Mr Irwin

Chapter 6

Kayla had been living in her new apartment for a little over three days and as of now, was absolutely loving it. She'd rushed home to tell her parents the very same day that Ashton had shown her the apartment and she recalled him standing with a perfect white smile etched onto his face as he watched her scurry down the road towards her former home so she could tell the good news to her family.

Ashton had offered her the car, to which she'd kindly refused, something about wanting to walk in the warm breeze was her excuse. And a perfectly truthful one too because she'd thoroughly enjoyed the stroll home in the warm spring breeze.

It was these little oddities of hers which made Ashton so curious about her. There was just something about the way she carried herself and the immense pleasure she got out of the simplest things in life which sparked a fierce sense of admiration for her. She was nothing like anyone he'd ever met before and was most certainly a vast contrast to the last girl he'd been romantically linked with.

He wouldn't call her his girlfriend as such, due to the lack of feeling on his part. She was more a companion, someone he could bring to important dinners and parties so he didn't have to go alone; a pretty thing to have on his arm. It sounds cruel when he looks back at it now, however he was sure she was only with him for his money. Her desire to be showered in gifts was always stronger than her desire to be with him. It was an unspoken agreement they'd made; she made him look pretty and received gifts in return.

They'd stayed that way for a while yet Ashton had ended the relationship when she became too clingy; not allowing him to visit friends and always showing up at work to check on him. He wouldn't have minded had he actually had feelings for her but the constant attention from someone who he did not particularly enjoy the company of, especially whilst he was at work, was too much for him so he had to cut it off.
He'd been incredibly relieved ever since as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He hadn't been with anyone since; due to the fact he was always so nervous people would only want him for his money, yet part of him so desperately wanted someone he could share his deepest feelings with.

And who knows maybe Kayla could be that person.

•••

Kayla walked back through the doors of the office about half an hour after Ashton had sat down to sort through some papers with a big smile on her face.

He sat back and smiled at her listening intently as she gushed about how happy her parents were for her and how she wasn't sure how she'd ever repay him for what he'd done.

"There's no need, darling, it's no problem" he replied casually, silently thinking to himself how refreshing it was to have given a gift to someone who didn't take it for granted.

"Thank you, again" she giggled returning his cheeky smile and taking her place behind her desk where she too got to work sorting through many requests from magazines for photo shoots of the new spring-summer range which was to soon be launched.

Kayla gasped quietly to herself when she came across a certain document on her desk.

"You okay?" Ashton asked curiously from his desk having heard her small gasp.

"Yeah I'm fine," she responded, "just look at this" she strode across the office placing the piece of paper in front of Mr Irwin on his desk.
He slid his glasses onto his face, to which Kayla couldn't help but take a good look at since they made him impossibly more attractive, and began to read the letter.

Dear Irwin Inc.,

I am an editor for Vogue magazine and we would very much like to place images of your new range within next months issue. If you are interested in working with us please reply to us by tomorrow and we will send a photographer within the next three days.
We apologise for such short notice but are sure you understand what a great opportunity this is.

Many thanks,
Linda Whitall

"No way," he breathed after reading the letter, "we've never been in vogue before, this is such a great opportunity for us." He smiled up at Kayla, "you've got to reply right away and I'm going to go and find one of our models whose free for the next three days," he all but squealed and strode out of the office in search of a model leaving Kayla sat quietly giggling to herself as she returned to her desk and typed out a quick reply to the editor of vogue.

•••

About half an hour later, Ashton walked back through the door running a hand through his hair, with shoulders slumped. He appeared to be the epitome of stressed and Kayla could simply not place why since his business had just been offered one of the best opportunities they'd ever had.

"Mr Irwin?" She spoke up timidly, " everything okay?"

Ashton slumped down in his chair, kicked his feet up onto the desk and sighed heavily before speaking up.

"I can't find a model, " he began speaking hoarsely and slowly, "I've walked around the whole bloody building and contacted every fucking model we have but no ones free" he continued getting angrier as he spoke.

Kayla began to sink back into her chair, slightly intimidated by the manner with which he was now speaking. However, she was listening carefully to his mumbles about how he had no idea how to fix this issue. There was one thing he knew for certain and that was that he had to make 100% sure that this photo shoot was going to happen.

Midway through Kayla's observations of his incoherent mumbles his head suddenly shot up off his desk, his feet clattering to the floor and a smile gracing his face as if he'd just come up with the best idea in the world.

"I have a plan! " he began turning his chair to face Kayla and looking straight into her blue orbs,

" you can do the shoot, you're gonna be my model!"