I Will Court You

"So, tell me… what was wrong with the kiss if you two already had sex?"

Cassie's eyes widened when Rona didn't even give any second thoughts to blabbering that word inside the restaurant. She then stepped on her foot while she continued slicing her steak.

She was thankful that Theo allowed her to have dinner with Rona. But of course, the man told her to call him right after. It was an awkward moment for them because of what had happened last night, but she still tried to act casually in front of him.

"Show some respect, will you?" Cassie said in a low voice.

Rona winked at her and had a slice of her steak. "You know what, don't be shy when it's terms of like this, Cici. You're a doctor. We learned anatomy ever since and even performed surgeries regarding human genitalia, and now you're bothering yourself with just a kiss?"

Cici heaved a deep sigh. "You don't understand…"

"Oh, you tell me," Rona said and formed a sly smirk on her lips. "Why don't you give it a shot? If he likes you, why not? You're single. He is, too. So…" Rona paused and cut a slice of her steak and even teased Cassie when she put it inside her mouth.

Cassie couldn't help but shake her head. "I don't know. But I don't think it's a good idea," she replied.

Rona grabbed her glass of red wine on her right and sipped it. "I don't see any complications—well, it may have, but… you will not know unless you try. Who knows when you deal with that devil and then it clicks, then Camila will have one happy family."

Cassie didn't reply for a moment and thought about it. Rona has a point. She will not deny that she's attracted to Theo, also. Who doesn't? The man has all the qualities a perfectly imperfect man a woman could have. Plus, he's rich and pretty much single.

However, would she consider it when she doesn't even know the man that deep?

"But we're basically strangers. We just knew ourselves by name." She suddenly expressed her thoughts.

Rona gave a soft chuckle as she wiped her lips with the table napkin. "That's why you have to start with the getting-to-know-each-other stage."

"I don't know. I will think about it. But as of the moment, I feel awkward—"

"Feeling awkward is not a trend in this era, Cici. Why don't you just push yourself on him and make a bang?"

Cassie glared at Rona. "You keep on suggesting, yet you don't try it yourself? Have you ever pushed yourself and banged someone else?" she asked out of curiosity.

Rona smirked. "I tell you something you don't know. Well… almost."

Cassie's eyes grew wider. "What? Are you being serious?"

Rona bit her lower lip as she sipped on her glass of wine. "Yes."

"And who is it?"

Rona put down the glass and leaned backward. "You guess?"

Cassie frowned. "For the nth time… ain't a fortune teller."

Rona laughed softly. "It's Kurt—"

"What?" Cassie uttered, which almost caught the nearby table's attention. She repeated her word and mouthed 'what' at Rona.

"It happened last night. Remember when we went home when Kurt and I had a convoy? You saw how badly drunk I was, and I felt irritated when you woke me up. He helped me get inside my house and all that making out happened. We kissed. We touched each other… I'm half-naked… I almost taste…" Rona stopped when Cassie raised her right hand in front of her.

"Please, stop. If you still have manners… you can keep it yourself," Cici replied, making Rona shake her head and laugh.

Rona shrugged. "Oh, well. If you say so, anyway, I'm done. You can call your future husband…" she teased.

Cassie just rolled her eyes at Rona and reached for her handbag. While dialing Theo's number, Rona still tries to put up a conversation with her.

"You're lucky because Mr. Smith's shaft—"

"Please, Rona. Stop with the topic," Cassie said.

Cassie tried to contact Theo, but the man was on another call. She tried thrice, but she failed. So, she just sent him a message.

"He's not answering?"

Cassie sighed. "He's on another call," she replied.

Rona nodded. "You can try again later. Maybe let's do the walk until the exit, and you can try it again."

Cassie then agreed with Rona.

After paying the bill, the two walked toward the exit, and Cassie tried to call Theo again, and this time, in just three rings, the man answered.

"Hi," she greeted shyly, making Rona puff her cheek, almost laughing.

"Yes, we're done. I'll wait for you outside," she said and ended the call.

When she met Rona's teasing gaze, she just rolled her eyes.

"CASSIE, can we talk?"

