Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina)

Kylan still didn't acknowledge the kiss when she reached the office. He didn't act any differently when she brought him his tea, and he didn't seem the least bit distracted or put off. If anything, he was calm and put together.

I was offering. It made Katrina annoyed. It bothered her that he could do something so obviously against his own boundaries, and then not talk about it. No matter how she tried to tell herself it was nothing, her thundering heart betrayed her. was foreign and entirely inappropriate, and she wanted it to end.

sanging in. It was

She didn't like this. This weird emotional limbo she felt herself hanging

The ride to Elorde Enterprises was mostly quiet, with Kylan on the phone for the majority of the way. She periodically ate the sour cherries she brought with her ignoring the strange look her boss gave her.

"Why are you eating in the car?" Kylan asked her, his tone already harsh.

She hadn't realized he was no longer on the phone. She looked at him, not at all in the mood to deal with his crassness. "These aren't messy" she told him calmly.

Kylan scoffed and pulled the bag from her lap abruptly, bringing it up to his gaze. "Sour cherries?" he asked flatly, his brow quirking as he looked at

her now

"You're welcome to try one, she responded just as calmly as before.

Kylan huffed with annoyance and handed the bag back to her. She took it and ate another cherry, a few more minutes passing by in silence once again. She reached into the bag and grabbed a single piece of candy, withdrawing her hand and reaching it out to Kylan wordlesslyCcontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

He looked down at it with an incredulous expression, before he finally groaned and took the piece of candy. She watched him put and she smiled slightly

it in his mouth 0-0-0-

The walk around Elorde Enterprises was nothing short of impressive. Their headquarters had many buildings, including a vast factory filled with machines that she mostly didn't understand what their specific functions were.

Mr. Hughes himself showed them around, obviously trying to win over Kylan especially, though the contract between Ross Corporation and Titan Enterprises had already been finalized and signed. Katrina watched Kylan closely the majority of the time. He was walking with his hands in his pockets and a mostly stoic look on his face. Only when James showed them a prototype for the Nightfall, did she see Kylan perk up a bit, as he always did around Ross Corporation tech.

The prototype was, by all means, equally as impressive as the headquarters itself. They had taken Aaron and Harry's initial design and ran with it completely. She once again felt she had made the right decision by encouraging Kylan to strike a deal with Mr. Hughes. The Nightfall was only the beginning if things went well. James wanted to expand into the military, which was something Kylan was also ultimately interested in.

At the close of the tour. James bid them farewell politely, and Kylan guided her out of the factory portion of the headquarters, a casual hand poised over her lower back. She ignored it and Kylan opened the car door for her, as he always did.

He moved in after her, adjusting his suit jacket before clicking his seatbelt in place. "Good work, Kate."

His praise stunned her into silence for a moment.

ent. She blinked at him a few times and then cleared her throat. "For what?" she finally managed to

"James. I think it'll be a fruitful venture," Kylan responded calmly, looking at her as he spoke.

Yes, I agree. Thank you, Sir." She was flustered, and it annoyed her that something as simple as bask praise could bring her to that point

Kylan grunted in response as Oscar drove them to their lunch with Keith.

"Sir, what does Keith know, exactly?" she ventured to ask, just as they pulled up to

to yet another fancy Italian bestro for their meal.

Kylan frowned at her, his hand pausing on the handle of the car door. "He knows what the public knows," was his slow response.

She was admittedly surprised. She figured he would have told his uncle the truth, especially when Keith had been an investor in Ross Corporation. She supposed that had been years ago, yet Kylan was still subjected to the same biweekly meals with him as he always had been.

room for

Seshall

we act like we're getting married then, Sir?" She wanted absolute clarity before going into that restaurant. She didn't want

want any ro another grey area. Not right now.

"I think it would be prudent to do as much, yes, Kylan responded curtly. He opened the car door and climbed out, his hand waiting for her as it always was.

She took a deep breath and allowed him to help her out. He didn't let go of her hand until she was guided to the table where Keith was already

seated and waiting. He had taken the liberty of ordering a

g a boule of

far too expensive white wine.

She took her seat next to Rylan, noticing that he diaped an arm around the back of her chair when he sat down.

