“Excellent. That will work!” I let the crew know that I was happy with Alexis filling in for Julia. The makeup team prepped her face for the camera. She was stunning. In the stretchy, tight Yoga pants, her bare belly and flawless makeup, I could’ve stared at her for days.
We went through the rest of the day with no more than two takes per scene and pose. Alexis did a remarkable job and was natural in front of the camera. We called it a wrap by five o’clock in the afternoon.
“Have you done work in front of the camera before?” I asked her while we packed up for the day.
She wore her coy smile that often showcased her cute dimples. “No, sir. Not unless it’s been a selfie or someone taking a picture of me. I’ve never had any opportunities to even try working in front of a camera.”
“Well, you’ve got a knack for it,” I grinned, opening the door for her. The limousine was waiting on the curbside for us. Her left hand brushed against my right thigh as she walked beside me. I wanted to grab her hand.
“Really?” Her voice was chipper.
“Really,” I assured her. I decided to take the risk. Sure, she was half my age, but if I sensed it correctly, I knew she felt the chemistry between us as well. I touched the edges of her hand with my fingertips to test her reaction. She didn’t move her hand. I took the plunge, intertwined my fingers in between hers, and clutched her tiny, delicate hand. She looked down, nervously grinning. “Is that okay?” I asked, giving her a flirtatious nudge with my arm.
“It’s okay,” she muttered but grinned.
Saturday morning, I woke up with Ashton on my mind. I hadn’t told Jessica about him holding my hand because I didn’t know what was going on between us. My digital alarm clock said the time was ten o’clock. I had really slept in.
“Oh, sleepy head! There is an interesting package that was just left at the door. It’s for you,” Jessica teased, opening my curtains to expose the bright sunlight. I shielded my eyes with my hands.
“You could’ve warned me before you did that,” I complained.
“You’re always grumpy in the morning,” she laughed. She was holding a box wrapped in shiny paper and ribbon.
“What’s that?” I asked.
She handed it to me as I sat up in bed. “It was just delivered to our doorstep. It says it’s from Chan Chocolatier.”
I found a small note underneath the ribbon bow. It said: A sweet surprise for a sweet girl. Ashton.
“What’s with the look on your face? You’ve got to tell me,” Jessica prodded with her typical mischievous grin.
“It’s from Ashton,” I answered, shocked.
“Wow. He really has a thing for you! That’s the most expensive candy shop in town!”
“Well, he is a billionaire. I’m sure that price tags of any kind mean nothing to him,” I reminded her. I opened the package and found edible gold shavings covered in chocolate, caramel pieces covered in chocolate and chocolate-covered cinnamon pecans. “Oh my,” I breathed.
“That’s real gold. Girl, forget eating it! Go sell it!” she looked at it in awe.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I laughed at her. “What do I do? He is twice my age, my boss and one of the richest men in the world. Is he for real? Or is he just looking for a fling?” I didn’t want to panic; I just didn’t know what to expect.
“Calm down. Why don’t you just go with the flow for once? Do you like him like that?” she asked calmly.
I thought for a moment. “Sure, I’ve thought he was good looking from the beginning, but never thought I liked him like that. Maybe I do? I feel flattered?”
“Do you get goosebumps when he is around? Do you get nervous?” she further investigated my feelings.
I thought again. “You know, now that you mention it…”
“Bingo. You’re into him,” she finished my sentence.
“Well, when he held my hand yesterday afternoon-”
“He held your hand?!” she exclaimed, wide-eyed and mouth gaping open.
“He reached for it and held it while walking me to the car, yes. He asked if I was okay with it, and I told him I was.”
“Alexis! That’s huge! If you didn’t like him, you wouldn’t have let him! He is totally into you. I say go for it. Why didn’t you tell me?!” she stood up, getting animated and excited all at once. I was still sitting in bed, nibbling on the chocolates.
