46 Teasing

The moment the lift doors had closed, Kai pulled Lianne closer to him and placed his arm around her waist. He hugged her to him as he leaned on her more, smelling her hair.

"You smell so nice," Kai said to her, as he snuggled his cheek on her head.

Lianne put her hand on his firm chest and pushed him away … or rather, tried to push him away but he didn't even budge an inch, "Behave, Kai."

"I am behaving," Kai replied with a small smile, leaning closer to her face, "If I wasn't, I would do more than just smell you. I'd…"

Lianne put her hand over his mouth, hissing, "Stop it."

With a grin, he took that hand and kissed her palm. First, his full lips pressed over her palm before he lightly brushed his lips over the sensitive part center of the palm as he brought his head up.

Lianne bit her bottom lip and was silently cursing Kai in her mind.

Give him an inch, and he takes a mile.

It was a little-known fact that the tender, nerve-rich center of the palm is an erogenous zone. By brushing his lips over her palm like that, he was basically tempting her. And by the way Kai had glanced up to look into her eyes as his lips left her palm - he knew the effect his lips made on her.

He was doing it deliberately.

In response, Lianne smiled at him while holding his hand. Then, with a slight turn of her wrist, she twisted his hand while pressing her thumb on the most vulnerable part of his palm.

Kai hissed a bit, enduring the pain but he still managed to give her a smile.

Okay, fine.

It was more of a grimace but still, it was sort-of-a-smile.

Lianne then patted his cheek and said with a sweet voice, "My dear Kai, behave."

"Yes, ma'am," Kai replied cheekily.

Lianne laughed a bit at that and let his hand go. He wrapped his arm around her waist again and said in her ear, his breath gently blowing into it, "I'll behave, sayang."

Lianne gave him a glare (which he ignored) as he said, "I'm so happy that you're here. Can you come every day?"

"No," Lianne replied, "Not every day …."

"Every two days?" Kai negotiated.

"Kai, that'll be rather distracting for you, don't you think?" Lianne pointed out, "Just once in a while will do."

"No," Kai disagreed, smelling her hair again, "You recharge me. I'll be thinking of you all the time if I don't get to see you."

"We'll face-time then," Lianne suggested.

"No," Kai replied with a slight pout, "It's not the same. I can't hold or smell you."

As if to show what he meant, he held her tighter, bent down slightly, and started sniffing her neck.

"KAI!" hissed Lianne, her face beet red due to the words, his actions, and the audience in front of them. Though Zayn didn't move nor was his facial expression any different (as what Lianne could see via the reflection on the lift doors), Lianne knew he was most likely cringing inside.

Heck, *she* was cringing inside.

If she could see Zayn, then he could see them, albeit in a slightly distorted way as the metallic doors of the lift wasn't reflective like a mirror.

Lianne hit Kai on the arm and he grinned.

Zayn groaned and did an internal eye roll.

Once the lift doors opened, however, Kai did behave.

In fact, his entire clinging vibe dissipated the moment the doors opened and he placed his hand on her back, urging her forward.

"This floor is mainly my office, and generally, one will have to pass through Clarisse in order to enter," Kai explained in a brisk, authoritative voice - quite different from the way he spoke to her earlier in the lift.

Once Lianne stepped out of the lift, she noted that there appeared to be a 'waiting room' of sorts. A semi-circle desk was beside the only entrance into the corridors of the room.

The lady sitting there, whom Lianne assumed to be Clarisse, stood up immediately upon seeing Kai.

"Sir," she greeted him politely.

"Clarisse, this is Lianne, the love of my life," Kai told her, "She has full access anytime."

"Noted, Sir," Clarisse replied.

"Lianne, this is Clarisse," Kai introduced them.

Lianne was impressed with both Clarisse and Kai. The former, for not showing any sort of reaction at Kai's sudden statement and the latter, for actually making such a declaration.

It also showed that by sharing such an intimate aspect to Clarisse, he did not view her as someone beneath him. Not to say that he viewed her as an equal, but he treated her well and not like a 'lower' employee.

After all, Clarisse was, strictly speaking, a receptionist and though her position was higher than the ones at the lobby, it was still 'low', so to speak.

It indicated that Kai wasn't the snobbish type of CEO, which Lianne could appreciate.

It is said that if one wants to see the true character of a person, you need to observe how he acts with his subordinates and those in the service industry. Lianne found this to be true.

Though she added 'animals' as well.

Not the pets that one owns, but the strays on the street.

It was really telling when a person was kind to their pets but was impatient with strays. True compassion wasn't there within them, for the person could only see and treat kindly to those that were within their home. They were apathetic to those outside their home and in turn, it reflected what was truly in their hearts.

In short, the sufferings of others were not within their contemplation. It wasn't to say that they were cruel, but rather, they were indifferent.

Lianne may look indifferent but she wasn't. In fact, she had to actively cut herself off because she felt too much. She needed someone to balance her out and one who would be on the same page as her.

For the time being, Kai seemed to be that person.

His rather clinging ways actually warmed her heart deeply. It seemed to fill something within her that had been a black hole before. Most importantly, he didn't mind her reactions at all.

She could hit him, pinch him, and he took it all with a smile.

Was he a masochist?

He was loving and patient. He knew his limits and did not go overboard.

His constant trying to push it, though, was endearing.

Wait.

She actually liked it when he kept pushing his boundaries?

Lianne groaned to herself.

She was hopeless.

What a pair they made.

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When they reached Kai's office, he pushed her in gently and turned to close the door. He glared at everyone outside before doing so, saying firmly, "Do not disturb."

Zayn, who was right behind Kai, stopped and nodded. Once the door was closed, he looked at his watch and went to his desk. The other two secretaries were just sitting there, wide-eyed, at the closed door.

Without looking up, Zayn said from his desk, "Go to lunch and keep your mouth shut."

The two gulped, got up, and left quickly after answering, "Yes, Sir."

Once the place was empty, Zayn sighed and flopped behind on his chair. He pursed his lips and looked at the closed door. He then looked at the phone on his desk.

Does he need to report this?

He may be Kai's PA, but his boss was, ultimately, the Shengs. To be more accurate, the Patriarch. Kai had never shown any interest in any woman before and thus, there had not been any problems in that area.

Suddenly, three months ago, it all changed when he was looking for and chasing after some random girl he met at the airport. Now that he found her, it looks like it was getting serious.

The Patriarch would not be happy.

After all, he was, naturally, planning and arranging for the best marriage for Kai that would push the Sheng's even higher. Once he knows about this 'Lianne', things would get messy.

Zayn twirled the pen in his hands as he pondered on what he should do next.