Hey guys, for those of you that left their comment...thank you. I really appreciate it. I don't want to nag but it'll be really nice to hear from the readers. It help us writers to know if we are on the right track and if people are enjoying what we post cause if not, it really doesn't make any sense to continue. Anyways, here's another chapter and I do hope that you like it. Enjoy reading.

PART 8

It was almost 6:00pm when the door opened and Riley walked in. She didn't see him sitting on the corner chair watching her. With iron self-discipline, Lucas hauled irritation back inside himself and ruthlessly crushed that primal, prehistoric part of himself that threatened to explode to the surface.

"Good evening," he muttered.

"Good evening. I didn't realize you were there," she said, stepping back.

"I figured," Lucas replied with a touch of dark irony.

"Have you eaten dinner?" she asked.

"No."

"Give me a couple of minutes and I'll prepare something."

"Did you eat?" She nodded. "I'm not hungry. If you already ate then don't bother making anything for dinner. How was your date?"

"It was good. I had a nice time."

Lucas gritted his teeth. "I didn't realize that you knew anybody here. You told me that this is your first time here in the Philippines."

"I wasn't lying when I told you I've never been here before. I met up with a friend."

"A friend? A lady or guy friend?" he asked.

Annoyance spiked inside her. "A guy friend."

His expression remained unrelenting. "You went out with a guy friend on your own the day after I announced that you're my girlfriend? And you didn't even bother to tell me that you were going out today."

"I left you a note."

"A note. That's very considerate of you," he said sarcastically. "I want to meet this guy friend of yours and I don't want you going out alone with him again."

"No," she said curtly.

"No?" he repeated. "Then I suggest you call your superior and tell him that they would need to find you another boyfriend for your cover."

Stiffening, Riley returned with frigid politeness, "I apologize if I offended you somehow but my friend is no business of yours. My association with him is strictly business."

"If it's work related then I definitely need to know who this friend of yours is. After all I am involved with your work," he finally said.

The words hung between them for an endless moment. The driving thunder of her pulse match the harsh give and take of his breath. Riley considered the various scenarios before replying. "Fine. The next time we meet I'll let you know."

"No. The next time you two meet up, I want to be there with you. This is not just about your work Riley, I'm also involved and since we recently made our so called relationship public this now involves my career as well. I can't have you going out on dates with another guy with a chance of a reporter seeing you and writing up that you are cheating on me. You're in the Philippines, people here think differently. Here people value commitment and loyalty, they are not as liberated."

He spoke in a voice rare for him, but one that guaranteed obedience the few times he used it. "Next time you have a need to go somewhere, you tell me personally. And we will both decide whether or not you can go alone."

Riley stubbornly kept her back straight. She shook her head, "And if I don't follow?"

Frowning, he walked towards her and leaned over, "I'll call Jack and Agent Coomber." The words, delivered almost softly, sounded ominously like a warning, a warning reinforced by the cold, unsparing relentlessness she saw in his arrogant features.

Every word he said, every movement he made, his effortless control, strengthen his attitude. He'd made his decision; he stick to them.

Riley's head whipped up and she fixed him blazing eyes and haughty expression. "Good night."

Later, she decided; she'd deal with all this later.

Late-morning sun beat down on Riley through her bedroom window. She'd been awake since 7:00am. She had organized her belongings, spoke to her parents on the phone and checked her emails to pass time. She's running out of excuses to stay in her room longer. She's not a coward. She's just not ready to face Lucas yet.

Last night's conversation with him didn't go so well. Riley thinks he was over reacting. So close to losing her cool once again, she cut their discussion with a curt good night and fled to her room. She left with an unfinished business between them.

Left with no choice, Riley stepped out of her room. Since it's close to lunch time she decided to prepare lunch. The house is quiet. He must still be sleeping. She opened the fridge and was delighted to see that it had been fully re-stocked.

Riley deals with stress by keeping herself busy. Moping around is not an option for her. She likes to use each minute of her day being productive.

She was kneading dough when he walked into the kitchen.

"Hi."

"Hello," he muttered.

"Lucas, about last night - I'm sorry." The words were pathetically inadequate.

Lucas said nothing, so Riley had no idea if her apology was accepted. Her nerves were humming, but she focused on kneading dough.

He leaned against the counter. "Peace offering?" He was looking at the dough.

"Yes." She forced a tight smile, determined to keep things polite and distant - as if that was possible. She didn't like the way he was staring at her.

He fought a smile. "What are you making?"

"Chicken pot pie."

"Sounds good. It's been a while since I had one," he commented. "I'll leave you to it then."

"Would you like a cup of coffee? I just brewed a pot."

He turned back, watching her he replied "I'd like that, thank you."

"Sit down at the table and I'll get some for you."

But he remained standing, his brows drawing together. "I'm sorry if I came down too strong on you last night."

"It would have been nice to have been forewarned," she said.

"I bet." His voice was smooth, revealing nothing.

No doubt he was pleased she was showing such coolness. She reached up into the cupboard and collected two mugs. She made them both a cup of coffee. Lucas, she learned takes his coffee black with one sugar.

"Here's your coffee."

A taunting little smile touched his lips. He said nothing, however, until after the first sip. "This is excellent. You make good coffee. Maybe we should argue every night so you'll be forced to make me coffee the next morning."

She could have refused to reply to him. But pride had always been one of her besetting sins, and besides, weren't challenges meant to be met?

"Maybe we should. But then again, we won't be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. We'll be a married couple," she laughed, a warm throaty chuckle.