Despite himself, Ashton felt his eyes wander in her direction once again to see if she was still having that damned forced smile on her face. Thankfully ever since he had “proposed’ to her, her face was glowing and she was smiling genuinely showing off her ring to everyone.

Ashton felt happy that she was happy. It was as simple as that. He could not explain it but he was not feeling too comfortable seeing her so forlorn. He knew it was difficult for her to dupe everyone else but they had gone too far to retreat now. And it was all for the best anyway.

The look on Uncle Devin’s face had been worthwhile; he had looked as if someone had snatched away his favourite gift. The sense of satisfaction that had settled within him had been worth all the risks and the lies. He had felt bad for Kyra though; not that there had been anything between them but he all he knew was that he was glad it was not the other way round and Kyra had not found someone else first. To compensate for that, he had sat next to her and was glad that he could talk to her again without feeling awkward or being watched.

It was expected that everybody would question their sudden relationship but he had not been expecting his mother to ask him about her ring. She had given it to her five or so years ago in the hope that one day he would give it to someone he loved. And he had completely forgotten about it since then. To make their engagement more credible, he had asked Jake to get the ring on his way to the supermarket to buy a few groceries which the cook had asked for.

Ever since he had produced the ring, everybody seemed to have accepted the story, even Uncle Devin. It had not been so difficult after all and the blatant chemistry between them had played in their favor.

But the only thing that had bothered him was the saddened look on Selena’s face when she had pretended to smile and participate in the festivity. Nobody else had noticed but he knew her well enough to discern when she was happy or not.

And it rattled him because it affected him. But the fact remained that it did.

For the first time in the past week, he could see his company in a positive light and it was thanks to her. Initially he had felt grateful at her spirit and hard work. But then as his problems were getting solved and he could breathe again, he had felt admiration for her at her wittiness. He had to acknowledge that she was a damned better businessman than he as. Mr. Carlyle had not been the only one being impressed by her skills and experience and she was already working on her presentation to bag another big contract.

And all he had done in return was giving her the cold shoulder only talking to her when necessary, treating her like she was poison to him. If someone in the office had noticed something he would never know; nobody had dared said anything especially after his stunt with Damien that night.

But his behavior had served its purpose; nobody was asking Selena for a date now; they were treating her with respect like she should be treated. And most important, they stayed clear out of her way out of office hours and he liked it that way. She was his even if it was temporary and he wasn’t one to share his properties.

Looking at her now smiling at something Rachel was saying, he sucked in a breath at how beautiful she looked and had to clench his wrists to stop himself from going out to her and kiss her like he had done last week. The kiss had been memorable and he had to take several cold showers to push it out of his mind and his… libido during the nights.

“Ashton!!” someone was calling from afar and he could not find the strength to look away from the beautiful sight in front of him.

 He felt someone shake him and jerked back to see his mother frowning at him. “Are you alright?” she queried in her usual worried tone and he swallowed the lump at his throat and nodded vehemently.

Puzzled, she followed the direction he had been looking and a big smile crossed her face as she caught sight of Selena. “Lovely, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” Ash answered finding himself meaning it from the bottom of his heart. “And smart too mom,” he said seizing the opportunity to get more into his character of the devoted fiancé. “Do you know she has helped a lot in my company?”

His mother looked up at him in surprise and grinned at him happily. “Ohh, really? I’m so glad that you’ve found someone so like you honey. But imagine my shock when you announce that you were together!”

“I know!” he exclaimed laughing just to play along. He could imagine her shock alright!

“I was almost desperate to find you a bride seeing the way you have been behaving lately,” she wrinkled her nose in distaste and Ashton felt like a worm. He would simply break her heart when he and Selena pulled off their break-up act in December. “I never thought there was something between the two of you considering the way you’ve always treated her in the past. I do hope you treat her right; she’s special, Ash.”

Once again, his eyes flew to where Selena was standing and she met his eyes too almost instantly as if she had sensed his gaze on her. He smiled inwardly; she was feeling the attraction too. It was too powerful to ignore.

Holding her eyes, he absently replied his mother. “I know mom.”

“I just hope you realize how lucky you are Ash for having someone like her in your life. And I’m so glad you finally gave her my ring. It was so romantic and so unlike you. I thought you’ve lost it or something. She looks so happier now.”

So, he had not been the only one to notice that his fiancée had not been happy. He had known that she had not liked the first ring but she had deliberately tortured him for the search and he had bought that particular ring only to punish her back. Now he couldn’t help feeling glad that he had given her his mother’s engagement ring also.

And judging from her expression, he knew that she had liked the second ring very much and it had given him a sense of satisfaction. When he had slipped the ring in her middle finger after having switched the other ring, he had gotten a feeling that it was right. Maybe he was hallucinating!

