Bedmates Soulmates

Adonis in Repose

Kira tiptoed over to his chair, nervous and sceptical.

the really tu

the gift?

She did learn about his predilection, odd as it was, straight from the horse's mouth.

be honest, she found it peculiar, and a little icky.

She wore gloves and washed her hands three times afterwards, but she could still feel the sticky mucus on her fingers.

Austyn was a bit of a neat freak and germaphobe.

Why would he like something that many others found gross?

As Kira stood face to face with Austyn, she suddenly noticed how long his eyelashes were.

Long, lush, thick.

If he was ever out of work, he could hire on as Maybelline's Lash Sensational Sky High mascara model, Kira thought enviously.

She paused to admire the man's face sculpted by the loving hands of a divinity.

When he wasn't scowling, or intimidating others with his sharp eyes, or spouting insults from his thin lips, he could be so serene looking. Like Adonis in repose.

His face was slightly upturned, eyes closed like he was making a wish to the stars.

Removing the gift from its tiny plastic cage in her pocket, Kira placed it on her right palm and covered it with her left.

"Okay,' she said, licking her lips. "You can open your eyes now."

His thick black eyelashes fluttered open.

Kira thrust her hand in front of his face. "Ta-dal'

Austyn stared into the beady eyes of the lime green tree frog, who was squatting on Kira's palm, looking surprised. "Brawk," it croaked.

Austyn's pupils dilated.

He jerked his head back and lashed out reflexively. "GET IT AWAY FROM ME!

The strike knocked the frog out of Kira's palm.

She was thrown.

What just happened?

Did she just see the man flinch?

Why did he have the same look as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene in Psycho?

Austyn had sprung out of his chair.

He was now standing in a corner, putting the chair in front of him like a shield.

Adung in Repose

"Kira Hewitt!" he growled. 'Get that disgusting thing out of my study. Now!"

'Disgusting? But it's such a cute little froggy!"

Austyn clenched his fists. Throw it out! Did you hear me?

He was shouting.

'Fine, I'll-' Kira paused.

An idea suddenly occurred to her.

She walked up to him and studied his face. "Why do you look so pale? Your lips are drained of colour. Your hands are shaking. Austyn, are you afr

'I'm not afraid!" he denied vehemently. "Why should I be afraid?'

Kira burst out laughing.

Aw, the high and mighty president of the M Group, scared of a little frog.

That was so adorable!

'Elsie told me you like frogs,' she said after she caught her breath.

Austyn gave her one of his habitual scowls. 'Numbskull, she was pulling your leg, can't you tell?'

All right, all right. Kira raised both palms to placate him. "Fear not. Come on. It's just a frog, totally harmless. It won't bite.

She was still giggling.

What's so damn funny? Austyn snarled.

Kira wasn't intimidated by his menacing look now.

All bark and no bite.

He was afraid of frogs; she was not.

Ergo, there was no need for her to be afraid of him.

'Scaredy-cat,' she said to herself.

Kira wore the plastic bag over her hand like a glove and bent down to retrieve the tiny frog, who had missed its window of opportunity to hop away. "Look, its mouth is open like it's saying hello. It's kind of cute."

Kira waved the frog at Austyn, 'Say hi."

'Don't you dare come any closer! Austyn gripped the headrest of the chair.

"Okay, all right. I won't. Kira said with a toothy grin.

"Throw it away!

"Throw it? Like, from the second-floor window?"

'Right now!"

"But the poor thing is going to plunge to its death! I cant just toss it out the window. It's not a cat. It won't survive the fall."

Austyn gnashed his teeth. "I don't care. Throw it away this instant!

Adong In Bepose

'Come on. Have a heart. We should be kind to animals, especially those smaller and weaker than us. I'll go downstairs and release it back to nature." Austyn breathed out.

He was still standing behind the chair. 'Get a move on!"

Kira, eyes twinkling with laughter, turned around and started for the door.

All of a sudden, the frog jumped out of her hand.

"Brawk!

'Brawk! Brawk!"

It went on the lam, away from its jailer.

'Shit!' Kira snatched at it in vain.

The fugitive was hopping in Austyn's direction.

Kira saw a blur, and then Austyn's muscular body was behind her.

All 186 cm of him.

He was crouching and grasping her t-shirt tightly, using her as a human shield. Kira splayed her hands.novelbin

'Mr President,' she thought, 'where's your usual cool-headed, unflappable self?"

He tugged on her t-shirt and said through gritted teeth, 'Go to the desk!'

"Why?" Kira looked down at his strong arm, which was covered in goosebumps now.

'There's a gun in the top drawer. Take it out and shoot the damn thing!"

"What? Kira wanted to turn around to see his face..

Was he serious?

'Hurry up!'

'Come on, it's just a fro-'

"Kira Hewitt! Get the damn gun!"

Before she could comply, the tree frog, sensing impending doom, jumped onto the window sill and leapt. It disappeared.

Austyn refused to let go of Kira's t-shirt until she went to the window and checked twice,

'It's gone now. Poor froggy, I hope it landed safely."

He released her and quickly straightened up.

His face was darker than the night sky.

Seeing the look on his face, Kira was attacked by another fit of laughter.

She was laughing so hard that her stomach hurt.

She couldn't help comparing the man to a hedgehog-all tough and prickly on the outside, but so shy and soft and fuzzy underneath.

'It's too cute!' she thought. 'A grown man afraid of a tiny frog!"

Austyn's nostrils were flared.

Without warning, he shot out an arm around her waist and spun her around.

"Ah!' Kira's back was pressed against the edge of the desk.

Her husband's cold eyes stared into hers. "This is

funny to you?'

If she nodded, she'd be sending herself to the doghouse.

Kira swallowed. "No, it's not funny at all."

Then why was she in stitches?

Austyn fastened his eyes on her face.

There were tears in the corners of her eyes.

He hadn't seen her laugh this hard before.

Kira squirmed.

The man had the grip like a vice.

She couldn't move at all.

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