Tyler didn't know whether to be angry with her for keeping him waiting all evening and disturbing his thoughts or be sorry about her fall. He had waited for her all evening, but she had failed to show up at the dinner table.

After waiting for her for over an hour, he had gone to check on her. He had spied on her through the interconnecting door between their rooms. When he had found her sleeping, he had retreated but had forgotten to lock the door.

Mira had never felt so embarrassed or angry in her life. She ignored the hand he offered as she stood up.

"You said our room was next to each other, but you didn't say there was a connecting door between both rooms.

And why was it open?" She asked calmly, allowing her anger to get the better part of her.

Tyler looked at her, "You do realise you have no right to be angry? First of all, this is my home, and I don't think I owe you any explanation as to why there is an interconnecting door between my rooms.

Secondly, it is my house, and I can open any damn door I please. Finally, do not speak to me in such a manner, you're a paid guest in my home, and you will respect me. Lest I forget, were you not supposed to meet me by 8 pm? You lack basic business ethics," Tyler said before he could stop himself.

He wasn't one quick to anger, and neither was he one to say so much. He closed his eyes to take a deep breath. It was either he was tired or being around this lady was messing with his brain.

Mira looked at him, "And what if I was naked? Do you make it a habit spying on your 'paid guests' without their knowledge?" She asked sarcastically.

"Do you go about sleeping naked in the homes of strangers, Miss Victoria?" He retorted.

Mira opened her mouth to speak but shut it when nothing came out of it. This was Victoria's job, and she had promised not to mess it up. For Victoria's sake, she'd let this slide, swallow her pride and apologise.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness, Sir. I had no right talking to you in that manner. And I'm sorry for not showing up as expected," She said with her head bowed and fists tightly clenched.

He could tell she was very angry from her stance and the stiffness of her shoulders.

He knew it had been wrong of him to talk to her in that manner, but he couldn't take it back now.

Pride stopped him from apologising. He wouldn't have been so mad and said so much if she hadn't been so rude.

Just as she turned to leave, her stomach rumbled loudly. "You must be hungry. The maid has gone home for the night. Let's get you something to eat," He said as a way of apology.

She knew that was á poor attempt at apology, but she was willing to accept it.

She hadn't eaten all day, and she still needed to reach her father and Victoria.

I'll appreciate that. I'll just freshen up and join you at the table if you don't mind," She said, closing the door between them as she stepped inside her room.

After bathing, she quickly dried her body.

There was no time to dry her hair. She didn't want to keep him waiting. She wore a short, simple white gown and stepped out of the room.

He smelt her before she arrived; he could smell the flowery scent which was peculiar to her. He raised his head to look at her, and his heart skipped a bit. She looked like a fairy princess. Her wet hair glistened beautifully, her face now devoid of makeup, looking so serene. Her lips made him want to pull her close to himself. He could feel himself go hard.

"May I use your phone, please? I have been unable to make calls with mine. And I really need to call my father," She said, oblivious to what her presence was doing to Tyler.

She wasn't supposed to do that; she realised immediately after she made the request. He wasn't supposed to have any form of personal contact with her. She closed her eyes and prayed he hadn't heard her.

He looked at her. Was this an attempt to get his number? She was obviously too embarrassed to look at him, he thought.

Was she hoping she'd keep in contact with him after this deal? He could never keep in contact with a lady that did this sort of job for money, no matter how much he wanted her. He told himself.

"I'm sorry, you can't use my phone. But I'll try to get you one tomorrow so you can be in touch with your father until you leave," He said.

She said nothing and just continued eating.

"So you wanted us to discuss our plans for the week, She said, changing the topic.

"Yes. We have to create our story.

Everyone would want to know where and how we met, and I wouldn't want us to tell différent stories. So we would go out together on fake dates, create fake memories we can talk about when we are asked any question at the wedding this weekend," He said without looking at her.

The sight of her always messed up his thoughts.

She had seen this in movies but never had she thought she'd be a part of it. How could such a rich, handsome guy think up something this crazy? She asked herself.

"I beg your pardon?" Tyler said, raising a brow.

"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked, looking at him in confusion.

"No. But I obviously just heard you say something about me being crazy." Tyler said with a sweet smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Oh!" She said, holding her hands over her mouth and looking at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean for you to hear that!" She said and held her hands to her mouth again when she realised what she had just said.

"Oh! It's fine. I guess it's ok for you to call me crazy as long as I don't hear it," He said, rising to his feet.

"No, I didn't mean that. I meant..." She paused as he moved round the table to stand very close to her.

He had no idea why he was acting crazy around this lady. He had no idea what had possessed him to stand up, nor why he was standing in front of her. But he knew he wanted to do just one thing. He wanted to shut her up.

