Connexion

Part 79

He watched her. "Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked bluntly and out of the blue. He knew he should have checked earlier. Information that was crucial.

Typical. She had no intention of talking about her personal status or her relationships, albeit, currently none, She looked at Caleb, folded her arms and straightened her spine. "Mr Harland I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow, and much to do this evening, " She feigned a smile, "so I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Something she should have done earlier. For some reasons, her heart and head were arguing. Frustration that he was still here, asking stupid questions. And baffled that she had enjoyed his company. 

They looked at each other. For several seconds.

"Coward." He muttered just loud enough for her to hear. Then he downed the remnants of his drink and got to his feet. She agreed with his statement but had no intention to corroborate or refute his word. Caleb smiled. It reminded Jena of a recent documentary: where a lion stalked his prey. Caleb grinned. "This could be fun. I like a challenge."

"Good for you!" She muttered.  Fun? Challenge? And silently she gulped.

He chuckled again. "We will look back and laugh about this when we tell our kids!"

Jena could not help the smile, but managed to snort at the same time. "Kids? That would mean sex! And I doubt you will get a date with me because you will get bored soon! You'll see. So no sex on the cards!" She smiled happily.

He smiled like a wolf. "Don't bet on it!"

"Mr Harland..."

"I'm going to have to insist on your calling me Caleb."

"You can insist all you want. Mr Harland."

"Hey, earlier you agreed to call me Caleb a few minutes ago. Remember!"

"Obviously a mistake. I give an inch and you take a mile!  Which I am trying to reconciled. I conceded to use your name but it gave you licence to be insufferable!"

He burst out laughing. Then he looked over at her, "You know why Sophie tried to insist on you doing the cake rather than your colleague?"

"She's used to getting her way." She quirked a brow. "Trained by her family! And, I think she thinks you can pull anyone's string, mine in this case, to suit your family."

He grinned. "Probably, but she thought you would be perfect for me!"

With a mock frown she said "Oh dear. She has delusions! I guess you have not told her your opinions about me?"

"My opinions?"

"Yes, your opinion about me." She ransacked her brain trying to remember his actual words and settled for a general description. "I think you said you did not like my disposition." When her brain dredged up the word, disposition, his actual words surfaced with power. Anger raced through her blood and her brain. "Not sure why your sister thinks someone who was labelled vain is perfect for you. I think you also added arrogance, if I remember correctly."

"I was wrong." He could see that she was not happy with him. "And I have apologised. But just in case you missed it. I am sorry." She snorted. Caleb lifted his hands, a placatory gesture. "Honestly, I am really sorry." She said nothing. He continued, "Sophie figured you treated me like a person and not in awe of a celebrity. She's right."

"Now you're being fanciful." But he was right. His status as a celebrity did not affect her response to him. It was his status as a man, a man whose presence resulting in butterflies in her stomach.

He shook his head. "No. She's right. You don't let my career influence your response to me, nor do you take any notice of the fact I am literally a scarred man. The fact you are trying to avoid me!" He topped up his glass of diet coke. "That's something unusual in my life. And I know, we have chemistry.  So, Jena Silva, you'd better prepare for a siege! Because you and I are going to be dating."