Clark's POV

I lost myself in the moment of guiding Elias.

Calling him "love" was nothing but a slip of the tongue. I'm sure he wasn't expecting to hear that, which is probably what made him trip up and find himself in my arms.

Now I can't tear my gaze away from his parted lips.

The urge to kiss him is overwhelming, the need threatening to consume every atom in my body. Damn the rules. I want him. I want to kiss him.

And I think he wants me to do it, too.

How else am I supposed to interpret it as he licks his lips for a second time? Hell, professionalism flew out of the window when he started to fall. I ran quicker than I ever did before in my life just to save him because a part of me didn't want to see him get hurt.

Besides, we're faking it as a couple, right? It wouldn't be unusual for me to kiss my partner after saving him from what could've been a nasty fall. It's a natural reaction. I bet Emily and David would do the same if they were in our shoes.

"Clark..." Elias' grip tightens on my arms.

"I know," I whisper back. I feel it, too.

I swear I see my own desire mirrored in his pretty brown eyes. His breathing quickens, a sign I take as positive, and I lean in closer because fuck it. I'm going to kiss him. His eyes flutter shut, mouth ready and waiting. He would've pushed me away by now if he didn't want me to do it.

"Ahem."

The sound of Raye, our overly energetic workshop host, clearing her throat makes Elias and I spring apart like we've been doused in a bucket of ice water. The spell is officially broken.

"Thank you, Clark and Elias, for that, uh, wonderful demonstration," she says, her face flushed. "Okay! Let's, um, let's all get back on track, shall we?"

I can't help but roll my eyes. Elias looks equally flustered, his cheeks darkening in color as he reverts to avoiding my gaze.

Great. We're back to that again.

As the workshop continues, I find it nearly impossible to concentrate on Emily and David as they poorly make their way through the course. Their communication is shit compared to me and Elias. Not that I really give a damn about that right now because my mind keeps replaying that failed kiss. I can't get over the sultry look on Elias' face as he waited for me to make the move.

The way his lips parted slightly in invitation was enough to send blood rushing to my lower half. But how he feels right now at this moment, I can't tell. I just hope he doesn't have any regrets.

I've never been this impulsive with anyone before. What the fuck has gotten into me?

I clench my fists by my side, trying again to regain control of my thoughts and emotions. This is a business arrangement. A business arrangement.

A business arrangement...maybe if I say it enough times, I'll start to act more with the head on my shoulders versus the between my legs.

I can't let my attraction to Elias fuck up my plans. I tell myself that over and over, but even as I refocus on the workshop, I still can't shake the feeling that I need more from my partner. Another touch, a proper taste. I glance at Elias. Our eyes meet, and the air between us once again crackles with the desire we both want to confront but can't.

This is a business arrangement. A business arrangement. A business arrangement...

When the workshop eventually ends, everyone heads inside the main building. Emily and David are up ahead chatting and laughing, but Elias and I remain quiet, lost in our own heads.

Until the silence gets the best of me.

"Elias," I start. "What happened back there, I just want to say—"

"Don't." He shakes his head and holds up a hand for me to stop talking, a rueful smile forming on his face. "It's fine. We both got caught up in the moment. But...you know we have to be more careful, right? We can't let certain lines get crossed while we're here."

Translation: We can't be partners with benefits while we're here.

"Right." I nod, feeling a pang of disappointment before changing the subject. "Time for lunch. Hungry?"

His growling stomach answers for him. We both laugh and crack jokes while walking the rest of the way inside.

If only things could stay this easy between us for the rest of the week.

***

Now I'm getting irritated.

Elias and I are almost finished with our lunch, and there's still no sign of Ava. We were supposed to meet up around this time to talk more about Project Terra, but so far, nothing. She has my contact information, so the least she could do is drop me a text. I swear if she wasn't who she was, I'd start to believe she's ghosting me on purpose.

I'm about to give up and call it a day when Elias looks up from his plate of food, his eyes widening. "Hey, isn't that Ava over there?"

I twist around quickly in my seat and follow his gaze, spotting Ava deep in conversation with someone across the room. I hesitate for a moment. Should I leave the ball in her court and wait for her to approach me, or should I take the initiative myself? I'm desperate, but I don't want it to show. I still have a reputation to maintain after this retreat ends.

"You should go over there," Elias says. "Or else someone will jump in after that person she's talking to leaves."

"You're right." I stand from my seat. I can't afford to sit back and be passive. "I'll meet you back in the room after I'm done."

Elias smiles and waves me off. "Good luck, love!"

"Thanks." I laugh and roll my eyes at his teasing.

Walking up to Ava, she smiles as I politely interrupt her conversation. "Sorry to intrude, but I was hoping we could pick up on that discussion we were having before?"

"Oh, yes! Of course." She excuses herself from her companion before gesturing for me to follow her down a nearby hall.

