The Marriage Agreement

Chapter 16: Reputation precedes me, in rumors I'm knee deep

Tine's POV

When I parked my car back at the house, Sarawat's car was already there. He'd been coming back for dinner earlier than me. Previously, it was me waiting for him to come back for dinner, but lately it had been him. By the time I would come back from the office, Sarawat would already be at the house — watching TV in the living room or setting up plates on the dining table, waiting for me to arrive.

He was always there, with a fresh bunch of flowers in the vase, and he had kept his promise.

It had been more than a week, but he never brought up the kiss, or kisses — or whatever happened between us that day. It almost felt like everything that happened in my office didn't happen at all because things were been just as they were before. I come home, we have dinner talk, he asks me about work, I ask him about his day, and then we go into our seperate bedrooms.

I like it. I like not coming home to an empty house. I like talking to him. I like how comfortable how I feel around him — But I also liked the way Sarawat tasted, the way Sarawat held me. The way Sarawat got on top of him and — I closed my eyes, thinking about that day. There are times when I have to force myself to stop thinking about it, but the truth is, I can't stop thinking about that day. I can't stop thinking about him.

I know he kissed me back and I know he felt something too, but — but it was all attraction. Physical attraction, that's all it was. I am not going to let the thing in my pants ruin my friendship with Sarawat and this marriage agreement. He has helped turn my life around, and I owe a lot to him.

I stared at the staring wheel, still sitting in the car, mustering up the strength to see Sarawat without pouncing on him — That was my ritual every night before I went inside the house. At least today, I didn't need to sit through the entire meal with him.

Finally I stepped inside the house, and found Sarawat slumping on the sofa, watching some news. He had taken off his blazer, rolled up his sleeves, and loosened his tie. You'd think that if you saw the same hot guy everyday in your house, you'd become immune to his hotness eventually — but no, that never happens with Sarawat. He just looks hotter and hotter everyday.

I sighed. "Hey how was your day?"

"Oh hey Tine..." Sarawat said, smiling at me. "Do you -- do you want to go out for dinner today?"

"Oh... today?"

"Yeah. Ah.. So... one of our clients opened up a new restaurant and invited me to come try out the food. The place hasn't officially opened up yet, it would be just us, and its a little outside the city — we could drive down. What do you think? "

"Umm..."

"I'll actually be travelling in a few days, for about a week or two, at the most. I need to oversee our new factory — The transition hasn't been great there. Will you be — will you be okay on your own?"

"Of course I'll be okay, Wat." I shrugged my shoulders even though I hated the idea of not seeing him for two whole weeks. "The office still doesn't look complete. It will take a few more weeks. I'll just be using the time to vet our cases for now.... but Wat, I can't do dinner today. I am taking my new team out for dinner. I already promised them. I sent you a text in the evening too. Did you not get it?"

"You did?" Sarawat picked up his phone that lying on the sofa. "I— I was busy. I didn't see it."

"I am really sorry. Its too late to cancel or I would have. I just came home to change. Everyone is probably already on their way to the restaurant."

"No-no its okay. You shouldn't cancel your dinner — Wait, who's everyone? You got a new team? Wasn't it just you and May?"

"I hired three more people. May was already busy assisting me, so I have hired a paralegal, a junior lawyer, — and finally, my firm's partner."