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.

Mira couldn't believe her eyes. She had always known she was beautiful, but the person looking back at her in the mirror was simply out of this world. She looked up at the chatterbox, Annabelle who had created this magic.

"Annabelle, where have you been all my life?"

Mira wondered aloud.

"Right here, darling. Right here," Annabelle said, genuinely pleased by Mira's reaction.

Mira needed nobody to tell her she couldn't afford Annabelle's services.

"I've been instructed to give you the best skincare routine for the whole of this week, and I'll be dressing you up for the great wedding," Annabelle said with a sense of pride.

Mira was tempted to ask Annabelle about the wedding, but she knew how these discussions went. She'd have to trade information and be willing to answer questions she had no business answering.

"That'd be very nice. I can't wait, Mira said, smiling at her image in the mirter.

Such a bore. Annabelle wished Mira had loose tongues and would gossip with her. The girl was quite beautiful and pleasant even though she was tight-lipped. Annabelle needed to know the relationship that existed between Mira and Tyler. Tyler had been single ever since the big breakup, and no one had seen him with any female, even though many of them seemed to throw themselves all over him.

Annabelle was so close to one of the juiciest gists around, but could not seem to get any more information.

"I hope you got nice clothes for the wedding. Mrs. Dalton has excellent fashion taste, and she wouldn't want a

daughter-in-law with no fashion sense," Annabelle tried again, wanting to bait Mira into opening up about her relationship with Tyler.

"That's well taken care of. Thanks for the tip,' Mira said with a sweet smile.

"WOW!" Tyler exclaimed the moment he saw her. He had explicitly brought her te Annabelle for two reasons. First, because she was the best at what she did, and secondly, because he wanted rumors about him having a date to start from there. He knew it'd be weird if he showed up at the wedding with a date no one had ever heard about. Annabelle was the perfect rumormonger.

"Darling! You look breathtaking!" He said, holding his chest dramatically like he was suffocating.

Mira looked at him, and then it struck her. He had brought her here so that she would become a gossip. Their little drama had started without her knowledge, and she smoothly did her part.

"Annabelle is such a wonder. I'm amazed myself," She said looking at him with shiny eyes.

Annabelle looked from one to the other, wanting to pick every word and expression from them. She wished she could record this. Mrs. Dalton would be delighted to hear her son had finally moved on.

"Thanks for making my Queen look so beautiful. Now all I have to do is take her home and ravish her for real," He said winking at Annabelle, causing Mira to blush.

"But you can't ravish me just yet. You owe me a date," Mira protested, batting her eyelids sexily with pouted lips.

"Let's talk about that on our way then,"

Tyler said leading her out of the beauty parlor.

Annabelle danced in circles; this was beautiful.

She could feel the chemistry between them. The sparks were all over the place.

She picked up her phone and dialed Mrs.

Dalton's number.

"You have a call from Miss Annabelle," Mrs. Dalton's assistant informed her.

Mrs. Dalton knew Annabelle never called without news. She knew everything that was going on with everyone thanks to Annabelle, who was up to date with everyone's life. She often wondered how many people Annabelle updated on her own life.

"I'll take it," She said, stretching her hands to take the phone.

"What's the update?" She asked, skipping the unnecessary pleasantries. She knew Annabelle had called her to gossip

"You can't believe who just left my salon!"

Annabelle said sounding very excited.

Mrs. Dalton sat up; it had to be someone of importance for Annabelle to be so excited.

"Tell me," She said, trying her best not to sound overly curious.

"Your son, Dalton Tyler" Annabelle paused, She knew Mrs. Dalton was trying her best not to sound curious, but she also wanted to make Mrs. Dalton draw out every detail from her.

"What was he doing there?" Mrs. Dalton asked in surprise. Tyler was the last person she expected to be at Annabelle's beauty parlor, he never cared about such things.

"Yeu're due for your next skincare routine Mrs. Dalton. I'll tell you all about it when you come over."

Annabelle smiled at her intelligence. She knew most of her influential clients came to her not just because of her talent but also for the information she gave them. There were many talented beauticians around, but none could beat her at this.

"I'm coming over right away," Mrs. Dalton said hanging up the phone. Without saying a word, she stood up and walked out, knowing her efficient personal assistant was following closely behind.

**********

"What was all that?" Mira asked, laughing as soon as they got inside the car.

"You're a fast one, you know? Your acting skill is pretty cool, Hè said giving her a thumbs up.

He hadn't expected her to play along so smoothly, but he had been pleased.

"I told you to trust me, didn't I?" She said laughing good-naturedly.

"The whole ravishing talk wasn't essential, you know?" She asked, suddenly looking serious.

"Calm down. I was only trying to drive a point home. So now that we've started the process, you can't back out anymore.

You're now my girlfriend... All we need now is a good story," Tyler said with a mischievous smile on his face.

They considered several options but brushed them off because they seemed too cliche.

"How did you meet your first love then?

We could make a story from that," She said teasingly, expecting him to laugh. But to her surprise, his knuckles on the wheel went white.

Oh! A soft spot, I see. So he had been heartbroken. That is quite sad; he seemed like a decent guy.

"Id rather not talk about it. Besides, no personal discussions, remember? But you can share yours if you're feeling generous," He said, forcing a smile.

"You wish," She said giggling. She couldn't believe she was enjoying his company after all the initial fighting.

They'd traveled this same road in silence just some hours ago.

Tan's phone suddenly started ringing. He checked the caller ID; it was his mother.

He smiled as he picked it up.

"Hello, dearest; I'm going to Annabelle's Salon.

Is there something I need to know before I get there?"

His mother never ceased to amaze him.

He had been expecting her call from the moment he left Annabelle's Salon.

"Nothing I know of,' He said innocently, wanting to make it seem like he was keeping his relationship a secret from her.

"I hope so. I'll stop by your house on my way from Annabelle's," She said hanging up immediately, giving him no time to object.