The Business Engagement

Dangerous Liasons

At Rey's request, they ordered take-out from four separate fast food chains. Ben picked at his food and watched Rey as she delightedly filled her plate over and over.

His mobile phone rang, and he left the room before answering. Rey continued eating until he returned.

'Was that anything to do with my apartment?' she asked.

'No. Just a work thing,' he replied.

Rey knew instinctively that he was lying but if it was about her apartment, why was he keeping it from her? Was he trying to protect her? If so, from what?

'When do you think I will be able to go back to my place?' Rey asked in-between fries.

'About that. I've thought about it and I really feel you should stay here for the duration of our... arrangement. Once we go public, everyone will expect us to be living together anyway, so it makes sense.'

Rey looked at the feast before her. It was a no brainer really.

'Okay. I'll stay here until we part ways. But do you know when I will be able to get some of my things from my flat?'

'I'll let you know as soon as my guys give me the all clear.'

Rey chewed and nodded.

**********

The rest of the day passed relatively peacefully. Rey plucked a book from Ben's ample collection and curled up in an armchair. A few hours later, she woke up to find the book carefully placed on the table by her side and a soft blanket wrapped around her.

'Do you know you snore?' Ben said without looking up from his newspaper.

Rey stretched her arms over her head.

'No I wasn't aware of that, but there's another intimate fact for you to file away for future use, my pretend pookie.'

Ben didn't respond, so Rey glanced at him. His eyes were focused on her chest as she stretched. The look on his face was almost... predatory. Rey shivered and Ben's trance was broken. He cleared his throat and returned to his paper.

Rey's temperature went up a few degrees. What the hell? Was she literally getting hot for her boss? Sure, she always thought Ben was attractive, but she never had such a strong physical reaction to him before. She pressed her lips together, then announced she needed to use the ladies room.

In the safety of the locked bathroom, Rey splashed her face with cold water and ordered her reflection to get it together. The last thing she needed right now was to start having feelings for Ben. Weren't things complicated enough between them? Rey stayed in the bathroom until she felt more like herself, then returned to the lounge.

Ben wasn't there, so Rey searched for him. She found him in the study frowning at a letter.

'What's that?' Rey asked.

'Nothing,' Ben said quickly. He put the letter back into its envelope and placed it aside.

Clearly the letter was something, but Rey didn't push the subject.

'Okay. Shall we eat?' she asked brightly.

Ben smiled. 'Of course, your choice.'

**********

After dinner, Rey wanted to ask Ben about the letter. But it was clear he still didn't want to talk about it and she was reluctant to spoil the comfortable truce that sprung up between them.

So instead she asked if she could take a bath.  She wanted to try out the massive bathtub since she first laid eyes on it.

Ben agreed and Rey skipped up the stairs to the bathroom. She found some girly-looking bubble bath in a cupboard and poured half the bottle into the steamy water. She undressed and slowly lowered herself into the soothing bubbles. Closing her eyes, she sighed with contentment as her worries floated away.