Billionaire's Sweet Challenge

Chapter 3

Kris stole a glance at Lexi as they entered the café where he'd driven them to for breakfast, wondering what she was thinking, whether she was upset with him. Her impassive expression gave away nothing.

He sighed. He didn't feel good about rebuking her like he'd done, but he also knew that he could've had it no other way.

The café was filled with a fairly sizable amount of people. Kris was glad to find a table in a corner unoccupied. He lead the way towards it and pulled a chair for Lexi. She sat down gracefully with a small smile his way, and he took his own seat after placing his laptop bag on the plastic table.

A plump, dark-skinned woman approached them almost right away, a megawatt smile adorning her lips. “Good morning, what can I get for you lovebirds?”

Lexi caught his eyes, and they exchanged a brief knowing smile before giving their orders. Lexi ordered rock buns accompanied by hot, milky chocolate, and he ordered for coffee, two cream no sugar and some croissants.

Kris pulled out his laptop from his bag and opened a file he'd been wanting to discuss with Lexi last night for which he'd gone to her room only to meet her absence. It was about a business deal he wanted to undertake here in California.

They discussed the deal over their steaming cups of beverages and pastries when they were served. Lexi delivered her opinions like a pro, pointing out a few things he'd overlooked and making very lucrative suggestions.

She'd only begun working for him a year ago, but he could say that she was much competent than his previous PA. Kris was still baffled he'd kept the i***t around for four years.

“Excuse me, I'm just going to use the ladies.” Lexi informed him, getting up, and Kris nodded.

Returning his attention to his laptop, he begun noodling on some of the strategies Lexi had suggested. A few seconds later, his thoughts begun to wander.

Letting out a sigh, Kris knew he was in deep s**t. His mother was probably the most tenacious person he'd ever met. He was never going to hear the end of it if she found out that he'd lied about bringing a girlfriend to California, and the blind dates would never stop.

Now he had a few hours until the reunion and he still didn't know who he was going to take to the reunion. It couldn't be a resident of California. His mother would find it easy doing a few investigations and their secret would be busted.

What about Lexi? His subconsciousness suggested for the second time that day.

He'd considered that option. Considering the woman's preference in her s****l activities, she was the one woman who would be least likely to get attached after a few days of them playing lovers. But no; he couldn't afford to let his PA privy to so much of his personal life.

Sighing, Kris was just about to return his attention to the laptop when someone spoke near him. “Still the workaholic, are we?”

He looking up sharply to find one of his uncles standing in front of him across the table. “Uncle Elvis.” He widened his eyes in surprise pleasure, getting to his feet to hug the forty years old man.

“How have you been, boy?” His uncle asked, patting him on the back as they pulled back.

“Same old. Same old. As horny as a bull.” Kris answered, mimicking what his uncle invariably said whenever asked that question, and they both chuckled.

Uncle Elvis was the youngest among all his uncles, and so growing up, Kris and his sister had been closest to him than the others. That there hadn't been much of a gap between their age differences had been a bonus.

“Was that her?” Uncle Elvis asked.

Kris contorted his brow in confusion. “Was that who?”

“Ah, come on. Your mum called me this morning. She complained about how you'd been in California for a day and hadn't bothered to tell her and then fretted about how you're finally bringing a woman to our family reunion. She's so excited I think she will burst from it.” An affectionate smile curved his lips as he spoke. “I saw a girl leaving your table. It's her, isn't it?”

“Uncle, uh...” Kris swallowed.

His uncle didn't let him speak. “Damn, she's gorgeous. You got fine taste, boy. Just like your uncle.”

“Tell me about it.”

Really. Kris? Tell me about it?

God, he'd just more or less accepted that Lexi was his girlfriend to his uncle. Before he could eat back his words, Lexi appeared in his peripheral vision, and he turned to look at her pensively. His uncle followed his eyes.

“Didn't know we were going to have company.” Lexi directed at Kris, her eyes sparkling curiously as it trailed over his uncle. Kris told himself it didn't matter whether she was thinking what he suspected she was thinking from that once-over.

“My God, you look even more beautiful upfront. My nephew tells me you're his girlfriend.”

Kris's stomach clenched with unease, but to his utter surprise, Lexi didn't bat an eyelash as she stretched out her hand and said, “He told you right, Sir. I'm Alexa Parker.”

****

“What was that all about?” Kris faced her immediately they stepped out of the café a few minutes after Elvis had left, left hand stuffed into his pocket, the other holding his laptop bag.

Lexi blinked, taking aback by his rude tone. “What was what all about?”

“Don't play dumb with me.” Kris glared at her. “You accepting that you are my girlfriend and all.”

“Oh, you mean you telling your uncle that we are dating?” She couldn't help the snarky retort. “The way I see it, I think I rather saved your ass.”

Kris brought his hand up as if ready to shove it into his hair, then seemed to have second thoughts about it, plunging it back into his pocket. Standing tall and straight, he looked exquisite in his grey designer suit. His shiny, dark blonde hair neatly combed with a few rebellious strands spilling at the edges, highlighting his handsome face.

He had eyes the most cyan she'd ever seen, a magnetic shade between blue and green Lexi most of the time had to tear her own eyes from. A just right zygomaticus, a sharp jaw line, and a somewhat heavy stubble and eye brows that gave him a sexy, rugged look.

He had broad shoulders which tapered to a lean waist. And she was sure his stomach was as chiseled as his jawline, not that she'd or would ever have the chance of luxuriating in the glorious view.

His body was perfection, nothing less could be said about it.

“I didn't tell him you were my girlfriend. He just assumed you were. I would've clarified it to him.” Kris groaned.

“You could've told him I was your PA and I just loved to joke a lot.” Lexi mused. “Yet you held on to that lie.”

“Why did you decide to pretend anyways?” Confusion marred his forehead.

“I heard you when you were talking over the phone with Caleb. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you were in front of my door and all. You said you'd lied to your mother about bringing your girlfriend along on the trip and she was going to have your head if you didn't bring her to the reunion. So when your uncle told me that you'd said I was your girlfriend, I thought he'd had you cornered and you'd said the first thing that had come to mind.”

Kris sighed. “My mum, she's been on my neck for years about settling down, setting me up on blind dates.” He said, as if offering an explanation. “That's why I told her... Anyways, she's expecting mr to bring my girlfriend to the reunion tomorrow.”

“I'm not complaining, am I?” Lexi said, confused by how agitated he seemed about her lying to his uncle. “Or what? Your mum won't accept me for her son because I'm biracial?”

“What? No.” Kris said with a frown. “My mum is no racist. It's just... Why are we having this conversation out in the open again?”

“I've been wondering the same thing.” Lexi chuckled to make light of the situation. Kris didn't as he led the way to his car, parked just some distance away by the road.

“So you're willing to pretend to be my girlfriend?” He asked after they'd gotten into the car, brows arched.

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

“How much do you want in exchange?”

“It's fine. You don't have to pay me for anything.” She refused, even though she found the offer tempting. She couldn't afford him regarding her as an opportunist.

“50 000 dollars. Is that enough for you?”

50 000 dollars? Lexi nearly choked on her saliva at how lightly he'd said it, like fifty-freaking-thousand dollars was no big deal. Why was she so surprised anyways? The man was filthy rich.

“You're asking if that's enough?” She asked incredulous only to receive an eyeroll. “Hell, the reunion is tomorrow, right? We better sort out the rest of our business so I can do some practice to hone my acting skills.”

“Not so fast, Alexa.” His tone dropped a pin right into the bubble of her fiendishly concealed excitement.