by Piper Rayne
Tanner slumped onto the ground, regretting what he’d said to his father at the hospital. His old man had always put on a poker face and showed a strong personality, so he hadn’t seen anything wrong. Tanner had wanted to patch things up with his old man, but he never took the first steps because of his father’s avoidance and harsh words. He wasn’t a selfish coward anymore.
“Mother, can you please tell me why Father needs to complete this business transaction? Was this the reason you called me?”
Christina sighed and sounded like she was crying. “I wanted to call for your help, but your father refused. The CEO of Williams Shopping Mall was difficult to work with. Do you know that his success will help back up your father’s company? This is final task your father supposed to complete as a chairman, or the board members would take over the CEO position of our company in January. Thanks to the backup loans from your cousin, Augustus, this summer, your father already had enough funds to go forward with this business deal. If you are truly my son and didn’t betray the company eight years ago, then please help your father with this small request. I hoped that this would help convince the board members to let your father keep his position. And this good deed will also help your father trust you again."
Closing his eyes as tears dripped down his face, Tanner mumbled, "All right, Mother. I'll do as you say. I won’t live in the past anymore, and I won't let you down. Please watch over father for me too. I’ll go with Ms. Nelson."
Hanging up the phone, Tanner couldn’t believe what he had heard. He had lived a peaceful life in Manhattan without checking up on his parents. He wiped his tears and stood firm. He couldn’t change the past, but he could change the future. Looking up at Stacey, he tossed the cup in the trash can. “I’m all ears now. So, you want to act like lovers?” Tanner mumbled. “I’ll follow your lead. How should we do this?”
Stacey didn’t care that the bodyguards were looking as she approached Tanner and hugged him from behind. Looking at the bodyguards, she asked with a smile, “How’s this? Do we look like lovers?”
“No! You two look way too stiff.”
The four men in black shook their heads. “And the young master had an awkward expression. You two look like strangers than lovers. Both of you definitely need to practice more.”
Scowling at Stacey, Tanner had to admit his view of her had changed since his mother had told me how kind she had been. Even though she annoyed him, he had to try his best to get along with her. He raised his eyebrows at her odd acting. Was she bluffing or was she serious?
“What are you doing? Haven’t you had any interactions with your boyfriend?” Tanner interjected as he pulled Stacey away and turned around to face her. “To be lovers, you need to move like this.” Tanner wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her on the lips. The sudden touch made his mind go blank. She didn’t move at all. Jumping back, he opened his eyes. As his jaw fell open, Stacey’s face turned crimson red. She fanned herself. Tanner’s heart thumped wildly.
Don’t tell me that she has no experience? This is going to be a long act if I let her take the lead.
“How about this?” Tanner asked cautiously. “If we are planning to succeed in this business deal, then I should take over from this point onward. I have more experience. Are you okay with everything I just did?”
4
Stacey
Stacey was shocked at the suggestion and cleared her ears again to make sure she wasn’t hearing things. She glimpsed at his face and was alarmed at his serious expression. He was different than he had been a few minutes ago. What made him change his mind? Had his mother convinced him at last?
“Will you act like a jerk?” Stacey probed as she crossed her arms against her chest. “Remember, we’re only practicing, and you better not take advantage of me.”
Tanner nodded. “Sure, you have my word. I won’t proceed further until I have permission from you. Are we going to start now? Or do you want me to sign a contract?”
She gawked at the exasperation in his voice and his firm posture. Even though Stacey had brought her laptop, she didn't want to have to go print a hard copy at the local store. Rather than going through the hassle of creating a contract to waste time, she preferred focusing on getting comfortable with him and improved their relationship.
"No need!" Stacey pointed to the four bodyguards. "I’ll alert them to help me anytime whenever you carry things out of hand. Let's finish up in fifteen minutes. I still have plenty of assignments I need to finish for your father.”
Hearing her consent, Tanner smiled. “First of all, we need to get familiar with each other. So, let's start calling one another by our first name."
