Chapter 3 - Dinner at His Place: One Kiss To Practice For 500 People
739 Words
Dinner. 8PM. My place. As a couple.
That text from Adrian Cole popped up at 4:30PM and I read it 20 times.
No "please". No "if you're available". Just an order.
The address was Banana Island. Tower B. Penthouse 7001.
Of course the billionaire lived somewhere that needed fingerprints to get in.
I panicked. I had 2 hours and my closet was full of barista uniforms.
I called Tolu. 30 minutes later she showed up with a black dress, heels, and makeup.
"You better tell me what’s going on later," she said, curling my hair.
"You’re going to a billionaire’s house looking like this."
The car that came for me was a black Bentley. The driver didn’t speak.
When the glass elevator opened on floor 70, Lagos spread out under me like a million lights.
And there he was.
Adrian.
No suit. No tie. No cold CEO mask.
Just black sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and bare feet. Hair still wet.
He was standing at the kitchen island stirring something in a pan.
For a second I didn’t recognize him.
"You’re on time," he said, glancing over his shoulder.
His eyes did a quick sweep of me. The dress. The heels. Then back to the stove.
"Dinner’s ready."
He’d cooked. Adrian Cole, who runs a 2 billion dollar company, had cooked pasta.
We sat at a table by the windows. Candles. Wine. The city glowing below us.
For the first 10 minutes we just ate. It was almost normal.
"Why did you take the contract?" he asked suddenly, setting his fork down.
I wasn’t expecting it. "My mom," I said. "Stage 3 cancer. The hospital needs 50 million naira by Friday.
Or they stop her chemo. I’m a barista. Banks laughed at me."
He nodded. Like he’d already had me background checked.
"And the no feelings rule?"
"That’s your rule," I said. "Not mine."
His eyes darkened. "Be careful, Maya. I’m not the kind of man you want to catch feelings for."
"Good," I said, standing. "Because I’m not planning to."
I walked to the window. My reflection looked tiny against all that glass.
Behind me I heard him push his chair back. Footsteps.
He stopped right behind me. Close enough that I could feel him.
"The board loved us today," he said quietly. "You were perfect."
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Don’t thank me yet," he said. His voice was lower. "Tomorrow is the gala.
500 guests. Investors. Press. Cameras everywhere."
He paused.
"And we have to kiss."
My heart slammed in my chest. "What?"
"For the photos," he said. "To make it real. A quick one. On the lips.
3 seconds. That’s all."
I turned around. We were inches apart. I could see flecks of gold in his dark eyes.
He smelled like expensive soap and cedar.
"That wasn’t in the contract I signed," I said.
"It was in section 4," he replied. "Public displays of affection."
"And if I can’t do it?"
"Then we practice," he said simply.
"Now?"
"Now."
His hand came up to my face. His thumb brushed my cheekbone. His touch was warm.
"Relax," he murmured. "Look at me."
I did.
And then he kissed me.
It wasn’t hard or demanding. It was soft. Testing.
Like he was asking if this was okay.
My hands came up to his chest without thinking. His hand settled on my waist.
3 seconds turned into 10.
When he pulled back, we were both breathing hard.
"Well," he said, voice rough. "Chemistry confirmed."
He stepped away immediately. Back to the window. Hands in his pockets.
The CEO mask was back on.
"Driver will take you home," he said. "Pick up is 6PM tomorrow. Black tie."
I grabbed my bag with shaking hands. At the door I turned back.
"Adrian?"
"Yes?"
"Do you do this with all your fake wives?"
For the first time, he actually smiled. Small. Real.
"You’re the first."
The ride home was a blur. Tolu was waiting.
"SPILL," she screamed.
"He cooked," I said, collapsing on my bed. "And he kissed me. To practice."
"AND??"
"And it didn’t feel like practice," I whispered.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown: "Get some sleep. Tomorrow matters. -A"
2 minutes later:
Unknown: "Don’t overthink it. It was business."
Business. Right.
So why were my lips still tingling?
30 days. No feelings.
And in 16 hours I had to kiss Adrian Cole in front of 500 people and pretend it meant nothing.
- Writer
