RENT A HEART

EVE's POV

The intensity of his stare was disconcerting. I couldn't begin to imagine what he was thinking.

"Is there something on my face?"

"Uhm, no... sorry, let's go," I heard him murmur, before he turned and opened the door for me.

I didn't miss the shocked expressions on the staff's faces, or the whispers and giggling that erupted when I stepped out from the private suite with Chris, who shamelessly intertwined his fingers with mine. His reason: "We have to be lovey-dovey in front of everyone if we want to sell this lie." Honestly, sometimes I think he's enjoying this a little too much, or maybe that's just in my head.

"Where are we going?" I asked as soon as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"It's a surprise," he said with a smile, and drove off.

He didn't seem much for conversation while driving, and I was grateful for the silence. For some reason, the sound of his voice made it hard to keep my guard up.

I stole a few quick glances at him as he drove. He had the kind of full brows that any woman would envy, and his long lashes cast shadows just below his eyes. The bridge of his nose was perfect; one couldn't be blamed for thinking it was surgically enhanced. His lips and sharp chin gave him a slightly gothic edge. He wasn't pale, nor was he tan – just a perfect blend of the two. Honestly, he had one of the most striking faces I'd ever seen, and I'd seen my fair share of handsome men.

Oh, stop it, Eve. Have some decency, I chided myself inwardly, stopping the direction my thoughts were taking.

"Is something wrong?" I heard Chris ask, his voice laced with concern.

"Uhm, why?"

"You were frowning, as though you were annoyed," he said while we waited in traffic.

"Oh," was all I could manage. I was mortified, wondering if he'd caught me staring.

"Oh, don't worry, love. I totally don't mind you taking glances," I heard him say, ever so casually, as though he were commenting on the weather. I, on the other hand, wished the ground would swallow me whole, anything to escape this epic embarrassment.

While I bemoaned my misfortune, I heard him let out a throaty laugh, deep and masculine, that sent a jolt through me, making my palms sweat and my heart race.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed. Anyone with taste would look."

"Chris... can you just..." I didn't finish the sentence before he mimed zipping his lips shut, his smile unwavering.

I shook my head and looked out the window, hoping the passing scenery would calm my erratically beating heart.

A few minutes later, I watched him park in front of an "Ethereal Eve" store on the Upper East Side. "This surprise is a branch of my company?" I asked, honestly unable to fathom his thought process.

"Well...you're not coming as the boss, you're coming as a customer brought in by her boyfriend. Besides, your company is the only one selling the design I wanted...let's go in." He flashed that infuriating yet beautiful smile.

I saw Alejandro, the manager, and several staff members hurrying toward us, anxious looks on their faces.

"Director Eve, we weren't informed of your visit. Welcome," Alejandro greeted with a bow.

I was about to speak when Chris cut me off.

"She's with me..."

Alejandro looked from him to me, speechless, searching for the right words. Chris continued, "I made a payment for a black sequin dinner gown," and showed them his phone.

That was how I discovered he was the customer who'd purchased the most expensive gown in our collection, a one-of-a-kind piece.

In that moment, he wasn't the Chris who was always teasing me. He was different, in a way I couldn't quite place. His words were assertive, commanding respect, yet he was humble in his interactions with the staff.

Alejandro gasped and immediately apologized for overlooking a valued customer. "This way, please," he said, leading us to a private suite.

"Chris?"

"Hm?" he responded, casually flipping through our company's catalogue.

"How do you know the gown will be a perfect fit?" I asked.

He slowly closed the catalogue and turned to face me. The chandelier's light illuminated his brilliant blue eyes, and for a moment, I was mesmerized.

"Well, I have a very good eye and... call it intuition, but I know it'll look perfect on you. Besides, a boyfriend is supposed to know these things," he added, almost as an afterthought, but it caught my attention.

"We haven't even been dating a week. How do you know? What else do you know?" I was genuinely curious. Besides, talking to him felt...so...normal and natural, and...well, you know what I mean.

"I know your favorite flower is a white rose. I know you pinch the space between your eyebrows when you're annoyed. You bite your lower lip when you want to hide a smile. You clasp your hands when you're attentive. And you pull a strand of hair whenever you're nervous, just like you're doing right now." He smiled, as if daring me to deny it.

"What?! I'm not nervous...it's just a stupid habit," I retorted, but he just smiled and nodded, clearly unconvinced.

"I'm serious. It's just a habit," I insisted, and I honestly didn't know why I needed him to believe me.

"Alright, alright, whatever you say," he chuckled. "But most importantly..." he continued, pausing for emphasis, "...you're very talented, if not one of the most talented people in the country, based on these unbelievable designs in this catalogue and your success in the industry."

For a moment, I was speechless, probably because it was the first time someone had genuinely complimented me without wanting something in return.

"Thank you," I said simply. He nodded, returning to the catalogue just as Alejandro and the staff walked in with the dress.

"Go on, I'll be here waiting."

I took a deep breath before stepping into the fitting room with the female staff. I don't know why, but I was nervous. What if the gown doesn't fit? What if I don't look good? What if he doesn't like it? What if... Just like that, I stopped myself. What does it matter if he doesn't like it? I mumbled to myself.

"Do you not like the gown, ma'am?" one of the staff helping me asked.

"What?"

"You don't like the gown?" she asked, innocently. I turned to the mirror and, wow... I looked amazing.

"I love it," I said with a smile, and I could see the relief wash over the faces of the staff.

"This way, ma'am," they said, leading me into another room for a face makeover.

"Your fiancé told us to take good care of you," Alejandro said as he walked in with Joe, my makeup artist friend.

"He's no– Never mind," I stopped myself, just before the truth slipped out.

"Honey, you look drop-dead gorgeous, oh my god!" Joe exclaimed, giving me a hug. "Thank you," I laughed. He was such a drama queen.

"Now, sit down, let me make you look even sexier." And with that, I sat for close to an hour while he worked on my hair and face.

"Oh, honey, whoever your fiancé is, he's a lucky man," he whispered in my ear as soon as he was done.

"Where did you even hear that? Chris isn't... he's not my fiancé, just a boyfriend," I whispered back.

"Yet...not your fiancé yet...but he could be. Girl, pictures of both of you are already all over the blogs. Everyone is gagging...no one has ever seen you with a man before, let alone a man that hot," he rambled.

"What?!" I was shocked, to say the least.

"Yes, honey, but we need to go. You cant keep your not-fiancé waiting," he said, dripping with sarcasm.

I walked into the private suite just as he dropped his glass of juice. The look on his face when he saw me sent my heart on a bumpy ride.

I watched him stride slowly toward me, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. As he drew near, just inches away, I felt a wave of nerves. My heart pounded erratically; I was certain he could hear it. He caught my hand as I instinctively reached to tuck a nonexistent strand of hair behind my ear.

"You look breathtaking," he whispered. "Happy birthday." Then, without warning, he kissed my cheek.

"Let's go," he said, intertwining his fingers with mine, and led us out. But outside was where everything changed.