I Fell For My Contract Partner

Chapter 4.2 Caleb POV : The Agreement, Kiss And Rumor

Inside the public city park, I parked my car at the corner, surrounded by foliage covered the black fences

It's quite. Since it was already 8:30 PM, not many people came here at night, besides the place would close in thirty minutes again.

“So?” He spoke first, staring at me. “Are you going to explain why you want me to be your contract boyfriend for an entire year?” His voice sounded calm.

I turned around just to meet a pair of turquoise eyes looking straight into mine, like he was waiting for me to spill the tea.

It was funny—he was just a stranger; we didn’t know each other, yet we were already tied to something like this...

“Actually... I was trying to avoid the arranged marriage my family kept pushing on me.” I let out a slow breath. At last, I told him the truth. “So, yeah...” I shrugged. “I lied when I said I already had a boyfriend.” A faint chuckle slipped from my lips as I recalled the panicked, furious looks on their faces.

“And you put me in your fake scenario as your boyfriend, huh? Now I have to get involved in your drama...” he scowled and muttered something under his breath.

A loud laugh burst from me, echoing in car. He turned to look, his brows drawing together in a frown.

“What’s so funny about it?” he asked, protesting.

“You should look at yourself in the mirror!” I pointed at the rearview mirror..

"Let's put that aside, now another question..." He scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why me? I mean, why aren't you trying with a girl instead of coming up with this idea about me being your boyfriend? That's irrational, you know?" I could hear a quiet snort escape him.

"Well, why not?" I said, a wide grin spreading across my face as I moved slightly closer without him noticing. "Besides… we’ve already kissed, right?"

The tone of my voice had changed, becoming low and deeper. I touched his face, stroking his cheek gently with my fingers—and that was when I saw his body flinch.

"You…!" He immediately pulled back and slapped my hand away. "Don’t touch me like that!" His expression hardened. "If you’re not going to be serious about this, I’m leaving."

He turned away, ready to go, with one hand already on the car door handle.

"Okay, wait…! I’m sorry," I said hurriedly before he could pull the door open.

Shit, why do I sound like I’m having a heart attack?

“Please, Sean…” I called his name softly.

Luckily, it worked. He stopped and turned around to face me.

“Why did I choose you over a woman? I still want my freedom, so I don’t want to be tied to any woman and I can go out with other girls. With you, it would be easier—we’re both guys, so yeah… there would be less drama between us if either you or I go out with someone else, right?” I explained to him all in one breath.

Somehow, he went quiet for a moment, listening closely as he tried to take in everything I’d explained.

“Besides, I want to get revenge…” I turned my gaze forward, gripping the steering wheel so hard with both hands, til my knuckles turned white.

He let out a small breath and gave a quick smirk before turning forward as well and said, “So… you used me as your shield and a weapon at the same time, huh?”

Surprisingly, he figured out the situation that fast. I was impressed—he’s smarter than he looks.

“I guess…” I replied, raising one eyebrow. “So? What do you think? Will you accept my offer?” I glanced at him and waited for his answer.

His face turned down as if he was considering of something. It took several minutes, he didn't speak any words, while a chirping sound began to spread around the bush of the park, which means night is getting late.

"Well... I guess..." Finally he said something and shifted his eyes on me. "But, with one condition...," he added.

"Hm, what is it?" My brows furrowed.

"There's no sex... I am not doing it," he said firmly.

“That’s fine. I only need the status anyway.” His condition was easy, there’s no way I’d ever feel that way toward him. So I nodded quickly. "So… deal?" I asked again, just to make sure. Then, I held my hand toward him.

“Okay. Deal.” He accepted my hand.

We exchanged a handshake as a temporary deal. “Good. So now I need your number and your bank account,” I said, pulling out my smartphone from my long coat.

He, then took out his own phone from his pocket, tapping on something. “Here’s my bank account,” he said, leaning closer to show me.

I was slightly surprised when he moved in. The aroma of his body and hair filled the air.

The distance between us collapsed in an instant.

I could feel it—his presence, warm and the faint scent hit me first. Sweet apple. Clean, almost innocent… but strangely intoxicating in a way I didn’t expect.

My breath caught for half a second.

“Are you saving it or not?” His voice dropped slightly as he tilted his head up, looking at me from just beneath my chin.

The glow of his phone lit part of his face. Sharp. Calm. Unbothered.

“Y-yeah… I’m saving it,” I replied too quickly, forcing my fingers to move. I typed his name into my contacts, but my focus kept slipping.

My mind starting to drift and my chest thumping like a crazy.

“Done!” I let out a relieved sigh without realizing it, just as he pulled away and sat properly again.

“Then I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow at my apartment. You already know the place, right?” I added, trying to regain control of my tone.

“Tomorrow?” His eyes widened slightly.

“What? Too soon?” A faint smirk tugged at my lips.

His tongue pressed against his teeth as he turned to me, shooting a sharp death glare.

“No,” he said flatly. “I can do it.”

A pause.

“I’ll come tomorrow at noon. I need to go to work first,” he added with a soft snort, as if the entire situation was nothing more than an inconvenience.

“That's fine… make sure you bring your own things. Most importantly, your own clothes, so you don’t need to use mine,” I said, my eyes scanning to the shirt he was wearing. “Or… are you secretly liking mine?” I let out a small laugh.

“This…!” He immediately frowned. “I don’t like it. I just—”

He looked down at his own clothes, trying to explain, but the words got stuck. That alone made my grin widen, like I had already won whatever invisible competition this was.

“Fine…!” he finally grunted.

Out of expectation—He pulled his shirt off. My smile vanished in an instant.

Underneath, only a thin undershirt remained, clinging to his frame in a way I definitely did not ask to see. My eyes were drawn to it, and I swallowed before I even realized it.

He had a well-proportioned build — not too big or too small, a lean type with defined muscles on his arms and chest, nothing overly bulky. I wondered if he had a six-pack hidden beneath his shirt?

Crap, why was I thinking about that now? I slapped myself mentally.

“…Here. Take this!” he snapped, throwing the red shirt straight at me.

Is he mad? I was joking. Seriously. Why did he take it so literally?

“Geez… I’m going home now,” he muttered, already opening the car door and sliding in. Then he paused, turning back toward me one last time. “And don’t forget to transfer your first payment. Bye-bye.” A sly smirk tugged at his lips before he slammed the door shut.

But, a second later....

“s**t…!”

I heard his voice again—but this time muffled, sharp, like something had caught him off guard.

My brows furrowed. Did something happen?

Before I could even react, the car door was pulled open again. “Caleb… those people are here…!” he whispered, panic flashing across his face.

“…Are you serious?”

I stepped out of the car and walked toward him, following his line of sight. A group of reporters was approaching in our direction.

“We should run. Let’s go, Ca—”

Before he could finish, I grabbed his hand, stopping him mid-motion as he tried to get back into the car and closed the door behind him.

“No,” I said calmly, locking him in place with my presence.

“What? Why?” His brows furrowed in confusion.

“I want to start the war with my family now.”

A faint smile crept onto my lips as I stepped closer, closing the space between us until there was nowhere left for him to retreat.

“Let them know…” My hand rose, cupping his face, holding him still. “And let this become a bomb that destroys everything they built.”

His eyes widened.

“Huh? W-wait, Caleb. Don’t tell me you—”

Then, I pressed my lips against his in the next second. His body flinched—caught completely off guard by the sudden contact.

I never expected his lips to feel like this… soft, warm, almost dangerously tender, like something that melted against mine.

Too easy to lose myself in. Before I realized it, I was already slipping—my fingers moving on instinct, brushing along his jawline as if I had done it before.

“Hhng…” A soft sound escaped him and something inside my stomach twisted at the sound.

My body felt hot. This wasn’t good, I needed to stop before this went too far and I pulled away.

The air between us felt heavier the moment our lips separated.

He was still there—breathing unevenly, mouth slightly parted, eyes wide in disbelief as he stared at me like he couldn’t decide whether to push me away or pull me back.

Shit. I need to hold myself together.

Caleb. Remember he’s a man. Pull yourself together.

The thought repeated in my head like a broken mantra, trying to anchor me back to reality. But more importantly, they were definitely taking pictures about that.

And tomorrow will be chaos....