Is he a kisser

When they were about to arrive at the Grand Hotel, Samira was still lost in the kiss. It wasn’t until Ray announced their almost arrival that she snapped back to reality, immediately feeling a surge of panic and anger. She remembered she wasn't the real Delly and couldn't have kissed him back.

"Didn't you do all of this to tease me?" he asked for the second time, and Samira stared at him in silence.

Her mission to do things that men hate and make him dislike her hadn't worked. Instead, it only seemed to make him more determined to marry her.

When she took too long to answer, he took hold of her hand, trying to pull her into his arms again. She pushed him away forcefully.

"I'm not teasing you, nor am I trying to turn you on. I'm actually hoping for the opposite," she yelled at him.

"Opposite being?" he prompted, clearly enjoying the confrontation.

"That you cancel this whole marriage nonsense! I don't want to marry you," she retorted, her frustration boiling over.

Instead of giving her the reply she wanted, he started the car and drove on. The ride was tense and silent. When he finally stopped, Samira tried to unlock the door, but it was locked.

"Open this door," she yelled.

"Not happening, until you calm down and we talk," he said calmly. Samira couldn't believe her ears. She was damn sure he wasn't going to let her go. Even if she screamed, nobody would hear her—this car was practically soundproof.

"We will be going on another date tomorrow. I'll send Mike to come...

"What makes you think I will want to go out with you again?" The audacity of Mr. Ray, to think he could talk to her like this was some sort of weather report.

"You will. You will end up going out with me tomorrow," he replied with infuriating confidence.

"You really think you can have it all, don't you? Let me tell you, I have a mind of my own and I won't be bullied into doing what you want," Samira declared hotly, staring at him.

Instead of backing off, he pulled her into his arms again. "This fiery spirit of yours, do you take it to bed with you? Because I would like you being this way when I make love to you," he told her bluntly.

Once again, Samira was stupefied and speechless. He didn't give her time to process his words. He adjusted the driver's seat to a reclining position, still holding her tightly against his taut body. He nuzzled into her neck, breathing in her scent, feeling her loud, thumping heartbeat like it was going to explode.

"You know what?" he whispered as he licked her neck, making sure he had her full attention. "Do you want to know what can turn me off from marrying you?"

Samira looked into his eyes, trying to figure out if he was joking. Seeing only calmness, she nodded, desperate to get out of the situation she'd found herself in.

"Your performance..."

"You want me to sleep with you?" she interrupted, unable to believe her ears.

He poked her head gently. "Is that what your little mind keeps telling you? I don't hate the idea of making love to you, but I can't do it without your permission. And that doesn't mean I'm willing to let you go."

"Then what do you mean?"

He tightened his grip on her waist, causing her thighs to grind against his growing arousal. He groaned loudly, his breath ragged as he palmed her ass cheeks. Her short dress was not helping matters.

"I don't love wild women in my bed," he said. Samira knew he was lying. He wanted her to act wild so he could keep her forever. An idea popped into her mind, and she didn’t hesitate to put it into action.

"How about we confirm your theory of the ideal woman in the room?"

As soon as he let her go and opened the door, she got out of the car and ran straight into the hotel. Ignoring the manager and staff waiting for her, she ran to the elevator. Somehow, Ray frightened her. All she had wanted was to scare him off. She often did that to men who made passes at her at the boutique she worked at in Brookside, and it always worked. But with Ray, it didn't. It was like she was perfectly shooting herself in the foot.

The darn man even thought she was teasing him. She recalled the kiss they shared earlier, never having been kissed that way before. Her phone rang, and she quickly picked it up, knowing it was Delly calling.

"So how did it go? Is he breaking off the marriage thing?" Delly asked eagerly.

"I don't think so," Samira replied, narrating everything that happened.

"He kissed you?" Delly asked in shock. "Is he a good kisser? I mean, is he better than your ex?"

"I think he's smitten with you. Maybe you should come and tell him off yourself because I don't think he will give up," Samira suggested, not wanting to disclose her past relationships.

"Let's not rush things. You are me and I am you for now. Just do whatever you can to get him off your back. I don't care about the tactic you use. Just get him to cancel the marriage. Please, Samira, you are the only one I trust to help me accomplish this," Delly begged. Feeling guilty for wanting to leave when Delly had been nothing but kind to her, Samira decided to stay and keep trying to convince him.

It was only later, when she was in bed, that she realized he was taking her out tomorrow. She would go and make it clear to him why she couldn't marry him.

The next morning, Samira dressed in her most conservative outfit, hoping to repel Ray's interest. When the manager arrived to pick her up, she steeled herself for another round of confrontation.

Ray was waiting for her at Grand hotel's cafe, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. She took a deep breath, ready to lay it all out. How come he was at the hotel that early in the morning when he'd promised that Mike would pick her up later?

"Let's get one thing straight," she said, not even bothering to sit down. "This isn't going to work. We are not compatible. I am not the woman you think I am."

Ray simply smiled. "Sit down, Delly. Let's talk.

Against her better judgment, she sat, feeling his gaze boring into her. "You can't seriously think this is going to work.

"I do," he replied calmly. "And I think you know it too."

"You're impossible," she muttered, trying to suppress the fluttering in her chest.

"Maybe. But I also know what I want. And right now, what I want is to get to know you better. The real you."

Samira felt her resolve weakening. She knew she had to stay strong, for Delly's sake, and for her own. But Ray's unwavering determination was starting to chip away at her defenses. How long could she keep up this charade before everything came crashing down?

And more importantly, did she even want it to end?