Sebastian had no idea what was going to happen. One second he had been feeling guilty that he had kissed and lusted after an engaged woman and then the next second, he was the aforementioned fiancé. His eyes moved from Andin's outstretched hand to the ring on her finger that definitely had not been there this morning — or else he would have noticed it, to the unfamiliar man who seemed to be bothering her for the last hour. The man in question turned around and for a moment, both men stared at each other.

Sebastian could not help but frown. Judging from how disheveled his hair was, the look of frustration on his face, and what had been said between the two of them, anyone could easily guess that this other man was either an ex-boyfriend who failed to move on or a persistent man who wanted to be her boyfriend. Whichever he was, Sebastian knew exactly what to do.

He paid attention to the expression on the other man's face that kept shifting from grief to shock to anger before moving his gaze to Andin. There was both frustration and pleading in her eyes — something that he had never witnessed before.

He strode forward under the watchful eyes of Andin and the man and when he finally reached her, he set his coffee and bag of cheese tarts on the table and then wrapped his arm possessively around her shoulders. Leaning down, he planted his lips on Andin's. He could feel her surprise and resistance for a split second before her lips melted with his. This kiss was different. A wild, storming kiss that electrified every nerve, a stampeding kiss that reduced his mind to a whirlpool of fantastic sensation, an ecstatically passionate kiss that taught him that lust had an intoxicating, maddening excitement that could not be denied.

Still having his lips hovered over hers, he asked in a deep tone, "Hello, love. How I missed you."

"I-I missed you too," said Andin after a moment of silence.

Then with a smile that mimicked one a wild puma might have, he turned to their onlooker. "Well, who is this?" Tilting his head to one side, he narrowed his eyes to slit. "Is he disturbing you, Andin?" Then to the other man, he said, "what business do you have with my fiancé?" The question slipped quite easily off his tongue which amused Sebastian. He thought he would choke himself before saying words like my fiancé, my wife, our marriage, and many others. Yet here he was, having no trouble at all calling Andin his fiancé.

He felt Andin's shoulders stiffen in surprise and put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a massage while reassuring her that everything would be alright.

"This is Leroy," she finally replied. "He and I used to date. I have told you before, haven't I?"

No, Sebastian said to himself, I do not remember any Leroy or any man really since you have never told me.

But a subject of exes was always something a fiancée was likely to know about. "Of course. The one who failed to move on, if I am not mistaken."

A vivid red was rising up Leroy's cheeks. "We only broke up last year!" he finally exclaimed, seemingly refusing to be so easily dismissed. The couple sitting at the neighboring table glanced awkwardly at us. Leroy clearly had no issue causing a motion or being the center of attention.

"And what does that have anything to do with us?" Sebastian asked, one brow lifted irritatedly. "I hope you do know that you are wasting your time." He let out an exasperated sigh then continued, "if there is nothing else—"

"How could you get engaged with someone else so quickly?" asked Leroy loudly Sebastian was so sure that by now, the entire cafe knew what was going on between the three of them, and looking at two ladies the further back who were each other's confidant and whispering to one another, he knew he was right. "I love you. I fucking love you, Andin. How could you dismiss our love so quickly?"

"Seriously, man, I think you missed your calling." Sebastian shook his head in disbelief. "If you are interested in the entertainment industry, you should give me a call."

"Andin, please, darling. Give me another chance," he begged. He looked so pitiful that Sebastian almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Instead of paying Leroy any mind, he gently picked up Andin's hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it before glancing at Leroy, cementing his claim.

Yet his action seemed to fuel any fire left in Leroy. "How could you get engaged to him? You barely knew the man. He does not know how to make you happy as I do."

Tired of hearing this nonsensical argument, Sebastian stood at his full height. "First of all, I am pretty sure if she was happy with you, she would not have dumped you. Secondly, we know each other for four years." He turned to face Andin, caressing her hand with his. "Tell me, how long have you known him, love?"

"I think it has been one year," answered Andin a little unsure.

