C4 FIRST KISS. SCOLDING

FIRST KISS. SCOLDING

I posture in front of my dressing mirror in my room and take a good look at myself, relishing the lady I'm seeing in the reflection. It's amusing how I look, or should I say, how contrarily I think I look in just a new dress. I did not know that just a small change, like a new dress, could make someone feel so unique. I feel so new, just like the new silky red dress which perfectly hugs my body tight, capturing every single curve of it.

Part of those heavy shopping bags that Andy brought from the shopping mall were actually mine. He shopped for me. Adrian - freaking - Ashton, shopped for me, and I still can't believe it. The most charming part is how he knew my size and my taste. Every single dress he bought perfectly fits me. God bless my boss!

After adoring myself enough, I put my fluffy sandals on and grab my phone from the bed and start downstairs. The sandals are also new, and of course, from Adrian. Descending the stairs, I get to the living room where Angel is waiting.

I check my wrist watch and it reads quarter to eight. I sigh in solace, knowing that we are on time.

"Wow! Wow, auntie Ania! You look so beautiful." The little angel says with a beautiful smile. I love Angel's attitude, composure, and behaviour. She doesn't behave like how I hear rich kids behave. Her beautiful smile makes one smile even without any reason. A smile that brightens everyone's mood. Such a jovial, sweet, and cool kid. I wonder what her mother would feel if she sees her. And I wish she could know just how well Andy has brought up this cute little princess.

"Thank you so much, princess," I respond to her compliment, as I grab her bag from the couch, ready to take her to school. Ooh well, and also, to talk to her teacher about the kids bullying her in the class. I hope I'll do well. I also plan on telling Andy about this whole thing in the evening. "Let's go now, baby?" I add.

"Daddy?" she calls, turning to the dining area where I left her daddy finishing off his breakfast.

SILENCE!

When I don't hear him respond to his precious daughter, I turn to see why, and Ooh, here he is, looking at me! No, correct that. Ogling me! OMG! I'm sure this dress is not exposing any part of my body, well, except my legs as it stops just at the knee. So what just caught his attention that much to not even hear his daughter calling? His cup of tea is hanging in the air, like he was about to take a sip but suddenly got distracted. My, oh, my!

"Daddy?" Angel calls again, and still Andy does not respond.

With the way he is staring, huh? His jaw is almost dropping to the floor.

I bend a little and pick Angel up, as I always do every morning, ready to carry her to the car.

In an attempt to snap him and bring back his mind from wherever it has wandered off to, I clear my throat and call him, to which he responds after blinking countless times, snapping back to reality. Jeez!

Looking up, he put the cup of tea down on the table.

"Daddy?" Angel calls again.

"Yes, my princess!" At least now he can hear his daughter! Good grief! "You off to school now?" He asks as he comes to hug his daughter and kiss her, as it is their routine.

"Yes, daddy."

"Okay. Come here, my baby." He hugs her, and his face comes so dangerously close to mine because today, contrary to other days, he decided to hug his daughter while she is still in my arms, which is not decent for my not-so-innocent thoughts nowadays.

Why do you make me feel this way, Andy? I can feel the heat radiating from his well-shaped oval face burning mine, and I am sure I'm as red as a tomato right now. If only I could run my fingers on this smooth face and the perfect sharp jaws in front of me, if only I could touch these so moist pink lips of my boss, if only I could lean on this comfortable broad chest, If l...

Before my naughty mind could wander further, his eyes opens, boring deep into mine for a moment that is too short, again, for my naughty thoughts.

"Daddy loves you so much." He says after breaking the eye contact and the hug.

He cups his daughter's face and places a long kiss on her forehead, and my not-so-innocent eyes travel his lips. How would it feel to have his hands on my cheeks like this, huh? How would his sweet lips feel on mine? I'm sure his lips taste like honey and chocolate. Damn!

Easy now, Tania! Control your dirty mind. He is just your boss, remember? And when did you start fantasizing about things like this, huh? My inner self scolds me. If I were to respond to the last question, I would say, since I met Andy. But I am ashamed to admit that. He is my boss, for goodness sake, and I should not be fantasizing about him in this manner! With Andy, it's like I lose all my senses when he is this close.

I shake my head to remove the thoughts of my boss from my mind, but did that help? The answer is no, especially because I meet with his eyes looking at me again.

