𝔍𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔅𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔩𝔶

Photo above shows Riel's aesthetic for this chapter, and the next.

HA – means Harlow Atlantic.

PA – personal assistant.

รɦαω

"Do something for me," I pull Riel away from the party.

I have grown tired of him bringing up Mallory's name to get away from realizing that he and I share far more than a professional relationship. I don't want to scare him,but I am also very fed up of not having him in the special way that I wanted.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Don't mention my fiancée's name again," I order him. "Anytime you're around me, you should forget that she

exists. Don't ask me questions about Mallory, or try to wrap your head around our engagement."

He looks at me with doubtful eyes. He thinks that I'm awful to Mallory, I know it. I want to tell him that my engagement is a sham, but it wouldn't be right for me to tell Mallory's secret.

"But," he starts to disagree.

"But nothing," I tell him. "As your boss . . . I'm telling you not to pry into my relationship."

"Fine," he says weakly. "I'll stop trying to understand you."

Expecting that reply from him, I chuckle. "Actually, I think you'll come to understand me better."

"I don't think so," he argues. "As your employee . . . it's not my job to understand you."

Riel goes back to waiting on his friend. He shoots an annoyed look my way, and a small smile stretches on my face in response.

His friend finally makes it bad to him. I let them talk a bit, before I interrupt the conversation. "I want to see the bracelet on him," I tell Riel's new shadow.

"Okay," the sharp–witted Ashton says. "I'll give it to him."

"Hmph," I groan past clenched teeth.

Ashton changes his tune at my reaction. "I mean you'll give it to him." He unlocks the display case, and hands the bracelet over to me.

"Come here," I instruct Riel in strong whisper.

Riel hesitates at first, but he strides nearer to me, just to where he's under my height.

"Mr. Harlow," he mumbles. "I already told you I can't accept it."

"Shush!" I tell him, lifting his hand from his side. "I'll take it back at the end of the party." I link the diamond bracelet around his wrist, letting my fingers linger on him for a few seconds. Keeping my touch light, I trace

circles over his wrist. Riel's skin is so much softer than I could've imagined, like pure silk under my fingertips, I am almost afraid my rough hands would bruise him.

"It's beautiful," he admires the bracelet.

"Breathtaking," I admire him.

"I guess," he sounds confused.

"I was talking about you," I correct him.

Riel flushes at the compliment. I made him blush, and in turn his blush made my heart rush.

"Ahem," Ashton interrupts us. "The gala is going to end without you two."

"Let them have their moment," a man that wasn't with us a while ago, scolds Ashton.

"They've had a couple," Ashton sasses the man, then he moves on to introducing the man as his husband. "Riel meet my husband, Hunter. And, Hunter meet Riel and his boss, Shaw Harlow."

"Shaw," Hunter shakes my hand. "Nice to put a face to the name, my brother-in-law speaks highly of you."

"Now that you two good chaps are acquainted," Ashton hugs Riel's arm. "Riel and I are going to have some fun without you both."

I don't get a word out, before the mettlesome boy pulls Riel away.

"Ashton seems spirited," I say to his husband. "Not to mention, he knows to broker a good deal."

"Yes," Hunter laughs. "He does have a way of getting his opinions across."

For the rest of the night, Ashton keeps Riel away from me at the other side of the party. I feel very tempted to go, and get my date back, but I don't think I could win Riel's heart by getting jealous when he makes a friend.

"Ashton is a bit young for you." I mutter, while sharing drinks with Hunter.

"The pot calling the kettle black," Hunter says. "You're older than Riel — twice as old," he puts two fingers up to show me. "Which of us do think is the bigger cradle– snatcher?"

"Me," I sigh.

Cradle–snatcher? That's the bad word for old men like me that falls for boys almost two decades younger than them. I didn't plan to start falling for Riel. I was so far buried in my loneliness that I had nothing past money, anger and resentment.

Yet Riel came, and I wasn't six feet under anymore. He made me a man again, living and breathing. He makes me want to feel love again. And, I can't change that he's the person I want to love.

