Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss

Chapter 97

Chapter 97

One Month Later

"That's perfect, thank you so much." She smiled at Kylan's dining room table

the

hired mover who had just spent the last ten minutes hanging a piece of her artwork near

She was finally completely moved in, little reminders of fall speckled throughout Kylan's normally black and grey penthouse because of her. The smell of the apple cider-scented candle she hit walled through her nostrils each time she inhaled a deep breath, only adding to the general ambiance of feeling like she really was at home.

Kylan was working late tonight, and she promised she would be completely done with everything by the time he was finished.

He had honestly been working late several nights lately, and it was beginning to grate on her nerves. He was the CEO, and she knew he could delegate, if he really wanted to. But for whatever reason, he chose not to

Now, though. Now, she wanted him home. She wanted him near her. She wanted to enjoy this new, this exciting step in their relationship.

She leaned her elbows atop the kitchen counter, fumbling her phone out of her pocket to call the man whose penthouse she now shared. Just as she unlocked the screen, Kylan entered the kitchen, dark circles lining the area beneath his eyes. He was still wearing his leather jacket, his cheeks dusted a nice shade of pink from the mid October cold.

"Hi" She couldn't help the p

grin th

that spread across her face, crossing the kitchen to hug him at once.

Kylan returned the gesture, holding her securely to him. "What is that smell?" He sighed into her hair, kissing the top of her head. He was obviously struggling to avoid swearing with her in his presence but she still appreciate it

She withdrew from his arms and rolled her eyes at him. "It's a fall candle. Don't even act like you don't like it," she chastised him.

Kylan rolled his own eyes, pulling off his jacket and yawning "Time exhausted. Let's order dinner and I'll go take a shower," he suggested tiredly

She nodded her agreement. "Italian okay?" she asked, already finding the food service app on her phone and choosing her favorite Italian restaurant to order from.

"Sounds good" Rylan made to leave the kitchen, and then he paused, his eyes seeming to fall on the artwork above his table. He turned back and looked at her, a thoughtful expression upon his face. "Welcome home, Katrina," he told her with unbridled warmth She grinned at him, her cheeks hurting from just how wide her mouth was drawn up at the corners. "It's good to be home, Kylan," she replied to him honestly.

"You look... Nice, here," Kylan commented, gracing her with a beautiful, quick smile of his own before disappearing down the hallway.

With a renewed sense of belonging, she went ahead with ordering dinner for her and Kylan to enjoy, and to celebrate the start of a new chapter in their lives. -0-0-0-

Two weeks later

"Aaron, for the last time, I don't need to do something big just because I'm turning thirty. It's not a huge deal. I really only want to spend is with Kylan, maybe watching scary movies at home or something. Honestly, its been really nice, having things slow down since moving in with him. It's comfortable." She shrugged her shoulders, though he couldn't see her through the phone.

"I swear to God, Katrina. It's okay for things to be about you, for a day. Plus, tomorrow is also Halloween, so you're celebrating with Maine and I. at the very least. You can spend time with Kylan any day, especially now that you live with the man. Don't break your birthday tradition, please. We'll pick you up around seven. Okay?"

She couldn't help but smile at the computer screen atop her desk Aaron had valid points and truthfully, she knew she could benefit from a night with her friends. She sighed audibly, teigning annoyance. "Fine, since yo

theater butter popcorn. Her voice was

with Aaron and

Kate. I love you. See

was leaning against the wall, his arms

sighed and locked her phone, glancing at her office doorway his chest while he appraised her with

"Birthday planning?" he mused.

for the night. "Yeah, Aaron was insistent on keeping our tradition going. I hope you don't mind. If you're free, I was going to ask you to come to lunch

Chapter 97

I have that executive meeting I can't cancel." Kylan took

guiding her to the

back the disappointment that found purchase in her heart. "Oh, of course. I'm not sure how I forgot about that, I guess I don't keep track of your schedule quite as closely as used to." She forced herself to smile at him, pressing the button to call

our house." He let her step into the elevator first. "We could end the night with you riding my face, if that's something you're interested in," he said the last bit like he was mentioning the weather, and not

to wrap her arms around his neck, staring up at

doubt in her eyes.

his face still irritatingly composed. "You only turn thirty once, or something" he murmured, kissing her

any case Your face is my favorite chair, darling" She smiled at him coyly,

her head and sighing, stupidly

-0-0-0-

the sleep away from her eyes, she yawned and scanned the birthday messages she already had to filter through on her phone. With the intention of replying to them later on in the day, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet connecting with the cool, hardwood

way to the bathroom. She went through the motions of getting ready for work, brushing her

the kitchen for some much-desired coffer. She paused in the hallway, a

jazz music floated its way out of the confines of the kitchen

white button down and grey slacks he was wearing. With the sleeves

could wrap her arms around Kylan's waist. She rested her cheek along his upper back, breathing in his Kylan

back, perfectly content to stay just as

protest. She

cheek in his hand, his thumb tracing the space below her eye softly. "I'm sorry I can't be with you as much as I

and a shrug. "It's okay. It's only a birthday. Aaron and Maine will help make it special, too." She leaned on the tips of her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Thank you for breakfast, Kylan." She smiled once more, squeezing his biceps through his shirt. Kylan kissed the top of her head,

plate," be instructed and

watch Kylan cook and maneuver around in his element

was the

no birthday, she was just glad to

Kylan

-0-0-0-

of her assistant even going as far as gifting her a beautiful bouquet of white roses. They joined the slew of other flowers from Kylan, her father and Oscar alike. Her desk looked little more than a garden by the end of

but she didn't mind.

to see her for the rest of the day, if only just She was looking forward to sharing her evening with Maine and Aaron, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed her first

five o'clock rolled around, Aaron was blowing up her phone with reminders that he would be at her home to pick her up within the next couple of hours. She closed up shop for the

she didn't forget anything she might need the rest of the night; she made her way down to the parking garage where a nameless driver was waiting to take her

home at the end of a long day, but she did her best to ignore the feeling with the silent promise that she would set aside half an hour to call him

a tough week of work. The autumn weather was dreary and wet, making the atmosphere for Halloween all

thanked her driver when they dropped her off, walking into her building just as her phone rang. She fumbled it out of her coat pocket, smiling when a picture of herself and

before leaning against the nearby wall, her eyes