PRESENT TIME...

CASSANDRA

I yawned for the nth time this morning, even if I already had my second cup of coffee my sleep-deprived self still couldn't function smoothly. This was Calix's fault if he didn't go above and beyond with his relentless seduction last night I shouldn't be falling asleep in my office this morning.

Seriously, he'd been in town for weeks now, and almost every day he'd go to my place or I would go to his and spend the night having sex not just in bed but in other places I didn't know possible before. Right now, I am so experienced when it comes to sex that I could write an erotic novel thanks to Calix.

But it became our rule not to spend the whole night in each other's place to avoid gossip and the sense of familiarity of having someone spending the whole night in your bed. We have to remember that this was a liaison and not a real relationship between two people who were dating for real.

"I just want to take a nap," I muttered to myself while staring sightlessly at my laptop. I should be focusing on the art exhibit we will be having at the art gallery next month instead of thinking about how nice it would be to take some time to lie down somewhere. I sat up straight on my swivel chair when someone knocked on my office door. "Come in."

Kate Sharpe, the gallery assistant peeked her brunette head in my doorway with a huge grin on her face. "Hi, am I interrupting you?"

I shook my head and returned the smile. "No. You are not. Please come in."

She waltzed her way inside my office. She was in her mid-twenties with an impressive curriculum vitae. She loves art probably more than I do. She was hired in this art gallery years ago and we hit off instantly the moment I was hired here because of our love for fashion and art. Also, she was close to my age which was why we got along so well.

I watched her sit on the chair across my table and then frowned when she saw my face. "Are you okay? There are dark circles under your eyes."

I waved my hand dismissively as I became self-conscious about my under-eye area. I think I should have put on concealer before I get to work. "Oh, it's nothing. Don't mind me."

Concerned marked her face. "The upcoming exhibit is making you sleepless at night, isn't it? You must be pressured."

I laughed at her genuine concern, it was on the tip of my tongue to correct her that it was not the coming exhibit that was keeping me sleepless at night. But I think she would be scandalized knowing that I've been in a secret affair with a man that I haven't even dated. It would be better to keep that information to myself since I didn't want the tabloids to have a field day knowing that a dutiful daughter like me was having an illicit affair with the womanizer Calix Spiridakou was something to talk about.

Seeing that Kate was still waiting for my answer I gave her a reassuring smile. "Not really, something just came up last night that's why I am a bit sleepy this morning."

"Ah..." My workmate nodded in sympathy and then her eyes narrowed in my neck. "Hey, is that a hickey on your neck, Cassie?!"

It felt like my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach as I consciously covered my neck using my hand. I fought the sudden urge to run to the nearest mirror to check it with my own eyes. I chuckled, even to my ear that sound was so off. "Oh, you must be mistaken. How can I possibly have a hickey on my neck when I don't even have a boyfriend? This must be a hive. You know, I am always susceptible to rashes."

Rashes, also known as Calix 'The Incorrigible' Spiridakou.

"I see."

If Calix was only standing in front of me right now, I have this sudden urge to strangle his neck for giving me a hickey. How could I have to hide it throughout the day when I didn't have any scarf with me today? Oh no, this was so embarrassing. I just wished that I bring some concealer with me.

"Well," Katie smiled as she stood from the chair. "I must be keeping you from your work. I should leave now and be as productive as you are. Let's have lunch together later?"

The smile on my face never falters. "Yeah. Sure."

She beamed at me brightly. "Great. You should do something with that hive of yours. If you want I have some ointment for rashes. Do you want some?"

"Ah, yes, thank you. I will just get it to you later." I replied when I still felt embarrassed thinking that I might have a hickey on my neck that I missed seeing when I took a bath due to my drowsiness.

She was about to leave my office when Sebastian Braizen, the owner of the art gallery where I work entered the office. "Do you have a minute, Cassie?"

"Good morning, Mr. Braizen," Kate greeted the gallerist.

"Oh," Mr. Braizen looked at me and then at Kate. "My apologies. Am I interrupting something? Maybe I should just come back later."

"Oh, I am about to leave, sir," Kate answered with a smile. "I'll see you later, Cassie. Mr. Braizen." She left my office after that.

Once I was alone with my boss. I parted my hair evenly and put the sections of my hair to the front to cover my neck. "What can I do for you, Mr. Braizen?"

"Sebastian is fine," he informed me, sitting on the chair where Kate sat previously. "You don't need to be so formal around me."

I smiled at him. Mr. Sebastian Braizen was a kind man. I never thought that I would find such a caring boss in my first job. He was in his mid-thirties, married with two kids. Everyone knew that he was a loving husband and an amazing father to his kids. He hired me in his prestigious art gallery even if I was lacking in experience and he never looked at me as a Spiro Vitalis daughter but as a normal woman looking for a job and I was always thankful to him for the opportunity he gave me.

"Is there something you want, Mister...I mean, Sebastian?" I corrected myself for the slip even if I was still unsure about calling my boss by his first name.

"I want to know the progress of our upcoming exhibit next month." He said with pleasure on his face when I was obliged to call him on a first-name basis.

I beamed at him as I presented him the portfolio of the artist I've been sweet-talking to do an exhibit in our gallery. So far, I've managed to do that. "I think you will be delighted to see this artist's works. He's the best and I am sure the exhibit with be a success."

He scanned the portfolio in his hand with a pleased smile on his face. "I think I want to meet this artist before the exhibit. Also, I think we can discuss more with him over lunch." My boss looked at me expectantly. "What do you say? Let's have lunch together?"

"Oh..." I bit my bottom lip uneasily. "...I already agree to have lunch with Kate, sir. Perhaps, you might want to join us instead?"

