MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Crystal frowned and said, "Oh, no! What a pity. I was going to cook a big lunch for you. I am so sorry! What now?"

Nathan shrugged, and as he turned around, he said, "We can go out to eat, and you can cook for me tonight or another time!"

"Yes!" Crystal exclaimed. "We can go out for lunch. My treat. And then I'll make dinner for you tonight!"

"Sounds good to me," Nathan said.

They hadn't driven far when Nathan's phone rang. He accepted the call through the car's Bluetooth. It was Andy, Nathan's assistant. After exchanging pleasantries, Andy said, "Mr. Grant just arrived with a contract. You have an appointment with him at noon. Did you forget?"

Nathan frowned and said, "I suppose I did. Please apologize to Mr. Grant for me as I won't be able to make it. See if you can get him to reschedule for next week."

"But Mr. Grant's schedule is very tight," Andy said. "If we cancel this meeting, then the contract may not get signed, and Mr. Grant might walk." Andy was practically sweating bullets. It was out of character for his boss to casually accept the loss of a multi-billion-dollar order, so he felt very nervous.

Nathan: "I said cancel it and try to reschedule. If he refuses to reschedule, so be it. Do you need me to repeat myself?"

Andy: "No, sir. I understand."

Nathan: "Since I've got you on the phone, I need you to make a reservation at Air Cosme Restaurant. I need a table for two. And you can let them know that I'm on my way now."

When Crystal heard where they were going, she felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. The average cost of eating at Air Cosme was over ten thousand dollars a plate, and you usually had to book a table for six months in advance.

Nathan saw the troubled expression on Crystal's face, and he asked, "What's the matter? Don't you like Air Cosme?"

Crystal was embarrassed, and her face. turned red. "It's fine," she said, "but I can't afford to eat at a place like that...

Nathan laughed, and he said, "No problem. It's my treat then."

"If you insist," Crystal said. She would have preferred to go to a small restaurant where she could treat him, but she felt trapped.

Air Cosme was in the middle of a busy street, and because it was built 108 meters above the ground, they had to take an elevator to get to it. As Crystal and Nathan made their way up, Crystal's phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw that she'd received a text message from Serenity. It said: "Have you eaten yet? Would you like to join us for lunch?"

Crystal: "Sorry. I would love to, but I'm already going out for lunch with Nathan."

Serenity: "Wow, you guys are moving so fast!"

Crystal: "Don't be ridiculous. It's just lunch. I'll explain later."

The elevator door opened, and Crystal put away her phone. They were met by a waiter almost immediately, and he led them to their table.

The restaurant had a unique shape, and its interior was plush with antiques. Andy had gotten them a seat by the window, and they could see the whole city stretched out below them. Everything looked small from this height, and when Crystal looked down, she felt relaxed and happy. The city is small, she thought-and my problems are even smaller.

The waiter brought them menus and took their drink orders, and after a minute, Nathan asked Crystal, "What would you like to eat?"

Crystal flipped through the menu nervously. The prices were very intimidating. "I'm not very hungry," she said, "so something small, I guess. How about the lobster bisque?"

Nathan nodded, and when the waiter returned with their drinks, he ordered for both of them. As he listed off the things he wanted, Crystal looked at him funny. He was ordering way too much food for one person!

When Nathan saw the expression on her face, he laughed and said, "Once you try the food, you will realize that you are hungrier than you thought, so I'm ordering extra to share. And, anyway, who goes to Air Cosme and only orders soup? That's ridiculous!"

After the waiter left, Crystal looked at Nathan and said, "Professor Davis, that was very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

Nathan scowled and said, "What did you call me?"

Crystal sighed and apologized." Nathan," she said, "That was very thoughtful of you.

Thank you."

Nathan: "Good girl. Try to call me husband next time."

Crystal: "No."

Nathan: "That's fine, so long as you don't spend time with any other men, not even friends or classmates."

This is bullshit! - Crystal thought angrily - What gives him the right? Even if he is my

husband in name, he can't tell me who I can hang out with! After all, I'm not a child, and he's not my Father!

***

Joyce and Carlos followed the restaurant manager into the restaurant.

Joyce was furious. The table that they had reserved, six months in advance, had suddenly become unavailable. The restaurant manager looked miserable. He said, "I'm sorry, Miss Henry, but we accidentally double-booked that table. I feel terrible about any inconvenience this is causing you. We will get you seated at the next available table, and your meal today will be at the house. How is that?"

Crystal recognized Joyce's voice immediately, and she frowned. Joyce and Carlos were the last people in the world that she wanted to see right now. She could hear Joyce yelling at the manager, but she refused to turn her head, hoping that her half-sister wouldn't recognize her.

Joyce: "I want a seat now. Not a free seat. An immediate seat! Don't you know who I am? I am the daughter of Todd Henry, of the Henry Group. Why would I need you to give me a free meal?"

The manager: "Well..."

Joyce: "I'll give you five minutes to find me a seat, and then I'm going to go talk to the press about this abominable service!"

The manager: "Miss Henry. Be reasonable. We can get you a private room if you'd like."

Joyce: "Who wants a private room? I want a window seat. Do you understand?"

The manager pointed to the window and said, "As you can see, the window seats are all taken. I can get you a window seat, but you will have to wait for one to be available. I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do about that."

Joyce frowned as she turned in the direction the manager was pointing, and when she saw Crystal and Nathan, she froze. "What is she doing here?" she hissed.

"Why? She is a guest of the famous Nathan Davis," the manager replied.