The Contract of Love - 5. Chapter 5: Q/A over Dinner

Chapter 5

Louis’ POV

“Mr. Thompson just called to say that he can’t stay back today. So I will have to sit with him some other day,” I state as an answer to Xavier’s questioning look.

Xavier was so busy with his files all this while, strange that he decided to take interest in this call in particular. Now maybe I am being too hard on him. He can’t have anything to do with Mr. Thompson having something personal to handle. I guess I will just go back home and take a good rest.

I look up from the file on my desk to see Xavier hovering over me. He seems really cheerful all of a sudden. His smile seems to resemble that of a triumphant child.

“So dinner it is?” Xavier raises his eyebrow.

“Thank you for the offer. But I really would not like to be a burden,” I manage.

“Really? That is the best excuse you could come up with? I was hoping you would have something more substantial like laundry that you would try and use in turning me down,” Xavier says.

“Well here is a better reason. I cannot afford to go to the places you must frequent,” I answer.

“Too bad! Don’t worry I will be your dish washing partner when they punish you for not being able to pay the bill,” Xavier chuckles.

“Sure you won’t get the people at the restaurant to hire you for three years?” I shoot back.

His eyes widen momentarily and his lips turn up as his fingers tap along the wood of my desk.

“I will answer that for you at dinner. Let me get some more work done and we can head out at 7,” Xavier informs.

“Okay. 7pm then,” I respond.

Again? I allowed him to let him use his cool confidence to get what he wants from me once again. I suck, no he sucks! Although going out for dinner doesn’t sound too bad. It is better than having to run to the supermarket after work and cooking something up. I will just order the cheapest item from the menu so that when we split the bill I will have to pay very little. I really don’t have that kind of money. I should just say no to him. But I just said okay, I will appear so indecisive if I say no now. Stop fussing over this. I will just have to stick it through now.

Xavier’s POV

“Don’t worry I am paying,” I reassure Louis as I get into the car.

“You will? Thank you so much,” Louis’ tense face turns into a smile.

It is going to take a while for us to reach the place and for once I am glad about the heavy traffic in the evening. I want to hold his hand. I know I must not. If I do anything more than this he is surely going to run away! Well I am not ready to let him run away after all that I have been doing to make sure he stays by my side. Gosh! I sound like some weird stalker-ish person. Stop staring, Xavier.

“So how was your day at work?” I ask.

“It was good,” Louis replies politely.

I am glad Dad decided to act on my advice. I have been advising him to take Ben out on a date if he wants to keep the relationship going. And what makes it even better is that he decided to take Ben out today! Ofcourse it took some time for me to breath sense into him about why going out on dates is an important part of keeping the relationship fresh.

Yep that’s right. My father’s husband’s name is Benjamin Thompson. Ben is the Head of the Secretarial Department at MarshalSync Headquarters and Secretary to the Company President, my father. Ben takes care of me at work and I really like him as a person. It doesn’t hurt if he helps out with my personal life from time to time. Maybe we can arrange a double date sometime. Na, now I am definitely sounding weird even to myself.

****

We are finally here. I brought him here because I was hoping to give the posh vibe a miss today. I haven’t brought him out to dinner to show off; I just want to know him a bit better. It’s true. I have been obsessed with him from the moment he got into my bed. Yes it was that good! But I don’t want it to be just physical between us. It surely isn’t illegal to get to know someone well and that is exactly what I am here for.

“We have a reservation for two. Xavier White,” I state as we reach the reception desk.

“We have your table waiting for you, sir. Our staff member will guide you shortly,” the chirpy receptionist answers.

We follow a tall waitress to our table on the far side of the restaurant. I notice a lot of young couples occupying the tables in the front area. This is a good restaurant with good food and ambience available at a reasonable rate, no wonder it is quite well received in the area.

“Reservation for two? Were you that confident that you would be able to convince me to come?” Louis questions as we sit down.

“Are you impressed? I will give you my answer based on that,” I reply.

“Always so business minded. We aren’t working right now!”

“I am so glad to see you being so concerned about me.”

“I will be frank with you. I came here today for two reasons. Also I must mention that the kids all around us are staring,” Louis says taking off his coat.

“You were saying you have two reasons for being here.”

“Firstly I am on a tight budget for now so savings with regard to food will help me. And second, I want to know why you extended my contract like that all of a sudden.”

“So now it is my turn to be frank?”

“Certainly so.”

A waitress approaches us; this one is a bit shorter than the one who guided us to our seats. She hands us the menus. I already know what I want to eat.

“Poached fish with the Herb Vinaigrette and Roast Vegetables for me,” I place my order.

“I will take the Classic Prawn Surprise please,” Louis states.

The waitress nods as she notes down our orders. I am glad that she is finally not here to stare at us openly. Louis eyes are back on me now that she has left to get our food.

“Do you realize that you were really bratty and selfish to have my contract arbitrarily changed?”

“Are you trying to flirt with me by insulting me? Is this what they call negging?”

“What? No! You keep avoiding my question!”

“You don’t like working for me?”

“One day is too less for me to decide. I am really grateful for the opportunity to work with the COO but the way things are it all seems a bit weird.”

