Acting The Part

Chapter 10: Caleb

I couldn't help but smirk as the elevator doors opened, revealing the bright hospital corridor. Megan shot me a glare, her arms crossed as she tried to keep up with my pace. I'd told her we needed to leave, and fast.

She'd been cooped up in that hospital room with her mom for hours, and I could see the exhaustion weighing on her. But more than that, we needed to be seen. Together. Out in public. I had a plan, and it was time to set it in motion.

"You're not a gentleman, you know that?" she huffed, her lips pursed in mock annoyance.

I stopped just outside the hospital entrance, turning to face her. "I never claimed to be," I said, my voice low and teasing.

And before she could fire back a retort, I leaned in and kissed her. Hard. The kind of kiss that made it impossible for her to argue with me.

When I finally pulled back, I grinned at her breathless expression. "But you still need me. And we need to be seen as much as possible. So let's get out of here."

She blinked up at me, her lips still parted, but she didn't argue. Instead, she just rolled her eyes and followed me out to the parking lot where my convertible waited. The top was already down, and it gleamed under the late afternoon sun.

I hadn't been photographed with any women in weeks—thankfully. The board had been watching my every move, waiting for me to slip up. Between the CEO succession plans and my grandfather's little power struggle, I hadn't had the luxury of indulging in my usual distractions.

But today? Today was different. Megan was different. The addictive kind of different.

She climbed into the passenger seat, and I slid behind the wheel, revving the engine. The roar of the car echoed through the parking lot as I pulled out onto the street, the wind immediately whipping through our hair.

I glanced over at her, catching the way she closed her eyes and leaned into the breeze, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself," I said, raising an eyebrow as we sped through the city streets.

Megan's smile widened, but she didn't open her eyes. "Maybe I am."

Good. She deserved this. After everything she'd been through with her mom, she deserved a break. And if I had to drag her out of that hospital and into the light for a few hours, so be it. But this wasn't just about her.

We needed to be seen together. The tabloids would eat this shit up—billionaire heir Caleb Drake, out with his mysterious new fiancée.

It would keep the board off my back, and maybe even earn me a few more points with my grandfather. I wasn't playing for keeps, but I was playing to win.

I pulled into the parking lot of the biggest shopping center in the city, the valet already rushing over to park the car as I stepped out. Megan raised an eyebrow as I circled around to her side, offering her my hand.

"Shopping?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. "What's the catch?"

I chuckled, pulling her to her feet. "No catch. Just a little retail therapy. My treat."

Her eyes narrowed, but I could see the faintest hint of excitement in them. She wasn't the type to be easily impressed, but I knew this would get her. And sure enough, when we stepped inside and I handed her my black card, her eyebrows shot up.

"Caleb, I can't just—"

"It's for publicity," I interrupted, waving off her protest. "We need to look the part, remember? Fiancee of a billionaire and all that."

She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip as she glanced at the card in her hand. But then her eyes lit up, and a slow grin spread across her face. A grin that sent a chill down my spine.

"What?" I asked, suddenly wary of the glint in her eyes.

She tilted her head, her smile turning saccharine sweet. "It's payback time, baby."

Shit. What was she planning?

Before I could even process her words, Megan was dragging me through the mall, her hand clutching mine as she tugged me from boutique to boutique. And the worst part? She barely bought anything.

Every time she picked something up, she'd put it back down, claiming she couldn't decide. I watched in disbelief as she agonized over everything from shoes to dresses, taking her sweet time in every store.

By the time she finally settled on a few items, I was practically carrying half the inventory of the mall. My arms ached under the weight of the bags, and my feet throbbed from walking back and forth across the massive shopping center.

"Hell, shopping is worse than facing the board members," I muttered under my breath, adjusting the bags for the hundredth time. I glanced over at Megan, who was practically skipping ahead of me, her eyes still shining with amusement.

This was torture. Pure, unadulterated torture.

She turned back to me with a playful grin. "You okay back there?"

I scowled. "You're enjoying this way too much."

Her laugh rang out through the mall, and for a moment, I forgot about the ache in my arms and the sting of betrayal from my aching feet. She was glowing. Happy. And damn it, that made it worth it.

By the time we finally made it back to the car, I was ready to collapse. I dumped the bags into the trunk with a groan, rubbing my sore shoulders as I closed it. But Megan? She was still smiling, looking far too pleased with herself.

As soon as we were both back in the car, I turned to her, my hands still gripping the steering wheel as I took a deep breath.

"You made me go through hell today," I said, my voice low and gruff. "So now, it's your responsibility to make me feel better."

Her eyes widened slightly, but there was a wicked gleam in them as she leaned closer. "And what exactly do you want me to do?" she asked, her tongue darting out to lick her lips.

I leaned in, my breath hot against her ear as I whispered, "Come here."

Before she could respond, I pulled her towards me, crashing my lips against hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was raw, desperate, and filled with all the frustration she'd put me through today. And fuck, it felt good.

When I finally pulled back, we were both panting, our breaths mingling in the small space between us.

"Payback," I murmured, brushing my thumb across her swollen lips. "With interest."

Her eyes darkened, and for a moment, I knew she was ready to argue. To push back like she had been doing all along. But instead, she leaned in again, her lips finding mine as she whispered against my mouth, "I think I can handle that."

And just like that, the day didn't seem so bad after all.