"T… Tan… Tanner," she stuttered, nearly gagging as his name reverberated through her mind. The current awkward situation made her uncomfortable. Stacey hadn't planned on getting close to him. "How about that? Your turn now."
Winking at her, Tanner spoke in a confident tone. "Stacey, right? To be true lovers, I recommend we cuddle in the front rather than in the back. This way, we can see each other's face.”
Hm… He’s not awkward around me. Don't tell me he has that much experience. How many girls did he date?
"Is that so? Tan… Tanner!" Stacey huffed, pronouncing his name with difficulty and giving him a disapproving look. "If you're that good, then show me how we should interact."
He pulled her into his chest, squeezing his arms around her shoulders. “When two people fall in love, they want to be close to each other. Not even a wall can separate them. Now, repeat what I do.”
Darn! We’re too close! Breathe in, breathe out. Relax. Even though I haven't dated before, I’ve seen a lot of movies.
Her heart thumping, Stacey surveyed him again. Cuddling against his body, she looked into his green eyes. He wore a faded red-and-white striped shirt along with black jeans. He looked more charming than he had at the hospital. Her heart thumped rapidly. Was she more attracted to him when he dressed more presentably?
"That's it?" Stacey asked as she hugged him and squeezed her arms tighter around his waist. "This wasn't so bad after all. Anything else I need to know?"
Pulling away from her, he clutched Stacey’s hand. “While we’re dating, we need to let people know how much we love each other.”
Squeezing his hand, her palm started to sweat. She realized for the first time how big his hand was. She sneaked peeks at Tanner's face. His cheeks and ears flushed red, and his smile was more sincere. Was he finally showing true affection toward her?
“Wonderful! This was easier than I imagined.” Stacey looked toward the bodyguards. "Do you guys think we look passable? Or do we need to practice more?"
Three of them shook their heads in approval, but the last bodyguard spoke without shame. "I guard Master McGuire when he attends parties with his wife. Both convince the public that they're deeply in love. Although, your acting looked a bit stiff, I don't think you two looks good enough to pass for an engaged couple."
What else do we need to do? We already held hands and hugged each other. Don't tell me the bodyguards expect us to go further…
Stacey stared at the four men in black and then glanced at Tanner. "What does he mean? Are we doing something wrong? How do your parents act in public? Maybe we should copy them to look a believable couple. What else do you think we need to do?”
Tanner scratched his head and didn’t speak for a few minutes, pacing around the small room. “Come up with cute nicknames for each other? Maybe with sweet talk, we’ll look more like an affectionate couple rather than using harsh words and biting each other's head off.”
“Cute nicknames? You mean like, darling, honey, or something like that?" Stacey cringed and waved her hand dismissively. "No need! I'll leave the sweet talk to you. I’d rather use my persuasion." Turning to the bodyguard, she demanded, "Explain. I don't understand at all."
The bodyguard nodded and continued with his words. "When Master McGuire and his wife glance at each other, they look at one another i
n an adoring way. The two of you show no emotion of an affectionate couple. The only time the both of you had an expression on your face is when you both kissed."
Tanner snapped his finger and turned to Stacey. "I understand his point now. Let's practice kissing again. If it's too hard for you to pretend to like me, then assume I'm your boyfriend. I hope we prove them wrong. All right?"
Boyfriend this. Boyfriend that. Does Tanner think I'm dating Ethan? We're not dating, but I shouldn’t mention anything, so Tanner won't try anything. Besides, my employer doesn't want me to reveal that Ethan’s a detective.
"Fine. Let's try then. I hope this won't be too complicated." Stacey nodded as she glanced at Tanner. "Am I making the first move, or are you?"
Smirking at her, Tanner stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Stacey. He leaned toward her mouth and kissed her. Without being able to tell if he was acting or not, she followed his lead and deepened the kiss. Tanner pressed his body against hers.
Feeling his hard on, Stacey gasped, giving Tanner a chance to stick his tongue into her mouth. His hand wandered up and down her back as he rubbed on her lower body.
