Bedmates Soulmates

She's Not A Business Problem

Kira had not forgotten her mission.

At the risk of antagonising him further, she asked, "Are you still mads

'Mad at what?'

'At me. If you're not, then you're not going to call the hospital, right?'

She looked up at him, imploring with her big, round eyes.

'You won't do anything to my father, right?'

She said 'right, but she meant 'please'

A shadow flitted across his face.

Was this why she cooked dinner for him tonight?

And prepared that revolting "gift"?

Because she thought he was actually going to pull the plug on her father's treatment?

'Don't worry,' Austyn sneered. 'As long as you remain my wife, I won't neglect your father's welfare."

Kira relaxed.

He was a man of his word.

She could put that fear to rest now.

"Thank you,' she said with all sincerity. "Hmm."

He hadn't taken his eyes off her.

They were now fixed on her lips.

Kira felt her face getting warm.

'Ahem. She averted her gaze. "Anyway, why are you so afraid of frogs?"

'They're disgusting!"

She wanted to roll her eyes..

Come on, that was such a childish reason.

Wasn't he a gun-toting soldier?

Having been on edge all day, Kira was finally able to unwind.

Those bouts of laughter provided some much-needed relief.

Her father was safe; she was content.

Stifling a yawn, Kira rubbed her tired eyes.

It had been a long day.

Time for bed.

But Austyn's hands were still on her waist.

She's Kut & Busness Problemi

'Could you please let me go? she said.

'No.' His face was back to its default blank mode.

1 need to take another shower. My hands are all dirty, covered in the frog's slime. Aren't you afraid?"

He pursed his lips, but continued to trap her between him and the desk.

'What's wrong?' Kira asked.

Austyn's right hand flew up and pinched her chin.

His deep voice boomed in her ears. 'What's wrong? Can't you tell what's wrong?"

"No." She shook her head honestly. 'Could you tell me?"

"I'm not a mind-reader!' she thought. 'Besides, even a true telepath will have trouble getting anything from that poker face of yours."

Austyn glared at her.

He looked like he was going to devour her, and not just with his eyes.

Kira

ventured a guess. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have scared you with the frog. I really thought you liked frogs. It won't happen again, I promise. Please be the bigger person. Let bygones be by- 'Damn it, it's not that!' Austyn barked.

Was she playing dumb with him?

The moment she walked through the door, he forgot all about work.

Every word she uttered, every smile she flashed, every gesture she made-he caught them all.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

Even when she was laughing at him, all he could think about was how he liked the way her eyes crinkled. Thoughts of her filled his mind.

She was affecting him in more ways than one.novelbin

And no one else had produced that effect on him before.

He didn't know how to deal with it.

It wasn't a business problem.

Those, he could handle.

If a rival company was encroaching on his territory, he drove them out with a price war.

If he wanted to corner a young market, he acquired a small incumbent.

Challenges were confronted head-on.

He tackled them with confidence.

Opportunit

trees, scenario analysis, focus group studies...

He had a vast repertoire of tools at his disposal.

But none of them worked here.

He couldn't analyse and unpack her like a business problem.

His last attempt to use SWOT analysis on her ended in abject failure.