The Perfect Candidate (11 page)

9

“What do you mean she’
s not in her office?
”
Michael frowned, glaring accusingly at the young temp.  It was lunchtime, and he had come downstairs to ask Ashley if she wanted to grab a bite to eat with him.  They could look over the speech she was working on, discuss what would be happening at dinner...
and
he would get to feed his addiction.  Only, he hadn
’
t been able to find her.

“As far as I know, Miss Kendall didn’
t come into work this morning, sir,
”
said the girl, cowering under Michael
’
s disapproving stare. 
“
I- I haven
’
t seen sir all day,
”
she added weakly.

Michael nodded, realized he was being bear when it had absolutely nothing at all to do with this girl.  He thanked her for the information and forced a smile, before he the walked back to his own office, wondering where the hell Ashley was today. 

It didn
’
t take too long to find out
…
in fact, a telephone call from Norm provided the details almost soon as Michael got back to his office
…

“You’
re doing
what
with her?
”
he growled, but decided he didn
’
t want to hear Norm repeat his preposterous plan for creating the perfect First Lady.
“
Look, can you put Ashley on the phone?  I think I need to have a word with her.
”

There was shuffling, rustling and murmured voices, and then Ashley spoke
.

“Hello?” she sounded a little hesitant and uncertain, for some reason that made Michael even angrier than he already had been; somehow it seemed to support him in his belief that this was all totally unnecessary.  It made Ashley sound guilty, as if she knew that she was doing something wrong.

“Miss Kendall,” he drawled.  “I went to your office to see you earlier.”

“You- you did?” she said anxiously.

“Obviously you weren’
t there,
”
Michael continued, keeping his voice crisp and cool. 
“
I had thought that we could go over the poverty speech while we had lunch together, but Norm informs me that you
’
re busy.
”
  He was being petty and unfair, Michael hated himself like this, but he couldn
’
t stop.  He had seen the night before how hard Ashley worked!- but that didn
’
t stop him from saying,
“
When do you think you might have had time to finish off a draft for me to look at?
”
 

Michael heard the hurt catch in Ashley
’
s breath, but he was still feeling out of sorts enough to take a gleam of satisfaction from it.

“I’
m only- I didn
’
t want-
”
she suddenly stopped trying to defend herself, and answered Michael in almost as cold a voice as he had been using. 
“
I
’
ll have a copy on your desk in the morning, sir.
”

“Remember, you’
re still coming to dinner tonight, Ashley.
”
  It wasn
’
t a question.  It was a statement.

“I’
ll have it finished,
”
Ashley argued doggedly.

“Ash, listen you don’
t-
”
Michael sighed, but he was interrupted before he could finish.  He didn
’
t stay angry for very long, but while he was angry it could be small-minded and cruel.

“I said I would finish it by tomorrow morning,” Ashley sniffed.  “It’
s my job.  I
’
ll have it done for you, Mr. Reese.  Goodbye,
”
she said, and then she hung up. 

Ashley
’
s hands were trembling when she passed Norman back his cell phone.  She had never felt so small in her life!  She had thought that Michael had approved her new makeover!  Actually, she had worried that maybe he had requested it because she wasn
’
t living up to his expectations.

She should have trusted her initial instincts that morning!  She had
known
that this was all trivial nonsense, but she had let Norman persuade her anyway, and now she had promised Michael to have his speech finished by
the next day! 
Ashley thought she might cry.  There was no way she could have it finished in time!

By the time evening came around Michael was sorely regretting the conversation that he had had with Ashley earlier in the day.  He wouldn
’
t say that he was
apprehensive
about seeing her again, but he was well aware that she might possibly be wishing him actual bodily harm. 

He would just have to be at his most charming to win her over again.  The limousine, which had been arranged to take them the airport before the flight on to D.C., was the perfect first stage of an apology.  Michael had made sure there was champagne on ice to help soften Ashley
’
s defenses.  He had even brought flowers!

When they pulled up outside her house, Michael squared his shoulders, straightened his tie and steeled his resolve.  He could be a man about this- he would just walk up to the front door, and when she opened it he would simply say-

“Wow!”

Of course, Michael had meant to say that he was
sorry
, but he was too busy trying not to swallow his tongue.  Ashley looked
…
well she looked
…
too good for words to describe!  She looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine,
or right out of his dreams
…

“Ashley you look-”

“Let’
s just go shall we?
”
she said sharply, sweeping past Michael, who stepped back to let her go by, watching the hypnotic sway of her pert little behind as she walked. 

Damn
, he had forgotten the flowers- the thought somehow managed to burst through the lustful hazy that was fogging his brain.  They were still in the limo- but at least Ashley looked a
little
impressed when she saw the car.  She didn
’
t comment on the ride however, she simply climbed inside and waited for him to follow.

Michael did so readily, unable to peel his eyes away from the delectable figure of the woman now sitting beside him.  He was just trying to decide how to launch into a neutral topic of conversation, when Ashley reached into her purse and took out her iPad.

Michael frowned. 
“
What are you doing?
”
he demanded.  His frown turned into a scowl when Ashley insisted on giving her full attention to her iPad. 
“
Ashley?
”
he growled.  He knew that losing his temper again wasn
’
t going to help in the slightest, but this woman had the ability to rattle him effortlessly!  It probably had something to with the fact that he was still trying to work out a way to get into her panties
…

“I’
m working on your speech, sir,
”
she sniffed, chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully as she read over what was all right

Michael was sure the little gesture was done to annoy, not to arouse him, but whatever Ashley
intent
was his body clearly had ideas of it own how to interpret the slight of her teeth nibbling on the plump swell of her lower lip.  He wanted to lean forwards, catch it between his own teeth and
…

“Ugh- why are you working on that now?” Michael asked, shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts.

Ashley looked at him coldly. 
“
Because you told me that you wanted it finished and on you desk tomorrow morning, sir.
”

All of a sudden Michael found himself smiling. 
“
And do you
always
intend to do
everything
that I tell you?
”
he asked huskily.  He could think of one or two instructions that he would
love
to give Ashley if she was willing to follow them
…
unsurprisingly, she wasn
’
t quite ready to forgive and play along however.

She continued to regard him icily. 
“
I did not like the way that you implied I wasn
’
t doing my job this morning!
”
she told him bluntly. 
“
Mr. Winterson arrived at my house at the break of dawn to drag me off to-!
”

“Norm arrived
when?
” Michael asked incredulously, unable to suppress a flare of… jealously at the thought other man being with Ashley for so long, of him surprising her at her home… of Norm beholding her in the same enticing pair of pajamas that he had been witness to seeing?

Ashley put down her iPad. 
“
He showed up at five-thirty!  I was still in bed!
”
she cried.

Still in bed
caused Michael
’
s gut to clench, and his blood began to travel south at a rather rapid pace.  He shifted uncomfortably. 
“
I
’
ll have a word with Norm,
”
he murmured, still unsure as to why the man had taken it upon himself to act in such a manner, and still rather disgruntled that he had done so
.