Something Beautiful

Not gonna happen!

Talk about an attitude! It was like as if Chase was trying to get Ashley to quit! He was so moody...barking and demanding here and there...having Casey over and locking themselves up in his office for ages...making Ashley do ridiculous tasks like fetching him coffee which he didn't even like in the first place! Funny thing though, all this was making Ashley laugh- he was being so obvious and petty...just because of the 'boyfriend' confession!

And to make it worse, Ryan himself had turned up at her workplace with roses and chocolates, asking her out and begging her for a little time...this just made things worse...

''Pink roses today huh?!...what a great boyfriend you have!" Chase said as he stood in her doorway with a green look on his face as he looked at the flowers on Ashley's desk.

He of course didn't know Ryan wasn't her boyfriend and that she would never have anything to do with him ever again. It's just that he'd turned up at her workplace and made a constant fool of himself, asking her out and pleading that he'd changed...how pathetic!

''I know right-but obviously not better than you because the look on Casey's face these days is...let's just say she's glowing!" Ashley said in reply as she continued working on his schedule while looking at him with a smile.

''Well what did you expect?! Leading me on like that and then telling me you had a boyfriend?!" his voice was slowly rising and Ashley hoped no one could here him!

''I'm not going to grace that with an answer...you're my boss and I can't do what you want with you - it's unprofessional. And Casey's good for you..."

''She's not the one I want! Damn it! I'm here to tell you that we have a meeting...in Hong Kong."he said in resignation while looking at her for a reaction.

''Hong Kong?! When do we go?! I've not been there before! Umm I mean...yes sir,I'll be ready whenever you want..." she said in embarrassment at her excitement-he was going to think she was some idiot!

Chase instead found her reaction cute for such a tough lady-I mean, he'd felt her wrath already... in fact he knew he was lucky she'd not quit yet due to his advances! At first he'd decided to back off because of the 'boyfriend' thing...but then he remembered the way she'd responded to his kiss...she wanted him-he felt it!

''You can have your bags ready...we're leaving tomorrow afternoon...the meeting will be the following day at 10am..." Chase said with a small smile that Ashley wasn't sure about... why did he look like he knew something she didn't?...

''I'm on it!" she said as she prepared the necessary documents for the Hong Kong meeting and Chase left.

At Ashley's apartment the following morning, Sheila was grilling her for details about her boss's behaviour and attitude towards Ryan's nonsensical behaviour...

''He's been acting mean and abrupt with me but he suddenly turned up today with a smile and said we're going to Hong Kong..." Ashley said distractedly as she rushed around packing her clothes.

''I think he was jealous of Ryan...though that doesn't explain his making Casey happy...just to be sure though, keep your guard up...I think he's going to try to seduce you..." Sheila said with a spoon of ice cream in her mouth while she lounged on Ashley's couch.

''Ha! Trust me...nothing's gonna happen. Am not having an affair with my boss...I can't afford it. Ryan the asshole made sure of that!"Ashley said as she pulled her suitcase out the door with Sheila closely behind her.

''Don't be too sure! He's a hot piece of man and I'm counting the seconds till you give in! You can't really ignore him Ashley!" Sheila said as the two put the bags into Ashley's car.

''OK, moment of truth here, do you feel anything for Chase?...Anything?"Sheila asked as they got into the car and drove to Ashley's workplace.

''No...no I don't... I don't feel anything for him..."Even though Ashley knew something wasn't true about her answer... that kiss...the way he touched her...Oh dear- she was running away with her thoughts!

Sheila didn't miss the slight blush on Ashley's cheeks...could the tough and crazy Ashley have fallen for her Chase Hunter?...well well...

''Well then, good luck with resisting him because if he doesn't have you on this trip then I'm not Sheila Peters!" Sheila said dramatically as Ashley laughed at her antics...Chase wasn't getting anywhere near her on this trip...

''Ashley...sweetheart..."a voice from the doorway of her office a few minutes after she'd sat down after arriving at 9am. Ashley looked up and sighed in resignation at who she saw there...not again!

''Seriously, Ryan,what do you want this time?! And I told you to stop turning up like this, you're gonna get me fired!"Ashley said in irritation at Ryan who stood holding another bouquet of roses and pleading expression on his face.

''Ashley... You know what I want ...I want you to be mine again...I made a mistake a long time ago but I've changed..." He cried as he walked closer to Ashley and got in her face as he bent over her desk peering into her eyes.

''Ryan! My God! That was highschool! Move on!! Am not even interested in you anymore! Am not looking for a relationship!" Ashley was losing her patience and was about to pounce on Ryan in anger when he grabbed her around the waist and slammed her against his body. ''You've had me pleading and begging for so many years now...since we were in highschool and now we are Twenty five and am still pleading! Do you know you're mine and you'll never be anybody else's-never! Now why don't you save us the drama and long wait and kiss me...passionately like you used to?.." Ryan's face from the beginning of his long speech had changed from pathetic and harmless to menacing and furious...his normally warm blue eyes were now so dark with an unholy light...like he was crazy...

Ashley was surprised...she'd never seen that look on Ryan's face since she'd met him...it was like he was someone else...someone truly dangerous...

''Ryan, let go...I don't have time for this. We were over a long time ago...so long ago...move on! What's your problem anyway?! Are you trying to get me to lose my job or something?!

Piece of advice, get a job, a girlfriend, move on! Now I want you to leave!" she said as she struggled to get out of his arms and have me out but he beat her to it...he kissed her!

Ashley had once found the lips kissing hers so hot...intoxicating in fact...that was before she found them kissing another girl's! He had cheated on her with so many girls even though she'd found him with one...that betrayal was the second thing that scarred her for life...she didn't trust men...at all! She-

''Can someone tell me the meaning of this?!" a voice barked from behind Ryan and Ashley felt the ground move beneath her when  she peeped behind Ryan and saw Chase!