I turn from the bar to look out into the party, I couldn't go without looking at Riel for more than a few minutes at a time. As if on instinct, he glances over his shoulder to meet my eyes, a small smile playing at his lips. Riel holds my gaze, then, just as quickly, he turns to giggle at some redhead man's joke.

I cool my anger behind a tight lipped smile. I don't like him laughing with other man. The guy couldn't be that funny, so there isn't a reason for Riel to be laughing at his lame jokes. I move away from the bar, not caring to push a few people out the way to get to Riel.

"We're leaving," I grab Riel's wrist, and lead him out of the party.

"Why?" He asks.

"I'm starting to feel homesick," I grumble.

Riel pushes my hand off his wrist. "Don't grab me like that," he shouts. "What's wrong with you? You have no right getting this comfortable with me."

"I have a right . . ." I yell, scaring a few flocking pigeons away from us.

"You don't," Riel points a finger at me. "You don't." He repeats before walking away from me.

"Where are going?" I ask him.

"Anywhere you aren't," he answers.

"You're not in New York," I tell him. "You can't just go wondering off in a foreign country."

Riel doesn't listen to me, motioning to cross the street.

"Summers, get back over here," I beg him. "I'm sorry."

Riel doesn't waver, still ignoring me — about to set his foot onto the crossing. In two quick strides, I don't let him get across. Without saying anything to him, I bend down and lift him into my arms.

"What are you doing?" Riel gasps, his hands go around

my shoulders as I lift him bridal style.

"You're not getting yourself lost in England," I tell him.

"Let me down," he demands.

"No," I turn with him back in the direction of the car.

As I walk us to the waiting car, I notice how the lights from the palace veils a faint glow over Riel, making his dreamy features brighter.

I pause my steps, just to admire as the lights fall to the other side of his face. There aren't words in English, or any other language to describe how insanely beautiful the boy in my arms is.

"I'm never letting you go," I confess to Riel.

He tries to keep his scowl, but the corners of his mouth let up into a smile. I lean my face into his palm, feeling as his fingers gently touch my beard.

"I don't like you," he tells me.

"You shouldn't lie," I reply.

I let my face go close to his, the warmth of our breaths getting together. Just as I try brushing my lips against his, a glaring flash goes off in my face, so I think quick, hiding Riel's face in my blazer, before rushing us to the car.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Riel doesn't take glance at me once for the whole drive into London.

"Summers?" I whisper. "Say something to me."

"Mr. Harlow," he crosses his arms over himself. "I have nothing to say to you."

I reach for the back of his hand, but he drops his hand away from me. "They didn't get a photo of us," I say to him.

"You don't know that," Riel fuses.

"I'll get rid of the photo if there's one," I promise him.

"Do whatever," Riel mumbles under his breath."Here's your bracelet." He unclasps the band of diamonds from his wrist, and hands it back to me.

Riel avoids glaring at me, by looking out the window at a sleeping London. He keeps his gaze on the flow of the Thames River, leaving my gazes at him to go adrift.

I wonder for how long Riel will stay angry at me, and if I'll be able to survive in that time. He shouldn't even be angry at me, it's not my fault that the British paparazzi exists. Really, Riel should mad at them for interrupting what would've been the best kiss of our lives.

I shift slightly nearer to Riel, just enough not to let him realize that I'm closing the distance between us. I prop my elbow on the back seat, and resting my head on my head so I could just smile at him even if he isn't smiling back. I watch Riel's eyes flares, his hand coming to get mine as he beams at something outside of the car.

"It's the red bus," he gasps.

Riel hauls me across the backseat, until my face is right next to his, and we're both looking at London's famous big red double–decker bus. "I've always wanted to ride on one, since I watched that scene in Harry Potter as a child."

A bus ? A bus makes him happy?

I couldn't help but smile, watching his excitement over English public transport. Buying the bus doesn't seem like the wise idea, so I think of a more reasonable way to get him his ride the bus.

"Stop the car," I tell driver.

"Sir, we haven't reached the airport yet," the man says.

"I told you to stop the car . . ." I shout at the man.

