The Bargain Undercover

Wild Cat

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to tonight." For the first time, in front of this sofa, Xander was not giving orders.

A naughty smile pulled Eliana's lips. "Oh, Director Lane, I didn't know you could be so sweet."

Xander pressed his lips, his vibe turning gloomy.

Eliana immediately grinned, "Alright, I'm kidding! Don't worry about me. Just wait here!"

With that, she ran into the bathroom with light steps. When the steam rose and the hot water washed away all her tiredness, she heard the bathroom door open. Turning around, she saw Xander walk into the steam.

"Director Lane, what do you..."

Before she could finish her question, her waist felt the cold press of his hands.

A subconscious groan escaped her lips. She looked over her shoulder at him through the steamy air, feeling his temperature rising higher and higher while she transferred her warmth to his skin.

He was also looking at her. It was the first time they had been so close. Eliana tried to look deeper into his dark eyes, searching for any hint of passion hidden behind his stoic and impassive veneer. But before she could find anything, the heat started to blur her vision.

Eliana couldn't stand still, wanting to hold onto something to keep her balance, but Xander didn't give her the chance. With his strong arm around her waist, she was pinned on the spot, taking whatever he gave her. The sound of water hummed in her ears, faster and faster. When it finally exploded in her head like a firework, she felt herself melting into the steam infused with the scent of cedarwood.

***

Eliana stood in front of the mirror in the living room, checking the fingerprints on her cheek.

There were still faintly burning light marks. She carried a grumpy face, covering the marks and then uncovering them, comparing the difference.

Xander came out of the bath and glanced at her. "It's not obvious. Tomorrow you should be fine."

"I'm just upset." Eliana pouted. "I should have been more cautious."

"Why were you with him?" Xander asked.

"He said he would give me a ride." Eliana hated herself for being so unalert. "He's the manager of Starcase, so I was unwary."

"Were you." Xander's tone was flat.

Eliana knew what his tone meant. "You don't believe me, do you?"

Xander didn't answer.

Eliana knew his silence meant he tacitly admitted that. In his eyes, seducing Jeffrey might also be one of her plans for success, which just ended up worse than she had wanted.

Eliana was aggrieved, murmuring, "I didn't seduce him."

Xander spoke this time, "I didn't say that."

Eliana rolled her eyes, smiling. "Come on! I know what you are thinking. But he has a family, and their picture was hanging right there in his car."

Xander looked at her. "So what?"

Eliana withdrew her smile and looked at Xander, saying word by word, "I would NEVER seduce a married man."

Xander seemed a bit surprised to see the seriousness in her eyes. He stared at her for a long time before looking away and saying, "Good for you."

Eliana put her naughty smile back on. "And the most important thing is I already have you, Director Lane. You are the boss with the final say on everything in our company, and you're so handsome. No one else I know can be half as perfect as you. Why would I waste my time seducing anyone else?"

"Glib-tongued." Xander's voice was still flat, but somehow, his expression seemed tender. Eliana could tell that he didn't feel bad about being flattered by her.

She continued, "No, I mean it. You bumped into Jeffrey's car like that to save me. That only happens in other women's dreams."

Xander walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the peaceful lake under the night sky. The darkness draped him, lending a layer of gloom to his voice. "I had to because I needed a reason to call the police, or he would have just fled. This is how things are. You catch it in the moment, or you may never catch it again."

Eliana didn't know if she was oversensitive, but she sensed a sense of loss in Xander's tone.

What had he experienced before? She didn't know, but she knew she shouldn't pry into his life. She had no standing, and their relationship would never reach such a personal level.

So, she chose to tease herself. "That's right. That's how I let Lyla get away with it."

Xander turned around, no emotion in his eyes. "You need evidence."

"I know." Eliana was sincere when she looked into his eyes. "I just want you to know that I'm not lying."

Xander looked at her for a while.

Finally, he said, "I believe you."

Eliana burst into a big smile, pouncing on him. "You are the best!"

