Business Contract ✔️

Chapter 25: First Dates

"Eleanor, I love you."

His words hit me like a bus; they rang through my ears as I fell, dumbstruck. I continuously stared at him, unable to reply. His brown eyes held me still as I was expecting him to start laughing and telling me it was a joke.

Boys like my sex. Boys like me. Nobody loves me without having done me. Dang, that sounds really slutty. It's true though.

"Why?" I finally asked as he bursts into fits of laughter. "What's so funny?"

"I tell you that I love you and you ask me why?" He clutches his stomach as he topples over in laughter.

I stared at him for a second and couldn't help but smile. He is contagious. After a couple minutes, I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face me. Pleading him to take it back. I don't know how to react. He straightens up and looks at me, leaning in beside my ear.

"I'm not going to give up until the moment you tell me you love me back." he whispered, his words sent shivers down my spine.

Since when was Adam so sexy, so seductive?

"Adam, we barely know each other and why the hell could or would anyone ever love me. I'm a freaking slut and you're an amazing guy who deserves so much better. I cheated on you when we first got married and you forgave me for it and I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about that and you deserve. . ."

He interrupted me with a kiss. His lips immediately press over my mouth, preventing me from saying anything else. My breathing became extremely shallow as the feelings attempt to register in my mind.

He loves me. And I may be starting to crush on him, but love is too soon.

"Eleanor, don't tell me what I deserve. But I don't want you to remember me as the guy who forced you to marry him because I don't want you to think of me that way. So, feelings aside, do you want to start over? All free of choice." His face was so close, his eyes full of so much hope as my heart began racing. I didn't know how to respond. I heaved and looked at our hands, his hand had slid down to my hip and my hands on his, shaking.

"Adam. . . I, we, just. . ." I spoke incoherently. My voice sounding foreign to my own ears.

"I'm Adam Carnegie. Nice to meet you." He smiled an unbelievably breathtaking smile that sent my heart roaring.

"No. I'm not doing this." I was completely frozen with his brown gaze holding me.

"Eleanor, "

"Adam, after all that's happened, there is no way I could ever start over. And I do have some degree of feelings for you, but I just don't know. I've been trying to get in your pants since we met," I laughed slightly, this moment felt so emotional, "and I don't want to have anything change between us. But if that's what you want, then Hi, I'm Eleanor Carnegie-I mean Hays. Nice to meet you too."

His face broke into a wide grin.

"So Eleanor, how about I take you out to dinner first before you try getting in my pants again." What. Did. He. Just. Say. I froze now, my mouth moving but no words coming out. I had to think of something equally endearing.

"As long as you don't propose," I whispered, my voice shaking as I felt heat explode in my face. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm Eleanor Hays. I don't stutter, I don't get shy, I don't get shaky, and I definitely don't blush. Unless it's in front of Adam.

"I'll see you tonight then." He kissed me lightly and left me alone in the hallway.

"Adam," I called out to him, but it felt like I was in one of those horrible nightmares where you can't say anything.

(MISSING BLURB)

Overwhelmed. I felt absolutely overwhelmed, these feelings, these thoughts, and most importantly, the annoying mariachi band following us around.

Adam took us to an oddly small restaurant while I had been expecting some magnificently marvelous place with three chandeliers and glass walls everywhere, but I was thankfully mistaken.

"I used to come here all the time before my dad got rich." He said, taking a sip from his orange Fanta soda. I eyed the disgusting drink but didn't say anything about it.

"What do you mean before your dad got rich? Weren't the Carnegie's always the wealthiest family?" I didn't know why he had taken us here, it looked like it belonged in the nineteenth century, but now that I think about it, there are no paparazzi here. Which is quite odd. And it's even better because it has sentimental value.

"When my grandpa died, he gave the money to my uncle Marcus, that was just a thing, to keep passing the money to the oldest son, but uncle Marcus died when he was twenty-five and naturally the money got passed to the next Carnegie brother who happened to be my Dad." There were a lot of things I have yet to understand about Adam Carnegie. Like why the heck he drinks orange Fanta?

"How did uncle Marcus die?"

"He had some rare disease called akinetopsia where he saw things that would. . . I'm trying to think of the best way to tell you. Like he would see his hand pouring coffee into a mug and the next thing he would see is the mug being full and being burnt by coffee so he was kind of blind in a way because he would rather not see at all then see in shots. But I never found out the real reason he died, it could've been an aneurysm because he had a lot of problems with his brain." I was kind of speechless after he said that.

"For a business guy, you know a lot of science."

"For a blond." He began, but quickly caught himself, "Beauty and brains, how did I get so lucky with you?"

"Nice save," I smirked, slightly shaking my head as he laughed.

"So are we doing the Eleanor tradition for our first date?" He winked and again his references sank my heart to my feet and right back up to my throat.

"How about we keep it the Adam way?"

"That-a-girl." He laughed, hugging me close and kissing my forehead.

"Kidding, I'm so down. Right here. Right now." I whispered, listening to our hearts pound rapidly.

"As you wish."

***
Okay, not my best chapter, and a horrible reference to princess bride but anyway, I hope you liked it.

Please comment and vote! I really appreciate the support and encouragement!

Love you all!!