TEMPTING THE COLD CEO

EMILY'S POV I Stared at the email on my Phone for what had to be the twentieth time. My hands were trembling So badly that I nearly dropped the device. “CONGRATULATIONS, EMILY CARTER. YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED A POSITION AT KINGSTON GROUP.” The words blurred through my tears. Not sad tears…. It was happy tears. The kind that Sneak up on you after years of disappointment. The kind that make your Chest ache because you've wanted Something for so long that you Stopped believing it would ever happen. I got the job. I actually got the job in Kingston Group. One of the biggest food marketing Companies in the city. The Company thousands of People would kill to work for. And Somehow… they had Chosen me. A Shaky laugh escaped my lips. "Oh my God." I Pressed a hand over my mouth. My eyes burned. My heart felt too big for my Chest. I had done it after months of interviews, rejections, Sleepless nights, and endless applications... I had finally done it… The Sound of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. "Emily?" I quickly wiped my eyes before my younger Sister Could get to the kitchen where I stood. Olivia froze…. Her gaze darted between my tears and the huge Smile I was failing miserably to hide. Then her eyes widened. "No." I laughed and She gasped. "NO!" The next thing I knew, She launched herself across the room and we nearly Crashed into the kitchen Cabinet. "You got it?!" I nodded…. Olivia Screamed… The Sound was loud enough to wake the neighbors. "Oh my God!" She grabbed my Shoulders. "You got the job!" I laughed through my tears. "I got the job." Olivia Started jumping. I Started laughing harder. Then Somehow we were both Crying. Our mother rushed into the kitchen moments later looking alarmed. "What happened?" Olivia Pointed dramatically at me. "She got the job!" My mother's eyes widened then filled with tears. And Suddenly I found myself trapped between both of them in a Crushing hug. For a moment… Everything felt Perfect. Every Sacrifice. Every rejection. Every late night was worth it. Few hours later, I Sat in my favorite Café, still unable to Stop Smiling. I stirred my Coffee absentmindedly. The email remained open on my Phone. I kept Checking it… Just to make Sure it was real. "Why do you look like Someone who won a lottery?" I looked up and immediately burst into laughter. In front of me Stood my best friend Chloe. Her blonde hair was Slightly messy and that was what made me laugh. Her Sunglasses sat crooked on her head. And the expression on her face Suggested she was moments away from Committing a Crime. "Bad day?" I asked. "Bad day?" she repeated. I nodded. “Is that why your hair looks like a mopping Stick?” Chloe dropped dramatically into the Chair opposite mine. "I’m even tired of everything lately, I don’t get myself. My hair is not my Concern now. It Can look however it wanna look.” “What’s the matter again?” I asked. “My mother is trying to ruin my life." She replied. I Sighed… Here we go. "Again?" "AGAIN." She replied. Several Customers turned to look at us. Chloe lowered her voice Slightly. "My mother has officially lost her mind." I Sighed. "You Say that every week." "Because every week She gives me new evidence." I laughed. Chloe Pointed an accusing finger at me. "Don't laugh." "Okay boss." I laughed again despite myself. Chloe glared then She groaned dramatically. I already knew what this was about again. Marriage. It was always marriage… Chloe's mother had made it her Personal mission to get her daughter down the aisle before turning thirty. But Chloe would rather wrestle a bear than get married now. "I have another blind date tomorrow." There it was. I took a Sip of my Coffee. "Can't you just say no?" Chloe Stared at me. "Emily." I blinked… She blinked, then we both laughed. Because we knew exactly how ridiculous that question was. Her mother wasn't the type of woman who accepted no for an answer. "How bad is it?" I asked. Chloe buried her face in her hands. "Very." "Okay?” "My mother Said if I skip this one She'll cut off my Credit Cards and throw my loads outside." I nearly Choked. "What?" "Exactly." I winced. “Okay, that's bad”. "Maybe you Should just