Chapter 123 - A Day To Be Anxious

"You're not going to work today?" lectured Cleo who gave him a discerning look.

Dane shook his head. He was comfortably lounging on the couch with a cup of coffee in his hand.

How in god's name could he be at ease going to work knowing young hot blooded males would be roaming inside his own home? To get things straight, he trusted his dear wife and lynx. It was only the boys he didn't trust. If they were to be her friends, Dane simply wanted to make things clear to them so they understood things in the long run.

He gestured to his labtop, "I'm working from home today."

Cleo had the nerve to chuckle. "...Ah, today's that day isn't it? You're feeling anxious about impressing her friends aren't you? I didn't take you to be the nervous type!"

"...I'm not nervous or anxious," Dane grumbled under his breath. "Shouldn't you be heading to the office?"

"I'm baking our special guests some sweets before heading out..."

Mother hen Cleo was at it again. He was going out of his way to bake cookies or whatever which Dane didn't quite even want to entertain her male guests. Cleo was taking things too far. Or rather, why had he never baked sweets for Dane? He was sulking and the both of them knew it as Cleo sighed.

Dane furiously typed on his labtop. "Add a dosage of raving stomach pain to that hmm?"

This time, laughter erupted from that sweet voice he knew oh so well. He looked sideways from Cleo to find Prisana at the foot of the stairs. Even in her casual buttoned up white blouse and light blue jeans, she was a sight to behold. A sight which made him want to throw a sweater on her so no man could catch a glimpse at her smooth porcelain white skin that drove him mad to touch.

"Cleo will not add poison to the cookies! Even for a joke, that's going too far isn't it?"

Dane eyed Cleo until he sighed and left them alone to return to his baking conquest. He then apologetically looked over at Prisana.

"...I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a bit peeved. These boys have a chance to get to know the version of you in college. I wonder...What would it be like if I were to meet you in college and fall in love like a normal boy?"

She walked toward him and easily planted a kiss on his cheek. What an easy man he was. A kiss on the cheek was enough to send him rattling that his labtop almost fell onto the ground. Almost immediately, his anxious mood had been lifted to high spirits.

He had to catch it and breathe a sigh of relief, "...You're getting too good at handling me."

"Silly beast, I would never trade meeting you that fateful day you found me washed ashore to you. Everything we've been through could never amount to something so simple as you've envisioned."

"Neither would I..." he tried to continue his sweet words but the doorbell rang.

"That's them!" she shouted and left his side before he could shower her in sweet words and kisses.

Anxious of whom exactly? Cleo was talking nonsense. Dane was none other than the CEO of silver livings and a member of the council. Surely his status and wealthy surpassed these boys but of course most of all, he had her heart. Even as he convinced himself he was the most worthy, that didn't stop him from faltering when he heard footsteps and peered up from his laptop.

"...Goodness. Nice place! Your husband is rich, just like the media says he is," came an unfamiliar woman's voice.

A woman near Prisana's age stepped from the narrow hallway. She was uniquely different with piercings and colorful hair that caught his eye, giving off an edgy vibe. Behind the woman and Prisana, were three boys. One trailed closely behind the woman. He was the most handsome out of the boys, with a startling chiseled face structure and lean cut body. Dane noticed that man was more into the edgy woman so he didn't quite care about him.

What he cared about was this Theo boy who apparently had a crush on his wife. There were two more boys. The shorter boy who puzzlingly looked around the house and the tallest boy of the three which clearly exuded a suave aura of confidence and charm. All eyes were on Dane as none spoke a word. He coughed and rose from his seat to greet her friends.

"I'm Dane, Prisana's husband," he made sure to emphasize the husband part and eye each of the boys like a beast staking his territory.

The edgy woman ran up to Dane almost immediately and began sizing him from all directions, "...Approved! Prisana, where did you find this man?"

Prisana only laughed and turned to Dane, "This is Alex."

Alex nodded and smiled. "Hello forgot to introduce myself. I'm Alex and well these boys are Elliot, Noah...And Theo."

Dane's attention immediately flew over to Theo. The boyish man with confidence and charm who had a crush on his wife. Theo looked at him head on without shame, flashing him a bright white smile. Because he was good looking, Dane already made it a point not to like him.

"N-Nice to meet you!" uttered Noah while Elliot also nodded and spoke, "We appreciate you letting rowdy college kids into your home."

"Thank you for letting us intrude," Theo politely commented, taking in Dane's big stature.

He only nodded in return at all of their polite remarks, giving them the benefit of knowing manners. "Make yourselves comfortable."

Prisana led them to the seating area directly across from the living room, where he could still see them as he purposefully chose this spot on purpose.

Even though he told her friends to make themselves comfortable, he was clearly eyeing Theo like a hawk from behind his labtop.