He bent down very close to her and whispered slightly behind her ears, "You think I'm crazy?" Making her abdominal muscles contract nervously.

She swallowed hard. He was too close, and it made her uncomfortable. She couldn't turn sideways to look at him, but she could smell him. He smelt fresh, clean, and masculine -- a simultaneously cool and spicy scent with notes of lime, green mandarin, Siamese ginger, nutmeg, and more...

"No, I didn't mean that," She said, shaking her head, her heart thumping wildly.

He needed to stop this madness. He wanted her to stop him. She was a complete stranger, yet he felt so drawn to her. Coming so close to her was a mistake; his nostrils were flooded with scents of her. He could see a tiny droplet of water just behind her ear lobes; he wanted to dry it up with his tongue.

She knew she needed to get out of her seat and run into her room, but she couldn't seem to find the strength with him standing behind her like a predator breathing down her neck. She had never felt the presence of a man so evidently before.

She closed her eyes as she drew in a deep breath. She pushed away from the table and got up without looking at him. "I'm sorry if you feel offended; I'l watch my tongue henceforth. We can go through our plans tomorrow."

She turned to leave but hit her leg against the table and almost slipped, but he caught her in his arms.

She froze in his arms. They both stood still saying nothing. He just stood there staring at her. He noticed she was avoiding his gaze so he placed his hands under her chin and lifted her face to his. "Look at me," He said huskily.

She didn't know what was happening to her, her heart was pounding wildly, her knees felt really weak and her eyelids felt heavy. She raised her eyes to meet his and her breath caught.

She realized she had been avoiding looking at him all day, like really looking at him the way she was doing now.

Victoria had said he was drop-dead gorgeous, and she couldn't agree more.

His crescent-of-moon eyebrows were thick and wide. He carried an imperious nose well over his angular cheekbones which were carved down towards a flinty jaw. His entrancing sea rover-blue eyes were sloe shaped, they seemed like they could shine as bright as the evening stars when they were a-light with joy, and at other times, resembled two liquid-blue pools of flashing fire. She felt like she was losing herself in his eyes.

Her lips suddenly felt very dry. She flicked her tongue over her lips to wet it drawing his eyes to her lips, he needed her to stop him. He couldn't stop himself, it seemed like he was being punished for his celibacy.

He bent down and brushed his lips against hers. It had meant to be just a brush but he continued, he nipped at her lower lips, savoring the taste of the wine on her lips.

She didn't respond to the kiss but neither did she withdraw from it.

He leaned forward and kissed her deeply.

She gripped his arms for support as electric waves passed through her, her knees couldn't seem to support her.

Something was happening to her but she couldn't tell what it was. Before she could stop herself, she opened her mouth and returned the kiss. 1

It was nothing like she had shared with Adrian, this was more passionate and intense, and her entire body was on fire.

"Tyler you're driving me crazy," He said as he pulled away from her to look into her face. She stiffened in his arms.

Min-Jung? She opened her eyes as her senses returned: She stepped away from him color flooding her face in

embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sir. Goodnight,"

She said leaving him standing in confusion.

What had just happened? What had she done? She had a boyfriend. Yet, here she was kissing a stranger. Someone she had just met a few hours ago. She entered her room and lay on the bed. She couldn't sleep, her mind kept straying to the kiss, and her body vibrated in response.

What just happened between them? How could he have done that? She must hate him now. He had just treated her like a common whore and allowed her to apologize for something he had done.

How was he supposed to face her in the morning? How was he going to survive living under the same roof with her without touching her? After this kiss, he just had to have her. He would seduce her and have her, not for long-term keeps though. After all, a lady that did a job like hers for a living must have done something like this once or twice.

The knock on her door woke her up, she had finally fallen into a fitful sleep in the early hours of the morning.

She sat up straight immediately she remembered what transpired between her and Tyler the night before. She blushed in embarrassment and closed her eyes. How was she going to face him?

He kissed me first, he should be ashamed not me. She blushed again as she touched her lips, she hadn't known a kiss could be so intense and electrifying. Her toes curled at the thought of it.

The knock came again and she stood up,

"Yes?" She called out without opening the door expecting him to speak.

"Mr. Tyler asked me to send for you. He wants you to join him at the table," A female voice said from the other end of the door.

"Please tell him I'll be with him shortly," She said, opening the door to look at the maid.

The maid thanked her and left, leaving her to dress up. She quickly brushed her teeth and dressed up.

She had no idea how she was going to face him again after what had happened between them. But, she'd be damned if she acted cowardly. She would give him a piece of her mind and ask him to not touch her ever again

I'm sorry about last night," Tyler said before Mira could sit down. He needed to get the apology out of the way before they got on with his plans.

Mira sat down, unsure of what to say. She hadn't expected him to apologize even though she knew she deserved it. He had not exactly been the most polite person since they met.

