The Perfect Candidate Read Online Free Page B

will need a proper reason though,” he said thoughtfully, after letting her eat in silence for a couple of minutes.
     
    “I can come up with a proper reason!” Ashley laughed.  Michael looked wary and doubtful, which made her laugh harder.  “Really!” she promised, and began to give the matter some serious consideration.  “I think…” she said slowly.  “I think I’ ll say the first thing that attracted me to you was your passion... ”
     
    “Oh?” Michael grinned.  “I like the sound of that,” he chuckled.
     
    “Not that kind of passion! ” Ashley hurried to correct him, cursing the flush that spread across her cheeks when she started to wonder how his incredible passion for his work and helping people might transfer to the bedroom.  She took a large sip of wine to cool her down, but it had just the opposite effect.
     
    “Well I hope I equip myself adequately in that area of our relationship too,” Michael teased wickedly.  “What kind of lover am I, Ashley?” he purred, after a moment’ s pause.  “ Do I please you in bed? ”
     
    “I can’ t imagine why we would need to prepare a story about … that! ” she chocked, feeling more flustered by the second.
     
    “Perverse curiosity?” Michael grinned.  Ashley glared at him.  “Come on, you can’ t blame a man for asking! ”
     
    “I most certainly can!”
     
    “But now I’ m intrigued.  I want to know what turns you on …”
     
    “Michael!” Ashley scolded him, certain that he was making fun of her… she didn’ t even want to consider the possibility that he wasn ’ t playing around … did she?  “ Finish your steak, ” she sniffed, hating how school-marmish she sounded, but she was starting to realize that a woman needed serious defenses when she was around Michael Reese and he was in this kind of mood!
     
    “All right, all right, I’ ll be good, ” he sighed, as if he was doing her a favor.  Ashley stared at him, waiting for the penny to drop.  “ I ’ ll just have to use my own imagination if you won ’ t tell me, ” he added, eyes twinkling devilishly.
     
    The rest of dinner past in much the same way- with playful teasing banter from Michael that Ashley was determined to keep up with!  She was rather glad that she had a bottle of wine to fortify her.  Michael didn ’ t drink very much, so she consumed at least three quarters of the bottle on her own.
     
    “How well can you hold your drink?” Michael asked, just after he’ d asked the waiter for the bill.  He frowned and picked up the wine bottle, gave it a little shake and saw that it was completely empty.
     
    “Perfectly well!” Ashley cried, not quite sure whether or not she had just been insulted.  “Why?” she demanded suspiciously.
     
    Michael shrugged his shoulders.  “ It seems like the kind of thing your boyfriend should know, ” he smiled.  “ Hrm, am I your boyfriend or your fiancé? ” he asked thoughtfully.
     
    Ashley groaned.  “ Haven ’ t we talked about this enough for one night? ” she sighed, finishing off the last of her glass.  Michael was prevented from answering by the return of the waiter with the bill.
     
    Once he had paid, he and Ashley got to their feet.  “ If you ’ re only my girlfriend that will save me the cost of an engagement ring, ” he teased.
     
    Ashley would have liked to come back at him with some sort of sassy answer, but she was using all of her powers of concentration just to stay on her feet at the moment.  Perhaps the wine had gone to her head a little more than she ’ d realized?  She was rather glad to have Michael ’ s steadying arm around her waist at any rate … Ashley gave a little start.  When had Michael put his arm around her waist?
     
    “You looked a little wobbly,” he grinned, as if he had read her mind.  He thanked the maitre d’ , who handed him Ashley ’ s coat, expressed his gratitude that Michael had chosen their restaurant to dine in and hoped