The Contract with my CEO Baby Daddy

Episode 3

Hudson.

The private booth was plush and noiseless, perfect for the likes of me. Loosening my tie, I leaned forward to survey the proceedings below: endless speeches, awards, which all did very little to keep my interest piqued. Instead, I leaned back, opening my laptop, and going through the latest set of contracts waiting for me.

I worked efficiently, my long fingers flying across the keyboard, occasionally glancing at my phone for updates. The soft hum of the event barely registered until a voice cut through the monotony.

It wasn't loud, but it was riveting, soft, smoky, and laced with something that ran a shiver down my spine.

My gaze shot upward, gray eyes narrowing to focus on the stage. A vision in green was standing there, shimmering under those lights; a woman whose brunette curls had been pinned back to expose a long neck, an elegant one. She smiled, and the crowd chuckled over something she'd said, though I hadn't caught the joke.

My attention zeroed in on her entirely.

Her voice was magnetic, husky and smooth, with just the faintest rasp. It was a voice for late nights and whispered confidences, the one that could make even the most blandest words sound intoxicating.

I set my laptop aside, hardly noticing the clinking of glasses as a server neared me.

"Do you need anything, sir?" the server asked politely.

I waved him off without looking. "No."

As the woman finished her speech and stepped down from the stage, disappearing into the crowd, I felt a strange pull in my chest. It was attraction and a deep need to know her. Which was entirely out of the norm for me.

I stood abruptly, pulling out my phone as I walked. With quick, decisive taps, I sent a message to my most trusted tech expert:

‘Rena Edmund. Get me a file on her.’

Pocketing my phone, I went down the stairs, my eyes scanning the room till they found her by the bar, laughing with the bartender, relaxed and radiant.

A flicker of jealousy flared in me. It was irrational, and I knew it, but the easy way she leaned against the bar, smiling at the man behind it, set my teeth on edge.

Shaking off the feeling, I approached.

Sliding into the seat beside her, I said smoothly, “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”

The bartender nodded and reached for a glass, then Rena turned to me, her hazel eyes widening as they roved over me.

Her lips parted and she whispered, "Oh, f**k me."

My brows shot up and a slow grin curved my lips. "Well, definitely, yes, please," I replied on a low, teasing note.

Her cheeks flamed red, and she looked away, sputtering. "I didn't…I mean, that's not what I…"

I picked up my drink, sipping to hide my amusement. "Relax. It's not every day I get that kind of welcome."

Rena groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "God, this is embarrassing."

I leaned in slightly, my voice lowering to a murmur. "Don't be. I quite like it."

She looked up at me from under her lashes, red and flustered but beginning to relax. I cleared my throat. "So…Rena, is it?"

She leant her head to one side, surprised. "How did you know my name?"

I merely c****d a brow and her colour deepened. "Right, they announced it earlier," she said in a rush, trying to cover. "I'm Rena, obviously."

"Obviously," I repeated, gray eyes glinting with amusement. Her laughter bubbled out again, and I couldn't help but smile at the way her eyes lit up.

From then on, the conversation flowed easily, filled with teasing remarks and sideways glances. The chemistry was alive in the air, a heady elixir of attraction and intrigue.

"So," I finally said after a brief moment of silence, my fingers swirling the drink in my hand. "Tell me. What's a woman like you doing at an event like this?"

"A woman like me?" she asked, raising a brow.

He smiled. "Beautiful. Magnetic. And clearly not one of these stiff socialites."

Rena colored under my gaze, biting her lip. "I'm here for my best friend, Stephanie. She was supposed to be here, but she's overseas, so I'm playing stand-in."

"Stand-in?" I echoed, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. "Well, she's lucky. You did more than stand in. You stole the show.”

She rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging on her lips gave her away. "You're good at that, aren't you?"

"At what?"

"Making a woman feel like she's the only one in the room."

My gaze softened, my voice dropping to a low. "That's because right now, you are.”

The air between us had thickened to a tension almost palpable. It was as if her gaze on me made my stutter, and for just a second, I forgot how to breathe.

She looked away then, checking for the time on her phone. "s**t," she muttered. "I've stayed longer than I should have."

My voice was smooth as silk as I asked, "Would I be too forward if I asked you to spend the night with me?"

Her head jerked up, her eyes locking onto mine. She opened her mouth to say something, then seemed to reconsider, her teeth pulling nervously at her lower lip.

The sight of her teeth tugging on her lower lip sent a bolt of heat through me.

"Yes," she finally whispered low.

I stood, my movements sure and unhurried. I set a hand to the small of her back, urging her toward the door. The warm heat of her skin through the silk of her dress on my palm, sent my pulse racing.

We slipped out through a private exit, the cool night air hitting us as we approached my sleek black car.

I opened the door for her; my gray eyes met hers. "After you."

She slid in, her nerves making her fidget, and the door closed behind her. I turned and climbed in after her, and the space inside the car suddenly felt much smaller.

The silence was thick, and Rena gave a nervous laugh. "So, uh, this is…well, uh, I mean the night and all…well, you…"

I turned to her, my large hand cupping her neck, cutting her off.

Her breath caught, and before she could utter another word, I pulled her toward me, my lips crashing against hers.

The kiss was searing, our mouths moving against each other’s with a hunger that left me dizzy. She gasped softly, and my tongue swept in, deepening the kiss. Her body melted into mine, her hands clutching at my suit jacket. Getting to the hotel, making our way to the room and what happened after…would never leave my mind in a hurry.