Dirty Boss: A Second Chance Romance (6 page)

Finally, the Show was drawing to an end.

The past four days had been crazy for Emily, what with shuffling between trying to seduce Ryan and running her show. Thankfully, her participation in the Show was unanimously declared a roaring success by all and she couldn’t be happier at her performance. She wished she had had as much success with Ryan. Her seduction of Ryan was going at a snail pace and she didn’t like it one tiny bit. He was way too cautious for her, fighting her temptations and generally frustrating her.

It was the Show’s dinner party tonight where awards would be given to the most outstanding designers of the Show. She should be worried, thinking about the dinner but she couldn’t seem to summon the energy to worry about it. Her mind was occupied with thoughts of Ryan. Though he seemed to open up a little more each day, she still seemed so sad. His smiles did not reach his eyes like she remembered and he couldn’t seem to laugh out loud any more. To Emily, it was as if someone had taken the sunshine out of his life.

She had no idea how right she actually was.

She had carefully chosen her outfit for this dinner. The dress was spread out on her bed and she looked at it, checking it out from various angles.
It will do,
she thought resolutely. Just like the last time, she was going to bring Ryan to her room and have mind blowing sex with him. She had it all planned out already. Her revealing dress was the mastermind and he wouldn’t know what hit him by the time she was through with him. She labelled the dress ‘The Heart throb.’

When she finished dressing, she observed her reflection in the mirror. It was an A-shaped, sunshine yellow dress that curved flagrantly from hip to thighs; sleeveless and with a padded bust. There was no need for a bra and it pushed up her breasts in the most delicious way. The catchy part of the dress was the jagged slit that ran from the hem up her thigh to reveal her milk white thighs. The cut was intentionally uneven and patterned with net lace that swished as she walked. A four layered bead necklace fanned across her bust, completing her attire.

She was set for war.

The dress was originally sewn for the final show tonight; she had kept it hidden for the runway show to be held at the dinner but in light of Ryan’s obstinacy, she decided to wear it for herself. She would have to hope that her success in the past four days was enough to get her a few mentions of honor if not an award.

She left the room and went up to Ryan’s to knock on his door. The door was opened shortly to reveal the most handsome man she had ever seen. This guy sure knew how to steal a lady’s breath away, she thought, mentally fanning herself with her hands. Since it was a specified formal affair this time around, he had no excuse not to appear in a suit. But didn’t the suit look just perfect on him? He wore the three-piece suit with such elegance that she couldn’t stop staring at him. The suit pants were coral blue, placed on top of a white shirt and sapphire jacket. His tie was dotted in various shades of blue and he was looking downright yummy.

She smacked her lips loudly.

“You look like a delicious scoop of strawberry ice cream, it is my favorite,” she informed him.

He smiled absently at her remark. It was then that she noticed that he was busy admiring her too. She felt hot and cold at the same time; the look in his eyes there and then could cause a small heat wave.

“And you look like the Apple in the Garden of Eden,” he said on a raw whisper.

Her gaze flew to his and she saw the raw desire in them. It was like he was fighting a battle with himself.  For the umpteenth time, she wondered what ghosts were disturbing this man so. She briefly thought of seducing him right there and then, but she knew he would blame himself afterwards if they missed the dinner and awards ceremony. With effort, she restrained the desire curling in her belly. There would be time to play later, she consoled herself.

“Thank you, kind sir.” She said and made a mock curtsy, tipping forward.

Ryan swallowed hard. Her little curtsy had almost popped her breasts out of the dress and she was glad that he was unaffected by the sight. He couldn’t stop staring at her bosom.
Who said she couldn’t play now?
She thought delightedly.

Holding out her hand, she asked him, “ready?”

He nodded, took her hand and walked her to the venue for the dinner. She felt like she was floating and by the time they made their entrance, she was feeling like Cinderella at the ball. She could only hope that she would not turn into a maid by the time the hour struck. They were easily the focus of much attention as she wouldn’t let Ryan be on his own for one second. She used her eyes and all the body language she knew to tell him what she intended for him tonight. He was not unreceptive of her charms. At one point, he grabbed her hand as she ‘accidentally’ brushed against his thigh underneath the table.

“Emily,” he said through gritted teeth.

She only smiled at him and continued to eat her food.

It was time for the awards and a hush fell over the room. Anticipation was heavy in the air as everyone thought of who would win which award. Emily was momentarily distracted by thoughts of the awards and focused on their host as he summoned the judges to give their verdicts.

She felt Ryan’s eyes on her as he lent her his support. He was doing it again, she thought briefly; supportive without a word.

A number of awards were called out and she didn’t hear her name or brand. It was after all her very first entry and she was just about to give up when the judge called yet another.

“This award is a new one but then, the winner of the award is a new one too. For creativity in style and design, for uniqueness of ideas and general craziness of fashion sense, an award is given to Miss Wilson of ‘Head Turners.’ If you are looking for trendy, crazy, fun, smart and unique, I will personally recommend her,” the judge said amidst a resounding round of applause.

Emily looked at Ryan with tears in her eyes. She wasn’t in the room anymore. Instead, she was in another dinner party, similar but yet so different. She was transported back in time to four years ago when Ryan had asked her the question that triggered today’s award.

What would your parent have you do?

Emily, your parents’ death should have taught you the most vital of lessons; life is short and you have to live it to the fullest. Aim high, shoot higher; go for your dreams; scream with friends; make yourself happy. It is the only way to live.

Ryan had motivated her.

