Phoenix

8. Charade

He hadn’t felt this good in a while.

As he pulled up at Phoenix Global HQ at exactly 7:00 A.M, he couldn’t seem to get a handle on the smile he had been wearing all day- all night actually, considering the fact that he had been in a generally good mood since the previous night.

The kiss.

He finally admitted the fact, once and for all. He was indeed attracted and taken by Ashley.

He still felt guilt within him as he remembered the fact that it was just a few weeks ago when he stood in the compound of his previous firm and declared his love for another woman. Truth be told, he wasn’t exactly sure if he meant it, but he had said it in a last bid to keep Taylor from leaving. Taking into consideration the happenings of late and how much his thoughts had dwelled on Taylor’s departure, then he realized that he really didn’t love her.

He only cared for her.

The pain of her departure was still stunning nonetheless, but it wasn’t excruciating enough to incapacitate or to impale his state of being. His thoughts got interrupted as a figure passed by him.

Ashley.

As he peered out of his tinted windows, he could see her conversing with a staff by the entrance of the reception. She was in her regular work appearance, a long flowing jacket on a gown. In her right arm was a cup of coffee and on her left arm was her briefcase and then his gaze went up to her lips.

He could never get enough of her.

It seemed like the more he stared and gazed at her, the more attractive and stunning she became. She was indeed a rare creature. He felt like sitting in his car all day and enjoying the view if she decided not to go in also.

7:15.

Taking his eyes off his watch, he finally pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. Simultaneously, Ashley turned away from whom she was conversing with and then faced him, smiling as she did so. Once again, he felt the urge to run over to her and to pick her up, but he won the fight this time, as he approached her with a straight face.

She smirked at his facial reaction.

And then a smile broke over his face, returning the smile on hers also. By the time he got to her side, the staff had left already.

“Good morning,” He pushed the door of the building open and they both began their walk into the company.

“Morning,” She replied enthusiastically; very professional also. By the look of things, he would be stupid to bring up last night so early because she wasn’t making it a big deal apparently. Her gaze was now scanning the documents which were on her right arm and when she replied him earlier, she hadn’t lifted up her eyes to look at him. “Last night was just awesome, you know!”

Oh, she finally brought it up.

He smiled as they got to the lifts. He pressed the buttons and they both walked in. “I thought you wouldn’t want to bring it up.”

Then she lifted up her gaze to him, with a confused and querying look. “Huh?”

“You know, the kiss in the car…” He trailed off as her mouth widened and a smile crept in on her face. “What?”

Ashley chuckled slightly. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t talking about that.”

Huh?

“When I got home yesterday, I got an unexpected call from one of our scouts….”

I’m such a foo-

“And he told me that the President of Ultra Studios is open for a meet.”