"You said you were going to get me a phone I could use to contact my father."

She decided not to comment on the apology and save them both the embarrassment.

He felt grateful when she changed the topic, and he would have been disappointed had she pursued the issue.

"Yes, that was one of the reasons I asked for you. We need to get our plans rolling.

We'll get the phone on our way out," He

said, looking at her in a funny manner.

"On our way out to where?"

"You can't meet my family looking like this.

No offense, you look ravishing, but you need a general makeover."

Before she could respond, the maid brought in the dishes, a bowl of rice, soybean stew, salted fish, fried egg, and kimchi.

She decided to ignore him and eat. They ate silently, with the maid hovering around Tyler like a mother hawk.

"I'm paying good money for this, so I'm expecting everything to be real as possible," Tyler said immediately after they got into his car, and he drove off.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean, I hope your acting skills are top-notch?"

"You have nothing to worry about," She said, looking out the window.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked, eyeing her curiously; he wondered if people in such lines of the job kept serious relationships. If she were his girifriend, he'd never allow her to do something like this.

"No personal discussions allowed. That's my private business. Sir," She said, with mock politeness, making him grit his teeth.

"How long have you been doing this?" He tried again, wanting to know something about her, anything.

"Not your business. Sir," She said again, smiling to herself as she saw his jaw tighten from the corner of her eyes.

"It is my business. I have every right to know how experienced you're in this. I don't need you messing up my plans. And I'll appreciate it if you dropped the whole

"sir" thing you're doing right now."

"But you made it clear I was a 'paid guest' in your home. I'm only treating you as my boss," She said with a sweet smile.

"I didn't hear you call me sir when you kissed me last night, He said before he could shut himself up.

"Stop the car," Mira said quietly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"Stop the damn car!" She shouted angrily.

Her father always told her she was too short on temper; her hazel eyes were now a mixture of brown and gold.

"I said I'm sorry, let's just go."

She tried opening the door, but he kept driving.

"Christ! are you crazy?" He said, abruptly stopping the car by the roadside.

She got down from the car and started walking away. She was done with this stupid big mouthed fellow. Victoria could lose her job for all she cared.

She wouldn't spend a single second more in the presence of this pig head. She kept walking without looking back.

"Can you stop for a second? You're making, me sweat! Damn it!" He shouted as he followed closely behind her. He stopped.

He looked back and realized he could just have chased her with his car.

He jogged back to get his car and stopped beside her. "Ok, I'm sorry. Please get in."

She kept walking without glancing back,

"Ok, I'll just call your boss, tell him we are not getting along, and ask for someone else," He threatened.

"Suit yourself," She said and kept walking without looking at him.

His temper was beginning to build up; he was going to give her one more chance, if she didn't take it, he'd do as he pleased.

"Get inside the car!" He said in a dangerously low tone making her turn to look at him. His eyes now resembled two liquid-blue pools of flashing fire.

She knew she was threading on a dangerous path, but pride wouldn't let her back down. She kept walking. She suddenly realized the car wasn't following her. She turned around and was swooped off her feet.

"I'm sorry. But I'd rather you're mad at me inside the car than out here." He said as she cursed and struggled against him.

He dropped her inside the car with a stern warning not to step down and drove off.

* *****

"I can't do this. I really can't do this," Mira said the moment Victoria picked up the phone.

"Mira! I was worried about you, where have you been? And why didn't you call last night? Your father has been worried sick."

"The rich guy just got me a phone, I couldn't use mine. I'm sorry."

"What were you complaining about? Did he harass you, or is he rude?"

"We just can't stay under the same roof.

This has to be the most annoying man I've met all my life. I might kill him Before the end of the week or maybe he kills me.

Either way one of us is going toènd tip a corpse at this rate."

Victoria laughed at that, "You can't hurt a fly. Please calm down, for my sake. I'm sure he's not so bad. What did he do?"

Mira kept mute; how could she tell Victoria she had kissed the guy?

"Out with it! What have you done? Don't tell me you told him the truth!" Victoria asked horrified.

"I didn't do anything. he's just insulting, that's all," Mira lied.

"Please be careful, and don't get into trouble. I have to go now," Victoria said, dropping the call abruptly.

**********

"I can't believe we met barely 24 hours ago and have offended each other so much already. Why don't we start on a clean slate? Let's make a Truce. I'm sorry," He said with a polite smile.

"I'm Victoria," She said, willing to let go for Victoria's sake.

"I'm Tyler Dalton. And no SIRs, please. Just Tyler would do," He said, making her smile.

"Are you ready for your makeover?" He asked as he led her to the beauty parlor.

"I'm as ready as I can be."

"Please transform her," He said to his family beautician, Annabelle with a wink.

"T'll surprise you."

Annabelle couldn't wait to tell Mrs. Dalton about this.