04- Just Be Yourself

I snort my coffee at him, getting off guard by his peculiar demand. Unimpress his grandma? Mr.Cruz couldn't get any weirder than this. Now, I'm questioning my sanity. Is it really taking place or am I just having a very vivid dream? So vivid is the dream that I find Cruz's hard eyes narrowing on me as he cleans his dress shirt. Shit! Did I snort that loud?

He throws a nasty glare at me and it helps my mind to reach a conclusion. It can't be a dream. It's happening and I don't know where it's going.

“Are you kidding?” I ask after a while, finding it hard to wrap my mind around his bizarre request.

“Does it look like I'm kidding?” He grits out, taking aid from his handkerchief to get rid of the coffee stains that I left on him.

“Well, you don't look like a mad man either but you are.” I wanted to say but I held myself back.

“You don't look like the biggest jerk because of your plump and kissable lips. Your lips look like they want to kiss me but they aren't doing that.” my horny mind wants to add, but I restrain myself.

“I would actually like a little explanation.” I tell him, pulling my shit together, “What do you actually mean by that?”

If I didn't know any better, I would say that Cruz is blushing at my question. But I know it's his anger directed at me which turned his cheek a delicious color of red. How can someone be so hot when he is angry?

He clears his voice before neatly folding his handkerchief and keeping it in an envelope that he took from his pocket. Does he keep going around with empty envelopes? After putting the envelope with the handkerchief back in his pocket, he straightens his back and looks me in the eyes.

“Well…” he seems to hesitate as he fumbles with his words. Closing his eyes briefly, he forces himself to continue, “My grandma saw it.” He sighs.

I furrow my eyebrows at him, scanning him like I'm trying to understand a difficult math question. “Saw what?” My question irritates him.

“What else do you suppose? The video, of course.” He answers not so politely.

If I weren't so busy blushing at the fact that his grandma watched me forcefully kissing her grandson, I would definitely come up with something smart to retort back.

She did what?! Gulping down, I lower my head, trying to get away from his line of vision.

“How….” I fumble with my words before I can make a coherent sentence, “How did she…?” I leave my question half finished, hoping he would just answer me already.

It takes him a few seconds to school his features and go back to his neutral expression, “That doesn't matter now, does it?” I shake my head involuntarily.

“Wait.” I stop him as he goes on to speak when something else hits me, “What does that have to do with me unimpressing your grandma?” He rolls his eyes.

“As I was saying, she watched it and now she thinks you are my girlfriend.”

He notices my shocked expression and that's enough for him to take the mug of coffee from my hand, afraid he might get attacked with coffee stains again.

“Wh-Why would she think that?” I ask him absentmindedly, acting as if it's not making me blush like a madman.

“Because why would she think that my secretary just randomly decided to come to my place at night to kiss me passionately?” His irritation burns my skin further.

Oh God! Can I just dig my grave and bury myself till everything gets erased from Cruz and his grandma's brain?

“Right.” I manage to whisper out.

Suddenly, I find the tiles of my room more appealing than the ocean blue eyes of Cruz. I did really mess up and I see no way out. Is it really happening? For the life of me, I can't help feeling surreal. It seems to me that I jumped into a soap opera.

“One dinner date would be enough, I hope.” Cruz's voice compelled me to turn my eyes back to him.

His uneasiness is nowhere to be found now. He looks too confident in his skin like always as he leans on my couch and speaks, “Yeah. That would be enough for you to unimpress my grandma.”

Something in his voice tells me that he is belittling me and that gets me agitated.

“And how do I do that?” I ask through gritted teeth followed by a not so friendly smile.

He shrugs his shoulders before enlightening me with his exotic knowledge, “Just be yourself.”

That's not what I expected. What I expected was insults but none of them came.

“My grandma dislikes unpleasant people and you seem to be too unpleasant when you are left to be yourself.”

Maybe I spoke too early. This is Spencer Cruz we are talking about. He can't stomach his food until he looks down on his secretary.

“Your grandma should have disowned you long ago then.” I spit back, giving him a mocking smile.

When our eyes lock, I find myself in a tight situation. His eyes look so furious for a second that it's safe to believe I'm unsafe in his presence.

It takes a few seconds for his fury to cast away. His eyes bore into me as his hand fishes for something in his pocket. He takes out a card, a black credit card and throws it at the table in front of me.

“What?” I ask him, puzzled.

“The dinner will be on the weekend. Buy yourself something presentable by then.” With that he stands up, preparing to leave.

I know I'm a miser and I don't go for the brands. However, even a blind person can say that my fashion sense is much better than Mr.Cruz considering that he spends tons of money on his clothing. Growing up independent has taught me one thing; self-respect. I never let anyone bruise my self-respect and expect someone else to nurse it back to health. The way Cruz threw his card at the table, the way his eyes scanned my body and then the way he spoke those intentionally humiliating words, I know he meant every bit of it. He wants to look down on me. What else to expect from a rich snob?

I walk towards him and take a hold of his arm before he can leave the room. I take advantage of the fact that he is taken off guard by me and hands him his card back as he turns back to face me.

“Take it with you and tailor a new suit to look presentable at the dinner. I've got plenty to choose from. I don't need your money, Mr.Cruz.” My voice is coarse as I speak, keeping my eyes at his.

Cruz looks taken aback by my sudden outburst. An innocent look crosses his face as he tilts his head in confusion. However, it takes him just a second to proceed with what's happening. I find myself gasping when he gets a hold of my wrist and pulls me closer, so close that I can feel his breath.

“Ms.Brown-” he starts, looking at my eyes, hand still holding my wrist in a considerable tight hold.

“-buy yourself something pretty.” He orders and for a second I find myself mesmerized by his voice.

I feel like we would be looking at each other's eyes for eternity till one of us gave up but the sound of his phone ringing breaks us free from that competition before it gets intense.

He lets go of me and turns around, answering the phone.

“Yes, grandma. She likes apple pie. Yeah, she will eat it. No. She shouldn't like it more than my lips.” I hear him mutter while he takes a dramatic exit.

What the fuck was that?