“Does it really make any difference?” Michael growled. He had a dozen things left to do before he could even think about leaving. He really didn’t need this now! He had known this scheme of Norm’s would cause nothing but trouble!
“Well, if you are seen leaving together people might think that’s rather unprofessional, but similarly if-”
“I’ll pick Miss Kendall up on the way to the restaurant,” Michael interrupted sharply. “I have to go home and get changed anyway. Now can we please talk about the crime bill?”
They talked, but Michael had to admit that he wasn’t giving a hundred percent of his attention. His thoughts had skipped ahead to dinner… dinner with Ashley. He probably shouldn’t be looking forward to it, not as much as he was doing, it was just another part of the job after all. He should keep that in mind.
Ashley had been like a breath of fresh air though! Michael wondered if she would be as fiery over dinner as she had been in his office?
Michael managed to get everything finished, although it took longer that he had hoped. He only had a very short amount of time in which to have his chauffeur drive him home, have the worlds fastest shower once he was home, throw on a clean suit, and hurry back outside to the waiting car.
Fortunately for Michael (who was embarrassed to realize that he hadn’t actually thought to ask Ashley where she lived) his driver seemed to know where he was going.
They pulled up in front of a nicer house than Michael had been expecting (clearly speech writing paid pretty well) and he got out of the car. He walked up the drive to the front door, wondering if he should have thought to bring flowers as he pushed the doorbell. He felt much more nervous than he would have expected! Really this was just a business dinner after all.
Or possibly not…
Michael almost made the mistake of asking the absolutely stunning women who opened the front door if Ashley was in, until he realized a second later that she was Ashley!
“I wasn’t sure what time you were coming,” she said, smiling shyly. “Come in, I just need to grab my purse and coat.”
Michael stepped into the hall after, unable to take his eyes of the woman in front of him, and also unable to put his finger on exactly how she had changed… he cleared his throat, realizing that he hadn’t actually said a word yet.
“You look beautiful,” he said, smiling at the way Ashley’s cheeks grew pink and flushed, although what she said next dampened his good humor.
“Well, I didn’t want to let you down, Mr. Reese,” she said innocently.
“Michael,” he murmured, taking Ashley’s arm once she had slipped into her coat. She looked a little surprised by his familiarity. Michael pretended to mistake the look in her eyes. “I think we’re liable to draw suspicions if you continue to ‘Mr. Reese’ me.”
Ashley smiled. “All right… Michael,” she nodded, testing the name out on her tongue, and finding that she rather liked it. “So where are we going?” she asked, as Michael led her towards the chauffeur driven car that was waiting at the end of her drive. He gave the name of very exclusive restaurant that Ashley had never ever been to, but knew of by reputation.
“Will that be okay,” Michael asked with a smile, obviously pleased with the appreciative gasp that Ashley gave when she heard the restaurant’s name.
“Very okay,” Ashley laughed, getting gracefully into the car, while the chauffeur held the door open for her. “But… don’t you think it’s a little… excessive?” she asked Michael, once he was seated beside her. “I mean, when you consider that this is just a- a business dinner really?” she added nervously.
Michael frowned at her. “It’s hardly your typical business dinner, Ashley,” he pointed out slowly. “Our relationship needs to look believable, or else no one is going to be fooled,” he pointed out.
Ashley nodded her head and bit her bottom lip, wishing she hadn’t brought it up at all. She just had to sit back and relax, and enjoy being wined and dined by one of the most eligible men in the world. Really, what was so hard about that?
“Sorry,” she apologized, as the car pulled away from the sidewalk. “I’m guess I’m still getting my head about it all,” she confessed, casting Michael an uncertain little smile that banished the frown from his own face. When he smiled back at her his eyes crinkled at the corners in a manner so attractive that it would have made any woman swoon.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” he assured her, reaching to take hold of her hand. Ashley tingled all over when Michael’s fingers touched her skin. “We’re just two people going out to dinner.”
Ashley couldn’t help but be amused by Michael’s description of himself. “I hate to remind you, but you are possibly going to be the next President of the United States,” she said wryly. “I don’t think that allows you to be just another person going out to dinner,” she laughed.
Michael made a face. “This is a good restaurant. We won’t be bothered too much,” he assured her.
“No?” Ashley looked suspicious. “But isn’t the whole point of going out like this so people notice you and see us together?” she asked bluntly. Beside her, Michael shifted uncomfortably. Ashley couldn’t believe that she had actually made him squirm!
“Well yes,” he was forced to confess. “But I thought we could have a nice private meal together tonight, so we can get to know each other a bit better.”
“And work out the dynamics of our ‘relationship’?” Ashley asked dryly- immediately wishing that she could just sew her mouth together and stop being so prickly! It wouldn’t be hard for Mr. Reese to find another woman to play this game with! Did she really want to give up her role? Because that was the thin ice she was jumping around on!
