CEO's Runaway Mate and Her Cubs

«Mary, you're so busy selling your paintings that you forgot to introduce your new friends,» a woman said while walking towards them.

Lara turned to face a group of four women, and her heart sank. If even thinking about women chatting with Nate was painful, she would die then and there if they were to actually be close to him.

That change in her heart had been so fast that she couldn't bear it. She used to think she didn't deserve Nate. When had she started wanting him all for herself?

However, she couldn't just glare in silence. She would solve her issues later. She didn't even need to glare because their eyes were fixed on her. Not one of those women glanced at Nate if not for a quick greeting.

«I'm not selling, Joy. I'm just showing. You can buy only in the gallery,» Mary replied, crossing her arms. «I thought you knew it already. Why don't you come and buy like normal people instead of trying to get the painting with you during my events!»

«Oh, you know, it's not fun if it's official,» the latter replied, chuckling lightly.

«There are a lot of papers to sell artwork, especially at high prices,» Mary explained to Lara.

Seeing how the women had surrounded her and were already assessing her, Nate wondered whether to retreat and let her make friends. Or stay there and defend her from close watches.

«Oh, sure,» Lara said. «I guessed as much.»

«I think we should buy one of these paintings from the living room,» Nate said, his hand on Lara's back as encouragement without being too clingy. Among humans, he had to be discreet. «What do you think?»

«It would be awesome,» Lara murmured, imagining that picture of the moon matching with Nate's furniture.

«I'll talk with someone I know,» he said, then. «Is that okay with you?»

«Sure!» Lara said, caressing his arm with her left hand. «Have fun. I'll watch the artworks some more time.»

The women's eyes moved on her ring at the same moment, noticing the fine material and gemstone. Their eyes moved on Nate only then, but they returned to the woman slightly blushing while observing her future husband walk away.

«There was no talk about Nate Woods's new girlfriend having a ring on her hand,» one of them said. «I'm Sarah, by the way.»

«Lara, it's a pleasure to meet you.»

The two shook hands, and the other three women glared at the first for being the first to introduce herself to Lara.

«This is Joy,» Mary Dixon said, taking the chance to be the perfect host and the woman who introduced Lara Clayton, future Mrs Woods, to those who might become her friends. «And they are Anna and Fiona.»

«How long have you two been together?» Fiona asked before the others could even open their mouths. They were curious, it was evident from the shine of their eyes.

At least, they would ask her directly instead of talking behind her back. Lara's mood improved while she found it nice and warm to brag a little about Nate.

«We've met years ago, but we lost contact. We've found each other again just recently, but everything progressed so fast,» she said.

«Oh, is that so? But CEO Woods has never been seen next to a woman other than Samantha Murphy, his sales... ehm, ex sales manager. Other than her, no girlfriends, flirts. No lovers have been spotted. It turns out it's because he was loyal to you.»

Lara's face flushed, but she didn't refute the women's words. It didn't sound so wrong as an explanation. But she couldn't let them think that Nate was a smitten, lovestruck man. Or could she?

While debating with her self about the pros and the cons, she remembered she still needed to be present. She was surrounded by curious eyes, inquiring words, and the attention of five women. She wasn't used to that! Not even in the pack they would stare so openly and ask personal detail.

«Is that ring what it looks like?» Fiona asked, her eyes shining with expectation.

«It is,» Lara said, sighing.

«And how was the proposal? Grand or romantic? Oh, I bet on the second option! We haven't heard any news, after all. If it was grand, everyone in the city would know.»

«It was very romantic. Not grand, on the contrary. It was just the two of us, and Nate asked me to marry him when I expected it the least.»

«Where were you?»

«In the room...» she said, realising it didn't sound so romantic and special to foreign ears.

But they weren't there! They hadn't seen Nate's face, hadn't heard his heart... Neither she had heard it, to be honest, but hers was beating so fast and his must have as well.

«We were on holiday together,» she added.

That detail made all five the women sigh.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

«Oh, I have to talk with the other guests a little,» Mary said while remembering she had done her part. Now, the rest of the party depended on how the other guests felt. She would have loved to listen to Lara's story, but she could just ask Joy the day after.

«Don't worry, you weren't doing anything here either way,» Joy pointed out, winking at her.

Mary shook her head while heading towards a gloomy corner. There was a group in need for a good topic for their conversation.

With one pair of ears less to listen, Lara should have felt better. However, the other four women were so focused that it was frightening.

«On holiday? Who of the two wanted to go there?» Anna murmured. «You or him?»

«Both. We agreed to allow some time for ourselves alone. So we went to this thermal place and stayed in a bungalow for two nights. The city is so pretty, and the thermal pool in the garden was the best. I could relax for real after a long time.»

«Relax? Is your job tiresome, Lara?»