MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

They chatted for a few minutes more, and then Leslie dragged Crystal back into the mall to find a birthday present for Nathan.

The couple wandered through boutiques and clothing stores, and people turned to check Leslie out wherever they went. With her new hairstyle, she really was as beautiful as Crystal had said she was.

As they searched for a gift for Nathan, Leslie bought many things for herself, and each time she brought an item to the cashier, she insisted that Crystal pay with Nathan's credit card. She had become such a high spender in no time at all that several store managers were following them around.

Crystal was unhappy with her friend's behavior, and she said, "Leslie, are you going to empty the whole mall?"

Leslie: "When I buy gifts for Nathan, I'm actually buying gifts for myself, and I use his money. Smart, right? What are you going to get him?"

Crystal shrugged and said, "I have no idea... Anyway, how are we going to get all of these purchases home?"

"You are so silly." Leslie laughed and said, "The mall will deliver them for us."

***

At the Beverly villa-Nathan and Arnold were playing chess, and they had been for a couple of hours already. They were pretty evenly matched in skill, so the games between them were rather intense, and quickly the time had gone by. They were just finishing up what they'd agreed would be their last game when Leslie and Crystal walked through the door.

Arnold was the first to see Leslie, and his eyes lit up when he saw what she'd done to her hair. He had never seen her looking so feminine, and he almost didn't recognize her.

Nathan chuckled and said, "Leslie, did you have a sex-change operation?"

Leslie smirked, showed him her middle finger, and told him to go fuck himself. Same old Leslie- thought Nathan. He went over and stopped Crystal in the doorway. He bowed his head, and then he kissed her. Damn it -she thought - He hasn't seen me for half a day, but he acts like it has been half a year! She pushed him away and looked to Arnold for help, but Arnold was preoccupied. Leslie had his full attention.

Suddenly, Nathan grabbed Crystal's chin, and he forced her to look at him. "You're such a bad kisser," he snapped, "After they leave, I'll punish you." Then he leaned forward to kiss her again. Instead of giving her the smooch that she was anticipating, though, when their skin was just about to touch, he opened his mouth, bit her lower lip, and drew blood.

Crystal squealed and jumped backward. The coppery taste of blood quickly overloaded her taste buds, and she brought her free hand to her face to touch her swollen lip.

Just then, Nathan noticed the papers in Crystal's other hand. "Are you going to take the written test for the Assistant Host position at the TV station?"

Crystal nodded and said that she was. When Nathan heard that, he offered to help her, but she said she didn't need any help. If she had wanted his help, she would have asked. Of course, she didn't say that quite so blatantly, but Nathan got the point. He knew that she liked to think of herself as an "Independent Woman."

Crystal was watching Leslie and Arnold from the corner of her eye. "Do you see what's going on over there?" she whispered. "Now that Leslie looks feminine, Arnold can't keep his eyes off of her. I wonder if he has a problem with women, though…."

Although she had her eye on Arnold and Leslie, she kept on letting her eyes stay to the bulge in Nathan's pants, and it was impossible for him not to notice.

Nathan smirked and said, "Why are you looking at me? I don't have that problem, and even if I did, you could fix it for me. Their problem has nothing to do with his sexual orientation. Even if she jumped on him, though, he would never accept her."

"Why not?" asked Crystal. "He has feelings for her, so why would he refuse her? It makes no sense. If she jumped on him, I think that he would accept her."

Nathan grinned and said, "Care to make a wager?"

Crystal: "I'm in. How about this: if I lose, I'll call you Daddy."

Nathan grimaced. "Why would I want you to call me Daddy?" he asked. "That's perverse!"

Crystal's face turned beet red. Up until now, Nathan hadn't known that she had Daddy Issues. In her excitement, though, she had accidentally let it slip. "Never mind," she muttered. "I was just kidding."

Nathan sighed and said, "Okay. Fine. How about this: if you lose, you'll wear an outfit of my choosing."

Crystal nodded. "And if you lose...?"

Nathan: "If I lose, I will lend you my most important thing, and it will be at your disposal what to do with, as you please."

When Crystal heard that, an image of his erect hard member appeared in her mind, and she felt like spitting in his face. He seemed to have no shame, and he never hesitated to talk dirty in front of her. "How dare you?" she hissed.

Nathan chuckled and said, "Hey! Get your head out of the gutter. I was talking about my strength!"

Crystal looked at him angrily. "If you lose," she said, "I'll record your striptease on my phone and post it online."

Nathan: "If you want to see me take my clothes off, all that you have to do is ask.". 

Crystal was flummoxed. How does he always get the better of me? - she wondered.

Leslie and Arnold were oblivious to Crystal and Nathan's conversation on the other side of the room. They were sitting on the sofa, but so far, they hadn't said much to each other. Then, finally, Leslie turned to Arnold and said, "Brother, I had my hair done today. Do you think I look pretty?"

Arnold's hand twitched. This was the first time she had called him "Brother" in years, but it didn't please him like he'd thought it would. 

"Yes," he admitted. "You look pretty." 

Leslie touched his leg and said, "If you have any regrets, it's not too late to... you know..."

"Regrets?" Arnold scoffed. "I have no regrets. You will, though, if you don't behave yourself on your date. And don't sit so close to me. We should keep an arm's length between us!"

Leslie sighed and stood up. She looked sadly down at Arnold. "You'll be sorry," she said. "One day, you'll realize that I was what you wanted all along, but it will be too late."

Leslie walked away, and Arnold showed no sign that anything she'd said had impacted him.

When Nathan saw that, he smirked. Then he "Booped!" Crystal on the nose and said, "You may as well admit defeat. It is obviously not going to happen between those two. Why don't we go up to my room? You can pay up now and get it out of the way."

Oh, fuck - thought Crystal - He got the better of me again…