“You’re terribly cynical. Has anyone ever told you that?” Michael quipped back. “Somehow I don’t feel I’ve entirely won you around to the merits of this scheme,” he mused, and then leant a little closer. Ashley sucked in her breath. “How could I convince you?” Michael whispered.
There was one idea that sprang to the forefront of Michael’s mind… He wondered how Ashley would response to a kiss? She would probably slap his face, sniffed his voice of reason. She didn’t exactly seem enamored with the whole plot of pretending to be his girlfriend, but that didn’t mean her lush, painted lips weren’t still a strong temptation!
However, Michael knew that he would have to appeal to her sense of reason before he took any liberties. He was a politician for goodness sake; he was good at persuading people he was right, it was his job! He just had to find the right angle… Michael sat back in his seat all of a sudden, a slow smile tugging at his lips.
“Is there any reason why we shouldn’t go out to dinner, Miss Kendall? I mean, are we doing anything wrong in eating a meal together?” he asked.
Ashley stopped looking out of the window and glanced at his face. “Well, no,” she was forced to admit.
“And if people happen to mistake us for a couple, well, that’s their own innocent mistake,” he pointed out smoothly.
Ashley’s lips twitched at the corners, as she was fighting off a smile. “Like in speech writing you mean, when you might use, oh, say an artful phrasing of the truth?” she giggled.
Michael grinned. “Precisely.”
“All right,” Ashley laughed. “You win!”
“I always win,” Michael said with a playful wink. “Ah! Here we are,” he remarked, as the car pulled up outside the restaurant. “I hope you like it here,” he added, helping Ashley out of the car. “Their head chef is amazing.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” Ashley assured him, glancing around at her splendid surrounding with a look of delight. She seemed much more inclined to be pleased all of a sudden, and Michael was very relieved by the change! He took her arm and walked her inside, where they were instantly greeted by the maitre d’.
“Mr Reese! I have your usual table waiting for you and your guest,” he nodded graciously, showing Michael and Ashley immediately to a private table at the si
de of the magnificent dining room.
“Do you come here often?” Ashley asked, unfolding her napkin as the maitre d’ left them alone to look over their menus.
“Not often,” Michael sighed. It didn’t get to do anything he enjoyed often these days. It was one of the prices of the campaign. “Besides, it’s also not a lot of fun to eat out on your own.”
“Surely you could find someone to come out and eat with you, Mr. Re- ugh- Michael?” Ashley smiled.
“No one that I would care to dine with,” he muttered, and then remembering himself, he shot Ashley one of his most charming smiles. “Until now at least. We’ll definitely have to do this again,” he said cheerfully.
“We haven’t done it once yet!” Ashley giggled. “You might not like eating with me,” she added more uncertainly. Michael studied Ashley across the table, and sensed that there was more meaning hiding behind those words than what they obviously expressed. “I’m sorry if I’ve been- well…”
Michael reached for her hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ve thrown quite a lot at you today,” he admitted. “I think you’re coping wonderfully. It’s just a job, after all.”
Of course it was just a job! Ashley couldn’t understand why being reminded of that fact jarred her all of a sudden. She hadn’t- she wouldn’t let herself forget that was all it was- not even for a moment!
Happily, Michael asked her what she was going to order, and so selecting her food distracted Ashley for a few minutes, (which kept her thoughts from wandering down any dangerous routes). She didn’t choose the most expensive thing on the menu, although she was sorely tempted. What was the point of going out to dinner with the man who might be the next President if you didn’t at least eat well?
“So,” said Michael, leaning back in his chair after they had ordered and were once again left alone. He took a sip of the wine that had just been brought over before continuing. “How did we meet?”
Ashley frowned. She was a little puzzled at the question. “Well, I started working for you when I was hired by-”
“No I mean, how did we meet?” he laughed. “When was our first date?”
“Why can’t this be our first date?” Ashley asked, not trying to be awkward. She was genuinely confused.
“Norm thinks it would be best if you and I have been seeing each other for a little longer than-” he glanced at his watched “-forty minutes,” he joked. Ashley gave her head a resigned nod. “So… we met at a fundraiser? For… underprivileged kids?”
“Oh, because no one’s going to see through that!” Ashley snorted.
Michael continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “Your date stood you up-”
“Wait! My date stood me up?” Ashley laughed in outrage.
“Right, that’s what I said,” Michael grinned. “Your date stood you up, so I very dashingly stepped in to partner you in one of the waltzes-”
“Why can’t we just say it happened gradually as we were working together?” Ashley argued. “That really would be the most plausible story.”
“Pfft! You have no sense of romance!”
Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Oh because your staff meeting are so romantic, Mr. Reese,” she said, leaning forwards slightly and speaking in a husky, breathy drawl.
“I’ll have you know that I can be very romantic when I choose to be!” Michael argued, grinning broadly. “Just ask my ex wives.”
“Well, the very fact that they are your ex wives-”
“Only goes to prove that I wasn’t choosing to be romantic enough at the time I was married to them,” Michael chuckled.
Ashley shook her head again, but she didn’t feel that she knew him nearly well enough to comment or joke about something so personal. Fortunately, the waiter brought over their starters and interrupted them, and so they had to find a more neutral topic of conversation.
Ashley took a bite of her food, her eyelids fluttered shut and she made a soft appreciative sound as the deliciously flavors burst to life on her tongue.
“That good, eh?” Michael chuckled, causing Ashley’s eye to snap open and an embarrassed blush to creep over her cheeks, when she saw that, instead of attending his own plate of food, he was watching her closely.
“Why don’t you try yours, and see?” Ashley managed to say, although Michael wasn’t sure what she would have made of his answer… because watching you eat is infinitely more fun. He took a bit of his own meal to appease her, but he couldn’t help wondering if Ashley was as responsive and sensual in all areas of her life…
However, to Michael’s disappointment, Ashley was more guarded about the enticing little sounds she made as they finished off their starters. She did poke the tip of her tongue out to lick away a dribble of sauce that had missed her mouth and was sitting in the center of the plump curve of her bottom lip. Michael felt a quickening in his gut. It was definitely far too long since he’d had a woman.
There hadn’t been anyone for months. The campaign had taken up every minute of every day, and most of his nights too! He didn’t have the time to invest in a new relationship- hell he hadn’t even had the time to save his last marriage! One night stands weren’t something he was categorically against… he had indulged in one too many to take a pious stance there, but they were risky for a man in his position, and often not memorable enough to warrant that risk.
Besides, he was supposed to be with Ashley now, and Norm had made it very clear that other women were strictly off limits, which left Michael in something of a fix. He had just discovered an itch that he wasn’t allowed to scratch.
“Mmm, that was delicious,” Ashley sighed with satisfaction. She pushed away her plate a little bit, and patted her mouth with her serviette. Michael suddenly reached across the table and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, causing Ashley to start in surprise.
“You missed a spot,” he said innocently. Just as anticipated, the silky softness of her skin had sent sparks sizzling through Michael’s blood. He watched as she lifted a distracted finger to touch her mouth… Very interesting. “There’s something different about you tonight, Ashley,” he mused, trying to reconcile the sexy, sultry woman sitting opposite him with the no-nonsense, hard-working woman he knew from work.
“Oh really?” she smiled, raising a curious eyebrow. “It’s probably the clothes, and the contacts,” she added, fluttering her eyelashes playfully.
“You really shouldn’t hide such beautiful eyes behind those glasses you wear at work,” Michael murmured, and then he kicked himself for sounding like he had just stepped out of some cheesy romantic-comedy. He was so out of practice.
“My glasses are part of who I am at work,” Ashley sniffed, in exactly the no-nonsense tone of voice that Michael was more used to hearing from her, and so he couldn’t help but smile. “What?” Ashley frowned, but Michael was saved from thinking up an answer when the waiter returned to take away their plates and bring over their main course.
“Did we decide if we met at work, or at a charity fundraiser?” he asked, cutting into his steak.
“Michael!” Ashley said dryly.
“Okay, okay. How long have you fancied me then?”
Ashley started to choke on what she was eating. “Pardon?” she managed to gasp, once she had washed down the bit of food with a gulp of wine.
“When did you first realize that you were attracted to me?” he asked playfully. “What is it about me that you love?”
“Your modesty?” Ashley said sweetly.
“I was thinking more along the lines of the impressive size of my-”
“Ego!”
“You’re no fun,” Michael pretended to complain. He took a bite of his food and considered Ashley while he chewed and swallowed. “I think I must have fallen for you when I realized that you’re as sexy as you are smart.”
Ashley could feel her cheeks begin to burn. He was only messing around, she told herself firmly, but it was still disconcerting! She had never seen this side of Mr. Reese- Mi
chael before. She hadn’t imagined that it might exist! But then again, why would she? He was known among the voters for his charm and charisma, but whenever Ashley had been in staff meetings, or if she was prepping him before a speech, he was always so serious and focused.
“Well?” Michael said, prompting Ashley to give up her musings. “Aren’t you going to return the compliment?” he chuckled.
“What is it about you I love?” she said thoughtfully, tilting her head to one side as she pretending to give the question some grave consideration.
Michael nodded. “I’m told I have whole list of lovable attributes,” he said innocently. “Surely you can pick one.”
“Your money,” Ashley quipped back dryly.
The Perfect Candidate Page 2
