The Perfect Candidate (4 page)

“You’
re terribly cynical.  Has anyone ever told you that?
”
Michael quipped back. 
“
Somehow I don
’
t feel I
’
ve entirely won you around to the merits of this scheme,
”
he mused, and then leant a little closer.  Ashley sucked in her breath. 
“
How could I convince you?
”
Michael whispered.

There was one idea that sprang to the forefront of Michael
’
s mind
…
  He wondered how Ashley would response to a kiss?  She would
probably
slap his face, sniffed his voice of reason.  She didn
’
t exactly seem enamored with the whole plot of pretending to be his girlfriend, but that didn
’
t mean her lush, painted lips weren
’
t still a strong temptation! 

However, Michael knew that he would have to appeal to her sense of reason before he took any liberties.  He was a politician for goodness sake; he was good at persuading people he was right, it was his job!  He just had to find the right angle
…
  Michael sat back in his seat all of a sudden, a slow smile tugging at his lips. 

“Is there any reason why we shouldn’
t go out to dinner, Miss Kendall?  I mean, are we doing anything wrong in eating a meal together?
”
he asked.

Ashley stopped looking out of the window and glanced at his face. 
“
Well, no,
”
she was forced to admit.

“And if people happen to mistake us for a couple, well, that’
s their own innocent mistake,
”
he pointed out smoothly.

Ashley
’
s lips twitched at the corners, as she was fighting off a smile. 
“
Like in speech writing you mean, when you might use, oh, say an artful phrasing of the truth?
”
she giggled.

Michael grinned. 
“
Precisely.
”

“All right,” Ashley laughed.  “You win!”

“I always win,” Michael said with a playful wink.  “Ah!  Here we are,” he remarked, as the car pulled up outside the restaurant.  “I hope you like it here,” he added, helping Ashley out of the car.  “Their head chef is
amazing
.
”

“I’
m sure I
’
ll love it,
”
Ashley assured him, glancing around at her splendid surrounding with a look of delight.  She seemed much more inclined to be pleased all of a sudden, and Michael was very relieved by the change!  He took her arm and walked her inside, where they were instantly greeted by the
maitre d
’
.

“Mr Reese!  I have your usual table waiting for you and your guest,” he nodded graciously, showing Michael and Ashley immediately to a private table at the side of the magnificent dining room.

“Do you come here often?” Ashley asked, unfolding her napkin as the
maitre d
’
left them alone to look over their menus.

“Not
often
,
”
Michael sighed.  It didn
’
t get to do anything he enjoyed often these days.  It was one of the prices of the campaign. 
“
Besides, it
’
s also not a lot of fun to eat out on your own.
”

“Surely you could find someone to come out and eat with you, Mr. Re- ugh- Michael?” Ashley smiled.

“No one that I would care to dine with,” he muttered, and then remembering himself, he shot Ashley one of his most charming smiles.  “Until now at least.  We’
ll definitely have to do this again,
”
he said cheerfully.

“We haven’
t done it
once
yet!
”
Ashley giggled. 
“
You might not like eating with me,
”
she added more uncertainly.  Michael studied Ashley across the table, and sensed that there was more meaning hiding behind those words than what they obviously expressed. 
“
I
’
m sorry if I
’
ve been- well
…”

Michael reached for her hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 
“
I
’
ve thrown quite a lot at you today,
”
he admitted. 
“
I think you
’
re coping wonderfully.  It
’
s just a job, after all.
”

Of course it was just a job! 
Ashley couldn
’
t understand why being reminded of that fact jarred her all of a sudden.  She hadn
’
t- she
wouldn
’
t
let herself forget that was all it was- not even for a moment!

Happily, Michael asked her what she was going to order, and so selecting her food distracted Ashley for a few minutes, (which kept her thoughts from wandering down any dangerous routes).  She didn
’
t choose the
most
expensive thing on the menu, although she was sorely tempted.  What was the point of going out to dinner with the man who
might
be the next President if you didn
’
t at least eat well?

“So,” said Michael, leaning back in his chair after they had ordered and were once again left alone.  He took a sip of the wine that had just been brought over before continuing.  “How did we meet?”

Ashley frowned.  She was a little puzzled at the question. 
“
Well, I started working for you when I was hired by-
”

“No I mean, how did
we
meet?
”
he laughed. 
“
When was our first date?
”

“Why can’
t this be our first date?
”
Ashley asked, not trying to be awkward.  She was genuinely confused.

“Norm thinks it would be best if you and I have been seeing each other for a little longer than-” he glanced at his watched “-forty minutes,” he joked.  Ashley gave her head a resigned nod.  “So… we met at a fundraiser?  For… underprivileged kids?”

“Oh, because no one’
s going to see through that!
”
Ashley snorted.

Michael continued as if he hadn
’
t heard her. 
“
Your date stood you up-
”

“Wait! 
My
date stood
me
up?
”
Ashley laughed in outrage.

“Right, that’
s what I said,
”
Michael grinned. 
“
Your date stood you up, so I very dashingly stepped in to partner you in one of the waltzes-
”

“Why can’
t we just say it happened gradually as we were working together?
”
Ashley argued. 
“
That really would be the most plausible story.
”

“Pfft!  You have no sense of romance!”

Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her head. 
“
Oh because your staff meeting are
so
romantic, Mr. Reese,
”
she said, leaning forwards slightly and speaking in a husky, breathy drawl.

“I’
ll have you know that I can be very romantic when I choose to be!
”
Michael argued, grinning broadly. 
“
Just ask my ex wives.
”

“Well, the very fact that they are your
ex
wives-
”

“Only goes to prove that I wasn’
t choosing to be romantic enough at the time I was married to them,
”
Michael chuckled.

Ashley shook her head again, but she didn
’
t feel that she knew him nearly well enough to comment or joke about something so personal.  Fortunately, the waiter brought over their starters and interrupted them, and so they had to find a more neutral topic of conversation.

Ashley took a bite of her food, her eyelids fluttered shut and she made a soft appreciative sound as the deliciously flavors burst to life on her tongue. 

“That good, eh?” Michael chuckled, causing Ashley’
s eye to snap open and an embarrassed blush to creep over her cheeks, when she saw that, instead of attending his own plate of food, he was watching her closely.

“Why don’
t you try yours, and see?
”
Ashley managed to say, although Michael wasn
’
t sure what she would have made of his answer
…
because watching you eat is infinitely more fun. 
He took a bit of his own meal to appease her, but he couldn
’
t help wondering if Ashley was as responsive and sensual in
all
areas of her life
…