RENT A HEART

CHRISTOPHER's POV

The manager and his staff ushered us toward the door. As soon as it opened, we were assaulted by camera flashes from paparazzi lining the street. I felt Eve's grip on my arm tighten, and I realized how uncomfortable she was with the flashes and the attention.

"Let's go back in," I whispered, immediately turning and leading us back inside.

She still clutched my arm tightly, breathing rapidly, her anxiety palpable. I did what I thought might calm her.

"Hey... I'm here... I'm here... everything's okay," I whispered into her hair, holding her close. "Surely this building has a helipad, correct?" I asked the flustered Alejandro.

"Yes, sir," he replied.

Judging by the looks of shock on their faces, it seemed they'd never witnessed their boss in such a state.

"I needn't remind you that you are staff and workers of this great company and should protect its reputation," I said, and from their reactions, they understood what I was implying.

"You may leave," I said, and they quickly dispersed, leaving me and a now-calmer Eve in my arms.

I texted my assistant, Frank, to dispatch a helicopter for us, and a few minutes later, I heard it land on the building's rooftop helipad.

Holding Eve in my arms felt natural, even blissful - something I could honestly do all night. Reluctantly, I pulled away slowly; we needed to get to the helicopter and reach the place I'd reserved for us.

"Are you okay now?" I asked simply. She nodded, but avoided my gaze.

"Look at me," I said gently. She reluctantly met my eyes, and I noticed they were red-shot. It looked like she'd been crying.

"Hey," I whispered, cradling her face with my right hand. "I'm here, okay?" She smiled and nodded.

"Let's go," I said, and led her toward the elevator.

------

It was already night when we arrived at the restaurant. Adolf, my friend, manager, and owner of Amor Restaurant, led us to our rooftop table. It was a bit secluded, set apart from the other guests, just the way I liked it.

We ordered and waited for our food to arrive.

"You seem to be popular among women," I heard Eve say, arching a brow at me.

"Sorry?" I said, needing to be sure I'd heard correctly.

"You know what I mean. Look around. Even though all these women are with their partners, they've been staring at our table since we got here. I doubt they're staring at me," she said with conviction.

I chuckled at her seriousness. "Are you sure they aren't staring at you, though? I mean, you are gorgeous, to say the least. It wouldn't be ridiculous if men and women found you captivating," I said, shrugging.

I watched her look away, her face flushing as she blushed at my words.

Just then, the waiters brought our meal, and we dug in. I caught her glancing at me a few times, and I wondered what she was thinking.

"Thank you, Chris," she said softly.

"For what?" I asked, curious as I couldn't understand why she was thanking me.

"For what you did back at the store," she explained.

I chuckled. "You're so cute, Eve. But I didn't do much. I mean, that's the least I could do."

"Why didn't you ask, though?" I heard her whisper. I looked up to find her staring at me with those beautiful obsidian eyes. "Didn't you want to know what happened back at the store?" she asked.

"Not necessarily. Unless, of course, you want to talk about it," I said, before returning to my meal.

I could tell it was some sort of PTSD from a past event, and I had no right to probe if she wanted to forget it and not talk about it.

I had discreetly arranged for a birthday cake, so as soon as the waiters cleared our table, another staff member wheeled it over.

"Happy birthday, Eve... go on, make a wish," I said. She smiled broadly, the most genuine smile I'd seen her give, and she looked ethereal.

I watched her clasp her hands together, close her eyes, and make a wish before blowing out the candles.

"Umm... here. You can have this too," I said, handing her a small, wrapped birthday present.

"What's this?" she chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Just open it," I replied, trying to sound casual, and she obliged, carefully tearing the paper.

Her eyes widened, a genuine gasp escaping her lips. "Oh my god... you really didn't have to," she said, her smile radiant as she gazed at the gift.

"But I wanted to. Do you like it?" I asked, even though her expression already answered my question. Still, I needed to hear it.

"It's...it's beautiful," she whispered, carefully lifting the velvet case. Inside, nestled against the plush lining, was a set: a diamond-encrusted necklace, bracelet, and earrings. "Let me..."

"Here, let me help you with that," I offered, reaching for the case. She handed it to me. I carefully unclasped the necklace.

Her hair was even softer than I imagined, a cascade of silk against my fingertips as I gently swept it aside to get a clear view of her neck. The delicate curve was the perfect canvas for the diamonds. As my hand brushed her shoulder, I noticed a slight shiver.

"You're cold," I said. Without hesitation, I shrugged off my leather jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "Wouldn't want you catching a cold on your birthday."

"Thank you, Chris," she said, her smile soft and grateful before she lowered her gaze to the necklace resting against her skin.

She angled her phone's camera to examine the necklace on her neck. Her reaction—a subtle widening of her eyes, a slight tilt of her head—told me everything. She loved it. And that made a warmth bloom in my chest.

"Can I hug you?" she asked, her voice soft. I smiled, finding her almost unbearably endearing.

"You don't need to ask," I said, my voice a low murmur. "By all means." She stepped forward, pressed a soft kiss to my cheek, and wrapped her arms around me. I returned the embrace, and I was struck by how perfectly she seemed to fit against me, as if she belonged there.

"Thank you for today," she whispered in my ear, her breath tickling my skin. "I had a great time, and thank you for the gift. It's gorgeous."

Not more than the person wearing it, I thought.

"We still have one last stop," I said, and she slowly pulled back, her brow furrowed in curiosity.

"One last stop?" she echoed, waiting for me to elaborate.

"You wanna dance?" I asked, a playful glint in my eyes.

"Well... since you asked nicely..." she said cheekily, a smile playing on her lips.

"Let's go, but... we need to stop somewhere first," I said, taking her hand and leading her towards the exit.

"So the club wasn't the last stop, then?" she chuckled, squeezing my hand.

"Well, technically it is," I said, winking. "But you know... this other place won't take a minute, I promise. As a matter of fact, it's just alongside the club."

My driver was already waiting for us in the parking lot, the car packed and ready to go. As soon as he spotted us, he hopped out and opened the door for us, a knowing smile on his face.

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small store.

"Wear this," I said, handing her a black face mask while pulling mine over my own face. It was nearly midnight, and thankfully, the street was quiet.

I led her towards the store. I took us towards the back, where we stepped into a photo booth.

"Jedi's Photo Booth?" she asked, her face lighting up with a broad, genuine smile as she looked around the cramped space.

"You've been here before?" I asked, a smile tugging at my lips as I watched her bright, excited eyes.

"Well, yes," she beamed. "I used to come here all the time in high school with my friends. We'd sneak out during break to take photos. I can't believe it's still here after all these years!"

I clicked the camera to start the session. The genuine happiness radiating from her at that moment deserved to be captured, preserved forever.

It was only the first day of spending almost the entire day with her, and I already couldn't stop thinking about her, even while she was standing right beside me.

One thing is certain at this moment: I can't control how my heart is reacting to her, and I can't guarantee I won't act on those feelings before the end of the contract, those thoughts raced through my mind as we posed for the pictures.

Should I call off the contract? The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered.