 'dying' to show me for a long time.

We come to a stop outside a large, tasteful boutique. Even the clothes lining the glass windows look like they are made for goddesses of the old Greek tales. But my husband has brought me here.

To celebrate that I will be seducing another man for him… How ironic.

I shake my head and stare in awe at the dresses as we walk through the door, it looks so good in here, so good that I do not have to think of the payment for all of these.

"Welcome, Mr. Flanagan." An attendant greeted him behind the desk.

She knows him?

"Would you like..."

Daniel chuckles nervously, his hand flying to his hair to straighten it as he whipped to face me. "I've been here to get you a dress a couple of times but I never see the one that catches my eyes for you. That's all, don't think too much into it." Dumb blondie, not like you can think anyway, because if you could have, you would have walked out with your integrity still intact.

I nod anyway, smiling at him and clinging to him. "Hi, I am his wife, the one he has always been coming to pick clothes for."

The attendant looks back and forth between us before nodding unsurely. "Sure ma'am. We have some dresses that will look heavenly on your body. Would you love to see them?"

"Sure." I quip high-pitched before walking behind her. She leads me some rows down to the left.

"These dresses on this line and this, are specifically tailored for body types like yours. The color will match your skin so well, that people would ask themselves who this wonder of nature really is."

I laugh as I touch some of the fabrics.

Then I see it.

A red and black dress that screams dangerous and sexy.

If asked to describe it in one word, it's hot.

"I want to try on that one." I point directly at the dress and she looks over there.

"You have extremely good taste ma'am. But the problem is that one has been fixed for someone specifically and there is only one of it left in stock, and that is it right there. I'm sorry ma'am but you'll have to pick again."

"What a shame. It's a beautiful dress. Hm..." I go back to browsing the racks before deciding on a short black dress with no back and low necked front. "I choose this one. It's so pretty." And seductive.

Since things seem to be good between I and Daniel now, I'll be able to wear this and maybe have some fun time between us before I have to do what I have to do.

"It's a lovely one." The attendant picks it out of the rack and hands it to me. "Changing rooms are right over there."

As I step into the room, change into the dress, I admire myself in the mirror. It has been a pretty long time since I saw myself so curvy and seductive in a dress. I gave up on such luxuries for Daniel, I had to match his glamour so I shed the life of an affluent girl and now I am so used to it that this piece of clothing seemed so be something groundbreaking.

I look so beautiful though, not in a narcissistic way but the way the blonde hair falls over my shoulder and my blue eyes catch the bright light in the room, it's so stunning that I am tempted to just run into Daniel's hands.

And that's what I'll do. I swipe open the curtain on the changing room, a smile on my face before I stop mid-step.

The red dress from before is not on the counter anymore... And I can hear Daniel's voice, a bit subtle but I know my husband's voice, and it's coming from a changing room two curtains down.

"The dress looks so good for you. I have been coming here twice a week to ensure that I get you the last stock as soon as it arrived from Paris."

The sound of a deep, messy kiss.

Could he possibly be...?

I close the curtain and change out of the black dress back into my own regular clothes. I walk past the changing rooms and back to the place where I left Daniel and he's just sitting on the couch, going through his phone.

He looks up at me curiously. "Why aren't you wearing it?"

I smile in relief. It was not my husband in there after all.

"I'd rather surprise you with it." I turn to the attendant. "Can you ring this up please?"

She takes it from me and does the proper procedure with Daniel paying, it's his treat after all.

When we're back in the car, he turns to me. "You're so beautiful. I can imagine him falling over his head in love when he sees you in that black dress."

I frown a little, "What do you mean?"

"That pretty black dress, it's the one you'll use to seduce the man we're after."

So... The dress was not celebratory after all? It was just another prop in the game he'll be using me to play?

I should just tell him now to go to hell, I should tell him to go fuck himself, I should tell him to go seduce his partner by himself...

But I don't do any of this, just leans on the window sill and lets the air ruffle my hair, and dry the tears in my eyes.

There's no point crying, I am married to him and I do not go back on my words.

"Who is this person that will be seduced?"

Daniel let's out a small chuckle.

"Is it Mr. Cook?"

He bursts into laughter, sparing me a glance. "Of course not. It's someone else entirely. You'll seduce him on the night of the bidding and make him forget that he has some place to be. That's the plan."

"Night? I hope you don't intend to let me sleep with him?"

"What? Of course not. You'll just keep him busy, so enamored with you for so long that he'll forget his plans. Your face is just perfect for that."

He had called me a hooker but I had completely missed the point.

"Fine. What's his name?"

"Who says it is a he?" Daniel retorts and my eyes widen in horror before he laughs at my expense. "Sorry, I just could not pass up the opportunity to see you look so confused."

Huhn. Funny.

"So who is he?"

"Reid Flanagan."

"Who... What?!"

"Yes. You need to seduce my cousin."