Selena was not thinking about the kiss. Not at all. It was already Sunday; Ashton was supposed to pick her up for the birthday party and she was a useless pack of nerves. Last week had been busy and she had done her best to avoid Ashton at work, not that it had been difficult. It would seem that the effort was mutual and he too wanted to avoid any interaction with her.

After his attitude last Monday, she had given up any hope that Ashton would ever change or become human. Initially, when she had joined his company, she had found out that Ashton was away due to some problems in delivering the work and she had been surprised to see that it was in complete chaos. Something she had not been expecting because she had always been under the impression that Ashton was a successful businessman. Greener grass outside and all.

So, when she had discovered that the company needed her, she had felt important and since she found herself in her element knowing what to do, she had done her level best to rectify the anomalies she had detected in the working environment. Not quite expecting Ashton to give her full credit for what she had done as it had all been teamwork after all, she had still believed that he would at least thank her for the effort.

And she had been rewarded alright. Not only had he been furious with her for conducting the Carlyle meeting alone, he had acted like an asshole with an arrogant bossy attitude which had pissed her off completely. While she understood it was difficult for the great Ash-hole Cooper to acknowledge her work, he could have at least motivated his team for their hard work.

And the scene at the restaurant had been the worst part of the whole nightmare. It had been pure male ego which had made him react in this way. To him, she was his fiancée even if it was only a pretense, his male chauvinist ego had to mark his territory. More like a tomcat, she thought as rage filled her again every time she remembered the scene. Damien was such a nice fellow and they had started off with a platonic friendship.

Needless to say that after the fateful event, he had avoided her like plague; and not only him but the whole staff had been treating her differently. She was the girlfriend of the boss now and she hated that. It had created an insurmountable distance between the employee and herself and she could feel everyone talking about her when they thought she was not looking.

Her mind was filled with unnecessary thoughts because she was trying to do her best not to let it wander to where it wanted. The famous kiss. It was better if she did not think about it at all. It meant nothing.

As Ashton had made it clear, it had only been a rehearsal for tonight and so what if it had blown away her senses? Chocolates blew away her senses too and it hardly meant anything to her, right? She would treat the kiss as eating chocolates, enjoyed it while she could but not crave for it because it would make her fat.

Despite herself, she felt herself looking forward to becoming fat in anticipation of other similar kisses. She had never been kissed like that; like he wanted to seep her very essence until she did not where she started and where he ended. They had been one and if that meant chemistry, she was in for a lot of trouble.

How could fate be so cruel to her? Of all the guys to choose, it had to be Ashton Cooper the one to whom she was attracted.

As she was getting dressed, she chose a simple yellow designer dress her aunt Aimee had gifted her. It was of fine muslin and was therefore comfortable to wear and she felt no need to wear a bra since it was damned hot. After tying up her hair in a tight ponytail, she looked at herself in the mirror and wrinkled her nose in disapproval.

She looked no younger than a teenager. No wonder Ashton would not feel any sexual feelings for her; she had seen the ladies he preferred. Every single month, he was tagged with a new face each with same hour glass figure , lustrous straight blonde hair and dashing blue eyes. It was his stereotype preference. In contrast, she looked at her rebellious curls bouncing in the ponytail, her rounded curves ruefully.

The only thing she had in common was the blue eyes and she was sure it would not be enough to bewitch any man. Sighing, she applied some make-up trying not to think too much about the fact that she was dressing up for the man who was going to eat her alive in a few seconds.

Finally after getting dressed, still feeling butterflies in her stomach, she kept pacing her living room floor as several questions were trotting in her head. Of course the butterflies were because she was nervous about the fact that they were going to act like a couple. Nothing related with the fact that Ashton was going to show up any minute.

As soon as she heard her doorbell, she pounced on the door like a caged lioness and turned back without looking at him to continue her pacing. How would they make be credible as a couple? They hated each other even more and Ashton was not making an effort to improve his behavior. She had to talk to him about that.

“Well, hello!” Ashton greeted his voice laced with evident surprise addressing her back.

Absently, she turned to glance at him without actually focusing and started her lecture. “Ashton, I think we need to discuss something important.”

Then she made the mistake of looking back at him and his expression stilled her as her heart leapt in her throat. He was wearing a grey polo shirt which clung to his torso and made his eyes look darker and sexier. And the black pants clung to his legs giving them a lean look which made her mouth water. He was simply gorgeous. And the worst part was he was also looking at her like he wanted to eat her up.

Snapping out of the haze, she cleared her throat and tried again glad that her voice betrayed none of the emotions simmering between them. “I don’t think we would manage our drama if we go on like we have been doing last week.”