The sensation caused a thrill to go through Stacey's body, exciting her. She had never been this close to a man in her life. She felt herself blushing as her hands roamed his chest.
"Ah…" Stacey moaned as she felt a deep desire between her legs. "Tanner, please…"
One of the bodyguards sneezed, and another coughed. "Sorry. Something got stuck in my throat."
Due to the interruption, Stacey snapped out of her thoughts and glanced around the room. For goodness sake! They had an audience. She was horrified at her wild actions, which resembled a craving beast.
"My apologies," Stacey refused to look at him in the eye. "I got carried away. I won't do it again."
Tanner snickered. "No problem. I guarantee that you’ll pass the test now. Stacey, remember to keep this feeling in mind. You’ll need to look at me like you can't keep your eyes off me. This way, we can convince the client."
"W-what?" Stacey stammered, wrinkling her brows at Tanner. "You must have heard wrong. The secretary mentioned that Mr. William wanted to meet us at the restaurant at nine."
Tanner was startled at the news. "What? We're not meeting in this hotel. If we're going to meet at that restaurant, then I assume we should wear more professional attire. I suppose we won't be talking about business most of the time."
"I guess. By the way, how should we greet him at the dinner tonight?” Stacey rubbed her chin. "Are we going to show up holding hands like earlier?"
Shaking his head, he raised his right arm. "You should hold onto this arm and walked alongside me. It shows that we're serious. Is that clear?"
"That make sense. I hope our plan goes smoothly." Stacey mumbled as she stared Tanner right in the eye. "We must work hard to convince him to sign the contract. Don't make any mistakes."
Tanner nodded. "Trust me. We'll get this done. Do you have anything else you want me to do? If not, then I'll head downstairs for lunch. Do you want to come along? Or are the guards enough to watch over me? I promise to come back in time to get ready for the meeting."
Thinking for a second, she hugged him again. She leaned her head on his chest and heard the beating sound from his heart. Was he as nervous as she was? She hugged him tighter around the waist. Without asking for permission, she sniffed his clothes and realized he didn’t smell like a rotting peach anymore.
“You smell so delicious,” Stacey complimented and then stared at his unshaven jaws. Brushing his shoulder, she patted his chest playfully. “Have you decided to get rid of that foul cologne for good?”
Tanner stumbled for a second before he balanced himself. “No! I was too tired this morning and forgot to put some on me. I’ll be sure to use the cologne later. It’s one of my favorite brands.”
“Don’t bother! I can’t stand that foul smell,” Stacey warned and pinched his arm. He hissed at her. “You better not use any, or else I'll let the guards watch you shower. When you’re done, I’ll even order them to dress you themselves. If you value your privacy, then you better not cross me. Understand?”
Holding back a growl, Tanner frowned. “Fine. I’ll leave that cologne aside. So, you better keep your words and not let the guards disturb me later when I’m getting ready.”
“Deal! If you can dress yourself, then I don't have to worry about hiring a valet. When I'm ready, I'll knock on your door.” Stacey stepped away from Tanner and turned to the two bodyguards standing by the window. “Both of you tag along and watch over the young master for the next few hours. Be sure to guide him to his room at seven. As for the other two guards, please stand in the background and watch for anything suspicious. Is everything clear?”
The four bodyguards nodded. Stacey strolled back into the hallway with them. She watched Tanner and the two guards head down to the elevator. As for the other two, they disappeared out of sight.
After checking her surroundings, she headed back into her bedroom. Stacey set her suitcase near the window, took out her laptop, and set it on the table. She made a cup of coffee and then sat down on a chair. The laptop booted up and she scheduled appointments, reviewed documents for her employer to sign, and prepared a slide show for the business meeting.
Her phone rang suddenly, snapping her out of her concentration. She walked to grab it from her purse and glanced at the caller ID. Realizing the call was from Ethan, she answered the phone.
"Yes? Do you need something?" Stacey sat back down. "I'm still working. Why are you calling me? Do you happen to find out the thief already?"
