Heartthrob ✓

four

F O U R

EMELIE STANDIFER WAS IN BALDWIN INDUSTRIES THE VERY NEXT DAY.

I should've seen it coming from a mile away, but I didn't and the fact that she came so fast gave me whiplash, spots dancing before my eyes at the sight of her strolling in with her large handbag over her shoulder.

She was just as beautiful as Elijah described her, not to mention leggy, and seeing her pass my desk in such a skimpy dress - I could see her underwear - made me almost jealous. I was checking my lipgloss in the tiny mirror I brought from home when I heard her loud heels clinking back and increasing in volume as they came closer to me. I was completely sure she would pass me by, but the sound of her shoes stopped behind me and I was forced to turn around and see what she wanted.

"Hi, is there anything I can do for you," I asked, hoping my grin was fake enough for her. "Do you want anything to drink? We have coffee, tea, water, wine -"

"No, would you happen to know if Ashton is here," she asked as she walked around my desk so she was no longer behind me and I was no longer craning my next to look at her. "I think you're his assistant, right?"

There was the word no in just as many languages as the word yes, so it was hard for me to deduce how I would properly answer her question, but thankfully I didn't have to. The closed door to Ashton's office opened up, not revealing him to be there, but the lady who cleaned it from time to time. I, of course, knew that he did show up at work today, but he happened to be out of the building. He was meeting with a potential investor and he only stopped by to thank me for writing his letter and to give the cleaning lady instructions before heading out wig the coffee I grabbed him.

"Well," she said with a devilish glint in her eyes. "Can I borrow a piece of paper so I can write him a note?"

"Do you want me to make an appointment instead," I asked but she was already taking a pen from the cup of them on my desk and one of the pink sticky notes from the top of the stack before I even finished my question. I had encountered her for only three minutes and she was already beginning to annoy me, not only because of her relationship with Ashton, but how persistent and invasive she was being. Like Ashton except she wasn't paying my salary.

"Done," she said when she finished writing the note and folding the corners together so she could hand it to me. "Can you just make sure Ash gets this when he gets back for me?"

And that was that. She left without another word.

-

"GUESS WHO MADE THE BEST DEAL OF HIS LIFE."

Those were the words that came from Ashton's mouth as he passed by my desk, a bag from the Chinese restaurant a block away in his hands. It smelled like heaven and whatever was heaven for non-believers, so when he didn't stop to share with me, I was rather disappointed.

"The president," I answered sarcastically although there was noticeable excitement in my voice because politics was my one true love, "you should've seen it on the news today. He solved our missile crisis for good."

"You haven't been using your computer to check up on the news today, Ms. White," he asked in an accusatory tone that made me shut up. "Now, who made the best deal of his life again?"

"Ashton Baldwin," I said defeatedly, slumping down in my desk chair.

I was going to either confess or lather on the praise, but he handed me a container of orange chicken and some chopsticks. "Good girl, now eat up, because I have some important business to do - you should know because you're supposed to organize my schedule."