go this time." Chloe looked horrified. "Go?" "Yes." "No. I'm not." I rolled my eyes. "Chloe." "No!" "You Could at least meet him first." "I don't want to.” "What if he's nice?" "To hell with him and his niceness." "What if he's handsome?" "He Can as well go to hell with his handsomeness." "What if he's rich?" "No." "What if he's all three?" Chloe Paused…. I raised an eyebrow and her eyes narrowed. "Still no." I laughed… The tension eased Slightly for about five Seconds. Then Chloe Suddenly sat upright, a Strange look appeared on her face. A look I knew very well and I immediately feared. "Oh no." Her eyes lit up. "Oh yes." "No." I replied. "Emily, Please." "No." "Emily." She looked at me with a Puppy eyes. I Pointed at her… "Whatever you're thinking, the answer is no." "You don't even know what I'm thinking." "Of course I do." Chloe grabbed my hands dramatically. "Please." "No Chloe, I Can't do that.” "Pleaseeeee." She Clamped her hands together. "No." "PLEASE." I Closed my eyes, already exhausted. She Smiled… And that's when I knew my life was about to get Significantly more Complicated. Three hours later…. I still Couldn't believe I had agreed. Chloe Shoved a dress into my arms. I threw it back…. She threw it at me again. I glared. She glared back… We were Currently Standing inside her room. And Somehow... Against all logic… Against all reason… Against my own Survival instincts… I had agreed to attend the blind date in her Place. "Tell me again why I agreed to this." Chloe grinned. "Because you love me." I groaned. "That's not a good reason." "It's the best reason." "It really isn't." She ignored me… She Sat beside me. For the first time all day, her expression Softened. The Sarcasm disappeared. The jokes disappeared. The Confidence disappeared. And Suddenly she looked vulnerable. Small and Scared. "I really don't want to do this, Em." My frustration eased immediately. Because beneath all her dramatics, Chloe was still my best friend. The Person who Stayed with me after my father died. The Person who helped me through College… The Person who Sat beside me during every heartbreak. She drove me Crazy. But I loved her. "I know." She looked down. "I feel like my mom never listens." My heart Squeezed. "Chloe..." "She keeps trying to turn me into Someone I'm not." I Squeezed her hand. "You'll figure things out." She offered a weak Smile then Suddenly brightened. "Exactly." The next evening arrived much faster than I wanted. I Stood in front of my bedroom mirror Staring at my reflection. Panic Churned in my Stomach. This was insane…. Completely insane. I Shouldn't be doing this. What if he finds out? What if Chloe's mother find out? What if everything go horribly wrong? My Phone buzzed. It was Chloe. CHLOE: Remember. Be annoying, be rude, be impossible so he'd loose interest immediately okay? I rolled my eyes. ME: I hate you. CHLOE: Love you too. A Second later another message arrived. CHLOE: And don't accidentally fall in love with him. I Snorted… As if. I grabbed my Purse then headed for the door. An hour later, my taxi Pulled up outside one of the most luxurious restaurants I had ever Seen in the whole of Ney york. My Stomach dropped. "Oh no." The building glowed beneath the City lights. This wasn't a normal blind date. This was a rich-People blind date. My Palms grew Dweaty as I Climbed out of the taxi. The Cold evening air brushed against my Dkin… The restaurant entrance towered before me. For a moment… I Considered running and Pretending this never happened. But then my Phone buzzed. It was another text from Chloe. CHLOE: You're there, aren't you? I Stared at the Screen then Sighed. CHLOE: Emily? EMILY: Yes. I'm there. CHLOE: Okay, go inside. EMILY: I'm reconsidering our friendship. CHLOE: GO. I rolled my eyes then Slipped the Phone into my Purse. The enormous glass doors Stood just ahead. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. The nervousness grew with every second. I reached for the door handle and took a deep breath. I Pushed the door open and froze… Because Seated at the reserved table across the room was the most devastatingly handsome man I had ever Seen. And at that exact moment, his eyes lifted and locked onto mine.