Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 246

Austyn logged out of his computer, slammed the file shut, stood up, grabbed the suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair and hastened out He had not lost track of time.

When it was ten minutes past six, he saved his work but remained in his seat, keeping both eyes on his phone.

A relationship webinar he took secretly told him that sometimes, the man should give the woman a chance to take the initiative.

Calling first and calling too often made one seem needy.

Three minutes passed.

Kira didn't call.

Austyn checked his phone to see if it was still on

It was.

Five minutes passed.

Then six, seven, eight.

16 He Sulking About Now?

He drummed a finger on the desk and stared at his phone.

Why was the woman so patient?

Shouldn't she have called by now?

When she finally did, Austyn answered the call on the first ring.

He bounded out of the office and took the lift down to the 28th floor.

The moment he stepped out of the lift, he saw Kira rushing towards him.

A smile broke out on his face.

Austyn stood straighter and spread out both arms.

Instead of hugging him, however, Kira dashed into the lift and stabbed the button to close the

doors.

She sounded out of breath. 'Phew! No one saw us

It was just the two of them in the lift.

Kira stood in front of Austyn, watching the numbers jump from 28 to 27, then to 26, willing to go faster. Austyn crossed his arms and stared at the back of her head.

When the lift landed on the basement level, Kira shot out an arm to prevent him from going out. 'Wait!'

She kept her body inside the lift but poked her head out the door, scanning both directions.

'Okay. No one's here. You can come out now."

She darted her eyes around on the short walk to the Hummer.

Austyn followed her without a word.

When the car doors slammed shut, she finally breathed out. 'Where's Kai?'

'He has things to do. Do you prefer his driving to mine?' Austyn asked with a stony face.

Kira didn't notice his look.

She was busy buckling up. 'Not at all. I was just curious.'

Austyn got in the driver's seat.

'What you waiting for?' Kira urged him to start the car.

'Get in the front."

'Why?'

'I'm not your chauffeur."

Kira wanted to throw up her hands.

The backseat was so much more spacious than the front.

But in the end, she gave up, climbed out of the backseat, exited the car and got in the front passenger seat. 'Happy? Can we go now?' Austyn started the engine.

Kira was glad the Hummer had privacy glass on the windows.

Everyone recognised the president's car, but no one could see that she was inside.

She glanced out the window.

"Where are we going? This isn't the way home."

Austyn drove in silence and ignored her.

Kira turned to look at him.

What was he sulking about now?

The man's mood changed faster than the traffic lights.

Kira reviewed their interactions of the day, trying to identify ways she might have inadvertently offended him..

But she gave up a minute later.

Austyn McCarthy was 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."

Who knew what could have ticked him off?

Kira slid down lower on the seat, yawned and closed her eyes.

She'd had a long day at the office.

When she woke up, she felt utterly refreshed.

The car had stopped outside a shop with a red awning.

Ambuh Makeover

Ambush Makeover

'Boss, Young Madam.' Kai opened the door for Kira.

'What is this place?' Kira was led into the shop before she had a chance to see the signboard.

Kai stepped aside.

Kira found herself surrounded by four people.

One had a pair of scissors in his hands.

One held a makeup brush.

One carried a dress in a dry-cleaning bag.

The last one held her by the wrist and gently pulled her into an adjoining room.

'Hey! What are you- Kira was dragged away before she could ask Kai for help.

She forgot her question when she saw the inside of the room.

Portable racks laden with shimmering dresses dazzled her eyes.

Two tall shelves stood against a wall, overflowing with necklaces, bracelets, earrings and so much more bling.

The woman who pulled her inside led her to a chair in front of a vanity mirror lined with tiny white lights.

She sized Kira up and whispered something to her assistant.

Kira became a life-sized Barbie doll, with the team of stylists playing dress-up on her.

She was asked to change into one dress, then another, and another.

She'stepped into and out of dozens of pairs of shoes.

A stylist put necklaces and bracelets on her and shook her head at Kira's unpierced ears.

A hairdresser undid her ponytail and went to work on her hair.

A makeup artist put good-smelling powder on her face.

Kira was in a daze.

She felt like an unwitting participant in 'Ambush Makeover."

Austyn must have put them up to this.

Hair, makeup, dress, shoes, accessories...

Kira endured it with a stoic face.

Ambuh Makeover

Whatever game Austyn was playing, she would play along so long as she wasn't the one picking up the tab.

With the makeup artist standing in front of her and blocking the mirror, Kira had no idea what she looked like.

She hoped they didn't turn her into a clown.

Austyn cooled his heels on a sofa outside the room.

He checked his Timex watch for the tenth time.

He'd replied to six emails on his phone, yet she was still not done.

Before this, Austyn had no idea a hair and makeup session could take two hours.

Kira had a face barely the same size as his palm.

How much makeup could they put on that face?

'Kai.' Austyn threw a glance at his assistant chatting up a girl in the shop.

The smile on Kai's face vanished when he saw the dirty look from his boss.

He came over immediately. 'Yes, Boss?'

'Go in and take a look. What's taking them so

Austyn shot to his feet when the door opened.

His eyes lit up.

Kai followed Austyn's line of sight.

His jaw dropped when he saw the woman coming out of the room.

Was that... Young Madam?

Kai almost

tan't recognise her.

When she came in, she was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, a pair of dark blue cotton slacks and a pair of New Balance trainers.

Once off work, the shirt would be replaced by a t-shirt and the slacks by jeans.

Her usual get-up made her look like a college freshman.

Kai had observed but had not dared point out that, when Kira walked side by side with Austyn, most people would peg her as the niece and Austyn as the uncle.

But

t now...

Kai stood there, gawking open-mouthed.

Antally Makeover

The stylists had magical hands, transforming Cinderella into a princess.

