Bride of Convenience

Chapter 9

On Sunday morning at ten in the morning her phone rang, she reached out of her warm bed and grabbed it.

“Hello?” She said in a sleepy voice.

“Are you still in bed?” She blushed and pulled the covers up further it was Harrison, she knew he couldn’t see through the phone, but she was embarrassed anyway.

“Kinda.”

“Kinda. Does that mean if I let myself into your apartment right now you would be in bed snuggled up under the blanket or not?”

“You're not here, are you?” She panicked and tried to strain to hear if the door was unlocking.

“No I’m not, but I scared you didn’t I? Feel like getting dressed? It’s Paul birthday, Stacey is having a get to together at a place called O’Malley’s, it’s kind of an Irish pub type thing, and they have hired a room. Stacey called me this morning and asked if I was bringing you. Do you want to come?” Stacey asked him to bring her he didn’t really want to invite her on his own.

“Sure, sounds fun.”

“I’ll pick you up in an hour. Does that give you enough time to shower and dress?”

“Sure, I’ll meet you down the front.”

She got up and ran straight for the shower it was a cold morning, and she needed the heat to warm up her body. Dressing she chose a smart casual pants outfit, even know it was a pub these people never dressed down. What she wouldn’t give to hang out in a pair of jeans and a shirt but she did enjoy dressing up. It took her fifty minutes to get fully organised, and she pulled her hair up into a fun pony-tail and headed downstairs. When she arrived, the limo was pulling up. He greeted her at the door with a kiss that she felt all the way down to her toes.

“Morning sleepy head.” He said smiling at her with his breathtaking blue eyes.

“Good morning, and if I were home in Australia, it would have been still night time. So I am blaming time zones.”

“Nice try, but you should be used to ours by now.”

They chatted freely on the way to the pub, and when they arrived, she was glad of her choice of clothes because this was not the kind of pub they had back home. This looked more like a five-star hotel than a pub. They were lead to the room where there seemed to be fifty to sixty people chatting and drinking. We spotted Paul and Stacey and walked straight over.

“Happy birthday buddy,” Harrison said as they reached Paul. She was surprised at how casual he sounded. He wasn’t playing the boss today.

“Thanks, grab a drink and be merry. Hey Julia, how you doing?” Paul had apparently been drinking already and was having the time of his life.

“I’m good, Happy birthday.” She answered.

“Kate’s here too.” He looked around and threw up his hands. “Somewhere.”

“Stacey look after this wonderful girl, I’m stealing Harrison from you.”

“Hey, no business-talk today!” Stacey called after them as they left.

Stacey and Julia went to the bar, grabbed a drink and started searching for Kate.

HARRISON had also grabbed a drink and he and Paul were headed outside for their traditional cigar. Neither of them smoked, but on their birthdays they always shared a cigar.

“So, what to do you think of my assistant?” Paul asked, seeming a lot soberer than he had a minute ago.

“She seems fine. Kate was right she is good for the position.” Harrison answered blase about the situation.

“Fine. To me, Julia looks more than fine. I thought the good old Harrison might be becoming interested in her for more than the contract.” Paul was smirking.

“She is not might type. God, Paul you’ve seen my type, and she certainly doesn’t fit the bill or come close.”

“Yes, but she has something else, and maybe it’s time you had a different type. I’ve seen the way you bid for that painting for her are you telling me that was just a coincidence. Wade was interested too you certainly didn’t want him winning that bid, or maybe you weren’t bidding for the painting but something else.” Harrison laughed Paul was such a romantic at heart.

“I was letting Wade know that she was taken that’s all. I didn’t need some guy moving in on her after everything I have set up.”

“Yeah, well I hear he was mighty pissed off with you. He was talking to Sarah and James later in the night and said ‘does he think he can just own everything, throw money this way and that and gets what he wants. Julia is certainly not his type. Why is he even interested in her?” Harrison didn’t know why his body tensed. Why does Wade wanting Julia, matter? This is not a real relationship. Maybe it is just that he feels he has the rights to Julia. Not in a romantic way but definitely in a boss/employee way. He had basically hired her, and that meant she was his and no one else’s. If she chooses to date after the contract ended then so be it, that was her right but would he want her dating Wade? There was that tensing of the body again, no he certainly didn’t want her dating someone like Wade! He looked over to her now she looked great in that outfit. He loved the way the pants caressed her butt. Patting her on her bottom the other night he felt a stir in his pants, it was entirely unexpected, but he put it down to the fact that she was a woman and he was a man, and there was some s****l attraction there. He had seen the way she looked at him, and she knew it too. She was standing there talking with Kate and Stacey when one of Stacey’s ex-clients came up. Richard, Richard was tall dark and handsome, and Harrison watched him take Julia’s hand and kiss it as they were introduced. He suddenly felt the need to be by her side. He turned to Paul who had also just finished his cigar.

“Headed back in are we?”

“Yeah, why not I could use another drink.” Harrison made a beeline straight for Julia. He walked up behind her and slid a protective hand around her waist and kissed the nape of her neck. He felt her tremble.

“Hey Harrison, how have you been? I have met your lovely date, she is such a delight although I am concerned about why she has chosen you!” He laughed, and Richard and Harrison shook hands.

“Good to see you, Richard. Why ever would you be concerned obviously Julia has impeccable taste!” More laughs from all gathered.

Richard and Harrison chatted about people they knew and a little about business which stops shortly after Stacey gave them a look that could kill.