Date Me, Mr. Archer

five | flirty, conceited jerk

"I missed you, Sul," I said, patting his chest and gently easing away. "Welcome back." I nodded at him, blinking away the sting that threatened to make me emotional and digged into my purse, producing a small, red velvet box. I handed it to him and a goof smile took over his face. "I've managed to keep your heirloom safe so put it to good use tonight, my friend."

Sul smiled genuinely and opened the box, the pink glittery diamond surrounded by small square ones glinting back at him under the moon. Before Sul could even form any words, my boss was slipping in the space between me and my friend. He looked at the ring accusingly, his eyes darkening with malice as he glanced between me and Sul. He growled, "Is he proposing to you?"

My eyes widened and I caught a smirk on Sul's lips which shouted danger. I'd known Sul enough to know that nothing good came out of that smirk and he proved my thoughts right when he interfered between me and my blue-eyed menace.

He made a show of looking between me and my boss, dramatically placing a hand on his chest and squealed in a high-pitched voice, "You've been cheating on me while I was away, studying and making money for our future?"

I rolled my eyes at his overacting, almost enlivened that he was the same Sul now that I'd known before he went abroad to study to pocket a degree in business to invigorate his father's business for making a future for him and his girlfriend. Not me.

The smile that threatened to overtake my face at the thought of Sul and Savannah disappeared into thin air as my boss took a step forward, towards Sul, his palms curling into fists. He snarled dangerously, "She's your girlfriend?" he jabbed a finger at me, his neck flushing hot in anger.

All amusement immediately drained at the sight of his muscle flexing in his suit, at the creases advancing on his forehead. This wasn't good. Sul opened his mouth to retort with a smart-ass comment but this time I beat him to it. "No," I said sternly and Archer's eyes darted to me. "I'm no one's girlfriend."

I checked the time on my wrist-watch and almost doubled over. Looking back at Sul, I told him, "We better hurry or we might not complete decorating in time and all of our efforts will go in vain." Sul checked the time on his watch and instantly ran off to the other side of his BMW parked at the side, sliding into the driver seat.

"Vienna—"

Before my boss could utter another word, I opened the back seat of my friend's car and ushered him inside while I settled in the front.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around in my seat and watched my boss raise a brow at me. Explain, his eyes enunciated so I cleared my throat at the same time Sul pressed gas and we were off. "Sul and I have been friends since forever," I said, testing the waters. Archer didn't shut me off so I continued, "We're not dating. Never. Four years ago, he flew to London to secure a degree and he only returned two days ago."

"Three," Sul reminded me. "I returned three days ago. But jet-lag and all had me busy."

I glared at him out of the corner of my eye and he grinned. "Whatever, Sul." Turning my attention back to my boss, I told him, "Tomorrow is his and his girlfriend's seventh anniversary and he promised to propose to her on their anniversary before he went to abroad. He had brought the ring around the time he flew and I had kept it safe for the special day. For today. So, right now, we're going to the bungalow Sul booked where I— we," I corrected myself, swinging the air between me and my boss as he gave me a look, "will be decorating the lawn for them."