Ashton cocked his eyebrows in shock as if he had not been expecting that kind of comment. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is..” she said in a loud and imperious tone to make her point. “… you haven’t been abiding to any of my conditions till now and we have not even sorted out the details yet. I have not seen you for the past two weeks and I don’t think we’ll be able to pull this off.”

“What kind of details are you talking about?”

“Well, like how we fell in love in the first place. You cannot just expect to announce that we have fallen in love and not expect to answer questions.”

“You can answer anything you want. I don’t mind any romantic story you’re gonna feed them.”

“Yes, but we have to be in sync! What if I say something and you say something else? Okay, I have already thought about that part. Last month when we were at Rachel’s place for dinner, we realized that we were attracted to each other and we decided to give our relationship a try, okay?”

He shrugged and muttered a “whatever”.

“And no more insults. They are our family and if you are in love with me, you are not supposed to throw any snide remarks my way. And please use some endearments or whatever,’ she snapped angrily.

Ashton nodded mockingly without any protest and she picked up her bag and moved to the door. “Well, don’t just stand there. Let’s go.”

                                              ********************************

As soon as they arrived together, they were greeted with speculated glances and as Ashton made the announcement that they were dating, everybody had millions of questions at the same time which was not surprising considering the news.

“I cannot believe it!! How did that happen?” shouted Nora unable to hide her happiness and Selena felt bad for the first time since she had accepted the deal.

“Ooooh, I always knew it,” exclaimed Aunt Susan. “My son has finally accepted his love for our sweet Selena over his ego.” And hugged Ashton who looked awkward and it gave her some sort of comfort since she was not the only one feeling uncomfortable.

The men of the family were less excited but seemed happy too at the news. Uncle Sean and Uncle Nash congratulated her warmly with hugs and kisses. Uncle Devin however was more skeptical as always not believing their story. He was going to the real challenge.

“So how did you realize you were in love again?” he asked unsmilingly.

“Errmm, we…we…,” she stammered forgetting each rehearsed word in her nervousness.

Ashton came to her recuse by placing a hand on her back and caressed her gently unaware of the sensations that he was sending making her even more tongue-tied. Thankfully, he replied in her place sparing her the ordeal of having to answer. “Well, Uncle Dev we met last month for dinner and realized that we were attracted to each other. And we decided to date. Selena has just joined my company to help me out with work and we realized to get engaged.”

There was an audible gasp at his latest announcement and Aunt Susan squealed with happiness coming onto Selena and nearly jumping on her.

“You’re engaged??!! I cannot believe it. Let me see your ring.”

Reluctantly but trying not to show it, she thrust forward her left finger to show off her rung and trying to smile as if she was happy. She looked up to meet Ashton’s eyes and found them studying her in a brooding manner still trying to ask Uncle Devin’s probing questions.

“Aaaash!!” Aunt Susan cried out vehemently. “What kind of ring is that? Why haven’t you offered her my engagement ring? The one I gave you to give to your wife?”

“Mom…” he said in answer to her question. “I’m sure Selena liked this ring better. She was the one who chose it.”

“You did?” she asked Selena who nodded dutifully. And then decided to make Ashton pay for the way he had treated her. “Well, he did brought me to several shops and got impatient. I had no choice but to pick this one,” she mumbled in a small voice trying to sound pathetic and was thrilled when his grey eyes filled with indignation.

He was sending her red signals but she ignored them royally and smiled cheerfully as Aunt Susan scolded her son sending him a mischievous smile in return.

“So? Have you set a date yet?” asked Uncle Devin frowning not sounding too pleased at the turn of the event.  

Ashton pulled her closer tightening his grip. “Of course, Uncle Dev. I can’t wait to make her mine,” he pronounced looking at her deeply in the eyes and her poor heart literally stopped beating at that particular instant.

“Really?” her mother shouted hugging Aunt Susan. “When is it going to be? I hope it’s soon enough; I have been waiting for that to happen all my life.”

“Well, we had planned to get married in December. The date has not been fixed yet. I left that up to my bride to decide,” Ashton was saying making Selena feel worse he seemed to be having no qualms about the lies he was feeding to his family. Well, not that she had been expecting him to. He was an asshole and would remain so. But she was not like him. Not really.

Seeing her mother with tears in her eyes, her aunts excited she felt guilty for the lies she was feeding them. It was inevitable she knew but she had not prepared to feel that way before accepting the deal.

It was too late to back down now however and she felt Ashton nudged her gently probably seeing her sad expression. On cue, she beamed at everyone trying not to look as if she wanted to run away from there.  

Finally, after the hue and cry had calmed down, she moved away from her family because she wanted a moment of reprieve.

Ashton found her some minutes later leaning against the balcony with a glass of wine in her hand. Unaware of his presence, she jumped when she felt a hand sneaking around her waist and out of pure reflex struggled out of his grasp.

“Stop!” he whispered nuzzling her ears. “They’re watching us.”