Well, not a princess; more like a vixen.

Kira looked like she was poured into that fiery-red dress.

The Versace silk evening gown clung to her body, accentuating curves hidden by her loose-fitting t-shirts and jeans.

It was cinched at the waist with a silver chain with a tiny bell that shook with every step she

took.

Kira held a velvet clutch bag in one hand, taking small, tentative steps.

The stylist had picked out a pair of crystal-embellished Nicholas Kirkwood for her.

The heels were four inches, a lot higher than what she was used to.

Kira had tottered around in the makeup room before she finally mastered the art of walking upright without tripping.

She was a vision, with her porcelain skin set off against the passionate red of the dress.

In her t-shirt and jeans, Kira Hewitt was the kind of girl a man wanted to take into his armst and protect.

In her low-cut, figure-hugging silk dress, she was the kind of woman a man wanted to take

into his bed and ravish.

Despite the kohl eyeliner and mascara, her big, round, liquid eyes were still full of the innocence that made her look years younger than her age.

The kind of innocence that seemed to say 'I trust you; take me home.

Austyn couldn't tear his eyes off her.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

He suddenly felt thirsty.

'Com here,' he said, his voice having gone husky.

Kira lifted her floor-length dress with one hand and approached carefully.

She resisted the urge to cover her chest with her arms.

The halter neck dress was too tight to allow her to wear her cotton bra underneath.

The stylist had given her skin-toned adhesive pasties.

It was the first time Kira felt glad for having small breasts; she didn't want to feel the bounce with every step she took.

Ambuti Makeover

H

"Turn around,' Austyn said when she moved closer.

His pupils dilated when he saw the dress in its entirety.

It was completely backless.

Her long hair was done up in a classy chignon, offering an unimpeded view of her flawless, fair

-skinned back

The fabric started just a finger's width above the rise of her buttocks.

Austyn hadn't realised she had dimples of Venus.

Kira blushed under the man's intense gaze.

It was burning a hole on her naked back.

She squirmed and turned around to face Austyn.

'Do you know how beautiful you are right now?" He leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

He Draught This On Himself

He Brought This On Himself

Kira felt her cheeks burning.

She lowered her head and avoided eye contact with the man.

Her heart fluttered at his compliment.

It was the first time he called her 'beautiful."

Austyn sniffed her neck and inhaled her intoxicating scent.

She smelled like dewy lilies of the valley.

He kept a mental note to ask Vincent for the name of the perfume later.

For a long while, no one in the room spoke,

Kira was busy blushing.

Austyn was busy planning all the things he wanted to do to her once they got home.

He was tempted to cancel the party appearance tonight.

Kai regained his composure first.

He cleared his throat. 'Boss, it's time to go."

Though it was customary for the VIP to arrive at a party fashionably late, if didn't get a move on soon, the party would be over.

Austyn took a deep breath. 'Let's go."

Kira looked up. 'Wait. You haven't told me where we are going."

She spent the last two hours being putty in the stylists' magical hands, not having a clue for

the reason.

What was the occasion?

'You'll know when we get there.' Austyn crooked his arm. 'Come on.

Kira linked her arm with his.

Maybe he was taking her to that restaurant he booked last time.

Kira left the studio with a spring in her step, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

***

Kira fidgeted in the backseat.

She had never worn a backless dress before.

The leather upholstery was cold against her bare skin.

She leaned forward and sat up straight, but slouched every few minutes.

Austyn was seated next to her.

He caught her every move out of the corner of his eye..

The air-conditioner blew her scent his way.

Austyn shifted his body, adjusted his posture to hide his growing excitement.

When she squirmed again, he snapped at her. 'Sit still!'

Kira tugged on the strap around her neck. 'I can't breathe.'

The strap was a little too tight.

Kira felt as if she was wearing a dog collar.

Austyn was taller than her.

From his vantage point, he caught a glimpse of her clavicles and the rise of her breasts.

It was obvious that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Austyn shot out a hand. 'Will you stop moving?"

And stop seducing me!

Kirs

put down her hand.

The dress was probably super expensive.

Shesh

ruin it.

Kira sat in the backseat with both hands on her lap, her back ramrod straight, like a soldier awaiting inspection.

Her skin was practically glowing in the dim interior of the car.

Austyn took a deep breath and looked away. 'Damn it!'

He was starting to regret letting her come out in that dress.

"Watch your language. Kira heard the man cursing under his breath.

He drew in another breath.

If Kai wasn't in the car, Austyn would have pulled Kira in and ripped that dress off her.

Austyn closed his eyes and started reviewing a draft acquisition contract he received today.

'On or prior to the Closing, the Management Company must distribute to its Equity Holders

Hyright:

The On Himself

all of its right, title and interest in and to its cash and cash equivalents and other assets. identified on Schedule 1.2 in accordance with the provisions of the applicable...

Gradually, the dense technical language drove away his lustful thoughts, but only just.

He had to keep his face turned away from Kira to avoid further temptation.

Austyn quickly got out of the car when they reached the Grand Copthorne.

He sucked in a deep breath and lit up a cigarette.

The ride had been a gruelling and unnecessary test of his self-control.

Austyn knew he brought this on himself.

He could have arrived in a separate car, or he could have had her changed out of that dress.

But he did neither.

He let her sit next to him, their shoulders inches apart, while he grappled with the decision to cancel.

ore than once, I

opened his mouth to ask Kai to turn around and drive back to the

e villa,

but he checked himself.

Kai had informed the party organisers that the M Group's president would be there tonight.

Austyn didn't like going back on his word.

Still, he decided to leave the event early.

Kira watched Austyn smoke outside the car.

She noticed that the man smoked quite frequently.

Was it a casual habit or addiction?

Kira used to frown upon smoking.