“Do you know why she moved to Orlando so many years back?” his mother offered helpfully and he sighed. He was going to hear it anyway so Ashton shook his head looking at his mother. But he was interested in spite of himself.

“Her mother had just discovered that her father had been having an affair with his secretary. He had decided to marry his young mistress not caring about leaving his family behind without a single penny.”

Shocked, he stared at his mother not knowing what to say. How come he did not know that part of the story? He had known her for a long time and had never questioned the absence of her father in her life.

No wonder she had been so rude and had shunned everyone else when she had joined high school. When his gang had tried to befriend her, she had retreated in her shell and ignored them all the way. At that time, Ash had thought it had been arrogance but now he realized it had been a way to protect herself from what her bastard father had inflicted on her.

For all those years, he had kept a grudge against her even if he knew it had been childish but now that he could better understand her, he found himself no longer resenting her for having refused his advances so many years back. And he found that he no longer considered her as his enemy. Which was dangerous.

Sensing his pinning gaze on her again, she looked at him and seemed surprised at his expression. He had been regretting the way he had treated her all those years and some of it must have reflected on his face.

When she joined him, she squinted at him frowning. “Is everything alright?” she asked in a low voice moving close to him so that he was the only one who heard her. So close that he had to grip his champagne glass harder and sniffed her perfume drowning in the smell.

“Why do you ask?” he asked striving for a normal look and smiled down at her without the mockery and disdain he usually showed to her. And watched as she felt the difference too and heard her breath hitch.

His chest swelled with the knowledge that he was having such an effect on her and he twisted his finger round a tendril of her hair which has escaped from her ponytail. She had looked so cute in her yellow dress when she had opened the door to him and her nervousness had made him smile. It had been so unlike her.

“You looked so…” she said searching for the word.

He pulled her closer wrapping his arms around her aware of some eyes spying on them. “I have never thanked you properly for having done so much for my company, have I?”

Speechless, she shook her head and nervously played with his shirt almost caressing his neck and the heat generated from her hand was driving him crazy. Bending, he gave her a gentle peck on her right cheek which instantly turned into a crimson color and he watched fascinated. “Thank you honey for helping me out during rough times.” And gave her another peck on her other cheek which turned red also.

“Stop it, you two lovebirds,” scolded Rachel playfully. “Here, take him while I help the housekeeper with the chores.”

And handed over baby Adam to a disconcerted looking Ashton who caught unaware had the baby dumped in his embrace. “What?!” he shouted and was immediately admonished by Selena as the baby stirred in his arms looking ready to cry out his heart.

“Ssshhhh, you’re scaring him. And..,” she came closer as she shifted the baby in his arms and he felt more at ease. It was not so difficulty finally. He weighed nothing more than a pack of ice and was so little that Ash was afraid he might crush him.

Everyone left one by one and Selena stayed to help Rachel with the chores and Jake had to drop Uncle Devin since the latter did not drive anymore.

“What the hell?” shouted Ashton a few minutes later holding the baby at a distance as he entered the kitchen. “What is that foul smell anyway?” he said wrinkling his nose and Selena burst out laughing.

Miffed, he tried to hand the baby back to his mother but the latter had soap all over from washing the stain Adam had left on the floor earlier that morning. He humphed and tried to hand over the baby to Selena who showed him her dirty hands from doing the dishes.

“Where is Lisa?” he growled looking for the housekeeper but Rachel told him that she had already left because she was tired.

“What am I supposed to do now?” he cried frustrated with the baby stirring again and frowned at him. Then, as if not liking his face, Adam let out a scream louder than the police siren and he flinched.

How could such a small thing let out such a loud sound?? He was perplexed and the two ladies laughed right in front of him at his expression.

“Take him upstairs and change him please,” Rachel ordered and before he could protest, she continued with her task without bothering to look up.

Out of despair, he tried a soppy look in Selena’s direction but she let up her hand in defeat. “You heard the boss.”

Scowling, he left the kitchen but not without hearing the two women howling with laughter. He was going to settle the score with them later. For the time being, he had to think what to do with that little bundle in his arms. Carefully as he reached the nursery, he put down the crying baby on the bed trying to be as gentle as possible. Then he removed his  little pants and had to retain his breath at the smell that he was letting out. Was he a baby skunk?? Hell, the smell was worst when he had removed the nappies and he feared he might vomit his dinner.

Now what? He was clueless. He wiped off the small butt with the dirty nappy and removed another fresh one from a pack lying on the table. Then he picked baby Adam and went to find some duct tape from Jake’s room.

After that he tied the nappy with a few duct tape pieces and stood looking proudly at his task when he was done. The baby was on the bed no longer crying but chirping at him and Ash felt a huge lump of emotion round his heart.

