Chapter 5 Don't Tease Me

"Damn! Are you serious?" Cory almost rolled his eyes after learning the details of Louisa's story. "Ah, it's only fitting that a hotel clerk asked our names and immediately took me to the room he booked, Lou. I told you nothing is free in this world when you're dealing with Mr. Cross. Money and women are things he can reach with one snap."

Cory ignored the Netflix broadcast, which showed a couple making out on the beach and taking off their clothes individually. Meanwhile, Louisa looked increasingly lethargic and confused, so she hugged her pillow and started crying again. As a manager and a good friend, Cory patted Louisa on the shoulder by giving several options while guessing what Dean meant by offering this relationship.

He didn't expect Dean to ask Louisa to be his date when there were many more suitable women. It's not that Cory looks down on Louisa's physical appearance; everyone knows that the girl beside him is charming in the eyes of many men. But it's not a man with big eyes who takes advantage of popularity. Cory didn't want to see Louisa moping around like a puppy under the snowfall, hoping for warmth. That girl deserves to fall in love with a man who doesn't just make promises like Troy. And now, Dean is giving her a crazy request.

Strangely, as long as Cory worked for this big company, Dean never personally asked a woman to be his partner. They were the ones who begged and offered their dignity to be able to be with this man. It's also not a public secret that Dean never refuses as long as he has a bed partner who can satisfy him and then throws them away like trash. Will this time be different? Thought Cory, not wanting Louisa to become the umpteenth victim in the list of women in Dean's life.

Louisa argued with Dean because his crazy idea was seen as taking advantage of the situation and feelings. Unfortunately, the heartbreak Louisa feels now seems to mean nothing in Dean's eyes. More precisely, the man turned things around, giving a threat that could reduce Louisa's popularity in the entertainment world.

"You're nuts, Mr. Cross," mocked Louisa angrily. "How many women did you offer, huh?"

"Just you. Honestly," Dean replied casually, still stroking the rim of the glass with his fingers.

"You're pressuring me for a relationship that doesn't even cross my mind now, sir," retorted Louisa.

"Think again, Ms. Bahr. Date me, and you'll get whatever you want. Money? Fame?" Dean tapped his temple, indicating that this offer could not be repeated a second time. "Or... you could lose it in one night if you refuse."

Louisa's mouth dropped open in disbelief, almost dropping her jaw to the wooden floor she was now standing on. She licked her lips, which suddenly felt dry from the night wind, folded her arms, and couldn't understand Dean's train of thought.

Why me? She thought.

"What's your real motive, Mr. Cross? I'm a newcomer to your company; how could you possibly badmouth your agency?" Louisa asked, not understanding.

"My motive is for us to have fucking fun, Lou. Your second question..." Dean rubbed his chin, making Louisa want to replace the arrogant man's hand to trace the traces of his beard, which looked like it had just been shaved. "I can do such trivial things without damaging my agency's reputation. You have to choose. You have until tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow? Are you crazy?" Louisa raised her voice while widening her eyes, feeling that six hours was insufficient to clear her mind and consider Dean's request.

"Indeed. Go to sleep and dream of me in your sleep," said the man, waving his hand and smiling crookedly.

"But... what do you think Mr Cross looks like?" Cory asked, wanting to hear a direct assessment from Louisa's point of view. "I mean--"

"He's a fucking charming, crazy bastard. Extraordinarily charming than the last time I met him," interrupted Louisa, propping her chin with both hands when Dean's face flashed in her head. Ocean blue irises full of demands and impatience penetrated the recesses of his chest, leaving invisible traces that Dean looked at someone, unlike most men. A combination of mysterious, arrogant, and a great charmer. He breathed, shaking his head to chase away his naughty imagination about Dean. "Just here, I can still hear his tone, Cory.

Damn, bossy even if his tone is low."

Cory snapped his fingers, confirming what Louisa described. The girl instead hit Cory's muscular arm with blushing cheeks. "I think... There will be a reciprocal relationship here that you can use to get back to Troy. I'm unsure of Mr. Cross's motives, but... his offer is tempting to make your ex regret it."

"Cory... what would people think if today I was dumped by Troy and I took Mr. Cross tomorrow morning? Wouldn't that make matters worse? You said it yourself, don't get caught up--"

"His big D. I mean, his fucking sexy dick. I said that very clearly," Cory interrupted. "You'd better get some sleep, Lou. Tomorrow, we'll enjoy the sunny day before giving your answer to Mr Cross. Don't be too tense, darling."

"I couldn't sleep, Cory, but unfortunately, my eyes are so sleepy," complained Louisa, turning off the film broadcast in front of her and lying down. "I hope I don't dream of that crazy man."

"Hopefully."

###

Approaching spring, the weather is not as cold as before, especially as the sun is no longer shy about providing warmth. Perhaps the sun does not know fatigue when Los Angeles is a suitable place to shine all year round even though winter arrives. Armed with a thin t-shirt and knee-length trousers, Dean ran along the edge of Del Beach while listening to music through earphones and then glanced at the sparkling white sand. The sweat dripping down his forehead and down the ripples of his muscles didn't necessarily make the man stop. Dean prefers to spend his mornings exercising, enjoying what nature has to offer before it is polluted by pollution, and busy with activities in downtown San Diego.