She was grateful to this man in more ways than one. Bringing herself to the present, she stood up and walked up to the stage to receive her award. There was no going back, she was determined to have Ryan in her life whether he wanted her or not. She could tell that he wanted her but he was holding back. She was going to break those barriers, she promised herself as she received the award, dedicating it to him.

*********

“I want to know more about you, Ryan.” Emily had said to him as they left the dinner hall. It was way past midnight already and he had a half mind to tell her off again but he wanted her company.

Hell, he craved her company. Her little antics all night long got him so hot and bothered that it was all he could do not to drag her to his room with everybody watching.

Finally, when the party was over, she had made the statement about wanting to know more about him and his final resolve to stay away from her melted away. Together, they had gone up to her room and were now sharing a bottle of wine on the floor.

“I am the only son of Tate Jones,” he started.

Her eyes widened.

“The Tate Jones? The politician?” She was staring at him unbelievably but he only nodded. Few people believed him whenever he was compelled to say it out loud. As rich and powerful as his father was, he wasn’t the epitome of the best father or even the best citizen.

“You must have heard of the scandal that sent him to prison for life?” he asked.

She nodded her head. “I heard but I don’t know the details. I wasn’t big into news then,” she told him, urging him on with her expressive blue eyes.

“My father was not the normal father every child had. He was focused on only one thing in his life; his political career and power. I learned to accept him for who he was and ignore him most of the time just like I ignored his affairs with under aged girls.”

There, Emily’s eyes went as round as saucers but she did not utter a word, she drew closer to him and curled into his arms, looking up at him. He was encouraged to continue despite the pain of reliving those years ago.

“They always came and went so I didn’t allow myself to think much of it. Until he raped our sixteen-year-old maid when I was sixteen and got her pregnant. When she wouldn’t get rid of the baby, he attempted to poison her and the baby and when that did not work fast enough, he tried to kill her with his own hands. I caught him in the act and called the police. My testimony sent him to jail forever.” He said the last as if he was confessing his guilt to a clergy and Emily held him tightly.

“I am so sorry, so sorry.” She was sobbing into his shirt, crying for him. She hadn’t heard the most of it. It was the first time he had talked to anybody about those days twelve years ago and he felt lighter already for sharing it with her.

Emily was listening to Ryan with her heart instead of her ears. She felt sympathy for the young boy that he had been, who lost his youth to the events that forever shaped his future. She couldn’t believe that he had gone through so much. The loss of her parents was nothing compared to his experience.

“Jasmine, our maid was almost dead by the time help got to her.” he continued. “She was hospitalized for the whole of her term. My father’s case was in court by then and I switch between the police station, the hospital to see Jasmine. As if to thwart me, Jasmine didn’t carry up to term but gave birth to the cutest baby in the universe after which she died. It was the most gruesome seven hours of my life but it was worth it. I named her Claire.” He said the last part with pride and she had no doubt that he had loved the girl that was born of his woes.

She smiled her pride at him.

“With my father gone, I was an unwilling father by seventeen but I had Claire and for her sake, I quickly learnt to be responsible. My father had put his manager in charge of his businesses and I learned the business from him only to discover that my heart was not into it. My baby was the one who discovered that I loved photography and encouraged me to go for it,” he said with a fond smile.

Emily’s tears dried at the happy turn of the story. She wondered how a seventeen-year-old had coped with a baby but Ryan obviously did. He spoke of ‘his Claire’ in such fond terms that she wanted to meet the girl. Claire would be around eleven by now, she quickly calculated.

“Me and Claire, we were all we had for the longest time. I lived for her, she saved me from descending into a pit of darkness that would have swallowed me forever. She was light and she taught me to play in the sunshine once again. She died forty-five days, three hours and sixteen minutes ago.”

Emily leaned out of his chest. She didn’t know what to say. Now she understood the forlorn look in his eyes. The sunshine had indeed been removed from his life. The drying tears welled up in her eyes again and she was not even aware when they began to fall. Ryan was crying too.

“What…?” she couldn’t complete the question.

“She was weak from birth, Down syndrome.” He explained with tears in his eyes, correctly guessing her question.

There was absolutely no telling the pain that Ryan must have been through. To have never loved or been loved was not new to him but he had found love in the eyes of a little girl and lost it. She bawled like a baby, she would have curled up and died if it were her. She simply wouldn’t have been able to survive the painful experience. This man was strong for someone so young.
How the hell did he draw breath after his daughter’s death?
She couldn’t think, she just went into his arms again, simply holding him and crying with him. It galled her that it was all she could do for him but she knew that there was nothing more to be done. She could however feel a huge relief drop from his shoulders.

“The little imp made me promise her something before she died.” He said after the tears subsided.

“What?” she asked.

He was looking into her eyes now. “To come back to you.” He said softly.

Emily was surprised. “She knew of me?” she asked.

He nodded. “I told her. She rightly guessed that I had fallen in love and wanted me to be happy.”

“Did you know you would meet me here?” she asked suddenly.

He shook his head. “Nina, our nurse encouraged me to come ‘right’ myself by doing what I loved first before I go searching for you. She had no idea that I would be killing two birds with one stone.”

They fell silent after this confession. Emily wished she could have met Claire at least one time before her death.

“Was she the reason you left me that night? You didn’t want to share her love?” she asked after a while.

“No, it was basically my own cowardice just like my cowardice keeps me from you after we meet again four years after. I thought you would hate me in the light of the morning.” He explained after thinking of her question. “Claire would have loved you.” He added.