Billionaire's Sweet Challenge

Chapter 2

Kris Reynolds stepped under the warm shower spray, loving the feel of the warm water beating down his body. After a long steamy bout, he turned off the shower and dried off.

Stepping into the bedroom of his hotel room, he'd just discarded the towel around his waist when his phone rang. He walked over to the bed and picked it up.

Looking at the screen, he smiled when he saw the caller and quickly answered. "Hey, honey."

“Don't you dare 'hey honey' me!” The voice bellowed from the other end, wiping the smile dry from his face.

“Mum, what's wrong?" He enquired, checking the caller ID again to see whether he hadn't read well the first time around.

“Kris Reynolds, I can't believe you're in California and you didn't even bother to let me know!” Her voice rang with indignation and accusation.

Kris had to bite back a groan. He'd come to California mainly for a family reunion which was kicking off the day after tomorrow, but he'd arrived early so he could do some business before that.

He'd been hoping for some drama-free time away from the preparations and so he'd booked a hotel room instead to use until it was strictly necessary for him to head for the reunion.

“Mum, I...”

“Don't you dare lie to me. Alfred saw you this morning.”

“I wasn't going to lie. But mum, I only arrived last night.” Talk about lying while claiming to be telling the truth, but his mother couldn't know he'd been in California for two days.

“Oh... But you still should've told me. Why aren't you yet home anyway? Where are you sleeping? When are you coming home?” The tight edge in her voice had loosened a bit.

“Had to take care of some business. Still have to. Lodging at a hotel. I'll be home on Friday, mum.”

“Fine, but I also called for another reason.” She revealed. There was something about her tone that made his chest pang with unerring wariness. "You remember Linda, the daughter of Mr...."

Kris figured out what she wanted to say even before she completed her sentence. Taking the phone away from his ear, He groaned in frustration, shoving his hand into his hair as he walked over to the window before returning the phone to his ear.

Puny cold whipped his nude body. The sky was littered with clusters of vibrant stars gathered around a crescent leader. Normally, he would've venerated the scintillant stars. But right now, his top most priority was to get his mother to stop trying to influence his love life.

"Really mother? I thought we've already discussed this. Like a million times."

"Kris Reynolds, you're 30. You're not growing any younger. You need to settle down soon. Your father married me when he was 26 and I, 24." She intoned on the key words. He could practically see the exasperation on her face.

"You said it yourself mum. I am not 16 anymore, okay? I'm old enough to be the one to select the woman I want to spend my life with. Please stop meddling." He mused exasperatedly How many times more did he have to repeat those simple facts to her?

A loud sigh came through the phone. "It's not like I'm trying to meddle, son, but it seems you are having a hard time doing the choosing job. I just wanna help." Her voice had taken on a sweet, cajoling tone, so typical of his mother since she knew that pleading always disarmed him. "Just this one time please. You can decide whether you don't like her after going out on a date with her. Just this once, son."

He'd heard those words before. Three times to be exact. Three times his mother had tried hooking him up with girls of her choice, and three times, those relationships hadn't happened.

The first woman had been so shallow and vain you could see it by the way she spoke; the second looked like she was being forced to date him; the third had been okay - they just hadn't clicked.

"Mum, I can't date Linda." Kris told her firmly, and then the next words were out before he could think of the consequences. "I have a girlfriend."

The silence on the other end lasted barely three seconds before his mother's excited voice boomed through the phone. "Really? Are you being serious right now son?"

"Yes. I. . . uh. . . even brought her along. Will bring her to the get together. I wanted it to be a surprise." Kris cursed silently, unable to eat back his words as he turned from the balcony and closed the door. He just had to lie some more, didn't he?

"What a pleasant surprise it would've been!" The woman squealed. "You've made me so happy son. So how's she? Who's she? Is she beautiful? What a silly question! She must be beautiful."

"Mum, calm down. You are going to meet her tomorrow."

Why was his mother so stubborn on the subject of him settling down anyways? He'd never told her being single made him miserable and yet she was always going on about how lonely he must be.

"I guess you are right, honey. . . . . Yes, babe. Coming!... You won't believe what our son is telling me... " She seemed to shout with the phone pulled away from her ear. "Hey son, your father wants me now so I'll be going. I can't wait to tell him the good news. Oh my God!"

"Alright mum. See you."

It was only after he'd hanged up and slumped onto his bed that the impact and foolishness of what he'd just done dawned on him. What the hell had he been thinking lying to his mother like that? Frankly, he didn't have a girlfriend. Not to think of bringing her to the get-together. What was he going to do now?