Even if she wanted to, she could not move as ripples of sensation overwhelmed her at the feel of his mouth on her nape and she shivered involuntarily. Her breast turned into two rigid peaks visible through the thin fabric of her dress and she cursed herself for having decided to go without her bra.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered in the same position and inhaled deeply.

“Nothing,” she muttered and put her glass on the balcony. “Let’s go eat now,” she said turning round and forcing a smile.

As she turned in his embrace, she felt his aroused body against her legs and she gasped looking at him in surprise. He wanted her? How was that possible? She gulped at the expression in his eyes as she read a deep hunger for her.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

And damned if that didn’t leave her speechless. Ashton Jacob Cooper was apologizing? She must be dreaming but everybody looked their way at his words and she knew for sure that she hadn’t been hallucinating. Everybody had heard his apology and was staring their way looking as shocked as she was feeling. He had his back to them and was looking only at her and she swallowed the lump at her throat and tried to play her part too.

“Oh, honey that’s okay. Let’s not spoil our evening tonight, right?” she said and watched as he snapped out of his haze and moved away.

“Sure, let’s go sweetie pie,” he said in a totally serious voice nothing in his tone but Selena knew he was mocking her. She had asked him to use endearments, hadn’t she?

During dinner, everybody was talking about the coming marriage and she was seated near to Rachel who was asking her questions after questions looking thrilled for her. She decided to play along not really having a choice.

“Well, yes. The attraction was always here. We never accepted the fact that we were in love. Not until last month after we left the dinner at your place,” she babbled cheerfully loud enough for anybody to catch up.

Rachel grinned at her. “Oh, I’m so happy for you darling. I just wish you found as mush happiness with Ash as I have found with Jake,” she said squeezing her husband’s hand.

She produced another dutiful smile which was expected of her and pretended to concentrate on her food. Her mind was busy elsewhere trying to analyze why Ashton had apologized to her. Had it only been a pretense or had he meant it? It must have meant something especially the look he had been given her. She could not fathom him out; especially the way he was blowing hot and blowing cold within seconds.

Like now, he was totally ignoring her and flirting with Rachel’s friend Kyra. Not flirting but was charming with her since they were seated together and Selena could not help feeling a prick in her heart. Why was they still seated together? Was Uncle Devin still trying to get them together?

As those thoughts were eating her, she missed the conversation going round and was startled when Uncle Devin addressed her. “So Selena dear, has Ash proposed to you yet?”

“No!”

“Yes!”

Hell! Now what?

Unsurprisingly, everybody stared at them in shock as they both gave completely opposite answers. The “no” came from her because she had thought that since they had not planned that part yet more questions about the proposal would follow.

“I mean yes he has proposed but not the way I have been expecting,” she said trying to cover the mistake and sending private daggers look his way. Why the hell has he said yes?

“Oh?” Uncle Devin sounded interested. “How had he proposed then?”

“Well,” she bade for some time her mind frantically looking for a way out. “He just gave me the ring and told me we would marry in December. Hardly something a fiancée might appreciate,” she replied with a fake laugh and gulping down some water to cover her discomfort.

“Now, Ashton!” Aunt Susan was quick to intervene. “I brought you up better than that, haven’t I? You gave her a small ring and have not even proposed to her decently.”

To his credit, Ashton looked discomfited. “I know mom. I haven’t been doing a good job at that romantic stuff. I’m so not used to that kind of feelings that I’m just trying to go with the flow.”

“Well, son,” beamed Uncle Devin. “Better late than never, right? Why don’t you give it a try now in front of your family?”

“What?!!!” shouted both Ashton and Selena in unison.

“No, really. It’s okay,” she said quickly at this unexpected turn of event. Hell, what kind of trap had she fallen into. “I was only pulling his legs. I kind of liked it the way he proposed and besides it’s supposed to be private and I don’t want him to…” she found herself babbling unnecessarily as her protests were dubbed by the loud cheers of everyone around the table.

Damn and double damn! She looked at Ashton for support but the latter’s face was impassible as he got from his seat and approached her. Her heartbeats increased and she looked at him in horror as he made his way purposefully towards her and went down on one knee.

The cheers got louder but Selena heard nothing of it as she stared at the grey pools staring back at her with a sincere look. She gulped knowing she was going to like what would come next and not wanting to like it.

As he removed something from his pocket, she heard Aunt Susan ask him where he got the ring and he smiled mysteriously instead of answering.

“Anything for my fiancée mom,” he said enigmatically still holding her eyes and Selena thought her heart might burst at so much anticipation. Be still, my heart. Remember it’s all for show, she tried to reason but her traitorous heart wanted to fly. The next words coming from Ashton’s mouth made it soar even more and she was powerless to stop its maiden flight.

“My special Rose, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and make me the happiest man ever?”