Just Business

Feelings

Seto's POV

I cannot believe I just did that.

Making the spontaneous decision to kiss Elaine in the middle of that garden is, to say the least entirely unlike me.

How does this woman manage to keep me surprising myself?

I already knew the answer.

I lo... no I refuse to admit it to myself.

She was beautiful, yes, and very kind, but I needed to remember that right now, she is simply a tool for my success.

Ever since Elaine and I have started "dating" Kaiba Corp. Stock has gone through the roof. All I hope for now is for us to end this silly thing before I truly lose my sanity. This girl was making me soft, and that is something I cannot afford in my bussiness. If I lose my touch, if I loose my icy nature, my company will slip through my fingers.

I reminded myself that Mokuba and Kaiba Corp were the only two things in this world that I truly need. Elaine, one day Elaine is going to leave me. So its better to feel this small pain now and shut her out before she ruins me.

Elaine's POV

A knock on my bedroom door sounded around 11:53 at night.

"Come in..." I sighed, realising that this too was going to be a sleepless night.

"Hey Lane girl." Brendon walked in with his usual cocky grin.

"Whats up Brenny?"

He sighed nervously and I noticed the bourbon swirling around in the glass Brendon was holding. "Can I tell you something, and it'll stay between us?" I nodded and sat up, sitting criss cross at the head of my bed. Brendon moved to sit on the edge by my foot.

"I don't know if I can be a father."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just... the concept. It's so new to me. And what about Panic? I mean I want to keep going? But like... would we take the kid with us? Or like... would we get a babysitter to leave the kid with? Or would I have to start leaving Sarah at home a being away from her? Naturally she can't tour with my while she's really really pregnant... but I don't know how that will go for our marriage! And just like... like..."

"Whoah... Brendon, calm down. Have you talked to Sarah about this yet?"

He took a sip of bourbon then shook his head no. "She's so excited about the baby... I'm afraid to bring it up..."

"I mean, I know how hard it might be to bring up feelings... but you two need to at least talk out a game plan for now."

"Yeah, you're right!" He smiled and looked a little more at ease. "So what about you Elaine? What's got you up to the late hours of the night?"

"Can I share a secret with you?" He rolled his eyes and nodded. "Seto and I aren't actually dating..."

Brendon's eyes went wide with shock. "Hold up." He raised his hand and pointed a finger at me. "You wanna run that by me again?"

"Its a publicity stunt."

"So you two..." he asked, still confused.

"Are merely business partners." I finished feeling a slight twinge of pain at the thought.

"Why?" He stated simply, like it was unfathomable for two people to use each other like that.

"Both of us were losing public interest. We both needed a little nudge. I mean really it was-"

He cut me off. "Lemme guess. Tony's idea?"

I nodded. "Seto was assigned to be my partner for a project, I was heavily insulted by him that day, so I was less than pleased to see him show up here to work with me. Then I was about to push him out but Akiko invited him and his brother for dinner. Long story short we were up on the balcony when someone took a picture of us and wrote an article about how we might be dating."

He gave a dry laugh "So you decided to roll with it?"

I nodded and looked off to the side. "Tony thought it would re-spark interest in us." I trailed off. "I really thought I couldn't stand him, but these last two days something about him just makes my heart flutter, and I think about him all the time. And when he kissed me tonight, I just felt fireworks everywhere."

"You love him."

"No. I don't know him well enough to love him."

"Laney," he began cutting me an exasperated look, "I knew Sarah was the one for me the first night I met her."

"Still took you 4 years to write her a proper love song." I laughed.

"Ouch!" He mocked offense. "At least that proper song allowed me to discover you!" We both laughed for another few minutes. "But in all seriousness, imma give you the same advice you gave me. Talk it out with him. Tell him you're not sure if you want this to just be a business arrangement anymore. Tell him that kiss meant something to you."

I smiled at him and nodded. "Okay. I will. Tomorrow after the video shoot. But only if you promise to talk to Sarah, too!"

"Deal." He chuckled. He then shook my hand, and we both went to bed.