"Sir," Riel furrows his left brow at me unlocking the car door. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get your dream ride," I step outside of the car. Despite me not being his dream ride, I still get out on the highway to find him a bus.

"Uh," I get stumped by the fact that I've never caught a bus in my life. I look lost for good ten, fifteen minutes before a bus makes its way in my direction.

"Hey!" I shout to get the bus driver's attention. "STOP the bus."

The sandy blond haired woman behind the wheel eyes suspiciously, and keeps driving the bus. She can't think for a second that I'll give up on getting Riel his bus ride so easily.

I run after the bus. "Stop the bus," I repeat winded as I gain more distance on the tail of the bus.

The bus halts at the bus stop, and the automatic doors open. "Why are you running after my bus?" the driver yells at me in a thick English accent.

"I just need you to hold the bus for like ten minutes," I tell her.

"I'm driving off in five," she mouths. "Get in, or catch the next bus."

"Lady look," I pant. "I have a real chance of making the person that's the best part of my life very happy, and I need your bus for that. So, I am asking you just to wait at this bus stop for five more minutes than you've to ..."

"Fine," she sighs. "But the second five minutes run out, this bus is gone."

"Thank you," I turn to run back to the car, feeling tired at the thought of how far I'll have to run back.

By some good luck, I see car already finding its way to the bus stop.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Riel frowns at me.

"Great," I rush to get Riel's hand. "You're here." I wave to the chauffeur."Follow the bus," I instruct him.

"Why are we getting on a bus?" Riel asks as I help him climb onto the bus's stairs.

"You said it's your dream to ride one of these buses," I remind him. "And, I'm making your dream come true."

"Oh," he look down at his feet. "That wasn't necessary."

"It was," I lift his chin for him to meet my eyes. "I want to make all your dreams a reality, even the smallest."

"Does anyone care about my dreams?" the bus driver spits. "I want get out of this bus, and clock out of work at the end of my shift. So will you both stop the lovey-dovey and get on the damn bus ?"

After waving my credit card over the bus' point-of-sale machine, and collect two adult tickets for the next bus stop.

"Thank you for this," Riel tells me as we settle into the backseat.

"You're welcome," I whisper.

Riel seems to forget about that he's upset with me. As he looks out at London's attractions. And, it's not long before he leans on my shoulder, and falls asleep.

Watching how peaceful Riel looks in his sleep, I realize that I can never allow a person that's not me to be with him like this.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

A hush comes over the boardroom, save for the smooth flow of words that part his lips. Riel stands at the front, holding everyone's attention with his canny thoughts on improving product sales. Riel squares his shoulders, barely pausing his presentation to glance at the notes I gave him. I lean back on my chair, crossing my arms as a slow proud smile raises my lips.

I know he's sharp, even brilliant, but this — this poise, this assertiveness — is something else. I watch his big strides as he points to his meticulously detailed slides.

I'm hardly hearing what he's saying right now, more so captivated with how he's saying it.

"Say that again ," I tell him.

Riel looks me over with face that said he's annoyed by my asking him to repeat. "We should up the company's online presence, and leverage digital channels to reach a board audience," he says.

I don't care about any of that.

I just want to study the curve of his mouth as I imagine exploring its taste. "Hmm," I steady my urges. "Sounds good."

"I'll continue then," Riel shifts himself out of my line of sight like he's tuning into my X-rated fantasy that I am having about taking him through sex.

When he finishes, the room gives him their applauses. He gives a polite nod, turning to head back to his seat, and as he passes me, he catches my eyes again.

"Alright everyone you can leave now," I try not to seem

fazed, but I can't help that my heart kicks up at the way Riel is watching me.

Most of the employees start filing out of the room, and Riel follows them.

"Why aren't we invited to the brand trip?" Felix stops

me, pointing to herself and Charisma.

"Don't you two think?" I ask them. "Who's going to run the company if my executives aren't in the country?"

"The trip doesn't stop the work," Charisma says. "It can happen over a weekend, and you can also make it a trip to re-energize your employees."