After this, he had to return to discuss with several company officials regarding Cross Agency's collaboration with an agency in South Korea. The plan is that Dean wants to collaborate in producing one of the songs for his artist's album next year, mainly since the music industry is currently orientated in that direction. Of course, this will be a plus point if he manages to collaborate with one of the singers from a popular girl band. Two years ago, Dean successfully invited top singers to fill in the film's soundtrack, and it ended up trending number one on various music platforms.

He stopped momentarily, reached for the water bottle tucked in his waist bag, and remembered that Louisa had not given him any news. He took a sip of water down his throat, reached for his cell phone, and casually typed a good morning message to the girl.

Dean: Hey, Babe. Did you dream about me last night?

Not long after, the incoming message notification made Dean chuckle when he read Louisa's reply.

Louisa: I'd rather dream of being eaten by zombies.

Dean: It's been almost an hour since our appointment. I can call my assistant to make hot news for you.

After a few seconds, Dean's cell phone rang loudly. A wide smile immediately appeared on his red lips, watching Louisa's name still displayed on the cellphone screen as if she couldn't wait to hear another threat. The call was answered, and he immediately heard Louisa's voice scream like harmony in Dean's ears. It's wild, but he enjoys things like this, especially how Louisa hopes Dean doesn't make things worse while she is being favoured. Dean stepped forward, letting the wind caress his sweaty skin while the sun crept up. Dean's blue irises accidentally caught Louisa's figure standing on the bedroom balcony, and then she walked back and forth because she didn't get a response.

"The angrier you are, the more interested I am," said Dean, able to catch Louisa's expression like a boiled crab. A muscular man wearing a sleeveless shirt, who he recognised as the girl's manager, came out carrying two cups. Dean guessed, was it coffee or hot chocolate? Can they quell the flames that are already burning on Louisa's head?

It does not seem!

"What did your manager, Cory, bring you? I want to taste it from your lips, Babe," Dean teased excitedly.

"What! Where have you been--" Louisa's words faltered when she managed to find out where Dean was standing not far from her. She pointed at Dean as if she wanted to stab him in the chest with a crowbar to make the man stop acting.

Dean rolled his eyes, pulled the back of his white t-shirt with his left hand, and draped it over his shoulder. Deliberately showing off her body curves, she also has a geometric patterned tattoo carved on her right arm, which is no less attractive than the manager standing next to Louisa with his mouth wide open.

"Fuck! Lou, he's teasing you," Cory whispered. "Now, I'm not sure he just made you his date; maybe it was more than that."

Louisa was transfixed, observing the fantastic view beyond the stretch of Del Beach decorated with sparkling white sand and clear sea. She swallowed hard; her eyes couldn't blink even once, as if she didn't want to miss even one second of the ripples of Dean's muscles. Especially the tattoo engraving on the arm seemed to invite Louisa to caress it, too, and continue down to the bottom, where something was even more attention-grabbing.

His sexy, happy trail...

"Damn," Louisa growled lowly for Dean to hear clear.

"Wow, you're making fun of me as your boss, Ms. Bahr. I recorded our conversation," said Dean, lying.

"Are you serious, Mr. Cross?" Louisa asked.

"Never this serious, Babe. In two minutes, if you're still nagging and don't answer our agreement, I'll assume you refused and watch the news--"

"Okay, Mr Cross!" interrupted Louisa, waving the white flag. "Don't make my reputation go down, please!"

"Good girl," praised Dean. "Come here; there is something you have to do," he said commandingly.

"Why not you? You're a man, Mr. Cross!" Louisa grumbled in annoyance and ignored Cory's sharp gaze, which told her to obey. "He asked me to do what he was supposed to, Cory. What slut do you think I am?" she grumbled softly.

"I can hear you," Dean sneered. "Okay, I'll go there if you don't want to."

Turning off the telephone, Dean ran to Louisa's room, with stairs directly adjacent to a small garden and connected to a paved road to the beach. The coconut trees seemed to welcome Dean's arrival, waving as the man passed against the wind. Louisa followed Dean's footsteps, but her eyes focused on the V curve of the man's hips-fine feathers under the centre of its stocky body.

Damn! Louisa thought, turning away to clear the dirty thoughts since last night. However, why was her heart beating erratically? Has she fallen under Dean's charm and is trapped with no way out? Louisa admires Dean's good looks, but that doesn't mean she will bend the knee, considering that bastard men seem to be able to dump women more easily.

"Come down!" Dean ordered, putting his hands on his hips while breathing heavily.

"Come on up! I'm afraid there will be paparazzi," said Louisa as an excuse while Cory giggled. "You know I'm the viral artist of the month, right?"

"Put your fucking ego down, Ms. Bahr. I'm not interested! Come here, Babe!" Dean repeated.

Louisa snorted in annoyance, dragged her feet down the stairs in hotel slippers, and tightened the black satin pyjamas that covered her beautiful body. Dean put his hands on his hips, looking at Louisa's pale white skin and honey-brown hair. This is also the same as the irises that stare straight, full of dissatisfaction with the new relationship that is about to be undertaken. That was until Louisa said,

"What should I do?"

"Kiss Me!" Dean asked.

"Oh God, why do you always--" Louisa's words were muffled when Dean couldn't stand hearing the girl's nagging any longer. Squeezing gently but not eliminating the dominant feeling within Dean. Louisa almost melted with the boss's kiss if the man's arms weren't held in her arms.

"Welcome to my world," Dean whispered between kisses as he rubbed his sharp nose against Louisa's.

I feel like I've entered Dean's hell, thought Louisa doubtfully.