THE ORIGINAL NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN SPANISH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TRANSLATION. IF YOU WANT TO READ IT IN SPANISH LOOK FOR IT UNDER THE SAME PSEUDONYM AND BY NAME "EL SECRETO"
In case you're wondering if Christian is in the novel, is there, just won´t expected.
The next morning I woke up before the alarm went off. I picked up the phone and called for breakfast. Since I didn't know what to ask for, I ordered them to bring us a little bit of everything. I went to the bathroom and took a hot, relaxing shower. By the time I left my room dressed and arranged for the kitchen, breakfast was already there. But I needed coffee so I opened the storeroom and found everything I needed to do it the way I liked it.
Five minutes later I was just finishing setting the table with the breakfast stuff when Ryan showed up.
—Good morning, Mr. Chasting. —I told him as I sat down to breakfast.
And I didn't know why I had poured him a cup of coffee. Ryan sat down, grabbed the coffee cup and took a sip. Then he smiled at me.
—Good morning, Anastasia. —he said to me as he began to eat breakfast.
—Shall we anticipate today's agenda? — I asked him while I was making some toast.
—Yes. —he said looking at his watch.
—Good. At 10:00am you have the conference on technology of the future, where you will give a short speech on the new technological advances we have made. At 12:30 pm you have a lunch with the directors of the TecFall branches. And at 4:00 p.m. a talk about the inappropriate use of technology.
—And you will be by my side at all times to take note.
—Except at lunch, it's only with the managers and I don't think they'll bring their assistants.
—I think I remind you that I'm your bodyguard this weekend. —the truth was, he didn't have to remind me.
I'd have to manage to get rid of him. If anyone wanted to hurt me, I'd have time to do it, with or without a bodyguard.
—Besides, I'm the CEO of TecFall, I don't think anyone would object to me bringing my assistant.
He was right about that, he could take anyone he wanted to dinner with him. So I didn't argue with him, I'd find a way to get away from that dinner. When it was fifteen minutes to ten o'clock we left the room. They had set the scene and united three rooms to form the place where the conference would take place. I took my seat in the front line and Ryan sat next to me. The convention started on time and when everyone began to take their seats Ryan got up from my side and took the stage sitting next to the other directors in chairs behind the podium.
The convention organizer went to the podium and began his speech about the importance of the technology to which I paid no attention. My eyes were fixed on Ryan's gaze, which kept his eyes on me. I was being watched as a hawk would his prey.
—...one of the most technologically advanced companies of the future is TecFall. Mr. Ryan Chasting will give a brief speech on the progress of his company in this area. —only then, when he mentioned TecFall, I start to pay attention.
Ryan got up from his chair and headed for the podium. He stared at me, smiled at me and then started his speech.
—I've always liked spy movies and secret agents, who haven't. They always have these artifacts, so great and sophisticated that they make you wonder: Is it true? Does it exist? Well, in our company we've made many of these inventions that appear in the movies come true...
I loved it when he gave speeches. The way his lips moved when he spoke. And that accent that drove me crazy. I think if I was going to forget about him this weekend, I was going to have to postpone it.
When he finished his speech he sat down again in his seat while someone else stood on the podium to give another speech. The truth was that I wasn't interested in the rest of the speeches that were being made there. I couldn't pay attention to them. Not when Ryan wouldn't take his eyes off me. I didn't know if it was because he was watching me or because he just wanted to look at me. Although I didn't care for the reason he did it. I loved the way he looked at me.
—What company do you work for?
I turned to where Ryan was sitting an hour before and now it was occupied by a man about the same age as him.
—At TecFall. —I answered cordially as I turned my gaze back to Ryan, who was now looking at me with a frown.
—Just like me. You're new, I've never seen you. Which department?
—What branch do you work at? — I asked him smiling.
—The one here in New York.
—That's why we don't know each other, I work at the headquarters in Chicago.
—It must be great to work there. Sorry I haven't introduced myself, I'm Collin. —he reached out his hand to me as a greeting.
—Nice to meet you, Collin. I'm Anastasia. —I said as I took his hand.
—Nice to meet you Anastasia, and what do you do there.
—I'm Mr. Chasting's personal assistant.
