The CEO's Romantic Wager

Chapter Nine: A Wonderful Night Out

As boss and assistant stepped out of the apartment and into the cool evening air, Jayla took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

The sleek black town car waiting at the curb only added to the surreal nature of the moment, and at that point, Jayla had to admit that she did feel kind of special; like she was one of those cheesy Disney princesses.

Ajax opened the door for her, his movements fluid and confident.

“After you,” he said, his deep, normally stoic voice laced with charm.

Jayla hesitated for the briefest of seconds before sliding into the car, and she almost let out a moan of contentment at how warm and soft the leather seats felt against her skin.

Ajax followed, settling in beside her, and the chauffeur nodded in silent acknowledgment before pulling into traffic and rolling up the partition, leaving them all to themselves.

The ride was silent for a while, save for the faint hum of the engine, and Jayla stared out the window, relishing the way the city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white as they drove. It was the first time she was riding alone with her boss after all, so she wasn’t exactly sure what the protocol was.

“I hope the dress is to your liking, Ms. Beckett,” Ajax finally broke the rather tense silence, his voice low, and almost intimate in the confined space.

Jayla turned to him, her fingers absentmindedly brushing the hem of her gown. “It’s beautiful, Mr. Creed. But you didn’t have to go to such lengths for my sake.”

His lips curved into a small, enigmatic smile. “I wanted to. Considering everything you’re doing for me, you deserve to feel extraordinary tonight.”

Jayla blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. “Well... thank you. It’s been a while since anyone made me feel like this.”

Ajax tilted his head slightly, his gaze unwavering. “Like what?”

“Special,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

A flicker of something—was it regret? —crossed his features, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “Then tonight, let’s ensure you feel nothing less.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. Jayla shifted slightly, her heart pounding as she searched for a safer topic to steer the conversation to.

“So, where are we going?” she asked brightly.

Ajax’s smirk returned, his eyes glinting with mischief. “You’ll see.”

The mystery only added to her nerves.

Jayla crossed her legs, her heels clicking softly against the floor of the car as she adjusted herself in her seat to cover up her exposed thigh. She caught Ajax watching the movement, but his gaze quickly shifted, and he looked out the window. Heat rushed to Jayla’s cheeks, and she quickly looked away, silently wondering how long it was going to take them to get to their destination.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours later, but the car finally slowed to a stop, and the driver stepped out to open the door.

Jayla glanced outside and froze.

Before them stood one of the city’s most exclusive restaurants, PLACEBO. Its grandeur and beautiful lights made it look like paradise to the woman who could only dream of ever getting into the place.

“You brought me here?” she asked her boss, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Ajax stepped out of the car and extended a hand to help her out. “Only the best for you tonight, Ms. Beckett.”

She hesitated, her fingers brushing against his as she slowly took his hand.

The warmth of his touch was unexpectedly reassuring, and as they made their way inside, heads turned, and conversations hushed, until Jayla felt the weight of the stares and the change in atmosphere… but Ajax seemed unfazed at the situation.

In fact, his confidence shone like a beacon, drawing her in. “Relax, Ms. Beckett,” he murmured as they were escorted to a private table in a secluded corner of the restaurant. “They’re only staring because you look incredibly stunning tonight.”

Or because I look nothing like the women you bring here.

Jayla thought to herself bitterly but didn’t say the words aloud.

She gave him a doubtful look but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “You just have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“Only when it comes to you,” he replied smoothly, earning a surprised laugh from her.

As the evening unfolded, Jayla found herself slowly relaxing in his company as the initial awkwardness faded away.

It turned out that Ajax Creed really could be funny and charming when he put his mind to it, and despite all the warning bells going off in her head, the assistant allowed herself to simply enjoy the moment.

Dinner was a delightful mix of trying new foods and enjoying scintillating conversation, and soon enough, Jayla found herself leaning back in her chair, her plate empty save for the tiny crumbs of dessert still coating it. “Alright,” she said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “I’ll admit it, Mr. Creed. Tonight wasn’t as painful as I thought it’d be.” She declared honestly.

Ajax raised a brow, feigning offense. “Painful? I’ll have you know, I’m delightful company.”

Jayla tilted her head, a playful smirk on her lips. “Yeah, when you’re not being insufferable, sure.”

The CEO leaned forward slightly, his smirk matching hers. “You wound me, Ms. Beckett.”

“Oh, good. I’ve heard it builds character,” She quipped smartly, her laughter at his reaction carrying over to the other tables, sending a few curious glances their way.

Their dinner gradually came to an end, and as they left the restaurant and stepped into the waiting car, Jayla felt lighter than she had in weeks.