Ethan’s voice was firm. "Since you’re speaking in a normal tone, I assume you must be alone. I'll get straight to the point. But you mustn’t let Mr. McGuire know about this. As a matter of fact, I did catch the thief this morning in the account room."
"Agreed. I won't tell him then," It took a moment for Stacey to register what he said. "What? You find him in the company? Was it Mr. Davies or Mr. Hughes? Was it easy to catch the thief? "
Ethan sighed. "Exactly. Mr. Davies wasn't even dangerous as the accountant I caught last time. Mrs. Medina Wood, who already in jail for embezzling one hundred thousand in the past six years. Do you know why Mr. Davies confessed to stole ten thousand dollars to pay for his daughter's surgery?"
Thinking for a few seconds, Stacey sighed in frustration. "Maybe Mr. Davies regret his action, or his daughter asked him where it came from. Who knows?”
"His daughter is only ten years old, and a thief won't have any sympathy for any crimes he commits. So, I don't think it’s any of those reasons." Ethan snorted at her ridiculous assumptions. "If my suspicion is correct, then I'm sure Mr. Hughes blackmailed Mr. Davies into taking the blame."
Stacey was shocked at the news. "I thought you said there is only one thief. How did Mr. Hughes get involved in this mess too? Are you sure you did your research correctly? Will you try agai—"
"Listen, Ms. Nelson. I understand you're good at math and that was how you found out about the unbalanced funds," Ethan snapped, interrupted her rambling. "Even though Mr. Davies had confessed to stealing ten thousand a month ago, I hacked into his bank account and discovered he doesn't even have more than a hundred dollars in it. We’re looking for the suspect who embezzled one million dollars over the past ten years."
"So, you suspect Mr. Hughes is the thief. How do you know though? And why are you calling me?" Stacey shook in fear. "How can we trap him?"
Ethan sighed. "Now, we're on the same track. I hacked into the employee database and discovered that Mr. Hughes only has payments that he received from his position as a boardman. So, I wasn't sure until I found out from Mr. Davies that he was blackmailed by Ms. Lewis, who had caught him stealing two months ago. She told him to take the blame, or else she'd reveal the truth. Based on that information, I hacked into her account and found out she had around one million dollars sent to her bank account over the past ten years."
"For real?" Sta
cey stood up abruptly, causing her chair to tip over. "We should report this to Mr. McGuire or the police. She'll be the suspect instead of Mr. Hughes."
Ethan interrupted her again. "No, more like an accomplice. We have ears everywhere, so we can't say anything until we lure Mr. Hughes back into the United States. He took a three-month vacation in Spain after finding out about the police apprehending Mrs. Wood. He must be cautious and hiding now."
"Darn! Then, what should we do?" Stacey slammed her fist onto the table. Her coffee sloshed over the side of the cup. "We don't even know his location. How will we drag him back?"
Ethan spoke in a slow but adamant tone. "Remember my words clearly. I found out that Ms. Lewis is a designer in your department. Mr. William expected to have a tuxedo and white gown done for the New Year’s promotion. I want you to show her design during the meeting."
"What? Are you out of your mind?" Stacey stammered. "I just started working in the design department. I didn’t even see her work. I also hear Mr. William is a picky person and has to review the design. I'm not even sure he'll like the drawing. Will this method even work?"
Refusing to back down, Ethan continued with his strategy. "I'm sure. You should start complimenting her skills and let her know that she'll receive thousands of dollars. I bet Ms. Lewis will be able to lure Mr. Hughes back into the United States since she already made Mr. Davies a scapegoat. I'll think of a plan on how to proceed and call you later after the meeting."
Stacey nodded at last. "Okay! I understand. I'll go ahead with this plan. I trust your judgement. I hope we apprehend them before Christmas. Take care then."
Hanging up the phone, Stacey stood up and used a towel to wipe up the mess on the table. She opened a tab to view an employee profile. Looking at the top of the photos, she saw Ms. Lewis was also a designer lead. Stacey growled and her eyes widened. Feeling a headache coming on, she huffed and logged out of her laptop. Stacey tumbled on the bed and sighed.