I Kissed You Back

Chapter One

We were meant for eachother from the very start.

I didn't know it. He didn't know it.

But that didn't stop it from being true.

The day I met him was just like any other day. I woke up with a crick in my neck and a mouth so smelly the skunks would hung their heads in shame.

I would like to say that the moment I woke up was one of those graceful moments in the Disney movies, but I then I would just be lying to myself. I rolled over, only to crash onto the floor. Now, along with my neck's crick, I had a bruise on my butt.

Lovely.

I crawled over to where my phone was charging, which wasn't that far away considering my room was the size of a bathroom stall. I clicked on the device and started to panic when I saw the time.

8:57am

Shit. I am actually going to be fired this time.

I threw my few needed items for work into a large handbag(I got it from a yard sale, and apparently the old lady had gotten it from a yard sale way before me. Yep, that's my life.) and sprinted for the door, desperate not to miss my bus. I hadn't even brushed my hair or my teeth, so now I probably looked and smelled like a hobo. Ignoring the curious looks from children and the disgusted looks from the parents, I hurried on to the bus. My sweatshirt and leggings were the ones I had worn yesterday. Thankfully I worked as an office aid at a fitness gym. They had showers there, and boy did I need one.

When I arrived at the successful fitness center, J&D's, I was greeted my very unhappy boss, Ted Maxwell. He was the manager of this place and had hired me because of his perverted soul, which of course ogled my body the day of the interview. If I hadn't been so desperate for money, I would've snapped some rude awakening to him and flew out of there like my hair was on fire.

"Arietta! Late once again, I see," he shook his head in disapproval. His bald head looked positively oily, not to mention grotesque, in the bright light of the lobby. Shudder.

I cringed at the sound of my name. No one but those whom I could barely tolerate called me that. Arietta was just so...prissy. I went by Ari, and Ari I would go by for the rest of my life.

"My apologies, Mr. Maxwell," I put on my best angelic look, "I was just walking here, totally about to be on time, when all of the sudden, a poor old lady fell down. I was so worried that I completely forgot all about the time and rushed her to some help. You understand, don't you?"

So what if I lied? In the real world, getting by is getting by, no matter how you did it.

"Of course, Ms. Frare," he cleared his throat. Sucker. He'd believe anything as long as I had a pair of boobs. A pervy boss and, bam, I was guaranteed a job, "Please go freshen up, the boss is coming."

My eyes widened. The boss? As in the guy who owned the business I worked for? Oh damn, if he didn't like me, then I was doomed. No more easy job for me, and back to job hunting it was.

I hurried toward the showers and set my bad down. I quickly stripped and then jumped into the shower. The water was warm enough, but I knew not to stay in for long. Mr. Maxwell would go ballistic and give me yet another lecture that I just had to save water and bla bla bla.

I put on my usual work dress. I owned two dresses. A work dress and a dress that I only wore on extremely special cases. There are both histories for the dresses.

The work dress. It is the ugliest thing I have ever laid eyes on. It costed me a dollar and twenty-five cents at the thrift store. I wear it to work every day so Mr. Maxwell, the perv, doesn't stare at my boobs all day. Ick.

The dress:

I also wore heavy eye makeup. It tended to keep the needless chatter and overly cheerful people away.

The second dress was the most expensive thing I had ever owned. It cost seven-hundred dollars. It was my mother's favorite dress. Nope, my mother wasn't dead. In fact, she was pretty damn healthy. When I refused to go to law school, she threatened to kick me out. I knew she meant it, so I decided, hey, you aren't kicking me out, I'm leaving. And I took that seven-hundred dollar dress with me.

Anyways, back to the situation at hand. I was just strolling over to my desk when I looked up and saw a limo pulling up.

Classic.

I rolled my eyes and continued to munch on the granola bar I had thrown into my bag. It was nasty. The oats were too chewy and the chocolate was tasteless. Don't even get me started on the sandy raisins.

The next thing I knew, a very, very tall man was walking into the building. He was whole twelve inches taller than me, and I was a proud girl at 5ft 6. Another thing registered like a late reaction.

Whoa! He's so...sexy...

I cleared my throat, "I'm assuming you're the boss boss."

He smirked.

Such perfect lips.

"Listen," and of course he had an even sexier voice, "I'm looking for your manager. Mr. Maxwell."

"I know my own boss's name," I blurted out, my snarky comments showing their face, "Um, I mean, he's just down the hall, second door to your left, sir."

I hoped I hadn't blown that. I needed this job, and not only was Mr. Boss the boss, he was also the owner of a fitness company worth billions. As that reminder sank in, I felt my stomach drop.

He left without a word, thank goodness, so I assumed that I still had a job. I sat back and breathed out a sigh of relief.

The guy was really hot though. Like, a million-degrees type of hot. He had shiny blond hair that was left in its natural state. No oily hair gel to confine its natural...beauty. And let's not forget those startling yet sizzling and sultry blue eyes with just a hint of green flecks swirling in them. He had a muscular frame that told of his many, many hours of training in a gym. Well duh, he had to be fit. What would an ugly fat guy as the owner of the gym say about the place? Exactly.