The Better Woman and Her Boss.

An arrangement.

Kate's POV

"Did I hear you right? Court?!" He asks a bewildered look on his face. "You want me to Court you first?"

I straighten, standing a little taller, I lift my chin.

"Yes, I want to be courted." I say louder this time.

"But I.." He begins, waving a hand.

"Yes, I will still marry you as you ask but I want at  least a few weeks of courting, dating whatever you want to call it." I shrug offhandedly but with a firm tone, I deliver my point on the matter, no room for negotiation.

Jack scoffs, running his hand threw his hair, his other hand grips his hip.

He blinks, shaking his head seeming to not understand, how I've gain control of the situation so quickly.

"Well I.." He begins before pausing. "Well I suppose I have to say yes, it's not like their is a barrel of women I could ask.." He offers up truthfully with open palms.

"Well there is but they'd be dismissing a pre-nup for the agreement." I say with a chuckle, Jack straightens as if a pre-nup hadn't crossed his mind yet.

I shook my head in disbelief, how had he made it this far in this cut-throat industry.

"Uhh yeah duh.." He replies.

Jack's POV

This woman never seemed to surprise me...

How had she not wandered into my life sooner?

I always felt superior when talking to most people but not with her, no she always seemed to be two steps ahead, it was both exhilarating and annoying.

Again I found myself slack jaw and staring again, that seemed to happen at least once within each conversation with her.

"Yes well it seems although I gave it some thought, you know more on the subject." I tease, causing the beautiful woman to flush red and look away awkwardly.

"I ahh watch a lot of Judge Judy and stuff.." She mumbles in reply.

I don't push it further, a smirk spreading across my face the longer I looked at her, the more I worried she was becoming more then a employee, my fake relationship offer aside.

"3 weeks." I state lifting my chin, shaking my thoughts clear again.

Kate's eyes find mine, they sparkle with curiosity, causing me to swallow.

"3 weeks of...'Courting' as you call it, and then we announce our engagement.." I clarifie. pausing I lift a shoulder, looking away. "Then we plan the wedding a few weeks after that, happy?" I ask, looking back at her.

Kate thinks for a long moment but finally, lifts her drink to her mouth only to find it empty, she pouts staring at the bottom of the glass.

"I suppose its better then a suspicious shotgun wedding, at least they won't think I'm up the duff that way." She voices bluntly, earning a choking cough as I suck in air, wide eyed, I can't help but stare.

"Ahh yeah, I umm didn't think of that either.." I say honestly, where the hell had that idea popped into her head? But I suppose if she's thought of it, someone else would of too.

Kate's looks at me with a frown.

"You haven't thought much past asking me to marry you, had you?" Kate asks, pulling no punches attitude, it has me off balance today.

"No, I hadn't, time wasn't on my side, and I did fear your reaction, I'll confide." I say turning back offering my bottle of whiskey, Kate nodded and poured a little, then she filled the rest of the cup with a coke I offered her.

Kate's Pov

"So what's the exclusive?" I ask, watching as Jack seems to swallow, making his own drink.

"I'm trying to quell negative talk I'm receiving from my investors, you know reassure them, and kill the playboy vibe that's resurfaced..that's not me anymore." He finishes quietly

I smile a little, I feel a little emotional at the sincerity I feel in he's words, biting my lip as I ponder his words, I feel myself begin to nod.

"Ok well I suppose we should start coming up with a story." I offer as I turn towards the couches, I sit and tuck me feet up beside me.

"Our story?" Jack asks, a little confused.

"How did we meet?" I ask, looking over my shoulder he takes the hint, and moves towards the couch to my right.

"Oh ahh, I hired an assistant and discovered my equal." He words carefully, a glint in his eyes matched my own at his choice of words.

"That's a start I suppose.." I say with a chuckle.

Jack's POV

The longer I look at her, the more I feel I choose the perfect girl not only for the job but for this particular request, I'd been uncomfortable and nervous to ask and yet Kate had made me feel at ease.

"Thank you.." I say my voice cracking a little, Kate's eyes widen as I catch her off guard.

"Umm no worries.." Kate says a little quieter than I expected, she clears her throat and smiles gently.

"So where was our first date?" She asks me, I can't help but lean on my fist, elbow of the couches arm.

"Where would you like it to have been?" I reply, she thinks before shrugging.

"Maybe a nice restaurant?" She asks, I smirk pulling out my phone.

Dialing a number I wait for someone to answer.

"Hello?" comes the voice,

"Table for two please for tomorrow night, under Mr Worth." I say confidently, my eyes nver leaving Kate's bewildered gaze.

"Oh Mr Worth, of course, we look forward to seeing you then." comes the voice on the other line.

"Thank you, goodbye for now." I hang up, dropping the phone from my ear.

"So?" Kate asks after a long silence the curiosity clear in her eyes.

"FIrst date; Silver Seclusion." I inform with a smirk, I relish in the dumbfounded reaction from Kate.

"No way! I heard there was a 2 year wait for a table there!" She exclaimed with wonder.

"Generally there is." I confirm before adding. "But I was the first customer through the doors when it opened, as I the owner Harry and I went to school together." I smiled, Kate nods and we fall int a comfortable silence.

I find myself looking forward to tomorrow, more than I had been looking forward to anything for a long time.

Kate POV

Jack had dropped me off home personally, it was well after 1am, we had sat and talked a while more, getting to know each other, flicking through a few tv channels before deciding it was time to call it a night.

Yawning on the ride home, had left me feeling embarrassed as I endured Jack, gentle teasing and crinkled eyes that snuck glaces as we drove.

Now walking in the door, I locked it before peeling my jumper off, my apartment still fairly warm despite the cool night outside, I headed for my bed, grabbing a bottle of water from my fridge as I went.

A smile plaster on my face, that I was sure looked goofy and smug.

I had a date, yes a fake date, but a date just the same, my first romantic experience, since splitting with Tom and probably even well before that.

I couldn't remember how long it had been before we split, that Tom had taken me out for dinner, or done anything romantic.

My heart squeezed a little so many lost and wasted years of love, and yet I smiled in the knowledge, that it had lead me here.

To the anticipation of tomorrow night, to a restaurant I would otherwise never have a chance of going to with a man every woman in the city wanted.

Just because I didn't exactly see what they must see, I looked forward to a great night with a handsome man, boss or not.

Still the weeks ahead would definitely be hard to explained to mum and dad when the time came, I hadn't yet got the courage up to tell them Tom had cheated and left me, let alone I was set to be married in only 2 or 3 months time.

I flopped down on my bed and still felt my face smile, but I would tell them and promised to enjoy every day of it.

Once it was all said and done, I had plans for that million dollars but it would be at least 100kms away from this apartment.