In Exchange

Anxi barely knew what to say as she walked side by side with the last person she planned on running into on the street, the path was lonely and car horns could be held from the other end of the street.

There was an awkward silence between the both of them as they kept moving, he always does something to her heart each time she sees him talk more of being around him.

Which is one of the reasons why she avoids him, now he's making her walk with him.

"Uhm boss."

"What did I say about calling me that when you're off duty?" He reminded the confused Anxi who paused after his interruption, he didn't really care if he was actually addressed by his real name but people don't seem to get it.

Anxi didn't fail to notice the annoyance etching his perfectly handsome face and immediately changed her words before she annoyed him further.

"Xander, I...I don't think it's necessary for you to walk me back home." She enunciated clearly without meeting his gaze.

"I can take care of myself and besides, you're someone whose famous, what if some nosy reporters see us together." She stated cautiously, she's seen films where reporters tend to take advantage of situations like this to cause unnecessary drama.

"If it bothers you then be rest assured, no reporter dares to capture me without seeking permission, they know the consequences if they try to act smart."

Well, that didn't completely lessen her anxiety, truth be told, she actually doesn't want Xander to follow her back home, what will her grandmother think if she see's him?

"But…"

"Forget it." He caught her off. "If you're looking for excuses that'll make me turn back then you're doing a bad job."

Anxi's mouth sealed shut after hearing his response, she immediately shook her head indicating she didn't mean that at all.

"It's…..it's nothing like that, I just….."

"You talk too much, if I end up leaving you and you get kidnapped by some miscreants, I'll have to suffer handling all those papers and phonecalls myself, you're useful to me so I need to protect you."

"That doesn't sound very protective!" His response didn't really appeal to her, he only thinks of her use and nothing else.

Not like there was anything he could think of apart from that.

"Forget it, how did you find those kids earlier?" She had been meaning to bring that conversation up while Xander just kept walking, fixating his gaze on the path they took.

"Same way you did, I traced them there."

"But...how did you know they actually abducted those children?"

"When you see strange looking men with two frightened kids in their grasp, what comes to your mind at that moment?"

Anxi kept quiet, understanding the point he was trying to make and for some reason, it warmed her heart watching him display such kindness and maybe he isn't completely arrogant.

They finally showed up at her house, they stood at the frontyard adorned with flowers while Anxi turned to look at him.

"Uhm…..this is where we'll have to depart, thank you for walking me home by the way." She genuinely thanked him but Xander only gave a nod in response.

To be honest he didn't feel like leaving just yet, he was enjoying her company a little too much to leave, he wanted to stay around and was a bit hesitant to go.

"Is there anything else?" Anxi asked after noticing he wasn't turning to leave, Xander had no idea how he was going to tell her that or maybe it was actually time for him to truly leave.

"Anxi, is that you?"

The calm voice grabbed both their attention as they turned to look at the old lady who approached them. Anxi's optics dilated at her presence, oh no! Her grandmother's here!

"You have to go now!" Anxi hastily said to Xander but he refused to move an inch, finding the presence of her grandmother to be an opportunity for him to linger longer.

"Why's that? It wouldn't hurt to say hello to her." He feigned innocence.

"But…"

"Anxi." There was no use in telling him to leave anymore cause her grandmother was standing right beside her.

"You're back, I saw you standing out here and thought I'd check"

"It's nothing grandmother."

She reassured her immediately and watched as her grandmother's eyes turned to look at the stunning being who flashed a little smile.

"Evening."

"Evening my dear." She replied, staring at him with a curious gaze before uttering further. "You look…. familiar."

"I always look familiar." He casually replied but Anxi secretly doubted there was anyone close to his level of charms.

"No no, you're one of those top notch am I right? The CEO of Starcrest company, yes you're my granddaughter's boss!"

Anxi facepalmed like she could shrink away from this conversation, having no idea about what will happen now.

"Yes it's me, I'm your granddaughters boss."

Anxi turned to look at her grandmother, explaining the situation to her. "He just escorted me but is about leaving now."

Xander really felt sealing her little mouth each time she kept uttering those words like she really wanted to him to leave, she had no right to say that and no he definitely has no plans of leaving.

"Is he?" She looked a bit disappointed, "I was about to invite him for some dessert, it'll be wrong of us to have your boss show up at our place and let him leave like that, thank goodness I made more."

Xander found the perfect opportunity and before his little bunny ruins things for him again, he beat her to it.

"Thank you for welcoming me, luckily I have enough time to spare for your lovely dessert."

Anxi secretly shot him a glare the moment he agreed to stay for dessert, her dessert he means!!

"Ah! Good! Come on in."

She walked into her home, Xander was about to follow her in but Anxi stopped him midway, stretching her arms wide as though she was stopping an unwanted guest. She met his gaze and uttered stubbornly.

"Why did you agree to stay? Those are my favorite desserts!" She wasn't ready to share her grandmother's dessert with him but felt all her senses dissipate as he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Fine then, you can have them all but in exchange, you'll be MY dessert."

His irresistible response made Anxi lose her voice at that moment which he didn't fail to notice, he could hear the sound of her racing heartbeat and that was the effect he wanted his words to have on her.

Anxi on the other hand couldn't believe his words, how can he say something like that to her??

He smirked triumphantly and walked into her home, leaving his little bunny to remain frozen outside.