Marriage of convenience

Chapter 46

I was lead into a fancy restaurant which had rustic props and cabin seats for privacy. I've had many business meetings in such a setting, however why I had to sit there with Ray was beyond me.

"Do you like the place?" He asked as the waitress set the table with expensive dishes. I nodded while I tried to calm myself down. Did I really have to sit alone with him for lunch? Couldn't I not have met him again? "I've ordered your favorite dishes. Let me know if you want anything else."

I nodded again. This was getting awkward and I wanted to run away from there.

"Angela?" he called. "Why are you not saying anything?" He asked and I looked up at him.

"Why are we here, Ray?" I asked straightforwardly.

"I thought we had something to say to each other," he said.

"I think that can be done over the meeting." I added after a moment, "as business partners."

He sighed. "Angela, you know that it is not about business."

"But I'm here for the sole purpose of business," I shrugged. "I don't discuss private matters over business deals."

He sighed heavily and looked at me. "If you are going to be that way, then I have no other choice left," he leaned forward, "I brought you here, away from the business lunch intending that this meeting was to discuss private matters. It isn't my fault that you've assumed it wrong."

"Is that so?" I raised my brows at him trying to be over smart. "My bad I've assumed it that way. I'll take my leave then," I got up from the chair, my blood pressure getting dangerously high. I could thrash him at the spot and my anger still wouldn't be gone.

"Wait!" he held my hand and tried to stop me from leaving.

"Let me go!" I yelled and struggled against his grip.

By then he made his way beside me and pulled me into his arms to contain my struggles.

"Stop fighting me!" he groaned as I kicked around wildly. "I won't let you go unless you stop struggling!"

"No!" I protested and continued writhing around. "I said let me go!"

"Why is it so hard to talk to you?" he yelled holding me tighter, so much that it was hard to breathe. "Do we really have to go this far and fight this way to just talk?"

My struggling got weaker and my arms were getting tired. My dress was already crumpled and I still had a meeting to attend after this.

"Please, hear me out," he said and turned me towards him. "It's been so long that I've met you."

But whatever he had to say had to wait a little longer as we were interrupted by a phone call.

"Hello, Ralph?" I said into the phone.

"Why are you not at the lunch here?" he questioned.

"I'll be there right away," I said throwing a look at Ray and hung up. "I'll take my leave now," I said getting my purse from the table.

"Wait!" he yelled and I turned to look at him. His soft and plump lips greeted mine in a gentle peck and my body went rigid. Goosebumps broke out on my skin as adrenaline pumped all over my body.

"What -" I tried to make sense of what happened, but Ray interrupted me without missing a beat.

"That felt good," he smirked, taking a step towards me. Involuntarily, I took a step back, desperately wanting to smack that smirk off his face. "We can have this discussion later, whenever you wish, in your personal time. Now," he said and opened the door for me like a perfect gentleman. "After you."