The Enticing Proposal

Chapter Sixteen - Back In Action

It was early when Giovanni stopped by the company. He wanted to talk to his father about coming back to work completely. He felt that he proved that he was no longer stuck in the past and was ready to move on and be the best that he can. Not only for his life but the family business as well.

He walked past the many employees while making his way to the elevator. He pressed the floor that he wanted to go to and waited patiently for the doors to open. Full of hope he was. Giovanni felt like everything should return back to normal now that he felt that he proved to his parents that he moved on from the past. And that he is currently finished with his late-night visits.

He's been keeping it cool for the past few weeks and after returning from his honeymoon, he's got nothing but positive messages on the media except for a few negative ones. Mostly positive though.

The doors dinged before opening. A few people exited off before he got on. Pressing the floor he wanted to get to, Giovanni prepared himself for what was next.

He just hoped everything went his way and he gets his chance to come back and start his prepping for the CEO position. Time was going fast and he had less than six months before the day of choosing the next Brown to look over the family business. 

The elevator came to a stop and slowly opened. Giovanni made his way to his father's office with high hopes. It didn't take him long to get there. Sending the receptionist a nod, he continued, pushing open the doors.

He was greeted with the sight of not only his father but his mother too. They both seemed to be in deep conversation till he arrived.

"Giovanni," His mother greets with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

At that, his father frowned when he observed Giovanni's appearance. He was ready to work but he was about to be disappointed.

"What does Kira think of you coming back to work early?"

Giovanni frowned at that. What does she have to do with him coming back to work?

"She's fine with it." He lied, not knowing what Kira would think.

Did it matter?

"Really?" His mother questioned. "You guys just got back from your honeymoon? I would think the two of you would be cooped up at home."

"Who says we aren't? Kira and I are doing fine and now that I am back, I'm ready to come back and begin my work for the CEO position."

Silence hovered the room for a moment. Daniel sighed, shaking his head.

"Listen, son. I know how much all this means to you but your mother and I didn't just send you on a break without a reason. There's a lot more meaning beyond this and we wanted you to find it."

"Kira is a beautiful woman and she is respectful. She has character and more personality than you know who." Elaine said with a smile before her facial features change. "I would hope that this relationship with Kira is serious."

"We can send you a few clients." Daniel sighed.

"What?" Elaine looked at her husband in disbelief.

"He can work at home."

Thinking hard on what his parents were saying, he knew he had to come up with a better way to get him back in the office. Demanding it in little time was a mistake. He knew now that he had to take things slow.

And he felt that taking his relationship with Kira to the next level would be something.

—

Giovanni walked inside the quiet home. Looking around, he found that most of the lights were off. Glancing down at his watch, he frowned at the realization of how late it was. He missed dinner and he did not call Kira to let her know that he was going to be late.

The sound of water running in the kitchen caught his attention. Figuring that Kira might be in there, he walked in the direction. His frown deepened slightly when he saw that it was Ms.  Clayton, one of his helpers of the house, washing dishes. She must have sensed his presence because she turned around and smiled.

"Afternoon, Mr. Brown. Your plate is in the microwave."

"Thank you. Where is Kira?"

"Mrs. Brown is out back, sitting near the pool."

Without speaking another word, he nods in response and walks towards the back.

Mrs. Brown, she said.

A strange feeling overwhelmed him for a short moment. Though his relationship with Kira was an arrangement, he would admit that he grew to like her over the weeks.

More like a friend.

It didn't take him long to spot Kira once he stepped outside. He saw her sitting on the ledge with her feet in the pool, looking up at the night sky with closed eyes.

Beautiful.

That's how he found her.

Not wasting time, he made his way over to her. She turned her head at the sound of him and watched as he stalked closer.

"I apologize for missing dinner. I had...things to handle."

"With a woman?"

Her question took him by surprise. What made her mind stray to that? He wondered. Didn't take him long when he became aware. He was a well-known ladies' man and his one-night stands were the talk on the media.

"Jealous?"

She shrugs. "No," her voice was soft. "Curious."

He wasn't convinced and was amused at the same time.

"I wasn't with anybody." He looks off to the city lights that sparkled like stars from a distance.

"Which brings me to a question I should have asked from the start."

"What's that?"

"What are you going to do to scratch that itch?"

"I have my ways."

"Surely you don't expect me to—"

"No." He interrupts her quickly. "Wouldn't want to ruin your innocence." He joked causing her to roll her eyes.

"Would you go to other women? I prefer you don't but you're a grown man. If you decide to do so, just be discrete with it. Wouldn't want to jeopardize our arrangement."

Instantly, he caught on to the sudden change in her voice. It wasn't sad but it wasn't anger either. Stepping closer, he bent down and placed his hand under her chin, turning her to face him.

"I won't 'cheat' on you during our time together if that's what you're worried about."

Kira stared into his eyes, finding honesty. She believed he meant what he said but it still didn't make all of this easier.

"Okay."

He nods, leaning closer to her. Kira went stiff, unsure of what he was about to do. She relaxed a bit when she felt warm lips on her head.

"Goodnight, Kira."

"Goodnight, Giovanni."

He pulled away, walking back to the house. The light tingles she felt went unnoticed. A smile touched her lips as she turned back and looked out at the city lights.