He could go alone and come up with a lie as to why he couldn't bring his 'girlfriend' along. But knowing his mother, she would probably insist on returning with him to Rockford with the sole purpose of meeting his pretty much nonexistent girlfriend.

Truth of the matter was that, marriage at this point of his life was the last thing on his mind. He dated alright, but he only saw it as something essential which would prepare him for the main thing perhaps three years down the line. Maybe more.

Right now, he was far from searching for 'the one'.

As he realized there was no way his mother was ever going to quit trying to find him a woman if he didn't prove he indeed had a girlfriend, Kris decided what he was going to do; get someone to pretend to be his girlfriend at the get-together. Problem was, who?

Levering himself off the bed, Kris went to turn off the light in the room before returning and climbing into his bed. He would think about the 'who' tomorrow. Right now he just needed a good night sleep.

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“Really, Caleb? You talk like you don't know my mum. I promised to go to the reunion today with her. She's gonna know I lied if I don't show up with anyone. She won't buy any excuse.” Kris sighed, speaking to his friend over the phone.

“Then I think you have work to do, dude. Better start searching.” Caleb chuckled. “Hey, what about sending your ex over. The current one?”

“Who, Natasha?” Kris scoffed incredulous. “Really, Caleb?”

The woman was a possessive b***h who claimed she loved him when the main thing she loved was his pockets to help propel her modelling career to new heights. He wouldn't put it pass her to blackmail him with telling his mother the truth just to keep him.

“Well, it was only a suggestion. Get one of those California bitches then. Money is obviously not an issue.”

Kris had been contemplating that since he woke up in the morning but he wasn't too keen on getting a stranger for this job. It had to be someone he knew. Someone he could trust.

“I'm ready now!” A person behind him announced loudly. Kris turned to find his PA standing at the doorway of her hotel room. s**t, he hadn't heard the door opening. How long had been standing there?

“Caleb, we'll speak later.” Kris told his friend, hanging up after Caleb had said goodbye. He trained a disapproving look on Lexi. “What is it about you ladies always taking so long to get ready?”

“And what is it about you men always complaining when you already know what to expect.” Lexi shot back lightly, chuckling, and Kris rolled his eyes at the cheeky reply.

Surveying her adorned in a simple and businesslike off-white blouse on top of a black tailored skirt, hair tied up behind her head in a neat bun, Kris had to admit the time she'd spent dressing had payed off.

Alexa was a beautiful young woman; competent, free-spirited, confident, feisty, and with that sultry edge. There was no denying he was attracted to her, and he'd had a fantasy or two about her before, even though it was not in a primitive, I need to f**k you right now way.

Kris himself was a guy who knew his way with women. If the look in Lexi's eyes when she looked at him sometimes was anything to go by, then he wasn't the only one in on the attraction thing.

Even though they flirted with each other occasionally, albeit casually, they'd maintained their professionalism. Perhaps it was because she was good at what she did, and he knew sleeping with her would ruin their work relationship. He was careful enough not to let his guard down around her, and they both seemed to know where to draw the line.

Still, Alexa wasn't a woman he could ever imagine being 'the one for him.' For that position, he needed someone who didn't take commitment a bit lightly. Lexi didn't even have the word in her dictionary. Not with her thriving reputation for her promiscuity even anyways.

With a libido as wild as an untamed horse, she opted for one night stands, casual hookups and no string attached affairs, changing men like she changed her bed sheets.

He probably would've regarded everything as just rumours if Lexi wasn't so flagrant in the way she sometimes flirted with male colleagues, some members of the board of directors and even clients, even more seriously than she did with him.

He always pretended not to notice how the men's eyes gleamed the next day when they set eyes on her, suggesting what had happened the night before, although he'd never bothered to confirm.

Kris wasn't judging her for the lifestyle she'd chosen. No, but he was wise enough to decide never to have more than a s****l affair with such a woman if granted.

“I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous but can you please dim the drooling?” Fingers snapped in front of his eyes, pulling him out of his thoughts, and he found Lexi regarding him cockily.

“I came to your room last night to discuss somethings with you. You weren't around.” He changed the subject, collecting himself.

“I just went out.”

“I can only imagine what for.” Kris muttered under his breath, cursing inwardly when Lexi looked at him sharply. Still, he decided he needed to deal with the issue. “Look, Lexi. I really don't care what you do outside work hours. But we are on a business trip. Could you please make it a point of telling me every time you're going out?”

A smile curved Lexi's lips, but her eyes were hard. “I'll make sure of it, boss.”

Kris decided to ignore her sarcasm. “Good then. We better get going.”