"Be a good daddy's princess, okay? And if anyone bothers you, you should tell daddy immediately, alright?"

"Yes, daddy. I love you so much."

"I know." He says with a sweet smile to his daughter, pulling her for another hug, one of his hands draping around his daughter, while the other goes to my shoulder.

Wait! His hand on me?

Impossible!!! I must be daydreaming!

I slowly take my eyes where I am supposedly feeling the warmth of his touch, and to my amazement, it isn't just in my thoughts. It's not a daydream. His hand is now moving to my neck, leaving trails of electric sparks. He stops on my neck, drawing circles on my bare skin, making me tremble.

What are you doing, Andy?

I look at him, to discern his incoherent gesture, but I meet with his dark brown eyes looking at me, and I submit to the stare challenge he is offering. I let my eyes bore deep into his, to try and understand his alluring temptation, but unfortunately for me, I can not stand the devilish gaze of his eyes that makes them appear darker and deeper than they usually are. I have never seen this look before, and it's a rousing something I have never felt. Not even for my gross ex.

In no time, I am already in heat, melting down. I am being consumed by the fire of his simple touch and glare, and I feel the energy leave my body, weakening my bones. I can feel my whole body jerking. As his thumb starts caressing my lower lip, perhaps imploring for something, my eyes close on their own, my lips part willingly, and my heart stops for a minute.

There, it hasn't been long since I was mentally sinning with them, but now, finally, I am tasting them... Andy's lips are on mine, moving in a perfect rhythm, kissing me, and I shamelessly respond. Our warm breaths caress our nostrils, intensifying the feeling and coaxing us to total surrender. Our lips move once, then twice, and third, then I feel his attempt to shove his tongue in, and again, like a lust-controlled zombie, I am willing to grant him the passcode to my mouth. I part my lips more, ensuring there is enough gap between them to accommodate his tongue, but he doesn't move. He instead seals my lips with one last kiss that lasts for seconds.

He brushes my lips with his thumb after pulling away, running his fingers on my cheek, while I stand still like a monument, watching him leak his lips. Damn him! Damn this sexy site of him looking like a hot devil in heat!

He smiles, perhaps to draw me from the shock I am in. But I am too dumbfounded to respond, too shy to even look at him, and, too embarrassed to be feeling this good after kissing my boss knowing that nothing is happening between us. I feel like I just tasted the most delicious thing in my life, and experienced the most special feeling there is.

I swallow hard, really hard!

"Have a good day at school, baby." He says to his daughter, but his eyes are still on me.

"Thank you, daddy. Have a good day at work, daddy."

After their goodbyes, I summon my courage back and hurry to the front door with Angel still in my arms.

Opening the door, I get enthralled to look back, believing to see a perplexed, unpleased Andy, like me, but to more dismay, I meet with a very composed Adrian Ashton, with his hands shoved in his grey khaki pant pockets, staring at my back. As if that is not ample baffling enough, the devil has the guts to give me a confident wink, and a devilish smirk that got me into more bewilderment.

The nerve of this mind-corrupting mischievous jerk!

Hang on! What was the meaning of that? I mean, why did he kiss me??

Hours later!

After putting Angel to bed at around 10:30 p.m, I walk to the kitchen to prepare my usual lemon and honey coffee. I have been feeling hot the whole day, but I am still craving my coffee.

Andy hasn't shown up from work and it's a bit odd. Anyway, I am glad he is taking long because, one, that morning kiss has denied me peace of mind the entire day. I don't know how I will face him, and I have been cursing myself the entire day for allowing someone to kiss me for no reason, and I am fearful that if the same incident happens again, as long as it is Andy, I will go weak again and give in. Two, I am also a nervous wreck because I don't know how he will react when I tell him that I talked to Angel's teacher this morning. I hope he will be fine with that. Besides, there was no harm caused. I defended his daughter, and the teacher assured me that nothing of the sort will ever happen again.

"Good evening!" I jump, almost spilling my coffee when Andy speaks behind me, sending a jolt of fear down my spine. I must have been too engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice him coming in. "You seem lost. What are you thinking about?" He asks, taking slow but suggestive steps towards me, his eyes glued to mine.

