When he entered the office, Ashley had already signed the contract. Tanaga made a copy for himself and for Ashley and put them in brown envelopes. After he handed Ashley her copy, he stood holding on to his like it was a treasure.
The butler couldn’t help the ear-to-ear grin on his face. He subtly cleared his throat. "Ahem! Sir, if you’re finished, lunch is ready."
Tanaga quickly put the envelope in a drawer and then locked it. He walked out of the office and headed for the dining room without looking back.
Ashley was lost in thought. This was not at all what she had imagined. How had this all happened? She was trying to imagine what life was going to be like as she attempted to fulfill the agreement.
Tanaga stopped dead in his tracks once he realized Ashley wasn’t behind him. He walked back to the office to find Ashley still seated, lost inside her thoughts, sighing to herself.
As Tanaga stood watching Ashley, his faithful butler was watching him. If he wants her to join him, he should only tell her. What does he expect? She isn’t a mind reader. They’re both smart people, but completely different. They don’t know how to get along yet...
Tanaga just stood there watching her, waiting. After a few minutes, he became irritated. "If you’re done sitting here, perhaps you’d like to go eat now. You didn’t have breakfast. It will be difficult to fulfill our agreement if you faint from hunger."
Ashley was so deep in thought she hadn’t realized he was standing there. The sound of his voice startled her. "Oh, my God!" Ashley yelled as she jumped up. Her sudden movement caused the chair to tip over. Tanaga rushed forward and managed to catch her before she fell.
Her reaction had startled him nearly as much as he had startled her. Embarrassed, Ashley turned her head away, but the two were still close enough she could hear him breathing. When she felt his breath on her face, she blushed a deep red.
"I’m sorry. You just startled me," Ashley said in a tiny voice. Tanaga’s embrace tightened, and Ashley stiffened.
When he didn’t reply, "Sir, I’m okay. Please..." she said, lightly pushing him back.
"Ah," Tanaga sighed in disappointment. He took a deep breath, inhaling her sweet scent. He helped Ashley sit down. He focused on straightening his appearance, attempting to calm his body, now heated from the intimate moment they had just shared.
The butler still stood watching from a distance. Seeing the effect this woman had on his Young Master made him smile. Satisfied, he turned and walked away, leaving the two alone.
Ashley, still blushing, said, "Sir, I’m sorry I didn’t follow you. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do." Ashley apologized, looking down at her feet.
Tanaga was still irritated. "We’ll talk about it later. Right now, I want you to join me for lunch. Do you understand?" His tone escalated the nervousness Ashley already felt.
"You want me to eat with you? But, Sir..." Ashley didn’t have time to finish her response before Tanaga suddenly grabbed her arm, pulled her from her seat, and began pulling her towards the dining room. "When I tell you that you’re joining me for a meal, that means you join me without asking questions. Is that understood?"
"Yes..."Ashley replied, barely louder than a whisper, her feet wobbling in fear.
Tanaga didn’t understand why Ashley acted like she was afraid of him. It pained him to see her react to him with fear. Worrying about a woman this way was a very new feeling for him.