)

"Why am I here?" Grayson found himself in an ice cream shop, waiting in line with Alison.

As they waited, he noticed a few people staring at him and even pointing. It was obvious they recognized him as Grayson Hawthorne, one of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne's grandsons. Grayson nonchalantly adjusted his cuffs, trying to ignore the attention.

Alison seemed to notice his discomfort and turned to face him, pulling him closer. Without waiting for his objection, she placed a blue Lone Stars cap on his head. "There, now no one will recognize you," she said in a gentle and hesitant voice.

Grayson couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest as her fingers lingered on his face while she adjusted the cap. "Alison," Grayson whispered. Just then, her phone rang, interrupting him. "You should answer that," he swallowed.

Alison nodded, but Grayson couldn't help but notice the way her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary.

He watched as Alison answered the phone and walked a few steps away from him.

His eyes followed her movements, noting her braids fall across her shoulders and how her curves were accentuated by her tight shirt. Grayson knew he shouldn't feel anything towards her, and he tried to push those thoughts away, reminding himself she was just his IT partner, and he was here for business purposes.

When Alison finished her call, her face looked paler and sadder than before. "Whoever she was talking to, that was non of my business," Grayson reminded himself.

"So, what flavours are you going for?" Alison's question seemed more like an attempt to shift her attention from something else.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Grayson retorted, feeling a mix of emotions that he tried to push aside.

Grayson and Alison walked out of the ice cream shop, each holding a cone of their flavours. They found a quiet park nearby and sat on a bench, ready to get down to business.

"Let's get this over with," Grayson muttered, trying to break the awkward silence between them.

Alison smiled, amused at his impatience. "So, what's your guess?" she asked, her voice low and smooth, teasing him.

Grayson confidently replied, "Vanilla, Charcoal, and Strawberry."

Alison chuckled and shook her head, her braids bouncing lightly. "Nope, it's Vanilla, Strawberry, and Dark Chocolate. You were close, though," she said with a grin.

Grayson took a bite of his ice cream, savouring the cold sweetness in his mouth. As he looked over at Alison, he noticed her studying his cone intently, her brow furrowed in concentration. Even if he was wrong, the chance of Alison getting his flavours right was 10%.

He knew she was determined to guess his flavours, but he wasn't expecting her unpredictable move. Alison reached out and scraped a bit of ice cream from his cheek with her finger, then brought it to her lips and licked it off.

Grayson was caught off guard by Alison's unexpected move, his mind racing to make sense of what had just happened. Their eyes met, and they held each other's gaze for a moment. The air between them felt charged, their breathing shallow and ragged. Finally, Alison broke the silence.

"Chocolate milk, mint-chocolate chips, and Vanilla," she said, her voice slightly husky. "I win," she stated, her lips curved up slightly, a sign that she was trying to suppress a smile.

Grayson repeated her words, his own voice low and deep. "You win."