“The chocolate is good. Do you want one?” I asked, trying to escape the lecture and explanation session. We shared a good laugh and some chocolates.
Chapter 6
Monday couldn’t come fast enough. Alexis had been on my mind all weekend. I sat in my office and watched the clock until it was time for her to come in. Janet was not as cheerful as she usually was when I delegated tasks to her. I was trying to hide my fondness for Alexis, but Janet seemed to pick up on it easily.
Half past eight o’clock, I could hear Alexis’s voice outside my door. I wanted to invite her in my office and ask about the chocolates and her weekend, but it would give me away. So, I sat in my chair and browsed through the Internet, biding the time. An hour went by and someone softly knocked on my door. “Come in,” I called from my desk.
“Do you have a minute?” Alexis poked her head around the door. She was all smiles.
“Absolutely,” I eagerly replied, closing my laptop. “Please, come on in.”
She was hot. She wore a tight, dark blue pencil skirt, white blouse and red, form-fitting jacket. Her heels complimented her sexy legs, and her long blond hair was perfectly pinned into a twist. She stood next to my desk, refusing to sit down.
“I just wanted to thank you for the box of chocolates. I’m not sure what I did to deserve such a kind gesture, but it was very thoughtful.” She seemed slightly nervous, fidgeting her fingers.
I stood. “You’re very welcome. I thought that you deserved them after such a great turnout at the filming on Friday. You were really put on the spot, and you behaved as if you had rehearsed it many times. I thought that was worthy of a box of chocolates from Chan’s Chocolatier.” I moved closer to her.
“Look, um, about Friday night. When you grabbed my hand, I…” she struggled over her words.
“Yes?” I stepped closer, softly brushing a stray hair from her cheek.
“I guess I wasn’t expecting that? Um, I…”
“You don’t have to try to explain or figure anything out. I understand,” I assured her, stepping even closer. My face was so close to hers that I could feel her exhale on my skin. She smelled so lovely- like sweet nectar.
“You do?” she asked innocently.
“I do,” I smirked, leaning my face into hers. She was perfectly still as she watched my lips approach hers. The moment our lips touched, it was magical. I didn’t want to let her go. She kissed me back. Our lips were molding to each other’s, and I explored the inside of her mouth. We fit together like two magnets. I wanted to pull her tighter into me, but she stopped.
“Oh, we can’t,” she whispered, pulling back.
“We can’t do what?”
“We can’t delve any further into this. Whatever this is,” she stated.
“Why not?”
“Well, first of all, I have no clue what your intentions are,” her tone continued to be surprisingly firm.
“I don’t have any intentions. I only know that I like you, I’m drawn to you, and I’ve gone with the flow. I’m not trying to offend you or anything. I just simply think you’re a special lady.”
“We need to keep this strictly professional,” she remained adamant. “Besides, you are twice my age. All the other ladies in the office are gossiping about me, and it’s definitely caused some tension that I’m sure wasn’t here before I joined this team.” She sat down in one of my chairs. I leaned against my desk and crossed my arms.
“If it bothers you that I’m twice your age, I understand. I thought that you were feeling the same thing as I. As for the ladies in the office, they would be catty toward you anyway! Y
ou’re gorgeous!” I always got what I wanted, but I didn’t want to disrespect her. I knew that I would eventually win her over.
“I don’t know what I’m really feeling. Like every other woman that lays eyes on you, I think you are attractive, but I don’t want to ruin your career, my career, or anything else. I mean, do you have children? Have you been married before? There are many things that we need to talk about because of this age difference.” She was becoming flustered. Unfortunately, it was turning me on.
“I tell you what, I don’t want you to stress over anything. So, why don’t you just take some time to think about it, and I will back off,” I returned to my chair.
“Back off as in not attend your class tomorrow night? Or back off as in dropping the romantic gestures?” she asked, seeking to clear the confusion.
