Chapter 16

• Ashley
• Why the fuck did this man have to get a job here?
• I was beginning to get hysterical. It was obviously a friendly challenge. I expected him to drink it off and laugh it off with a couple of friends but here he was, determined and he pulled Mrs Ping back to Midon.
• If my eyes could shoot lasers, Leo would be definitely ashes.
• "You're lying. " I heard him repeat.
• I decided to avoid his gaze and his total existence by striding towards the storage room to get some air but he followed right behind me.
• "Why are you following me?" The words rolled out of my tongue as fast as they could.
• "Well-" I heard him speak, "I thought we were working."
• "No, we weren't, Mr Pervert. " I nearly yelled at him.
• "For a start, I'm not a pervert." he spoke as he slowly reclined his frame unto a chair.
• It was his first day and he was fucking sitting in the storage room...on a chair.
• "Says the guy who was staring at my bosom. " I stared at the ceiling impulsively as my fingers tapped a box.
• "I thought...you said you didn't remember." His comment was overpowered by a loud chuckle that brought flutters to my stomach. I felt something warm in my belly and I had no idea why his statement caused that.
• "Well-"
• "C-Can you assist me with this apron?" I heard him say as he dropped the neatly folded white apron on the table.
• I crossed my arm across my bosom, "You have never worn one, have you?"
• "Actually I have." I heard him mutter, "When I was a kid. "
• I walked over to him, inhaling sharply with each step I took. With shaky hands, I then wrapped the loose ends of the apron and tied it around his waist, tightly. I was about to move away when he restrained me from making any movement by placing his hand on my waist.
• "W-What are you doing?" I yelled, trying to push him off. The warmth that radiated from his body was incredible. I loved it but I didn't want to go this far with a co-worker on his first day.
• I should be the mature one and create a boundary.
• An electric current ran through me and I felt myself shiver a little. He then had me against the wall, my ass tightly pressed to it.
• It was a losing battle. I became unfocused on the feel of him, He traced an index finger along my jaw and I felt myself lean into his touch as his hand wrapped around mine and I grabbed on to it. Suddenly, moist lips touched the side of my neck and I cocked my head further to the left giving him easier access. I stood perfectly still with instant chill bumps racing up my spine. A small sigh escaped my lips while my eyes remain closed. His tongue made a small circle on my neck and I felt one hand caressing my hair then a second hand.
• Shit, what was I doing? Why is he doing this to me and why did I love it?
• He lifted my hair that was tied into a bun completely from my back and continued making wet kisses on my neck. My neck twitched and I breathed in more heavily now, wanting this to last forever, until the kissing stopped, and my hair fell back into position.
• He removed his hand from my waist and grinned, "You're cute, Ashely."
• He then walked out of the storage room leaving me flushed, upset and conflicted.
• I'll kill him for this.
• ***
• After a few agonizing minutes after Mrs Ping had left, I walked out of the storage room to see that Emily had kicked it off with Leo as she guided him on how to take orders.
• "You are never to verbally engage in an unhealthy argument with a customer. The law here states that the customer is always right. " Emily shot a witty smile at him.
• "Am I allowed to defend myself if a customer attacks me physically?" I heard him say.
• "Well-" before Emily could respond. I cut in with a scoff and a light chuckle to follow.
• "Obviously not." I answered, "You saw that from the day your girlfriend attacked us. "
• "She's not my girlfriend. I told you severally and you never seem to listen." I heard him respond.
• I walked over to the counter and pointed my index finger at him.
• "Why don't you come up here and start taking notes of orders while Emily takes a break?"
• "I don't need a break, Ash." Emily moaned, "It's still morning."
• "Of course, I'll be delighted to help you over there." I heard him mutter as he walked over to me, "I-I can handle it."
• "Alright." I responded promptly not making eye contact with him.
• ****
• I slapped Leo's wrist for the upteeneth time as he kept flirting with every woman who entered the shop. He commented on their hair, their teeth and even kids weren't left out. He kept charming customers with his smile and words.
• "You are so pretty, Katherine. You'll really look great as a model." He told my favorite customer and I groaned aloud.
• Now he was even stealing my customers.
• "He's so cute, don't you agree, Ash?" Katherine commented happily with her gaze fixated on Leo.
• "Yeah, sure." My reply was bland and empty. As soon as Katherine left. I began to berate him.
• "What the hell are you doing?"
• "Being nice to customers and ensuring they're satisfied?" His face held confusion as one of his eyebrows went up.
• "You were excessively being nice. Flirting, commenting on a bag, purse or a watch. Are you that desperate to fill up the tip jar?" I yelled at the top of my voice, my lips forming a childish pout.
• Then he smirked. He fucking smirked.
• That smirk of his brought out a sense of mischief, of innocent fun, and in that moment it released me. The funny thing was that, I had no idea that I was already caged. His smirk ticked every box . It was gorgeous and so was he.
• "Do I sense jealousy?" His legs took a step towards me and I backed up against the counter dramatically.
• Was he going to do it again?
• "Why would you imply that?" I stuttered the words out, "Take a step backward, Leo." I ordered him.
• "Why should I take a step backward, do I scare you?" His eyes twinkled with amusement and his lips curved into a witty smile.
• I pursed my lips, a slight furrow between my brows as I stared pointedly at him, and with an icy coldness.
• "Is this about what happened in that room?" I watched as his mouth parted, exposing his teeth and his cheeks raised in humor.
• I felt my blood boil when he mentioned that. A button snapped in my head. He was beginning to invade my thoughts as I kept staring at his lips that caressed my neck.
• I sighted the black telephone which was within my reach and when I tried to pick it up, he took it and dangled it in the air.
• "What are you doing?" I yelled.
• "Preventing you from damaging my handsome face." he responded with a arm behind his back.
• He was handsome but annoying and crazy.
• I tried to reach for it but he pushed his hand further in the air. I then jumped and he let out a soft chuckle. It brought warmness to my heart but my cheeks were also pink.
• I was so sure that he was over six feets because no matter how hard I tried to reach up to the telephone, I could only reach to drag his arm. I used that opportunity to explore his biceps, it was firm, warm and hard!
• "What are you guys doing?" I heard a yawning Emily who was trying to put on her apron.
• "She's trying so hard to reach for this." I heard him say as he pointed to the telephone, "To smash my head with it."
• Emily crossed her arms across her bosom and narrowed a sharp gaze at me, "Why would you want to smash his head, Ashely? It's his first day. You have to at least pretend to be accommodating."
• "It's not that simple, Em. He's-"
• I was interrupted by the door slam of the bakery shop which announced that someone had entered. In a haste to regain my composure, I turned my neck and a gasp flew out of my lips.
• It was Mason.
• "Hi." Mason greeted with a wave.
• "Uhm, hi." I responded with a slight stutter. I felt a lump in my throat and I began to swallow my saliva excessively.
• "That's Mason, Ashely is totally into him." I heard Emily whisper to Leo and I gave her a death glare.
• "Can we talk?" Mason spoke with his lips curving into a smile. I felt my heart race for a moment, pumping out blood faster than normal.
• What was he going to say?