Chapter 45

Calliope really hadn’t planned on taking the stuff Portia had prepared for her, but Portia was insistent, practically shoving the bag into her hands.

“You got this! I know you can win Silas over!”

By the time Calliope returned to the Myers Manor, it was already late. She carried a shopping bag with a bracelet and a ring she’d bought, along with the bag of items Portia had given her.

She had assumed Silas wouldn’t be home yet, but as soon as she stepped through the door, she froze.

There was Silas, sitting casually on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, tapping away on his tablet. At the sound of the door, he looked up, and their eyes met.

Calliope’s mind immediately flashed to the items Portia had packed for her – a collection of see-through outfits, fox tails, condoms, and other… accessories.

Her face turned crimson in an instant. Images flooded her mind, far too vivid and wildly inappropriate.

She tried desperately to shake off these thoughts, but each glance at Silas made it harder to control.

It didn’t help that Silas was impossibly handsome, with his chiseled abs, long legs, and a captivating scent that lingered in the air.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his deep, smooth voice echoing in the air, his gaze carrying a hint of curiosity.

Calliope was like, “!!!”

She was losing her mind! What on earth was she thinking?

All Portia’s fault, with her crazy ideas!

If Silas found out she had planned to seduce him with those things, she was sure he’d think she had ulterior motives.

Calliope took a deep breath, trying to act nonchalant as she changed her shoes. Finally, she walked over to where Silas sat.

“You’re back.”

“Yeah,” Silas nodded. “Not happy to see me?”

“Not that!” Calliope quickly explained, “I’m really glad you’re home.”

“Really glad?” Silas raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. “You mean it?”

“Absolutely,” Calliope nodded eagerly.

She’d upset him once before, and she wasn’t about to do it again. Men were supposed to be easy to please, she assumed.

As for Portia’s ideas, well, those were best left untouched. Using them felt a bit too forward, and she didn’t want to give Silas the wrong impression. If he misunderstood, she’d be in serious trouble.

For a moment, a rare smile graced Silas’s face. His voice was gentle as he asked, “Why so late? You didn’t have Damien or the driver with you?”

“I went shopping with a friend,” Calliope replied, thinking quickly. “I brought you a gift. I hope you like it.”

She handed the bags over to Silas, her eyes sparkling with both anticipation and nerves.

She knew Silas was accustomed to the best of everything, and while her gifts were expensive by normal standards, they might not impress him as much.

Still, she thought these items suited him perfectly.

If she wanted to truly match his tastes, she’d probably have to attend an auction or something.

Silas took the bags, looking somewhat surprised. “For me?”

“Yeah.” Calliope’s eyes twinkled as she watched him, hoping he’d like her choice.

Silas opened the boxes. One contained a pair of rings, the other a bracelet. They weren’t extravagant, but they definitely weren’t cheap either.

Silas looked a bit taken aback, but he slipped the bracelet on his wrist. “I like it.”