“I will back off the romantic gestures. We are simple boss and employee, mentor and student. Okay?” I answered calmly. I didn’t want her to see my over-confidence but didn’t want her to think I was completely bummed either.
“Okay then.”
“Good. You may return to work then,” I suggested. She stared at me, confused. It was obvious that she wasn’t used to me speaking to her like that.
“I’ve been hurt once before, you know. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let another man do that to me,” she confessed.
“I’m not out to hurt you, Alexis.”
“That’s good to know,” she spoke slowly, observing my reaction. I had already reopened my laptop and was browsing through emails while she remained staring at me and seeming conflicted.
“Anything else that I can do for you?” I asked her politely.
She stood up. “I just, I don’t want there to be any weird vibes between us. I appreciate your kindness and generosity and all that you’ve done for me. We’ve only known each other for a week, and I just think it’s wise to move slowly.”
I kept my eyes on my screen. “There’s no weird vibes or any rush.”
“Okay then,” she started to walk toward the door, still watching me. I knew she was trying to figure me out, and it wasn’t working. Women were sometimes so indecisive, but I knew she would soon see that she truly did want me in the way I wanted her. She just needed a little space and to know that she had some control over it. That was that.
Chapter 7
“Thank you for letting me teach some tonight,” I told Ashton. We were working together to clean up the room for the janitor. It was our way of helping him.
“No problem whatsoever. You did great. Soon enough, you will have your certification and the sky will be the limit.” He continued to work while chatting to me.
“Many of the opportunities that you’re giving me are beyond the sky. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have worked on a film or taught this class tonight.”
“True,” he smiled, almost chuckling. His emotional distance was becoming rather tough for me. I didn’t like it at all. However, I had made a wise choice to not embark on a romantic relationship with him. “I’m grabbing dinner at McCoy’s if you would like to join me. It would be in a friendly, business-relationship type of dinner, of course.”
Okay, so he was still trying. “Ashton, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. If I were to go, it would seem as if we were dating or something. You’ve already invited me to the coffee shop, bought me chocolates, held my hand, and kissed me. I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Fair enough,” he responded. “I will say, though--that kiss meant more to me than anything I’ve experienced in a long time. Even if I never kiss you again, it was worth it.” His words surprised me. He was Ashton Jackson- one of the hottest men on the planet and definitely one of the richest. Our little kiss meant that much to him? He started dancing with the broom. “I guess I have the broom. It won’t complain when I kiss it.”
That startled a laugh out of me! He was behaving pitifully! “Okay, okay, I get it. I don’t want to hurt your pride. I will eat dinner with you.”
He quickly perked up and tossed the broom to the side. I couldn’t deny that we shared some sort of spark. “Can I practice that kiss with you again?” he asked romantically.
“Really, Ashton?” I pressed him. “I just agreed to go to dinner with you.”
He smiled in his teasing, flirtatious way. “I know, isn’t it wonderful?” He stood close by me, nudging me with his shoulder. “Huh? Huh?” he teased.
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” I shook my head in disbelief. It was hard to resist him. His salt-and-pepper hair, whiskers and handsome features were too much for me to ignore. Even the tone of his voice turned something on inside me. He caressed my face with his hand, preparing me for a kiss. His touch electrified my senses.
“You have the most beautiful lips,” he commented tenderly before moving in for the kiss. “Has anyone ever told you that?”
I grinned nervously. “I don’t recall,” I whispered.
Softly, his lips pressed against mine. A certain power was released between us as the tension grew stronger. The smell of his cologne and the feel of his sweat only fueled the attraction. I slowly placed my arms around his back, and he embraced me tightly as we further explored one another. I got lost in the moment, and couldn’t think of anything else but him. He was strong and confident. I liked that. I kissed him back with fervor, exploring the edges of his teeth with my tongue. It was amazing.
Suddenly, fear struck me. He was fifty. I was only twenty-five. What would people say if we got caught? Was this only a boss having an affair with his assistant? Would it forever discolor my reputation? I panicked and pushed him away again.