"Fine," I reply. "Riel will make the arrangements. But I won't be a caring boss if my employees are still lousy at their jobs."

I walk out the room with Felix and Charisma hot on my tail.

"Why are two you following me?" I groan.

"We're taking Riel out for drinks ," Felix answers.

Why are these two obsessed with my Riel?

"Don't you two work?" I start up the staircase, thinking the two women in high heels would get dispirited, and  stop following me.

Unfortunately, I hear the sharp clicking of their leather pumps behind me. "If we didn't work, you wouldn't be paying us so well." Charisma smiles.

The troublesome women pass me on the stairs. "You're invited to tag along," Felix tells me. "We need someone to pay."

"Of course . . ." I chuckle, keeping an even pace behind the ladies.

I'm two steps away from Charisma, and Felix, when a man in dark hoodie, and black cap over his face hands me a big brown envelope. He keeps his head low, and whispers at my ear, "these are the only copies."

"How did creep get in the building?" Felix curses. "I'm calling security. . ."

"Don't," I mumble under my breath, as I take a peak at what's inside the envelope.

The press would've had a field day with these photos of me, and Riel. I get a better look at all the other pictures stuffed in the envelope, and I'm all smiles at how great the camera managed to capture Riel putting me under his spell.

Getting these photos came with a hefty price tag, but I paid it to keep Riel's name out of some sleazy website's gossip column. I haven't made a move on Riel yet, so I don't think headlines about 'Shaw Harlow's gay love affair with assistant' would make him appreciative of my moves.

"What are you looking at?" Charisma noseys.

"Nothing," I hide the envelope, and its contents in the inside pocket of my jacket.

The ladies step into my office, finding Riel at my desk, stacking papers into neat piles.

"Riel, sweetheart ..." they announce. "We're taking you Downtown for cosmos."

"When?" Riel considers the invitation.

"Right after work," Felix says , "which is in exactly five minutes."

"I'll have to take a rain check," Riel moves from behind the desk.

"We're not taking a rain check," Charisma retorts.

"Especially not on a Friday night," Felix adds.

"Sorry to disappoint ladies," Riel tells them. "But my Friday night is already scheduled."

His unhoped–for reply makes the ladies curious about his plans.

"Why?" Felix, and Charisma smirk. "Hot date?"

"I'm still on the clock, so I'll plead the fifth," Riel gives them a shy smile.

"Hmm," Felix giggles. "He must be a dreamboat."

"He has to be," Charisma says. "No unattractive man could land a babe like Riel."

I don't think they remember that their boss is literally in the room with them.

"Ladies . . . go do your jobs," I bit out each of my words in a rough tone. I had barely raised my voice, but Felix and Charisma knew well enough to leave.

"Summers," I grit my teeth. "Walk me through the new partnership we're launching with that celebrity."

"But Mr. Harlow," Riel flusters, "the R&D department is presenting that deal to you on Tuesday. I can't give you a walkthrough of something that I have no idea about."

I relax in my chair, my eyes over the Riel. He had really  dressed up today. I had thought that he just wanted to look nicer than usual because of his big presentation, but seems he had plans to dash to his date after work.

"Well," I mumble . "Get an idea."

"Work ends in thirteen minutes," Riel shrugs, his loose fitting brown leather jacket creasing at its seams as he gets visibly annoyed at me. "You don't actually expect me to learn everything about the deal in that short of a time?"

"You don't work on a set schedule like the other staff,"   I remind him. "You have plenty of time to get familiar with the deal."

"Fine," he inhales sharply. "I'll go do that ..."

Riel leaves the office, giving me full view of how closely his pants hugged his butt. Riel has to be crazy to think that I would let some random date their grumpy hands on that ass.

It's reprehensible, but I'm going to keep heaping work on Riel until he has to cancel his date.

After Riel comes back an hour later, and quickly briefs me on the work the R&D department have been doing for the past two weeks.

"You'll hear the rest of the deal when the team makes their actual presentation," Riel smiles. "On Tuesday."