"It has been one year and three months and seven days!" protested Leroy as if remembering the exact amount would win her back.

"The fact that she does not even remember shows how little she thinks of it." Sebastian shrugged his shoulders displaying ignorance.

"How could you do this to me, Andin? How could you so easily move on?" Leroy sounded both crazy and in a daze. It seemed hard for him to face the harsh and painful reality.

"I..." Andin faltered and glanced at Sebastian. He answered her with a smile. He knew how Andin was unfailingly honest, a trait in her that he admired, but it also meant that she was a terrible liar. He leaned forward and smoothly took over.

"Andin had just broken up with you when the two of us became close. It did not take us long to become aware of our connection." Still holding her hand, Sebastian smiled at her as if she was the only woman in the world. The only woman for him. "I have never felt this way about another woman, and I instantly know that she is the one for me. Life is too short to be spent waiting so I proposed to her last week."

He watched Andin blink in both amusement and shock. In all honesty, his words surprised him as well but he could not let that show on his face — not when Leroy was still here watching.

"But I thought we had something!" He stumbled back, shaking his head.

"Well, you thought wrong," Sebastian commented under his breath as he watched Leroy glancing at Andin's left ring finger. His eyes locked on the ring on her finger as if that ring was holding the trigger to shoot him dead.

Sebastian followed his eyes and then commented, "I knew it. I should have bought something bigger."

"I'm sorry, Leroy," said Andin. Albeit her voice was soft, there was a slightly harder edge behind it, and Sebastian could not help but wonder what the full story between the two of them was. "But we were not meant for each other good. It did not work and it will not work. I am sure you will find someone better, someone, who will love you as much as you love them."

Leroy looked every bit heartbroken and, without a word, he stood and abruptly left the coffee shop. Sebastian and Andin watched his back for a while until he disappeared into the crowds outside. Andin shook herself and put her head on her palm.

Sebastian moved and took Leroy's seat. He had no idea what to say so he simply sat there and waited.

"Thank you," Andin said at last.

"Do not mention it." He pointed at the cheese tarts on the bag. "Want one? I bought you a mocha latte and a cheese tart."

"Thank you," she answered curtly.

"Here," he handed her the cup. "Mocha latte one shot."

"You—you remember?"

"Of course. It is rather an important thing to remember, is it not?" Sebastian shrugged then took his own cup. "The last thing I want is for you to suffer a headache."

Andin looked shocked and Sebastian could not help but smile. "I can tell that you have not eaten anything and since I was buying one for myself, why not buy one for you too? Let's leave it at that." When Andin did not reply, he added, "Why? Am I not allowed to do something nice for you especially since you've done so much for me for the last four years you have been in the company?"

"Sir, what you just did for me has repaid any debt you thought you owed me ten times over," Andin said fervently, a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you for lunch. It was kind of you."

"Well, they had these bracelets that they are selling for a charity for homeless people, and..." He put the small box on the table in front of her. "I got one for you. Consider it as a thank you," he said quickly before she could even form a reply. "Not anything else. Just a small token of my appreciation."

Andin glanced at him as she opened the box. She did not look upset which he took as a good sign. Then her smile turned into a grin and his heart beat a wee bit faster than usual.

"It is cute," she said, putting the bracelet on.

"I am glad you like it."

"I am sorry for what just happened. For asking you on the spot to pretend to be my fiancé. Leroy and I had a rocky breakup. Our relationship did not work yet he has been trying to get back together with me for several weeks."

"I did not mean to pry but what happened between the two of you?" He asked curiously.

"Not much, to be honest." Andin wearily sighed. "He was one of those emotionally manipulative types. Eventually, I had enough and left him. He was devasted and then, out of nowhere, he sent me a message a while ago telling me how much he missed me. Then he did not stop sending messages. Honestly, I don't know what else to do. I've told him multiple times that I am not interested in rekindling but he did not stop."

"Well," Sebastian paused and took a sip of his coffee before continuing, "you could always have Damon tell him off."

Andin's face suddenly paled and Sebastian wondered what was wrong.  

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