The Perfect Candidate (5 page)

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-
Michael
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.

“I’
m wounded, Miss Kendall!
”
Michael laughed.

“Oh come on, you were
asking
for that,
”
Ashley giggled, taking another bite of her meal.

“Fair enough,” Michael conceded good-naturedly.  (Something else Ashley was discovering that she liked about him was how could laugh at himself, and not take himself too seriously.)  “We will need a proper reason though,” he said thoughtfully, after letting her eat in silence for a couple of minutes.

“I can come up with a proper reason!” Ashley laughed.  Michael looked wary and doubtful, which made her laugh harder.  “Really!” she promised, and began to give the matter some serious consideration.  “I think…” she said slowly.  “I think I’
ll say the first thing that attracted me to you was your passion...
”

“Oh?” Michael grinned.  “I like the sound of that,” he chuckled.

“Not
that
kind of passion!
”
Ashley hurried to correct him, cursing the flush that spread across her cheeks when she started to wonder how his incredible passion for his work and helping people might transfer to the bedroom.  She took a large sip of wine to cool her down, but it had just the opposite effect.

“Well I hope I equip myself adequately in that area of our relationship too,” Michael teased wickedly.  “What kind of lover am I, Ashley?” he purred, after a moment’
s pause. 
“
Do I please you in bed?
”

“I can’
t imagine why we would need to prepare a story about
…
that!
” she chocked, feeling more flustered by the second.

“Perverse curiosity?” Michael grinned.  Ashley glared at him.  “Come on, you can’
t blame a man for asking!
”

“I most certainly can!”

“But now I’
m intrigued.  I want to know what turns you on
…”

“Michael!” Ashley scolded him, certain that he was making fun of her… she didn’
t even want to consider the possibility that he
wasn
’
t
playing around
…
did she? 
“
Finish your steak,
”
she sniffed, hating how school-marmish she sounded, but she was starting to realize that a woman needed serious defenses when she was around Michael Reese and he was in this kind of mood!

“All right, all right, I’
ll be good,
”
he sighed, as if he was doing her a favor.  Ashley stared at him, waiting for the penny to drop. 
“
I
’
ll just have to use my own imagination if you won
’
t tell me,
”
he added, eyes twinkling devilishly.

The rest of dinner past in much the same way- with playful teasing banter from Michael that Ashley was determined to keep up with!  She was rather glad that she had a bottle of wine to fortify her.  Michael didn
’
t drink very much, so she consumed at least three quarters of the bottle on her own.

“How well can you hold your drink?” Michael asked, just after he’
d asked the waiter for the bill.  He frowned and picked up the wine bottle, gave it a little shake and saw that it was completely empty.

“Perfectly well!” Ashley cried, not quite sure whether or not she had just been insulted.  “Why?” she demanded suspiciously.

Michael shrugged his shoulders. 
“
It seems like the kind of thing your boyfriend should know,
”
he smiled. 
“
Hrm, am I your boyfriend or your fiancé?
”
he asked thoughtfully.

Ashley groaned. 
“
Haven
’
t we talked about this enough for one night?
”
she sighed, finishing off the last of her glass.  Michael was prevented from answering by the return of the waiter with the bill.

Once he had paid, he and Ashley got to their feet. 
“
If you
’
re only my girlfriend that
will
save me the cost of an engagement ring,
”
he teased.

Ashley would have liked to come back at him with some sort of sassy answer, but she was using all of her powers of concentration just to stay on her feet at the moment.  Perhaps the wine
had
gone to her head a little more than she
’
d realized?  She was rather glad to have Michael
’
s steadying arm around her waist at any rate
…
Ashley gave a little start. 
When
had Michael
put
his arm around her waist?