Chapter 10 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Yeah. You’re right. Congratulations to you both once again. Let’s talk tomorrow Miss Smith.” Mr Conner said with a slight bow before walking away.

“Let’s go in baby.” Sonia said, urging Bryan to move.. She had been bored shitless, and had been looking for something really exciting to cure her writer’s block and here it was.

Bryan still had a smile pasted on his face as he led her in the direction of his suite. He was just going to apologise to her for surprising her that way, then thank her for not embarrassing him by turning him down since he was certain she had a boyfriend. Then he would tell her it was just a prank and she could leave, or maybe offer her some money before asking her to leave, Bryan decided as they got into the elevator. Thankfully they were alone inside, so the moment they got inside, he withdrew his hands from her and put some distance between them.

“I’m sorry for coming at you that way…”

“It’s fine. I’ve always been a sucker for such surprises, especially coming from someone as handsome as you. You literally swept off my feet and then you blew me away.” Sonia said with a sweet smile as she kept looking into his beautiful green eyes.

Swept her off her feet? Blew her away? That hadn’t been his intention so she had better start returning from wherever she had been blown to and stand on her feet again, Bryan thought with a scowl..

“I only wish that I had given more thought to my outfit and make up before leaving the house. I look too ordinary to be seen on the tabloids as your fiancee.” She continued with a giggle as she admired the ring on her finger.

Bryan was beginning to wonder why she was still smiling that way now when they were done acting, “Thanks for playing along even though I’m sure you have a man in your life…”

“No. I didn’t until you came along.” Sonia said with a wink.

‘Until I came along?’ Bryan couldn’t help the sudden sinking feeling he was beginning to have. Why was he feeling like this girl was a psycho and was going to cause problems for him? Why did she keep smiling at him like that? “Well, the thing is, I was just bored and needed to do something exciting to make people talk, so I randomly selected you…”

“Wow! Just a moment ago I was bored too and needed something exciting! We must be meant for each other, right?” Sonia asked pretending not to know where he was driving at.

Bryan cleared his throat as the elevator bell dinged and the door opened. He pressed the button again to take them to a different floor since he wasn’t sure he wanted this psycho to know his suite, “You must know that I didn’t mean that, right?” Bryan asked with a stiff smile.

“Didn’t mean what exactly?” Sonia asked with an innocent smile even though she could tell he was trying to dismiss her.

Bryan cleared his throat again, “What I mean is, this engagement isn’t real. I’m not interested in you, as I’m sure you’re not interested in me either…”

“Says who? I’m interested in you.” Sonia said, making his heart skip a beat.

“Miss…?”

“The name of your fiancee is Sonia Smith.” Sonia said with a pleasant smile.

“Okay, Miss Smith. I’m trying to say, I have no intention of getting married to you or anyone else. I didn’t mean whatever I said down there.”

“Well, maybe you didn’t, but I did.” Sonia said with an easy shrug.

Bryan paused to take in a deep breath. He was beginning to lose his temper with this crazy wench, “How much do you want? Let’s end this here and return to being strangers.” Bryan suggested making Sonia smile.

“I’ve always read about you in the gossip columns and I never really believed everything I read… Especially the parts about you being reckless and not very smart. But right now I see they were right. Tell me something, what are you going to tell the world tomorrow when you’re asked about your engagement? Will you tell them you just wanted a scandal with a random stranger because you were bored? Let’s assume you do that, what makes you think I’ll go along with it?” She asked, the smile was no longer on her face now.

“What are you trying to say?” Bryan asked suspiciously.

“I’m saying, whether you like it or not, you’re now my fiance. You may not have meant it, but I mean it. I’m not some random young lady you can do something like this with, and I most definitely do not need your money.” Sonia said, flashing him a smile again.

“…” Bryan felt his mouth go dry. He had thought he had picked the easiest lady in the lobby, but it was beginning to feel like he had used the cover of this book to judge it wrongly.

The elevator bell dinged again, and this time Sonia turned to look at him with a slightly raised brow, “Are we going to stay in the elevator all night? We should go to OUR suite.” She said as she slid her left arm under his right arm and intertwined it again, before resting her head on his chest, and placing her right hand on his abdomen possessively, making it clear to him that she had no intention of returning his ring.

Bryan didn’t know why, but he suddenly had the feeling that this lady wasn’t going to be an easy one to shake off. All he had wanted was a scandal and not a damned fiancee, so what was this?

“What do you want? Just name it, and I’ll give it to you so you can leave.” Bryan offered as he pressed the button in the elevator again.

“Your heart.”

After Benne left Celsie’s apartment, she went on to finish with the arrangement and eat some of the apple peach cobbler Benne had brought her, and just as she got ready to get into the bathroom her phone started ringing. She paused to pick it up when she noticed it was a call from Sonia.

“I was going to call you after having my bath.” She said Immediately she received the call.

“Really? That was fast. You’ve seen the news already?” Sonia asked excitedly as she kept her arms intertwined with Bryan’s who couldn’t move away since people were watching.

“What news?” Celsie asked in confusion.

“I see you haven’t. Well, why were you going to call me then?” Sonia asked curiously since she knew once she told Celsie about the engagement, Celsie might not say what she wanted to say anymore.

“What’s on the news?” Celsie asked, equally serious.

“What’s on the news isn’t running. I’ll tell you about it once you tell me why you were going to call, so hurry.” Sonia said making Celsie sigh.

“Well, I don’t know how to say this, or what to make of it, but remember my one night stand?”

“Benne?”

“Yeah. He happens to be my next door neighbor.” Celsie said making Sonia shriek excitedly, while Bryan looked at her like she had lost her mind.

“This can’t be mere coincidence! It’s fate! Oh My God! It’s just like a perfect romance story. I should probably write something like this for my next story.” Sonia said dreamily.

“I told him I want what happened last night to remain in the past, and so far he has acted gentlemanly. He even helped me around the house. Do you think it’s going to be okay being next door neighbors with someone I’ve slept with? Should I move?” Celsie asked making Sonia roll her eyes..

“Well, lucky you now you don’t have to go to those sex stores anymore. You could just get him to be your neighbor with benefit, and he can just smash your Honeypot whenever you feel like it.” Sonia said with a giggle making Bryan wonder what sort of lunatic she was. Neighbor with benefits!? Was there even a relationship like that?

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