Perfect Match: Irresistible Desire For You
Chapter 12

“Hello, handsome. Are you Zachary Estrada?” Yasmin placed herself squarely in front of Zachary and asked in greeting. Ignoring his hesitant expression, she continued, “I’m your blind date for today, Yasmin Olson. I have something to talk to you about. Shall we?” She looked pointedly at the empty table waiting for them.

Stunned at the lovely woman standing before him, Zachary could only stare. Then, after he collected himself, he drawled out in a cold tone, “What’s the matter?”

In secret, Zachary eyed Yasmin from head to toe. She was dressed in simple clothes, just a T-shirt and denim jeans, and her soft, curly hair was tied back into a ponytail. She was the perfect picture of a young, energetic woman. Her fair, oval face was devoid of make-up, and she had long eyelashes.

Zachary had to admit that this woman looked more beautiful and much livelier than his ex. However, she directly came on to him, which meant that she was aware of exactly who he was. Her mother must have told her so. She probably was a vain woman who was only after the pomp and circumstance of being his girlfriend, so he couldn’t help the cold manner in which he treated her.

Yasmin headed toward their reserved table and took a seat. Then, she took out a piece of paper and a pen from her purse and began to write on it.

Zachary stood right where he was and was left with the distinct impression that he had just been snubbed. His curiosity piqued despite himself; he sat opposite to Yasmin.

After a few more minutes of scribbling on the paper, Yasmin put down her pen, looked at Zachary, and said seriously, “Mr. Estrada, I was forced to attend this blind date with you, and if I weren’t mistaken, we’re on the same boat. Is that correct?” After a moment’s pause, she continued, “I don’t mind that you are gay—on the contrary, that makes me very happy. My mother wants this blind date to be successful, but I’m afraid I’m not interested in you. Even so, I believe we could be good partners.”

Sheer willpower stopped Zachary’s jaw from dropping to the floor. Dumbstruck, he fixated on the woman’s statement saying, “I am glad that you’re gay.” He only said that to drive his ex-girlfriend away, but it seemed that Yasmin overheard him and took his words seriously. He had no words. Zachary became even more curious about the woman’s next plan of action.

Yasmin picked up the piece of paper and scanned through the writing. After confirming that everything was in order, she handed it to Zachary, saying, “Here’s an agreement that I have drafted just now. Please have a look at it. I believe you will replace everything to your satisfaction.”

Still feeling oddly out of his depth, Zachary took the paper and started reading the agreement, which was written in an elegant script.

“Mr. Estrada and Miss Yasmin will pretend to be lovers in order to achieve their individual goals (namely, the man can openly date any man of his liking in the future, and the woman will not interfere with his relationship and keep such relationship a secret for him. For his part, the man should pretend to be the woman’s boyfriend so that she could avoid future blind dates.) The contract will be null and void after one year. The terms of the contract

are as follows:

1. During the contract period, any requests for meetings with the parents of either party will be granted except in the case of emergencies.

2. During the contract period, should the woman replace a lover other than the man involved in the agreement, she will be free to dissolve the agreement. Similarly, the man can dissolve the agreement should he decide to reveal his s****l orientation to his parents.

3. During the contract period, physical intimacy between the two parties are not allowed.

For the time being, both parties are compelled to abide by these rules. Any modifications or additions to the aforementioned terms should be agreed upon by both parties.”

At the bottom of the paper, Zachary saw that the woman had affixed her signature. His gaze flitted from the unusual written agreement in his hand to the expectant yet complacent look in the woman’s eyes. He still had no idea how to respond.

He had initially thought that Yasmin approached him because of who he was. He couldn’t have foreseen this scenario to unfold, and it was all her idea. It was the first time that Zachary doubted his own charms in front of the opposite s*x. At that moment, he realized that the gleam in her fine eyes was not due to his handsomeness, but because of the benefits that she could gain by forming a partnership with him.

Well, to be fair, he had never liked going to blind dates himself, so he would also benefit from this arrangement. However, that clause about his orientation was moot, as he was very much a straight man. Besides, Yasmin did not seem like the clingy type, and she seemed to be capable of dealing with his family. ‘Why not sign the contract, Zachary?’

Yasmin watched as Zachary stared at the agreement for a long time without saying a word. Anxious that the man would not agree, she hastily asked, “What do you think? Are you interested? I promise that I won’t ever disturb you.”

It was Yasmin’s directness and blunt personality that made him speechless. In case she said anything further, Zachary picked up the pen on the table and scribbled down his signature at the bottom beside Yasmin’s.

“Here’s hoping for a pleasant and successful partnership,” Zachary murmured with a smile as he handed the piece of paper back to Yasmin.

The sight of his smile made the breath catch in Yasmin’s throat. Indeed, Zachary was an extraordinarily handsome young man. She knew that they would never suit, considering his s****l orientation, but she had eyes that knew how to appreciate male beauty. All in all, she thought that she had sealed a very good deal.

Yasmin smiled back at him in response. “Same here. I have something else to do, so I have to go now. Please give me a call if you need anything.” She picked up her purse and walked towards the door.

Once again, Zachary felt that he had been ignored. He seldom dialed up his charm to its maximum toward a woman, but she was completely impervious to his smile. Never had he met such a peculiar woman before. The woman’s smile flashed in his mind, and he was struck anew by how beautiful she looked then. His eyes gleaming with anticipation, he thought to himself, ‘It looks like my year is about to get a lot less boring.’