At the sound of the door opening, he whirled round to see Selena peeking inside the room. When she saw the baby on the bed, her eyes rounded in surprise and her lips twitched suspiciously. He frowned.

“Ashton,” he asked her voice sounding queer and Ash suspected it was laced with suppressed laughter. Why would she laugh when he had done such a wonderful job with the bundle? “What have you used to tie his nappy?”

“Well duct tape, of course.”

She giggled and entered the room and another look at the baby made her howl with laughter. Ashton crossed his arms haughtily not quite getting the joke. After she had recovered from her mirth, she picked up the baby in her arms and the nappy opened instantly landing with a thud on the ground.

She looked at him, her eyes misting and she bit her lips to prevent herself from laughing again and put the baby on the bed again. He shrugged sure that she was trying to hide her laughter from him and confirmed his theory when a giggle escaped her.

“There is already a "tape" in the nappy, you know,” she explained and showed him when she removed another from the pack.

When she was done, he had to admit that the baby looked a lot tidier now than before. He grinned sheepishly and Selena picked up the baby again cradling him in her arms whispering soothing words to him.

He had to brace his heart at the lovely sight in front of him and found himself wishing it was his family. A true family. Like the one he had with his parents. It was lovely.

Then he chided himself for being so weak. He knew better than to believe in the love bargain. Selena was with him because of his money and nothing else. And he knew better than to have wishful thinking about her.

Then everything changed as the baby  moved in her arms and sucked on her nipples in an attempt to drink from her breasts. Unaware of the effect it had on him, she removed the baby’s mouth from her breasts and the result was even more arousing. The rigid peaks were now visible through the thin muslin cloth and he had to swallow hard as he felt himself harden to the point of not being able to control himself. Fearing that he might embarrass himself right there, he fled from the room muttering something indistinct under his breath.

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

A private meeting reserved for special people only…

“Have you seen the look on their faces?” exclaimed Devin Richard Crighton  the following day in his living room. His private meeting consisted of his two best friend Nash Cooper and Sean Palmer. Including his son Jake a new recruit.

“They did not know what hit them until it was too late!” Jake explained chuckling gleefully.

“Tell me about it!” Nash was most eager to put it as they clinked their champagne glasses in celebration to the fact that his only son Ashton Jacob Cooper was finally getting hitched.

“What a genius you are Dev! You said you were going to set up Ash in a different way this time,” Sean the ever prudent could not help admiring.

“I cannot believe you, Dad. You have deliberately try to match make him up with Kyra knowing that he would never go along with your plan. And then asked me to fill his head about the pretend game!”

Devin chuckled gleefully and sipped his champagne. “I had to make it different from Jake’s story this time. If he had any inkling about the fact that we were considering Selena for him, he would have run off scared. And the situation was perfect, I had made it obvious that I wanted him to end up with Kyra but had been considering Selena for the past three months. I got confirmation of my theory about their fatal attraction on the day my grandson was born.”

“Adam?” exclaimed Jake in surprise.

“Of course, son!” scolded Devin as he had only one grandson. “When I saw them quarreling, I detected some other emotion under the exchange of words. First I could not really put a hand on what was between them. To me it was clear if he detested her, all he had to do was ignore her every time.”

Everybody agreed.

“But it was as if he could not stay away from her. And when I told Selena that I had picked a bride for Ashton, her face was a real sight. And I knew that they both felt something for each other but was too proud to show it or even acknowledge it. The only way was to force their hands, of course to explore the mutual attraction.  It was so flagrant that it was hard to miss”

“Except to all of us,” mocked Nash as they had not been as perceptible as his friend to be able to detect any love story beneath their usual quarrels. “But I’m glad that my son is finally getting married.”

“Yes!!” shouted Devin triumphantly. “But I’m still a bit skeptical. We’re dealing with Ash after all and we have to be very careful. If he gets a mere whiff of our plan, he will be furious and everything will backfire on us.”

Jake sobered. “He’s going to kill me if he finds out I’m part of the conspiracy too. I’m his friend and he trusts me and when I gave him the idea of hooking up with Selena, I showed him that I understood his predicament. But instead I was following your plan all along.”

“On come on Jake!” Dev said patting him on the shoulder. “You said yourself it’s time for him to settle down especially since he was always in a bad mood lately. He seems happy now and he will eventually realize that whatever we did, it’s for his own good.”

“I hope so,” Sean muttered worriedly and Devin sighed. Sean!! The ever-prudent.

“I don’t care about the how or why,” added Nash. “All I know is that my son is finally engaged and he’s going to be giving me grandsons too.”

“Well, cheers to that!” shouted everyone in perfect unison.