I can tell that he's absolutely frustrated with me right now, but it doesn't bother me. I'll pretty much enjoy any side of him. I want his every heartbeat and sigh —his happiness, his frustration, his hurt, and every other piece that makes him who he is. I'm here for all of it.

"Anything else?" Riel asks.

"Yes, let's work on the keynote speech that I'm giving at the university?"

Riel sighs. He rubs the back of his neck, fingers pulling locs of his hair out his signature slick-back.

I tilt my head at him making his hair a seductive mess.

Another man doesn't deserve seeing Riel the way I do.

"Can't you just hire a speechwriter?" He retaliates.

"No," I smirk. "Your oral skills are impressive enough."

Riel goes to sit on my the couch across from my desk.

"You win," he shouts. "I have canceled my plans for the night. So just end this damn test already."

"Test?" I blink at him.

"Yes," he voices. "Your test to see how loyal I'm to this job."

"Summers, I'm not testing you . . ." I say to him.

"Aren't you?" He asks me. "Because I can't think of a worse reason on why you would want to sabotage my personal life."

I get out of my seat. "You've me wrong. I'm trying to," I start, but I can't think of words that wouldn't end with me confessing my feelings for him.

"I don't need an explanation," Riel packs his laptop in his bag. "I'm going home. Goodnight, Mr. Harlow."

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

"I wanted to spend the rest of summer break in South Tyrol with my friends," Felicity, my baby sister nags.

"Shut up," I yell at her. "Stop your complaining, or I'll ship you off to stay with mom in the Amazon."

At first I was happy to have Felicity stay with me, but her constant complaining is driving me crazy.

Felicity was the daughter my mom got from her affair with a fast-talking Siberian con artist, that was trying to swindle her, and a dozen other older women out of their fortunes. He got a big pay day from the divorce, and my mother got full custody of the baby.

With Felicity's father out of the picture, and our mom out finding her next husband, I had to forget being big brother, and parent her. But, I didn't exactly have the best example of parents, so I end up spoiling her as an apology for being a bad one.

"Whatever," she mumbles.

"Be grateful that I'm not leaving you at home," I say to her. "Not many kids get to spend their weekend on the French Riviera after burning down a yacht."

"I'm not the one who started the fire," Felicity huffs, passing a flight attendant to get on the plane.

"Yes, but too bad you're friends with someone stupid enough to try, and light a bonfire on a boat." I sigh.

I pause arguing with my sister to text Riel, and find out why he wasn't boarding the plane with me.

"I'm trying to navigate the NYC's train system while juggling several tons of your dry cleaning," I read the text he sends back. "Safe to say, I'm running late."

"Uh," Felicity says. "Aren't you a little old to be texting, and smiling ?"

"Go sit in a corner, and think about how you're going to survive when I stop giving you an allowance," I tell her.

"You wouldn't," she pouts.

"I would," I take a serious tone.

Riel makes it to the aircraft. I try helping him with the heavy looking duffle bag swung over his shoulder, but he ignores me. He might still be upset that I held him

hostage at the office, ruining his date night.

"What ?" I ask him. "No pleasantries for your boss."

"Good morning Mr. Harlow," Riel looks up at me, and I get a better read of the text on his baseball cap.

"My favorite position is CEO," I smirk, lifting the brim of his cap. "Should I take that as a message?"

"I'm not sending you a message," he retorts. "It's just a cap."

He has no idea that the 'CEO' is a sex position. Not one that I practice, since I actually like pleasing the women I'm with. But Riel isn't a woman, and I have never been with a guy before, however, I do know that I will throw the pitches, and he will catch them.

Riel is settling into his seat, when my sister comes back from the bathroom, and starts screaming.

"I can't believe this," Felicity's eyes pop out. "How are you here right now?"

"Felicity?" Riel asks. "Brother?" he points to me. "Your brother is this guy?"

"He is," Felicity confirms. "You work for him?"

Why do these two know each other?

"How do you two know each other?" I interrupt their reunion.

"She gave me advice on a career change," Riel answers.

"Her?" I laugh.