“I can’t do this Ashton. I just can’t. I don’t see how anything good can come from this,” I stepped back, wiping my mouth on my hand. “I will still join you for dinner but only as your friend and employee. Perhaps we should invite someone else to join us. I can call my roommate, Jessica.” I had my back turned to him at this point, pacing the floor and trying to gather my things.
“Why are you fighting, Alexis? I can tell that you feel the same way.”
“Ugh, it’s so many things. You know what, I don’t have to call Jessica. I’m hungry. Let’s just go ahead with our plans and grab something to eat,” I added.
As we left the room, he added, “Well, I respect what you told me in the office. I apologize if I overstepped my bounds.”
We were eating dinner at McCoy’s, a small, quaint mom-and-pop restaurant that served traditional Southern food. It was not the type of restaurant I had envisioned a billionaire taking the time to eat at.
“I just didn’t think you would eat at a place like this. It’s not fancy enough,” I said honestly but lightly. The country fried steak was delicious.
“Yeah? Just because I can afford the most elite dining experiences doesn’t mean that I don’t remember where I came from. I grew up on this. It’s delicious.” He took a bite of the fried okra.
I was impressed. “I suppose after a while that the escargot gets old?”
He laughed. “It just isn’t enough to fill a man’s stomach sometimes!” People were coming into the diner left and right. It was a busy time, and I worried someone would recognize us. “I know exactly what you are thinking. Stop worrying.”
“What are you, psychic?”
“No, but I recognize that face. We are here on a friendly business meal. If anyone sees us from work, that’s what I will say.”
I took a sip of my sweet tea. “I just don’t feel comfortable with the ladies at work. They smile at me through their teeth. I know it has to do with your fondness for me.”
“I’ve noticed,” he replied. “That’s why we probably should keep this under wraps as much as possible until we figure out what’s going on between us. I’ve thought about it since we left the YMCA. We should be cautious until we know for sure.”
Hearing him say those words made me feel relieved. I relaxed in my chair and even ordered a slice of apple pie. Regardless of my fickle thoughts and emotions, n
othing changed the fact that the man was even sexy when he ate his country fried steak.
Chapter 8
“You can hold it!” Ashton coached me as I trained for the last test for my certification. I needed his help in holding the difficult poses.
“I don’t know that I can!” I struggled to speak while standing on my head.
“Only a few more seconds and you’ve got it,” he encouraged me. We were the only ones in the YMCA building on that Saturday morning. He had been kind enough to help me and let us practice in his rented group fitness room. “You did it! Great job, Alexis. I will help you down.” His hands lightly supported my lower back as he guided me to the floor. I rested there for a minute, smiling as he sat beside me, looking down at me.
“I’m determined to have a perfect score on that last exam. Thank you for helping me. This last month has been wonderful. I hope I can someday make it up to you with all the opportunities and help that you’ve given me,” I told him.
“It’s my pleasure,” he grinned, stretching before standing to his feet. He walked away, packing things into his duffle bag. I remained on the floor, watching him move. He had respected my space over the last few weeks, careful to not pressure me into anything. Watching him not trying to flirt with me while I was resting in the floor bothered me. For the first time, I realized that I wanted him to touch me, to tease me, and to flirt with me. “I’m going to put these things in the car. Would you like a ride back to your apartment?” he asked kindly.
I caught myself somewhat posing on the floor, almost hoping that he would make a comment on my physique. “I would love that,” I answered. To my dismay, he walked out without saying a word about my posing or beauty. I thought about getting up but stayed put in the floor.
He returned to the room, surprised that I was still resting in the floor. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” I flatly answered, disappointed that he wasn’t recognizing my hints.
“Do you need a hand?” He walked over and held out his hand. I stared at it for a second while a mischievous thought formed in my mind.
Hang Em' Up: A Bad Boy Sports Pregnancy Romance Page 132