I look away, shyly, as the memories of the morning come flooding in again. Not like they had left my mind even for a single minute the entire day, and him being this suggestive is not doing me any justice. I start walking back, and him forward, and I keep going until I hit the wall. He smirks at me, a smirk that says, poor calculation!

I mentally curse myself! I should have looked to where I was heading, that way I wouldn't be trapped between the mighty Adrian Ashton and the kitchen wall right now, with my heart running a marathon.

Contrary to my dirty thoughts, he doesn't do a thing. He just pulls a stool and pats it and then pulls another one.

"Sit." He says, more like ordering, taking my hand and pulling me to the stool as he sits on the next one.

Thank you, Lord! I thought he was going to kiss me again! I would have died in his arms this time.

I sit down and release the breath I didn't know I was holding for I don't know how long. He releases my hand and passes me my coffee, as he pours himself a full mug of the still steaming coffee.

We drink in absolute silence, and when I notice he is about to empty his second mug of coffee, I thought it wise to tell him about Angel.

I summon my courage for confession time.

"Um... aah.." I open my mouth and close it again. All of a sudden, I feel nervous. I don't know how to tell him about our secret with Angel. Where do I start? What if he gets hysterical? Will he fire me as he did to that Janie or whatever her ugly name was?

"Do you have something you want to say?" He inquires after noticing my discomfort. I turn to him, and he looks, just flat, with no emotion on his face. He takes a sip of his coffee, and adjusts himself on the stool, turning to me. "I am listening." He adds, with a raised eyebrow.

"Aah... you see... I .." I breathe in and out, trying to hang around coolness, but all in vain. The more I try to mumble an utterance, the more fearful I become.

Andy might have sensed it, and decided to speak on my behalf, saying something that I wasn't expecting.

"I know you talked to Angel's teacher." Whoa! What? I shoot my eyes at him, while he takes the last sip of his coffee. He knows already? Then I should maybe unwind? I swallow the pile that had begun forming in my throat and nod my head in agreement. But what follows next is a nail direct to my heart. "Who gave you that right?" He implores between gritted teeth. His irritated voice, though soft, is filled with so much anger and detest that even a child can detect. Looking at him, I bow my head down immediately, because the look in his eyes is the look of disgust. He now looks galled, and furious. If looks could kill, I would be six feet under. "My daughter confided in you instead of me, mistake number one. Two, you encouraged my daughter to prevaricate to me, which is a very ridiculous thing to do. Three, and the most horrendous blunder, you decided my daughter my consent. Why, Tania?" With my still bowed head, I see his hands resting on his thighs clenching into fists, the veins showing. "Talk to me, Tania!" He fumes, slamming the sink with one hand, making me almost jump from my stool with fear.

As I stand and walk a distance from him, I feel the tears threatening to leave my eyes and make their way out, and I can't block them.

This is far beyond what I had anticipated his reaction would be!

"I... I am ..s... o.ry." I say, looking up at him, as the first teardrop falls. I am not a crying baby, it's just that I am standing in front of a lion which is threatening to tear me into pieces at any given second. "It's just that Angel asked me not to...."

"Not to tell me? Is that it?" He yells, standing up, and I bow my head down again as more tears flow. "Angel is a kid. You had the right to do the right thing as a mature person. Do you know how it felt to be called by the school principal to apologise about something that I, the father of the offended kid, knew nothing about, just because my maid decided to play games with me and hid such a sensitive matter from me?"

I damn messed this up! Big times!

He turns to leave, but in between sobs, my stupid self thought of opening my mouth again, thinking it will calm the disgruntled Adrian Ashton down. But if only I knew better, I would have just let him go cool off his fury the best way he knows how, instead of adding salt to the injury.

"I am sorry, okay? I just did what I thought was best for Angel and....."

"Your best was the most absurd thing you could have ever thought of." He cut me off and turns to me, taking a few steps toward me, and we stared at each other. "Angel is my responsibility. Her problems are just mine! She should confide in me like always, not in a stranger. Not in you! Everything about her must pass through me. I am her father, and you are not her mother to share responsibility. Know your place and play your role well without crossing the boundary, miss Tania Lawson!"

After making his points Crystal clear, he lividly stomps out of the kitchen, while I am left to deal with my crying mess self. That's what I get for trying to be nice.

I sit down on the floor and face-palm my soaked wet face.

Men, did I just screw it that much?!