"Zip it," Felicity rolls her eyes at me. "Riel was working some lousy job at my school. I thought he deserved to study in the place, instead of cleaning it. So, I gave him the name of your company, and now he your?"

"PA," Riel fills her in.

"Now he's your assistant," Felicity cheers. "And, I'll be very upset with you if HA doesn't give him a corporate scholarship to get his bachelor's."

Riel and Felicity's reunion thwarted all my attempts at

having my usual banter with Riel. She doesn't leave his side. I would try to sit by him on accident, but Felicity would get in the way.

"I shouldn't have forced you to tag along for this trip," I whisper to Felicity when we reach the hotel. "I'm giving your credit back," I take the card I confiscated from her out of my pocket. "Go spend your weekend in Italy like you wanted."

"Thanks," she grabs the credit card from me. "But, I'm staying. Plus, I'm onto you."

"Onto me?" I ask.

"Yes," she stresses. "I see you looking at Riel."

I touch the back of neck, suddenly feeling cornered, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure," Felicity laughs.

"Don't say a word of this to anyone," I warn her. "Not even Sebastian."

"I won't," she says. "Just don't drag Riel into whatever lavender situationship you and Mallory have going on."

I hand the bellman his tip, and meet up with Riel at the reception area.

"There's not one other room available?" a line appears between Riel's brows as he tries not frustrated with the guy manning the front desk.

"Pas!" the receptionist exclaims. "There's no rooms left in the hotel for your extra guest."

Riel drops his forehead on reception counter, sighing.

Demin on demin; Riel strives to turn my head. I think he wants me to have another heart attack. I suck in my breath at how every inch, every inch of his demin jeans framed his backside.

"What's the problem?" I walk up to the front desk.

"You didn't tell me about your sister coming on the trip with us," Riel scolds. "And, I can't get a room for her to stay in."

I look at my baby sister."Let her stay at the resort with the social media people," I tell him. "She spends all of her time on her phone, I'm sure she'll fit in pretty well with them."

"No," Riel frowns at my suggestion. "Felicity is staying with you, her brother. She can have my room."

"And, where will you sleep?" I ask him.

"I'll stay at the hotel with the other staff," he smiles. "It will be fun bonding with my colleagues."

"You're not other staff," I get out in a rough voice. "You don't need to bond with anyone," I take his bag. "You'll stay in room, and have no complaints."

"I'm sure you won't have any complaints," Felicity says fast under her breath.

"The Amazon has flesh-eating bugs," I say in a whisper that only my sister would hear.

"I'll go check out my room," Felicity says, backing away from the hotel lobby as she catches onto my threat.

Riel's palm drops from his jaw as he comes upright off the receptionist's desk. His eyes are fixed on the hotel key card as tries to decide whether or not to share the room with me.

"I'm not the one sleeping on the couch," he mumbles.

I smile at his answer. "Fine," I tell him. "But, we might end up cuddling if we're going to share a bed."

"Mr. Harlow, you're my boss," he says. "I would never get any bed with you. You'll sleep on the couch."

Ouch! But, I won't blame myself for trying.

"I'll sleep on the floor," I tell him. "I won't make a fuss, once you're in the room."

"You wouldn't," he bets.

Riel runs a circuit of the room, wide eyed at everything from the French windows to the monogrammed towels and bathrobes.

"Juice," Riel comes looming over me as I try grabbing a small bottle of brandy from the mini fridge. "You're not supposed to have alcohol for three months," he repeats the doctor's orders.

"Alright," I grab for the bottle of sparking blood orange blood instead.

I lift the bottle to mouth, I really didn't like the taste of the drink. But I am still smiling while drink it. I really

enjoy Riel scolding me like I'm his husband, and he's the spouse that worries too much.

"What's my schedule like for tomorrow?" I ask before I could grin my head off.

"You're talking with the influencers at ten," Riel recalls my schedule. "Meeting with the perfumers that want to sell HA the rights to their dupe of Chanel No.5 . . . then it's back to New York."

"Switch my meeting with the annoying internet people to nine," I groan. "I won't run the risk of a brain bleed trying to have a sensible conversation with them."