The tension from earlier in the evening had long melted away, only to be replaced by an odd sense of camaraderie between her and her boss.

The drive back to her apartment was characterized by a mix of comfortable silence and light-hearted banter, though at one point, Ajax glanced over at her, his easygoing tone turning more thoughtful.

“You know, Ms. Beckett,” he started, “I think this whole... arrangement—” he gestured vaguely, “—it actually might work if we’re convincing enough.”

Jayla rolled her eyes. “Now, that’s a ringing endorsement if I’ve ever heard one.” She joked.

“No, I’m serious,” Ajax said, his expression softening. “If we’re going to pull this off, we need to be believable. That means spending more time together, like I already said. But we also need to do more… like learning each other’s quirks—becoming friends…”

Jayla glanced at him, genuinely surprised. “Friends? You want to be my friend?”

“Why not?” He shrugged. “It’ll make the whole thing easier. Besides...” He hesitated, his gaze briefly dropping before meeting hers again. “I actually don’t mind having you around like this. You are good company.”

Jayla’s lips twitched, but she refused to let the warmth in her chest show on her face. “Alright, Mr. Creed. I’ll play along. But friends have to know things about each other... a lot more than meeting schedules and what flowers to send over to girls they’ve hurt,”

“Fair enough,” he eagerly replied with a grin. “Let’s start with you first then. Tell me—what do you plan to do with the money you made off me, Ms. Beckett?”

Jayla’s eyes lit up as if he’d opened the door to her favorite topic. “The first half? Well, most of it is going to an orphanage I volunteer with. They’ve been struggling to keep up with repairs and programs for the kids. The rest will go to a few other organizations, and then I’ll put what is left of it toward my own savings. Financial stability is important, you know?”

Her words greatly surprised the CEO, who just sat there, looking at her with a hint of surprise and admiration. “You’re donating most of it?”

“Yes,” she admitted easily. “And now that you know, you’re joining me for a volunteer day with the kids. Sounds like a good thing to help a friend with, right?”

“Wait a minute,” Ajax started to protest, holding up a hand. “How does that follow? I never agreed—”

“Oh, no,” she interrupted, her tone teasing but determined. “You don’t get to back out of this, Mr. Creed. You dragged me to your fancy dinner after all, remember? This is only fair payback that is still on the theme of a little holiday spirit.” She grinned at him. “Besides,” she added mischievously, “it’s all part of our little arrangement. You had your way with me; it is now my turn to have my way with you.”

The words were meant to be innocent, but Ajax felt a familiar sensation stir up in his loins, one that he did his best to snuffle immediately.

The last thing he needed right now was to start thinking of his assistant in that light.

Ajax let out a low groan as he leaned his head back against the seat, partly from s****l frustration, partly for dramatic effect at the thought of spending the entire day with rowdy children, “This sounds like a terrible idea, Ms. Beckett.”

“Well, terrible or not, you’re still doing it,” she said with mock sternness.

Ajax peeked at her from the corner of his eye, a reluctant smirk tugging at his lips as he let out a sigh of resignation. “Fine. But don’t expect me to be cheerful about it.”

Jayla laughed in excitement, the sound bubbling out of her like water from a fresh spring, “That’s alright. I’ll take what I can get.”

When they arrived at her apartment, Ajax stepped out first and opened the door for her to help her out. Jayla slipped out of the car, the chilly night air kissing her skin, making her shudder slightly.

“Thanks for tonight, Mr. Creed,” she said as they lingered by the curb. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.”

Ajax chuckled. “High praise coming from you, Ms. Beckett.”

Jayla rolled her eyes, but her smile remained. “See? I can be excellent company when I put my mind to it too.”

He tilted his head, his gaze lingering on her longer than necessary. “I really can see that now,”

Jayla, caught off guard by the intensity in his gaze and the sudden shyness that coursed through her as a result of it, looked away.

She stepped forward and hugged him briefly, her arms barely brushing his shoulders. “Hopefully, our little display tonight was enough to plant the idea of our relationship in people’s heads, Mr. Creed,” she said with a teasing grin as she pulled away.

Ajax nodded; his expression unreadable as he watched her retreat toward her building. “Goodnight, Ms. Beckett.”

“Goodnight, Mr. Creed,” she called over her shoulder.

As his assistant disappeared into her building, Ajax Creed leaned against the car, his hands slipping into his pockets as he took a minute to ponder over everything that had happened.

Even in the chilly night, he still felt warm from their simple hug and the way the faint scent of her perfume still lingered in the air, and it really was insane, but for the first time ever, the billionaire CEO found himself wishing their arrangement wasn’t just an act.