THIRD PERSON POV
"I'm still hurt that I didn't attend it," Tyler said to the host, Amy.
Tyler, Demetri, Royanne and Layla were on a celebrity talk show as guests.
"Well I sent out the invitation, you are the one who wasn't in country," Layla responded then playfully hit his arm.
The audience laughed.
"You deserved that Tyler," Amy said with a chuckle.
"Okay so Royanne, you've broken millions of girls' hearts out there."
"Me? Their heartbreakers are right here," Royanne said while pointing at Demetri and Tyler.
"Demetri's heart will be broken too when I steal his girl," Tyler teased making the audience laugh.
"You really wanna play this the hard way, don't you?" Demetri asked Tyler.
Tyler shrugged in response.
"Fine, this question goes to the ladies. Would you rather be an actor's girlfriend or a sportstar's girlfriend?" Demetri asked.
Cheers erupted in the audience. Most people saying WAG.
"That's not a fair play dude," Tyler complained and everyone laughed.
Amy then continued the fan QnA.
"Okay, this one is for Royanne," Amy read from her tablet.
"Why haven't you in the past, ever been spotted dating a black boy?"
Royanne paused for a bit before speaking.
"I don't know. Maybe none of them have never made that much of an impact romantically to me."
"So black boys aren't your preference?" Amy asked.
"Uhh..." Royanne hesitated.
"And you found yourself dating a lightskin," Layla teased.
"Demetri isn't really lightskin," Royanne said.
"Of course he is, his mom is dark-skinned Egyptian," Tyler added.
Demetri looked at Royanne puzzled. He wondered why she was so keen on saying he wasn't lightskin. Did she have a thing against black guys.
"So he's lightskin. The hair kinda also says it," Amy concluded.
"Looks like Royanne is in denial that she has a black boyfriend."
The audience laughed.
"Anyway. We'll be back after this break and we'll be talking about the new TV hit series, The Academy," Amy said and the audience applauded.
A few days after the talk show interview, Demetri hadn't gotten a proper chance to talk to Royanne.
Tyler said that she'd be at dance practice after classes so he decided to check on her from there.
She was playing a ballerina so that meant she had to have more training and practice.
He arrived the studio and found them wrapping up practice. An upbeat song was playing from the room.
"Okay, so this choreography will be used for next week's shoot. Last practice is Thursday. Don't be late." the instructor said and dismissed them.
Most of the girls giggled as they past Demetri in the hall. He casually waved at them and some began blushing.
He walked into the studio and found Royanne alone practicing.
"I thought practice was over," he said, startling her.
"Othonos, didn't see you there," she said.
"Haven't seen you around either," He replied.
"Well what can I say. You don't really want to be up and about when some people think you're racist for your own race," She said while drinking water.
"It's just a silly rumor that you've already addressed. Haters will just be haters," he told her.
She sighed.
"Let me guess, Layla sent you here?"
"She's just worried. So am I. We're your friends so of course we'll check up on you," He told her.
"Aww.. So sweet.. So Mr twinkle toes, wanna do an improvised dance?" she said while stepping towards him.
"If I start dancing, they'll recast your entire show, I don't want Tyler to lose his role," He said.
"You really sit on a high horse Othonos," She told him and he grinned.
"But seriously, let's dance," She told him while pulling his arms.
"I'll dance if.. Hmm.. What songs are least likely to play?" he said as though thinking to himself.
"I'll dance if a song by Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Jason Derulo or Usher comes on."
Royanne knew that it was a very small percentage for one of those to come on.
Suprisingly, the song that came on next was New Flame.
"Yes, Chris Brown, come on Othonos. Let's boogie," She said while moving him. He groaned in response.
Eventually they ended up having fun performing an improvised dance.
"Wasn't that fun?" Royanne asked Demetri while she sat on the window seat.
"It was," he said while leaning on the wall next to the window.
Royanne removed her dance shoes and run her hands over her feet. They were sore and had a few bruises.
"Pushing yourself to hard?" he asked her.
"This is just a Normal day of being a ballerina," she responded with a smile but she actually was in pain.
"Do you have cream or is there a first aid kit with one here?" he asked.
"I'll go put my feet in ice when I get back home later in the evening," She replied.
"Don't be stubborn King, where's the first aid kit?" he asked again.
She pointed to the window seat next to her. He walked over, lifted the seat and found the kit.
He sat down in from of her and looked for Arnica cream or something similar. Once he found it. He got her feet and began applying it.
She was a bit stunned to say anything at first.
"Practice a lot?"
"I used to get bruises a lot when I first started playing," he said.
She watched him as she carefully applied the cream on.
"So how where you planning on driving properly?" he asked when he was done, looking up at her.
"My car is at maintenance so I'm getting an Uber. I have to even get going or I'll be late for work," She told him.
His eyes lit up, "I can drop you off."
She thought that he was possibly doing too much for her, then it crossed her mind that he possibly just wanted to happen to bump into Quinn.
"Oh come on, she possibly is still not in the country," she teased. Though she didn't know why she said that.
"I didn't even say anything, let's go," he said while laughing and pulling her up.
She flushed. He waited for her to get changed and they walked out to his car. The traffic was light as they drove to Lorayne & Co. Royanne chose to remain partly quiet.
QUINN
As much as I enjoyed teasing Lucas about his jealousy issues. I tried my best to handle mine.
It involved less time on social media, which was easy because I spend my free non people time sketching buildings or clothing designs.
I also constantly reminded myself it's all an act. A really good one for that matter.
Who was I kidding? Demetri and Royanne were the perfect couple. They were more relatable and reasonable. They also had a great age difference. No wonder people liked them a lot.
I used to read a lot of novels. A friends to lovers trope is definitely cute. To top it off, fake dating.
