05

Chapter 3

"Fancy seeing you here again today, Ashley." Dante said, taking a seat across from her. He sent a smile at her and waited for her to look up and see it.

It came to no surprise to him when he walked in and saw her sitting at the same table as the day before. Every time he came into the small café, there she was, sitting down, drinking coffee, all while reading the same book over and over again.

Her eyes slowly adverted from the book. Dante saw a small smiling gazing her lips as she took sight of him. "Aren't I always here?" she asked coyly before returning back to the damn book.

He frowned for a second due to the fact that Ashley didn't pay attention to him for more than ten seconds before turning back to the book. He then chuckled as he realized how unique she was and how her being more drawn by the book drew him in even more.

For the past four days, he had been coming into the café just to see her face. There was something about her that drew him in.

Maybe it was the vibe that she gave out.

Innocent and pure.

Or maybe it was the way she ignored the social norms of today and instead does her own little things.

Many girls failed to draw him in as Ashley had done. Those cleavages that they would flaunt his way did nothing to him now that he had met Ashley.

She got all of his attention and he didn't mind it at all. She wasn't like most girls and that's what he liked most about her.

She was her own person.

"Are you always reading?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee that he had gotten from Starbucks earlier.

"I'm a book worm. What else can I say?" She replied, shrugging her shoulders. She placed her book down on the table gently and smiled at him. "So how was your day?"

Dante was stunned. "This was the first time that you have ever asked me that question. Mia bella, am I worming my way into your heart?" He teased, chuckling when he saw the famous scowl plastered on her pretty face.

How he loved seeing that cute little scowl.

"If this is the result of me being a nice person to you, then I'm never doing it again." Though her sentence might have some annoyed, there a hint of playfulness in her voice, letting him know that she was only joking.

Dante chuckled and leaned back against his seat, raising an eyebrow up at her.

"And since when are you ever nice to people? If I recall correctly, you were snapping at some random girl yesterday for absolutely nothing. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that you haven't given me any snide comments yet."

Another chuckle fell out of his lips when he saw her pouting, crossing her arms over her chest. It made her chest look even bigger than it already was and Dante held back a groan.

"I'm nice! And it wasn't just for nothing. She made me spill my coffee all over my new book!" She defended herself.

"All of that just for a book?" He shook his head at her and tsked. "You don't have any nice bones in your body huh?" he quirked an eyebrow up at her and smirked.

"I can be nice." she scoffed and uncrossed her arm. She pointed her index finger at him. "Just not to you."

"If you're such a nice person, give me a compliment." He leaned forward and pushed her finger away softly.

Sparks erupted where his fingers touched hers and he tried his best to ignore it.

"There's nothing nice to say about you." Amusement flashed through Ashley's eye and she smirked at him.

Dante gasped dramatically and placed his hand over his heart. "Mia bella, you wound me!"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "It's true though. I can't think of one nice thing to say to you." She teased.

Dante chuckled. "Mia bella, there's a whole lot of nice things that you can say about me. I bet there's one floating around in that pretty little head right now."

Ashley raised one of her eyebrows up. "Oh really? And what might that nice thought be? Amuse me Dante. I haven't had any good amusements in a few days."

"Well, you might be thinking about how hot or sexy I am." He smirked at her.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You're alright."

Dante glared at her. "What do you mean by alright?"

Ashley smirked again. "I've seen better."

Dante didn't know why but the comment that Ashley made just now caused him to see red everywhere.

She has seen better? Is this jealousy that's running through him right now?

"Oh really?" he said through gritted teeth.

Ashley deepened her smirk. "Really."

"Well I guess I'm just going to have to change that." He smirked.

"Good luck with that."

.

.

.

Dante looked down at the necklace in his hands. The necklace that Ashley had given back to him. It felt cold to the touch and he put it on the table.

The room felt like it was shaking underneath his feet and he sat down on the chair. Everything was spinning around and changing. He didn't know how to stop it.

He loosened up his tie and sighed.

He looked at the necklace again and grabbed it. Walking out of the room, he ran down the stairs as fast as he could. When he reached the receptionist's desk, he quickly threw the question at her. "Did Ashley and Mayla leave yet?"

"Yes sir. They turned right about twenty seconds ago." She said, biting down on her bottom lip. "You might want to hurry if you want to catch up to them."

"Thank you..." he trailed off.

"Jasmine Sir." She said with a soft smile.

He nodded his head and thanked her again. He ran out the door and turned to the right. He saw Ashley standing by herself and walked up to her. He grabbed her hand roughly and placed the necklace in her palm, giving her a glare.