Talks with Keith started out as light and conversational. She ordered some starters and sapped on her wine leisurely, enjoying the taste as it easily slipped down her throat. She was only half paying attention until Keith shifted the subject matter suddenly. "So, you're engaged with my nephew?" he asked her, slathering some pesto atop a

thin slice

of bread.

She licked her lips nervously and nodded her head politely. "I am, yes," she told him with hopefully convincing confidence.

Keith hummed, taking a bite of his bread, and watching both her and Kylan with careful, narrowed eyes. "I didn't think you had it in you." He directed the words to Rylan.

She could practically feel the eye-roll Kylan gave his uncle. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, old man he snapped impatiently

Keith smirked at Kylan, clearing his throat, and sitting up straighter in his chair. "I've only ever seen you pine after one person. Tell me, son, dors Kate know about that relationship?" he asked Kylan, a mischievous glint in his eye that signaled nothing good was to come. What did he even mean, exactly? Why was it important that she know about Kylan's previous relationship? He never asked her specifics about hers It wasn't like she was actually getting married, either. It wasn't prevalent information, was in

She looked at kylan, who had gone rigid where he sat. His eyes were flashing dangerously while he looked at his uncle. "Say one more f*cking word, Keith, and these meals will be at an end. He was mad. Furious, even. It was obvious in the way he gripped her chair tightly and the hard set of his

Keith only laughed and shook his head. "You're a f*cked-up individual, you know that?" he mused, lifting his wine glass, and taking a long drag

from it.

She stayed silent, feeling entirely uncomfortable and confused. Confused, but undeniably curious. Kylan's previous relationship had been mentioned a few times now, but she still knew next to nothing about it The rest of her meal was painfully awkward. Kylan wouldn't look at her, not even as he kept his arm around her chair.

What was it about this previous relationship that was so interesting? Why had it put Kylan off from dating anyone else since then? To the point, he wouldn't even kiss anyone else, even as he bed with them.

It bothered her that she didn't understand, but it wasn't her business too. It wasn't. She had no right to inquire about it. So, she wouldn't. Again,

Kylan was quiet the entire way to the office, and she didn't push him to talk to her.

Only once she was back at Ross Corp, did she talk to him about their trip to Ireland.

"finalized the hotel rooms today, Sir. My suite is right next 1-

She stopped talking when Kylan finally looked at her, only to give her a strange stare. "Your suite?" he deadpanned.

She frowned at him, "Yes, Sir. My suite. It's right next to

to yours.

ars," she explained slowly.

"We have to share a site, Katrina. How would it look around these foreign executives, if my own wife wasn't in my room at night?" Kylan talked like it should be obvious.

It was anything but obvious to her. Kylan hesitated even kissing her, and now he wanted to share a hotel room with her? In another country? For

Wait own wife!

Kylan huffed in annoyance and looked away. "Apparently, Ryan and Max decided to go with the wedding before we travel to Ireland. Have you forgotten?" Katrina nearly choked on her own saliva as she remembered what lyan had told them during their last meeting. "B-But I thought we still have 2 months to prepare?"

"Max figured that the Ireland trip can be considered a holiday for the newlyweds. We will have their attention, in Ryan's words" Kylan responded, unamused and bored..

In a month, she will be Mrs. Ross. However, she struggled with how to act around Kylan for a single evening, let alone being in his intimate space for that long The thought made her head hurt, and she could only be grateful that the trip was still a month and a half away. "I'll change the rooms, Sir, she responded nervously, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve

"Good," Kylan said curtly, shifting his gaze to his computer now that he was sitting back in his chair.

19

0

2:42 PM

"If there's nothing else. I'd like to be dismissed for the weekend, she tried not to sound too eager, but she was more than ready to go p night of drinking with Aaron.

partake in a

"Very well" Kylan answered with a nod in her direction. "I pick you up at seven o'clock on Monday evening, by the way," he added almost as an afterthought

She waited in the doorway of his office for another minute, wondering if he was going to bring up either the kiss from last night or the strange conversation with his uncle. He kept his gaze hyper-focused on his computer though, and after a minute, she sighed and left his office. She needed a freaking drink.