How long til we reach the part of the book where it gets real?
Divina shut up! You're overthinking.
I could hear Michie scolding me in my head.
"I don't think staring at it will give it color," a voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I looked up from my sketchpad and found Tammy.
"Ha ha," I said dryly.
"I'm just saying that I think you're overthinking," She said.
"I'm honestly just being realistic," I told her and she arched her eyebrows.
Tammy was always so frank with me despite me being her boss. It's one of the reasons we ended up being friends. Despite the fact that she was older than me.
She also always had my back. She took care of the company when I'm not around.
I was surely going to miss her when she was no longer my assistant.
I wasn't firing her. More like promoting her. I had started a petition with the board to make Tamara vice president of Montanari after the current one who is retiring at the end of the year.
She had the qualifications, the qualities and I'm certain the board already knew that she could manage.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," She said before her phone rang.
I then opened my laptop as Tammy answered her phone and talked to whoever called her.
"Anyway, I brought you a snack, please eat something, I'll call you if anything comes up," She said after cutting the call.
I looked at her and found her with a suspicious smirk on her lips. She then hurried out before I could ask her anything.
I sighed while walking to my office lounge where she had put my food. I stood, staring at it.
I really haven't been eating right with all this stress working. Mamma would hit me with her slipper or a cooking stick if she found out.
"Is this what you do with your food?" A familiar voice asked from behind me.
A smile literally broke free but I hid it when I turned to face him.
This must have been the reason Tammy left here like that.
"We are just establishing a mutual agreement," I said.
"I'm not sure Miss Montanari had you on her appointments today."
Demetri grinned before standing right in front of me.
"Well, I desperately missed her so I bribed her secretary and her assistant," he said while wrapping his arms around my waist.
"Is that legal?," I asked him while putting my hands around his neck.
"You got to do what you got to do," he said before leaning down and kissing me. He then lifted me off my feet spun me around. I squealed in delight.
"Gosh! I missed you," He said when we pulled apart and he set me on my feet.
"I know you did," I teased and shrugged.
His jaw dropped in disbelief and I laughed.
"I'm kidding, I missed you too," I stated. We shared another kiss before he made me sit down and eat.
We caught up on what's been happening lately even though we constantly talked on the phone.
He said his classes were going well. The preseason games started. Lorr was back in the country. I told him about how my sisters were doing, about Takumi. He and Takumi got along well when I introduced them.
We avoided the whole fake dating thing. I'll enjoy the fact that I have him with me right now.
"It's been a while since we've been at the lake house together," He said.
"Are you free this weekend?"
I was sitted in between his legs with my back to his chest.
"Not really, I don't have any pressing commitments to do. If anything I'll try to work through til Friday so that we can have the weekend to ourselves," I told him.
"I love your commitment to your work," He said then placed a kiss on my neck.
"You get committed when you love something, like you and basketball," I told him.
"True. I like how you keep working even though you got money to set you up for life," he joked.
I laughed before replying, "Well it's technically not me I'm working for. It's for all those workers and their families that rely on the company."
He then wrapped his arms around me.
"You're just absolutely amazing.
Oh. Come with your GT500 to the lake house over the weekend."
"Ready to have your camaro put to shame," I teased while turning so that I was facing him and sitting astride him.
"We'll see about that, chipmunk," he said before tapping my nose.
Then his finger then moved and wiped the side of my lip. Sauce.
"You're such a child," He joked.
I stuck my tongue out at him before taking his finger into my mouth and sucked the sauce. You are playing with fire sis, you are playing!
He noticed him swallow. I noticed something flare in his eyes.
Soon he caught my lips in his and I gave into him. His hands roamed all over my body. I also couldn't keep my hands to myself.
He pulled me even closer into him and I could feel the bulge on his crotch.
It sent heat to my core.
I literally almost forgot that we were in my office lounge. He kissed me down my neck. I couldn't help but moan when he nibbled on the sensitive spot on my neck.
My phone began ringing we both stilled. My frustration levels, on the other hand, rose.
I groaned before kissing Demetri again. He then laughed as my phone rang again.
"Just pick it up," he said while cupping my face.
I sighed then got my phone. I went straight to Tammy's contact.
"Tammy-" I started into the phone.
"I'm sorry," She said sounding like she's not trying to laugh.
"But it's your mom. You know how she is."
I did.
"Tell her I'll call her when I get back home," I said then cut the call and sighed.
"I'm really sorry," I said while facing Demetri. He was about to reply when my phone alarm went off.
I groaned and he laughed before pecking my lips, "weekend."
I nodded before we kissed again and got up.
"Uh. Can I use your bathroom for a bit. I don't think being around you is best for me right now," He said nervously.
I looked puzzled then looked at his crotch. I flushed a bit before telling him that he could use it. Tempted to go with him.
Ughh... I had to stop hanging out with Michie.
He came out a few minutes later when I was done with a call.
"Thanks, I'll see you Saturday?" he asked and I nodded before he kissed me goodbye.
A few minutes later, Royanne walked in.
I tried not to think about the fact that she and Demetri had been publicly kissing lately.
"Hey Quinn. Agness asked me to bring these up to you for verification," she said.
"Thanks, are yours here too?" I asked.
"Yep, sorry for bringing them in late," She apologized.
"It's okay. You're an intern so the rules aren't as strict for you, also considering you have school," I told her.
She nodded but then gave me a weird look when I pushed my hair back.
I looked at her questioningly.
"I'll get going," she said.
"Okay," I said while nodding.
She walked out and I immediately went to the mirror. Staring back at me were two fresh hickeys. I didn't even know how I would hide these properly.
Demetri Lycan Othonos, I will kill you!!!