We find a private room and take our seats.

"I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner, Clark. It's been a busy day." She crosses her legs and leans back in her chair with a heavy sigh, her expression apologetic. "And then one couple had to leave early because of a death in the family. Maybe hectic is better than busy. Ugh. So tragic."

"Definitely. My condolences to them."

"Anyway, sorry to put that emotional dump on your lap. Back to Project Terra. Let's chat."

"Right, so..."

For the next hour, I pour my heart and soul into pitching Ashford Technologies, laying out all the reasons why we're worthy of her time and investment. I talk about our cutting-edge technology, our dedicated team and past successes, and our vision for the future. Throughout it all, she listens intently, but her expression gives nothing away.

By the time I finish running my mouth, I'm slightly out of breath, my heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves.

"You know, it would've been nice to see everything on paper," Ava says finally, giving me absolutely nothing else. "I should've told you yesterday that I'm a visual person."

Shit, how could I have overlooked something so basic? I'm better than this. I should've been more prepared. I...I shouldn't have let myself get distracted by whatever the fuck is happening with me and Elias. I wonder if Ava has noticed that as well.

Before I can attempt to save myself, her cell phone rings.

"Sorry about that." She glances at the screen, then back at me with a bright smile. "It's my wife. I have to go, but we'll talk more another time, okay?"

She's up and out of the room before I can agree.

I slump back in my chair, feeling defeated. I had hoped to walk out of this meeting with a clear sign of Ava's interest, but instead I'm left with more questions than answers.

I guess it's good enough that she didn't shut me down, but I also don't have her signature on any paperwork. If my grandfather were here, he'd nag me for doing such a poor job. I can almost hear his gruff voice yelling in my head...

What the hell was that, Clark? Stop messaging around and seal the damn deal.

With a sigh, I push myself to my feet and head straight for my room.

My phone buzzes halfway into the walk with an incoming text from the devil himself, my grandfather. The message is short and clear.

The Old Man: Lock in this deal with Ava ASAP. We've just lost another investor.

Fuck! I almost throw the damn phone down the hallway, a momentary lapse of self-control. The energy to hide how I'm feeling is gone once I enter my room, my shoulders tight with tension as I slam the door shut behind me.

"Hey." Elias, sitting on the bed watching something on his phone, looks up in surprise. He sets it aside, his voice soft as he asks, "Everything okay?"

"Not really." I walk over to the bed and flop down beside him, staring up at the ceiling. "The meeting with Ava felt like nothing but a waste of both our time," I admit, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "The woman is hard to please."

"Ah. Sorry to hear it."

"She wants to see everything in writing now, which totally makes sense," I mutter, closing my eyes. "And now my grandfather is back to breathing down my neck because we just lost another investor. Things are such a mess right now, and it's only getting worse."

"Clark." I feel the mattress shift as Elias scoots closer, one hand coming to rest on my arm. "It's not over yet," he says. "I know we just met, but I've been watching you. I can see just how brilliant and driven you are. If anyone can make this deal happen, it's you."

Damn, why does he have to be so sweet right now? I open my eyes and turn my head to look at him. "You think so?"

"Yes, I do. And I can already see the fire coming back alive in your eyes."

"Because of your words," I chuckle.

"Because you know I'm right." His fingers find their way into my hair, stroking gently. The sensation is incredibly relaxing, and I can feel some of the tension beginning to leave my body. "This is just another challenge for you to overcome. I mean, Ava's tough, but you're resilient."

"I am resilient..." My eyes close again when the tips of his fingers massage my scalp. "And stubborn as hell."

"Oh? I haven't seen that side of you yet," he laughs. "You should arrange another meeting with her tomorrow. And tonight, you should work on a visual proposal to really wow her."

"You're pretty amazing, you know? I'm contemplating firing my assistant and hiring you instead. She never gives me pep-talks like this."

Elias grows quiet, his fingers stilling in my hair. I worry he might've missed the joke, but then he speaks again, his voice soft and teasing, "So, does this mean we're extending our arrangement?"

"Oh..." His question has me going mute this time, and I find myself considering the implications of keeping our lies going. Realistically, would that even be possible? What do I really want from all this? From him? Before I can formulate a proper response, Elias is already moving on.

"You're cute when you get flustered," he says, then takes me off guard by pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Woah. Did you just...?" My eyes fly open in surprise. He kissed me! And I'm not just dreaming about it this time. "I thought kissing was against the rules."

"Loophole." Elias smirks, shrugging one shoulder. "I didn't kiss you on the lips, so technically we're still in the clear." He climbs off the bed before I can get my thoughts back in order, one hand tugging mine. "Come on. I want to show you something."

Intrigued, I let him pull me to my feet. "Show me what?"

"Well..." Elias' smile turns mischievous. "Do you know how to swim?"