"Is that so?" He smiled at me which didn't quite reach his eyes. It seemed like he was disappointed. "About dinner, then?"

I was about to say 'yes' when my phone beeped with a message. I felt my lips tugging with a smile when I saw Calix's name on my screen. He was asking me to have dinner in my place and he would bring take-outs from the restaurant he had just discovered. For some reason, I couldn't say no to his invitation and I replied with my answer.

Placing my phone back on my table I faced my boss with a regretful smile. "Sorry, boss. I am not free tonight."

"You have a date with your boyfriend?"

"Oh, no," I replied with a laugh, waving my hand dismissively. "Just a friend." A sex friend, to be precise. I stopped myself from giggling I think my boss would be scandalized when he learned about my little secret.

He smiled at me. "I see. Maybe I'll just ask you some other time."

"Of course, Mr. Braizen."

He smiled again before taking his leave. Once I was alone in my office I focused my attention on my work throughout the day.

*****

"...and so Mr. Braizen asked me to have dinner with him tonight." I stopped talking and focused my attention on the man sitting across from me at the small table on the balcony of my penthouse. It seemed that he'd gone listening to me for some time while eating our take-outs. "What's wrong? Am I boring you to death with my chatter about work?"

The corner of his mouth tugged with a cynical smile. "I'm listening."

I threw an accusing look in his direction. "No. You are not."

That made a reluctant smile fit his sexy mouth. He focused his full attention on me. He rested his elbow on the table while his hand supported his jaw. Oh, I knew this gesture very well. This was Calix's signature style when he was about to interrogate someone with that innocent smile of his. "Tell me, Cass. This boss of yours, he's married, right?"

"Yes."

"And he's asking you to dinner tonight?"

"Yes," I replied again with a frown. "He said that he wants to discuss the upcoming exhibit in our art gallery."

"And you are considering his offer despite knowing that he's already a family man?"

I titled my head to the side. "Uh, yes? Since it's about work. I don't see any harm with that." I scowled at him when he gave me an amused look. "Why?"

"Do you honestly believe that a married man and a single woman having dinner together after work will not raise a few eyebrows?"

I laughed at his bizarre opinion. "Oh, Lord... If I will have dinner with my boss it would be only because of work and nothing romantic. I am not the type of woman who will have a relationship with a married man! Besides, I am certain that Mr. Braizen is blissfully happy with his wife and kids."

"Hmm," he said. "If you say so."

I gave him a hurtful look. "What? You don't trust me?"

"I always trust you, Cass," he said solemnly, his blue eyes intensely looking at me. It felt like they could pierce through my soul. "It's him that I don't trust."

"Don't be so skeptical of my boss. I am sure that he isn't what you think he is. He's a gentleman with a good character."

I knew that he didn't believe my words of assurance, he just smiled at me. Though part of me thought that I needed to reassure him more I just kept my mouth shut since I didn't know why I had this urge to explain myself more to him. It was so unlikely since he was not my boyfriend.

"By the way," Calix said, dragging me out of my reverie. "I'm going back to Greece tomorrow and it might take a week or so before I could go back here."

"Oh..." I didn't understand but it felt like I was inevitably saddened by his news which was absurd since I knew that he was a very busy person and his time didn't necessarily revolve around me. I needed a grip on things and I didn't want to appear to be needy with his attention. I have to remember that this was not a normal relationship only an affair with mutual benefits. So despite my unhappiness, I was feeling I smiled brightly in his direction a trait that I mastered in the past. I knew how to hide my real feelings through fake smiles. "Well, good luck with your trip. This might be a good opportunity for me to catch some sleep while you are away."

Calix's blue eyes narrowed in my direction. "You don't show any signs that you might miss when with the days that I am away from you."

I grinned at him playfully. "Well, I will try not to," I tapped my chin as if pretending to think. "Maybe I will just date some American guys while you are away. What do you think?" I swore that I was just joking at him and it comes off as if he didn't realize for he glowered at me and his expressive eyes turned dark. "Hey! I am just joking—"

Before I could finish my sentence he suddenly leaped off his chair plucked me from my seat and transferred me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. "Is that so, naughty miss? Perhaps, I should leave you invalid for the next few days until my return so you can't go out of your bed. How is that, huh?"

I gasped and then giggled when he playfully slapped my butt. "Hey, that hurt!"

"I'm warning you. I will not let you sleep even a wink tonight. I will make sure that my mark will stay with you even if I am away." He forewarned as he started making his way to my bedroom.

He unceremoniously tossed me in the middle of my bed, giggling I tried to sit up on my bed but he was straddling me with his legs as he stripped all of his clothes. I've watched him do this several times before but it always made my throat dry every time. I couldn't get enough of his well-defined body and that thing between his legs. Oh my...

"Ready?" He asked with a wicked smirk on his face.

I grinned at him. "For you? Always."

"Good." He laid on top of me and claimed my mouth in a hot kiss. I couldn't do anything but purr with satisfaction.

Truer to his words, throughout the night I did nothing but moan for his name. By the time he was satisfied with his seduction, my voice was hoarse, I was breathing hard and I was sore all over my body. There was also a hickey spread through my chest area. I was now laid on top of him naked and sat while trying to get our breathing back to normal.

He was running his finger leisurely on my ribcage. "Now you can't date anyone while I am away. Those hickeys should be enough protection until my return. I will not hand you to anyone, Cass. There's no way in hell I will let that happen." 

I pressed my cheek on his naked chest and then chuckled. "Dating is the last thing on my mind right now. It will be unfair to the guy since I am still mending my broken heart."

"Good," he announced, running his fingertips on my spine. I couldn't help but shiver at the sensation of his touch on my bare skin. "Since I am the guy who will help you forget my cousin Loukas, not those bastards."