011

~KRISTEN~

"You didn't tell me about your business trip?" I quizzed immediately we settled at the booth across from Regina's. We had finished placing our order at the counter while waiting for it to be brought to our booth.

"When were you planning on telling me?" I asked again. Her eyelids batted as she continued staring at me. We held gazes for a few seconds—mine challenging— before she finally lowered hers.

"It was a last-minute change of plans. I just can't bear seeing you acting all lovey-dovey around that girl nor go ahead with the games I was scheduled to play with her boyfriend either." She inspected her nails with a subtle air of indifference before bringing her gaze back to me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before announcing it to him, hmm." She threw me a placating smile, reaching across to rub my forearms. "It will just be until the fake dating thingy is over. We still have time, love."

The root of my anger wasn't mainly because she was leaving. Hell, I wasn't even looking forward to the fuss she would make at the end of each day, concerning the fake dating thingy. 

Frankly, I was relieved she wouldn't be around.

But the root of my anger was her not informing me about it before making it known to Regina's boyfriend. I was stunned, in a manner of speaking. I just had to hold it in and not appear oblivious to her plans. After all, we were supposed to be engaged, right?

Billie was always like that— taking decisions without discussing with me until she was ready to get on with it. Which makes me wonder how this marriage was going to work out.

My eyes were fixed on her as she continued to rub my forearm while still batting her eyelids at me.

"Are you angry because you are going to miss me?" Her voice was reduced to a sultry purr as she tilted her head playfully, causing her long jet-black hair to spill out of her shoulders.

I wished I could say yes to that. But to set things straight, Billie and I haven't had sex yet. It was one of the agenda I had in mind while coming here. To see if we could connect emotionally. But right now, I wasn't so sure. 

"That's not the point, Bill. You always do this." Her eyes slowly narrowed questioningly. "You always make decisions, and make moves without at least discussing it with me. I'm supposed to be your fiancé right?" She didn't see anything. Instead, she was chewing on her bottom lip. An act I actually found cute on Regina, but not on her.

I gave myself a mental tap. 'No thoughts of her, Kris. Focus!'

"I'm also handling a company the same way you are. But you don't see me breaching this arrangement, just like you are." 

"But—" I knew what she was going to say next. So, I didn't let her finish it. I hated when she reminded me that her mother's company was much higher than my father's. Another downside that was making me give this marriage a rethink.

"I know, I know." I chanted while holding my hand up. "You don't need to remind me. But you were the one who suggested this getaway as a way to get to know each other, right?" 

She ducked her head slightly, reaching out for her mug instead of replying to me. I reached forward and held her hand over the mug, causing her to flinch. Then, she sharply looked up at me.

I always had that effect on ladies. Despite Billie's inheritance and her mother's assets, she wasn't immune to my charms. But sadly, I wasn't immune to hers...yet.

"Can you answer me?" Her hands were still on the mug and so was mine and hers, our gaze locked.

"I was all in at first, considering that I cut short my business trip." she began, tossing her hair backward. 

"Until this whole fake dating stuff. I suggested leaving, but you refused. That's why I decided to go back to the business meetings I would have missed. But I will come back when all this charade is over." She finished with that placating smile of hers. As if that would warm my heart, much less, fix anything.

But I decided to let it go. There was no point arguing. When I eased the weight of my large hands off hers, she directed another sultry smile at me.

"That's my baby," she muttered before lifting her mug to her lips.

Scoffing, I glanced around to hide my hardened gaze as a result of her pet names. My gaze landed on Regina instead and I did a double take. Had she been staring at me? Or was it a coincidence that she turned to look at me at the same time I was glancing around for a distraction?

Well, her gaze was a welcome distraction. Damn! Those icy blue eyes that were piercing right into my soul, threatening to shatter the walls I was building to guard my heart against this growing fondness for her.

Just with an innocent gaze, she was doing all of that. But Billie had been trying every subtle form of seduction— kissing me sensually, touching me in all places except for my boner,(I hadn't given her that consent) , throwing me those sultry gazes and smiles that could make any man weak to her knees. Yet my heart still remained cold to her.

And to think, my gaze was stubbornly rooted to hers, my brain temporarily forgetting that I had a lady sitting across from me. And the possibility that she could be privy to the way my gaze was dancing around the contours of Regina's face.

My gaze wasn't the only thing affected here. My heart was. I could feel it erratically thumping against the wall of my chest. Blood surging through my veins as well as a strong feeling I couldn't quite place my hand on.

Not until, she slowly looked away, breaking the contact and just like that, all forms of blood surging and erratic heartbeat ceased. Geez! Who was this girl and why did she affect me this much?

Worse still, why wasn't I immune to her charm?