The CEO’s Hired Surrogate

Chapter 5

Kayla stared into the darkness, the duvet covering half her face, while she watched the shadows that played on the ceiling. Kayla could barely feel anything, too numb, confused and tired to even be able to fall asleep.

Turning on her side she studied the room, trying to adjust her vision and make out the outlines of the furniture scattered around the room. Of course, by now she knew every piece of decor by heart. After arriving at the house, she’d spent a good amount of time in her room, admiring the beautiful design.

She’d been amazed by how classy everything looked, with the ivory bed covers and black painted wood. It was a simple yet luxurious design, fit for a family of their status. In fact, their entire house, or better said villa, looked like that. The exterior of the house was made of white stone, creating a sophisticated architecture for any sightseeing lover. To her disappointment, Kayla didn’t get to fully admire the garden, too hurried to check her mother’s and her own room, ready to get away from Ryan’s company.

She groaned as she remembered the conversation they’d had during the day. They had started so well, the small talk had felt so familiar and warm. But of course, he had to ruin it all like the spoiled brat he was. She needed some tea, it was the only way she could fall to sleep and get away from the chaotic thoughts that played at the back of her mind.

Throwing the duvet off of herself, she swung her feet off the bed and into the slippers Meredith had given her. Tiptoeing, she found herself standing at the bottom of the stairs, trying to orient herself towards the kitchen. For a second she stood there, trying to take in the silence that lingered around her. It was warm inside, unlike her apartment.

Funny thing with life was one day you could be feeling the chilly autumn air as it slipped through the crack of the windowpane, and then the next day, there you were, feeling the warmth radiated by the floor beneath your feet, your eyes being spoiled by the precious pieces in the space around you.

As she stood there, lost in thought for the millionth time that night, she didn’t feel or hear the shadow approaching her from behind. It slowly approached her, its hand hovering above her right shoulder before touching it and making her jump.

Kayla jumped and placed a hand over her hammering heart, her eyes wide as she stared at Ryan.

“What the—” She trailed off, gulping as she tried to collect herself. “What are you doing?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t sleep so I decided to get a drink.” He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. A black shadow rested beneath his eyes, making him seem as tired as she felt.

“Same,” Kayla confessed, her hand going to free her hair from the high ponytail that was suddenly making her head hurt.

“I guess you have company then,” he said, a tired smile adorning his features. For some reason Kayla no longer felt angry towards him, her mind too busy taking in his tired shape. His hair was tangled, pointing in every direction, and his shirt was wrinkled, loosely hanging around his body.

“So, what do you want to drink?” he asked. To her surprise, he didn’t walk towards the kitchen but rather approached the wooden cabinet standing at one end of the living room. With a raised brow, she watched as he grabbed a glass from inside, along with a square bottle filled with a brownish spirit.

With determined steps she walked towards him, her hand grabbing onto the bottle before he got to open it at all. With a shocked expression, he shook his head, taken aback by her gesture. But Kayla didn’t allow herself to get moved by his expression. Instead, she grabbed the glass as well, placed everything back into the fancy piece of furniture, and closed the oval lid.

“What are you doing?” he asked in a hushed yell.

“It’s past midnight. How exactly is this going to help you sleep?” she asked, pointing at the wooden cabinet. He opened his mouth to answer, obviously meaning to throw another cocky answer at her. But she didn’t allow it. She was tired and in no mood for arguments. So instead, she grabbed his arm and dragged him in the opposite direction, into the kitchen.

“Sit!” she ordered, pointing at the red stool beside the marble table.

*****

With wide eyes Ryan watched as the woman moved around his kitchen. He could see she was unsure of what she was searching for; looking through the cupboards and drawers, searching for the things she needed to prepare God knew what.

He would have objected, alcohol being his main nocturnal companion after all. But for some reason, the scene in front of him entertained him more. So he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back into the chair, watching her as she moved around gracefully.

“Do you need help?” he asked, although he preferred to sit back and watch her move around some more. It was intriguing to watch her prepare the tea that was now boiling on the stove, and search through the fridge.

“Nope. Well actually, yes.” She peeked from behind the stainless steel fridge door. “Do you have any sliced bread?”

“Second cupboard to your right.” he answered, about to stand up and get it for her, but before he could make any move she’d already swayed her hips over there and grabbed it herself.

He didn’t have to wait long before he could enjoy the steaming vanilla tea and the grilled cheese sandwich Kayla had prepared for them both. Ryan was touched, amazed by how easy it was for her to act so naturally around people she didn’t know. He admired that. In fact, he respected that.

“Bone appétit!” A soft chuckle escaped her lips before she took a sip out of the steaming cup of tea. “Come on! Are you waiting for a special invitation?” Ryan didn’t hesitate any longer, and took a bite of his sandwich, surprised by how good it tasted.