Cassie doesn't know what to feel at that moment. Her name comes from his mouth and seems to express a very soothing sound in her ears. She just loves the way he delivers it.

It was already nine in the evening, and she was about to enter her room when Theo spoke to her. By the man's wet hair, she knew that he was going for a swim.

Theo didn't utter any word and seemed like he knew what would be her answer.

Cassie then followed the man until they reached the left wing of the house. Theo's house has different interiors, which makes the house unique.

Aside from the living room on the first floor, there's another one on the house's second floor.

Theo gestured for her to sit down, and she then sat on the one-seater couch on the right. She couldn't help but feel a little bit awkward every time she was with Theo. Being with Theodore Smith is like presenting your thesis to a terror professor.

She hemmed to clear her throat and to break the awkward silence between them.

"So…"

"I won't go around the bush. I will court you," Theo stated straightforwardly, which made Cassie's body freeze at this moment.

It seems like her body lost some oxygen that she couldn't even breathe. And her throat seemed dry; she wanted to have some water.

"W-What?"

"Have you checked your social media? Your name linking into me was all over the internet, and one solution to beat it is to admit and show them that I am courting you," Theo explained. However, the thing is, Cassie couldn't understand it.

She couldn't help but grimace. "W-Why do you have to do it if… if you can deny it? Besides…" she paused when she saw how Theo frowned.

"This is to protect you and Camila. Netizens don't know about the existence of our daughter. So, it would be best if the story would start with us… before they will have a scoop with Camila."

One thing that Cassie loves about Theo is that he always includes her when it comes to their daughter. This one thing shows that he's a really good man, yet dangerous, of course.

"With this news, my enemies will go after you, of course. But the more they see you in public and the more people will know about you, then it could be your protection. Don't worry, and I will not let anything bad happen to you and Camila. All I just wanted is your cooperation. Do you get me?"

Cassie knitted her forehead. "So, you… courting me will be a façade?"

Theo smirked. "Why? Are you expecting something?"

Cassie arched her brow and couldn't help but balled her fist. Yes! She freaking expected that it was genuine—that he meant it. But what the hell…?!

She let out fake laughter and shook her head. "Of course not. What would I expect from a heartless man? I won't be surprised. Since this will benefit and provide some kind of protection… so, I will cooperate. But I have my means. We can only be showy when in public, for example, when people see us. We can hold hands but no kiss nor hug," she said, and she didn't know if it was appropriate to tackle those things.

In the end, she saw how a sly smirk formed on Theo's lips. "Don't worry. I will not touch you without your permission."

Cassie seems to feel as if she is in a complicated situation. Guess it was only her who was expecting something… something that may happen between them—a good thing. She hopes that they may click, but Theo has already crossed out that hope.

He already put an end to it.

"All right…" she stood up, trying to act cool as if she couldn't feel a little bit of pain in her chest. "If that's all you wanna say, I think I can leave—"

"Courting you means to say, if I ask you to dinner, you have to agree. Don't worry, I will try my best to bring you to a fancy yet valued privacy restaurant," Theo said.

Cassie nodded and was about to take a step when Theo stopped her, saying, "Also, by nailing this plan, you have to visit your family also."

She frowned and turned to face him.

Theo stood up and fixed his gaze on her. "And I know you knew that I am the one who bought almost all the shares of Keagan's company—"

"How do you know my father?"

Theo took a step closer to her. "In the business industry, I knew all my friends and foes. So, it was just a small world."

"But what is your reason why you have to touch my father's properties? Does he owe you—"

"Yes," he cult the hum of her words. "Don't worry. I gave it back to him already. Your sister and her husband could enjoy handling it."

Cassie nodded.

Theo then got curious at one point. "However, are you not interested in handling your company? Well, you know, by birthright, you are the oldest. So, it should be you—"

"They can have it. If I had to put a business, I would go into investing in hospitals and orphanages rather than dealing with other people who only worship money."

Theo couldn't help but react, "Ouch. That hit me. What if you fall in love with me? And you know, money is everything to me, too."

Cassie arched her brow and scoffed.

"Fall in love with you? Why should I, Mister?" she asked while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Theo shrugged. "Who knows?"

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You wish!"