"They are called influencers," Riel uncaps a beer. "And, you'll survive talking to them for a minute. When they point a camera at you, just smile and you'll be fine."

That's going to be difficult to pull off since I only smile for him.

Riel points the neck of the beer bottle at me. "And keep your anger at the most a three," he orders. "You'll save the PR team the trouble of convincing HA's customers that you're not a forty-year-old Oscar the Grouch."

"I'm not forty yet," I retort. "And you can't insult your boss like that."

"True," he considers while arranging the things for his bath.

I wonder if there's any hope of him forgetting that I'm in the room, and start stripping to his birthday suit.

He heads for the bathroom, but I block the entrance.

"Mr. Harlow," he heaves. "I need the bathroom."

"What bathroom?" I tease him.

"The one behind yo— ," Riel gestures . "Never mind, I'll take my bath later."

Vexed, he turns to stomp off, but I outstretch my arms, seizing his waist. "Apologize," I whisper to him, grazing my fingers over the thick weave of his demin vest. "Say you're sorry for calling me a grouch."

"No . . ." Riel grins, shaking his head.

"If you won't give me an apology," I want to kiss him so badly."I'll have to get some else." For a heartbeat, we're both still, the world cheering me on to nab the sweetest kiss of my life. I hold Riel's waist tighter, the warmth of him filling the space between us, but my lips meet air.

Riel peels away from me, skipping to answer the stupid knock on the door.

"I can't find my Prada beach bag," Felicity whines, and enters the room as soon as Riel opens the door.

Damn . . . this girl.

"You better find it," I hiss. "Because you're not getting me to buy you another designer bag never again."

"Don't yell at her," Riel tells me.

"It's okay," she cries. "He's always shout at me."

She fake tears, and Riel falls for them, hugging her.

"What will make you feel better?" He asks her.

Felicity sticks out her tongue at me, knowing Riel won't see her doing it with his back turned to me.

"You can follow me to the pastry shop we saw near the hotel," she says.

"Okay," Riel agrees.

I have never been this upset at Felicity in my life.

Lying down on the cold floor, I glare up at the ceiling for the rest of the night. I have counted one hundred, and forty seven seconds since Riel ran away with my kiss to jabber about whatever with my sister. Maybe I am from a different generation, but it shouldn't be this wearying for a man to get kissed. I could even settle for one on the cheek.

Thirty seconds later, a cool rush of air passes over me as the door opens, revealing Riel against the back drop of a dimly lit corridor.

"Um, sir?" Riel pauses in his tracks. "Why are you lying on the floor?"

"You disappeared on me," I scoff. "Of course, you don't remember our bet."

"Mr. Harlow," he snarls. "Get up. You're not sleeping the floor of a hotel room that you're paying for . . ."

"Actually," I say, "the company foots the bill."

"Sir . . . Get off the floor," he insists.

"I'm getting up," I leave the ground, and I immediately start to express my grievance. "What made you run off with my sister? You should've stayed in this room with me."

"Two things," he says."I didn't run off with your sister, you make sound like we were trying to elope. And most importantly, I'm your assistant not your body guard."

"Are you done listing?" I ask him.

"Oaf," he mouths.

"Another insult?" I chuckle.

"Yes," he nods. "And here's my apology for calling you a grouch, and now an oaf."

He hands me a little cardboard box with neatly folded edges, and five or so chocolate covered eclairs.

"I guess," I snatch one of the pastries from the box. "I'll forgive you." On purpose I let the dark glossy chocolate coat the corner of mouth, and as expected Riel tip toes to my height, dabbing the streak of chocolate from my mouth with his thumb.

I allow my lips to fall on the side of his thumb, tasting the sweetness of chocolate that smudges his skin.

"How'd you guess I'm a chocolate lover?" I ask

"I — I, um," he stutters as he folds his hands under his arm. "I really need that bath."

He drops the box of éclairs onto the small dining table, and runs into the bathroom.

"Summers," I tease. "You're not trying to flash me, are you? Because you forgot your towel, and bathrobe."