Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 267

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 didn'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.

Kal 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 now...

Kai stood there, gawking open-mouthed.

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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.

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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 arms 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.

'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.

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Kira felt her cheeks burning.

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

Her heart fluttered at his compliment.

It was t

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.

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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!

Kira put down her hand.

The dress was probably super expensive.

She shouldn't 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

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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.

More than once, he'd opened his mouth to ask Kai to turn around and drive back to the 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.

Her father smoked.

Kira tried to get him to quit.

Smoking was bad for his health.

She hid his cigarette packs around the house.

She bought him nicotine gum, lozenges and patches.

She even printed out gory images of smokers suffering from blackened teeth, diseased lungs. and clotted brains to scare him into quitting.

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Dad cut back from two packs a day to one, but he couldn't shake the habit completely.

As for Austyn....

Kira didn't think the man would agree to wear a nicotine patch or stick a piece of nicotine gum in his mouth.

As for the cigarettes, he seemed to have one favoured brand.

Kira remembered seeing the same black packs with golden lettering on them..

It smelled like menthol and didn't stink like the other cigarettes.

When Austyn smoked, he looked a little like the chisel-faced Marlboro Man sans the cowboy hat.

He was leaning against the bonnet of the Hummer, standing in profile, head slightly lowered.

His pensive-looking face was obscured by wisps of blue smoke.

It made Kira curious-what was troubling him?

She wanted to reach out a hand and turn that habitual frown upside down.

Kira hurriedly looked away when she caught herself staring.

She'd seen his face so many times before.

Why was she suddenly so fascinated by it?

Kira's hands flew to her cheeks.

They were hot to the touch.

Her heart was thumping.

Her lips had gone dry.

'Stop acting like such a fangirl!' she chided herself. 'You are turning into Vanessa.

A knock on the open window startled her.

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""What?" Kira looked up.

'Get out of the car,' Austyn said simply.

Kira climbed out of the backseat with some difficulty, gathering her dress carefully.

"Where are we going?'

"To the hotel. There's a party tonight-

Before he could finish, Kira had shrunk back into the car.

Austyn stared at her. 'What are you doing?"

Kira gnashed her teeth. 'You never told me we were coming to a party in a public venue!'

She caught a glimpse of the hotel's grand-looking front entrance.

Whatever event this was, Kira was pretty sure it wasn't the kind of pizza parties her classmates. used to throw.

Austyn ground out the cigarette butt with his heel. 'Now you know. Get out of the car.

'No!' Kira said to Kai, 'Drive me home, please."

Kai kept staring straight ahead and pretended he didn't hear a thing.

"Kira Hewitt! Don't make me drag you out."

'No. I don't want to go to a party in a hotel, and you can't make me! The place must be crawling with reporters. I don't want my face splashed across the front page of Stamford Daily. You can go ahead if you want, but I'm going home.'

Kira held onto the grab handle and was determined to put up a fight if Austyn tried to drag her

out.

'Who told you there are reporters here?'

'No one. It's an educated guess."

As someone who once traded the president's personal info for money, Kira knew the tabloids. were offering big bucks for any scoop on Austyn McCarthy.

How could they not be out in droves if they knew Austyn was going to show up here?

'It's a stupid guess,' Austyn shot back. 'It's an invitation-only party. The organiser's the Chamber of Commerce. They'd never invite the media here."

'Really?' Kira was sceptical. 'I don't believe it."

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It sounded like a high-profile event, definitely newsworthy.

The media might not be on the guest list, but it didn't mean reporters couldn't find some other ways to get in.

'Fine.' Austyn crossed his arms. 'If you don't want to go in, you can go home.'

'Really?' Kira's eyes lit up.