Xander didn't expect her sudden pouncing. He subconsciously opened his arms to catch her. With the little wild cat in his embrace, he patted her waist. "Dry your hair, or you will get a cold."

"Yes, sir!" Eliana raised her face, pushing a little further tentatively. "Sir, could you spare me more kindness and let me crash on your couch for just one night? I don't want to go home and sleep alone tonight... I'm still scared."

Xander was silent for a few seconds, but he still agreed in the end. "Only tonight."

"I promise!" Eliana immediately assured him.

"Now, dry your hair and go to sleep," Xander ordered. "I have an early flight tomorrow. I'll call a cab to send you to the company."

Eliana was curious. "Where are you going?"

Xander thought for a while before telling her, "Norview. To talk to a potential physical therapy sponsor. But I don't see a big chance."

Eliana blinked her eyes, repeating his words, "Physical therapy..."

"MBT doesn't have connections in the physical therapy industry yet," Xander said casually.

Eliana was silent for a few seconds before she tentatively said, "My... My uncle works in PhysioFit."

Delbert didn't want to expose their relationship, so in front of outsiders, she would refer to him as her uncle rather than her dad.

Xander looked at her. "Your uncle?"

Eliana nodded. "Yes. He is the Vice President. I can ask him."

Delbert might not refuse her this time, because this time, she was the youngest Second Soloist at Millwich Ballet Theatre rather than an average Corps de Ballet, and she was helping him expand his connections rather than asking him for help.

Everything was interest-driven, even between father and daughter. But Eliana didn't mind. She was also using her father to curry favor with Xander.

Xander didn't show much anticipation. "That'd be helpful."

"I'll talk to him when I have dinner with him this Thursday." Eliana asked, "When are you coming back?"

"Saturday."

"I will miss you." Eliana held his hand and rubbed his arm like a cat.

Xander patted her waist, retreated his arm, and walked upstairs, leaving her alone in the living room.

"Good night, Director Lane," Eliana said to him.

As usual, Xander just nodded. But halfway upstairs, he stopped, looking down. "Eliana."

"Yes?" Eliana raised her head.

"Happy birthday."

The warm air inside condensed into tiny drops on the window, dripping down briskly and leaving a crystalline trace. Eliana curved her crystal eyes into a smile. "Thank you."

***

"Terminating the contract with Starcase? Why?" Fiona Morse, the Ballet Master at Millwich Ballet Theatre, listened carefully as the person on the other end of the phone talked.

"OK, if you have decided. Have a safe flight!" With that, she hung up the phone.

"Was it Director Lane?" Alex checked the time. "Shouldn't he be flying at this time?"

"His flight is delayed to 6 pm," said Fiona, the kind-looking lady in her fifties with elegance and wisdom behind her every move and talk.

Alex was curious. "Did Director Lane terminate our contract with Starcase?"

"Yes. He wants to switch to some other costume provider."

"But don't we have to pay for breaching the contract?"

"No. Starcase agreed to stop the cooperation as well."

"That's surprising!" Alex widened his eyes. "But why? We've been cooperating with them for years."

"Maybe they have some business considerations that we don't know. Anyway, I trust Xander." Fiona shrugged, not intending to ask further.

"Maybe." Alex believed it.

Eliana stood in the corner quietly, understanding the situation by listening to their conversation. Xander seemed to have come to an agreement with Starcase, protecting their reputation by keeping Jeffrey's actions a secret in exchange for terminating the contract with them.

A dancer asked, "Then are we still free today? Director Lane might still come since he has a whole day."

"I doubt how free he could be," Fiona whispered loudly enough for the entire classroom to hear. "He sent his car to be fixed, so he's pretty trapped today."

"What happened to his car?"

Fiona shrugged. "He said it was scratched by some wild cat."

Wild cat.

Eliana was drinking water and almost choked herself.

Xander was teasing her.

She had to tease him back.

At 5 pm, during dinner time before their show, she sneaked out, hid in a corner, and dialed his number.

The ringing tone sounded only twice before he picked it up.

"Eliana."

She heard his deep voice from the other end of the phone.