“Let me simplify. I enjoyed my night with you. No let me rephrase. It blew my mind. I was planning to take you out for breakfast in the morning and get to know you better but you went ahead and ran away. That made me sad. I went back to the bar hoping to find you there. Yes quite pathetic, I know. First time I sleep with a man and I can’t get you out of my head. So I was basically moping about how I want to meet you again and I am sent the details of my new secretary. Looks like lady luck was on my side for who could have guessed it was you! After that it was the businessman in me who kind of took over and made this plan to get you to stay.”

“Are you by any chance brain damaged?”

“Ouch you are a mean one. So moving on, this is the official date after the hot sex.”

“So this is separate from work?”

“I believe so.”

“That means anything I say or do here will not affect my experience at work?”

“Not a chance!”

“It’s weird. I was thinking about hating you this morning but it’s a lot of fun talking to you.”

“I know right? I am so adorable after all!”

“Not more than me,” Louis says lowering his head to place his chin on his open palms in a ‘Ta-da’ fashion.

“I would have to agree with that,” I can see the faint colour coming on Louis’ cheeks as the words come out of my mouth.

“Hmmm…so you were saying…that night. Quite something,” Louis utters in a low voice.

“You were wild! I have marks on my back to show as proof.”

“Okay enough of addressing the elephant in the room.”

“I would like to have you in my bed every night in the week if I could manage to convince you about that.”

Louis’ POV

Did he just say that?

“Nice weather outside right?” I attempt to divert the conversation.

“Why did you run away?” Xavier questions.

“So many questions!”

Luckily the waitress is here with our food. I am so glad the food is here. Now I can pretend to pay too much attention to eating and ignore his question.

“I answered a bunch of yours so it is only fair if you answer a few of mine,” Xavier says.

What am I supposed to tell him? Is it alright for me to run away now? This is an absurd situation. Why am I here in the first place?

“Running is good for health,” I try.

“I am waiting for the part when I get my answer,” Xavier looks serious.

“Fine. I was at the bar with my friends the other day and I came across this insanely hot fellow. Do you remember staring at me? Why were you doing that?”

“I believe I told you that you are really beautiful.”

“Anyway I think we got into some kind of distance drinking challenge. I got myself drunk and came up with the courage to approach you. And then as you know we ended up doing some really naughty things.”

“Yes I remember that. Continue,” Xavier smirks.

“What do you think I was supposed to do? I woke up next to an unknown man in an unknown place. So I thought I would save you the trouble of kicking me out.”

“I would never do that,” Xavier protests.

“Yes. On the other hand you would have possibly tied me to your bed while you made me a contract that would make me bound to be with you for the next 3 years,” I laugh.

How am I laughing at this? Is having this guy in front of me making me go insane?

“I am not really into BDSM. Though I can try if you are,” Xavier replies.

“How can I be into anything if you are the first person who I slept with and that was just 2 days back?”

What just came out of my mouth? Ughh! How am I supposed to salvage the situation now? I just dug myself deeper into this pit. Who says that? He is going to want nothing to do with me now! Because that is what someone was talking about wanting this morning? I can’t look at him anymore. I better concentrate on my food which is delicious by the way.

“I… didn’t know… that. I think you said something but…” Xavier manages.

“Just forget about anything I said. It doesn’t concern you,” I say without looking up at him.

“Look up at me.”

“Let me just finish my food and I will get out of your hair.”

“Louis eyes up please.”

“It’s all your fault! Don’t blame me now. You made me talk!” I look at him.

“I agree. I take full responsibility. So will you be my boyfriend?”

“Huh? But I know you for just a day?”

“True. I was just trying out one of the dialogues you find in all the romantic films and novels.”

“I understand if you want to cancel my employment contract.”

“You call me brain damaged and yet refuse to take note of the most obvious things!”

“What?”

“Let us date. Give me a chance. I will show you how I can be worth your time.”

“I am really not getting the joke in here.”

“It isn’t a joke. It’s not just for you. I want to see if it’s just about sex between us. I don’t want to regret not trying to see if we could have been more.”

Reply! I need to reply. What to say?

“So I am going to be dating my boss? Is that the right thing to do?”

“It has been just one day and you are already the best secretary I have had in a while. Like such a HUGE improvement from all those gold diggers wanting to have with me. They hurt my head. I can give you a headache for a change.”

“I can feel it coming on already,” I laugh.

“I believe in quick service,” Xavier smirks.

“I am sure you do,” I say as Xavier puts his hand on mine.

***

The car stops in front of my apartment. I have to say I had fun today. Xavier is really interesting to talk to. And he doesn’t get offended too easily, so that’s a plus point.

“Thanks for tonight. I had fun,” I say as I open the car door.

“I am glad that you enjoyed yourself,” Xavier answers.

Xavier catches hold off my arm before I can step out of the car. I can see an expectant look on his face. What am I supposed to do now? Okay he is leaning in slowly. Should I yank my arm away? A date ends with a kiss in the movies, right? But how can I kiss him? He is going to think I am into him. As if I am not. Look at those lips! Alright just one small kiss.

I lean in and give him a soft kiss on his lips. I should have known he wouldn’t settle for this. His hand settles at the back of my head and he pulls me in for a deeper kiss. I love the way he is sucking on my lips. Okay now is the time to back away. I push against his chest. So strong and sturdy. Focus!

Xavier pulls back reluctantly. I can’t think of anything to say so I simply nod before getting out of the car. I wave him goodbye. Wait did he just make a sad face? I hate him so much! No I don’t but that is a secret.

What did I get myself into? Tomorrow it seems is going to be a fun day at work!