Confounded: Part I - 9. Chapter 9

Taylan blinked several times at my sudden reversal of opinion.

"But it’ll cost you," I said, trying not to sound too sly.
He frowned, and my brain once again worked at top speed; what could I get out of this?

"That's the problem, right? That you're working for me? You don't want to give me those names, and you'd feel awkward because I'm your boss; people might talk. Right?"

"Yes..." he replied, slowly.

"Then I think you've run out of excuses now; you're not wrecking a happy marriage, no entanglements that would make people frown at you, and you don't work for me anymore. But - I want something in return."

"Which is?"

"I'm losing a very efficient and excellent CSE. That's going to cost you...a date. No, two." He seemed dumbfounded.

"A...date?"
I held up two fingers.

"Two dates, yes. From the early morning to midnight; this weekend. Saturday and Sunday. With me and Kit."
If he said no, there wasn't a hell of a lot I could do about it, so I kept the pressure on.
"The longer you wait, the more dates. Now it'll be three."
He stared at me.

"Four."

"Alright, okay! I'll go out with you," he said, sighing, but apparently seeing the humor in the situation. This was good; I could work with that. It wasn't much but...

"Damn, you caved too soon; I should have counted quicker. But it'll be enough."
Frowning, he looked at me.

"What do you mean ‘enough'; enough for what?"

"To convince you that I'm the one for you."
He sent me an astonished look and started to laugh.

"You think?"

"You haven't seen me in action yet, turning on the full charm. You just watch, the coming weekend. You're going down."
I winked.

"Wow, aren't you self absorbed," he replied, rolling his eyes. "But did you ever stop to think that someone also must want to be charmed?"

"Oh, and naturally, you don't want that, right?" I sent him a mocking look. He so wanted it.

"I'm not waiting for someone, right now, no."

"Liar," I shot back, slowly approaching him. If he was playing hard to get, he should know that, if there is one thing I go for, it's that. "There's just not been someone who caught you, yet. I will. But you'll find out soon enough."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're an arrogant son of a..."

"Frequently. The difference is; where are they now, and where am I?"
I sent him a mischievous grin and took a step closer. He actually remained where he was.

"One request, though."

"That being..."

"You stay on until we find a replacement; we can't go without."

"No."

"Taylan," I said, putting a hint of a threat in there, "that's the deal. I won't ask you for the names, if that's why you're saying no."

"In that case; deal."
I tilted my head and regarded him, trying to gauge him.

"Come here," I then said, softly.

"I'm not a dog," he answer, prickly.
I grinned and came to stand in front of him, looking down; he looked up, boldly.

"Insolence."

"Arrogance," he shot back.

Then I quickly lowered my head and covered his lips, when he seemed to want to say more. He readily allowed me inside, and I dove in, searching for his tongue and finding it, rubbing against it and then diving in deeper, unable to resist. He softly protested, and I loosened the kiss a bit; that took some willpower. God, I could eat him, right here and now.

When I finally lifted my head again, he was silent, and he remained that way until the door closed behind me.

I left his apartment complex with a smug grin on my face; if that was the best way to silence him, the coming weekend would turn out to be quite a party.