—I don't really know what to say. Is it too exhausting being the big boss' personal assistant?
—Pretty much. —I replied as I looked at Ryan and he looked at me very seriously now.
But what a bug must have bitten him.
—What will you do after the conference?
—I don't know, I haven't thought of anything yet.
—Why don't you join the group and join us for a bite to eat.
—The group?
—Yes, there are six of us. —he said, pointing to the seats next to him where both women and men sat. You could tell they were all the same age.
And the truth was, I didn't see anything wrong with going out to lunch with them. I was single, had no commitments. Just a psychopathic, bipolar boss. I could really use to get out and meet some new people.
—All right. —I replied with a smile.
I knew Ryan was gonna go wild as soon as he found out about my lunch plans. Well, if he wanted to continue with his "I'll be your bodyguard" plan, he'd have to choose. Come with me or go to lunch with the directors. And I knew exactly what he was going to do. I smiled at him and concentrated once more on the speeches on the podium.
When the conference was over we all got out of there and Collin introduced me to his friends. Everyone wanted to know what the TecFall headquarters was like and when I was about to do it Ryan got to where I was and stood next to me.
—Shall we go?
—Excuse me, Mr. Chasting, but I already made plans to have lunch with my friends.
—Your friends?
—Yeah, Collin, Lily, Jason, Matt, Ashley and Ella. —I didn't think I'd learned their names so quickly myself.
—We'll excuse us for a moment. —Ryan said pulling me into a corner to talk more privately and away from the group.
—What are you doing?
—Going to lunch.
—Anastasia, don't play games with me.
—I'm not. What's wrong with me going to lunch with my friends?
—I have to remind you that I'm your bodyguard this weekend.
—I don't think that's necessary.
—Then why do you put me at this crossroads where you make me choose between you or the dinner with the managers I can't miss?
—I didn't tell you to choose, just go to dinner. I won't be alone, we're a group. I don't think anything will happen to me.
Ryan stared at me for a long time. He was holding his breath as his eyes valued my gestures and expression. He was right about something, he was my bodyguard, but not my owner. And I could do whatever I wanted in terms of my private life with or without him. After he exhaled, all the air he was holding in his lungs spoke.
—Okay, you got your phone with you.
—Yes. —I answered by showing him.
—You send me a message with the address of the place where you will be.
—All right.
—Anastasia, anything strange, you call me immediately.
—All right. —I told him as I walked towards my unknown friends.
—Anastasia. —he told me once more, making me turn around. —Be careful. —he gestured at me with his lips.
I smiled at him as I arrived at the group and together we went out to lunch. Not only did we go to lunch, we also went for a walk in New York. But before I did, I sent Ryan a message telling him where we were having lunch and that I'd go for a walk afterwards. I didn't even want to read the message he sent me afterwards. So I put the phone on vibrate and forgot about it all as I walked the streets of New York with my new friends. I finally got my phone and texted Ryan so he wouldn't worry.
I returned to the hotel around 3:00 pm. The truth had been wonderful. The boys had invited me to go with them to a club tomorrow night. I told them I'd think about it. So we switched phones and said goodbye. I went up to the room and found Ryan sitting in the dining room with a glass of wine in his hand. We exchanged glances, I went to my room and lay down on the bed to rest for a while.
I closed my eyes and when I opened them I realized it was about 4:00 pm.
Oh, shit!
How did I fall asleep? I jumped out of bed quickly and went to the bathroom, tucked in my hair and clothes, and then went looking for Ryan.
—Mr. Chasting. —I shouted from the living room.
But I didn't get an answer. Would he be in his room?
—Ryan! —I called again.
Would he have left without me?
I decided to go into his room, so I could check if he was in or out. I entered with a determined step and stood as soon as I entered, staring at the shower in the bathroom. My heart began to beat rampant in my chest as my legs refused to move from the place.
Ryan was in the shower, naked, with his back to me as the water ran down his body and I watched every move. How his arms moved, rinsing his hair. As the water falling over his body.
The butterflies began to flutter in my stomach. I swallowed dryly while my breathing was altered and my sex contracted in anticipation. Seeing him naked and wet from the shower wasn't going to help my mental state much.
Ryan turned off the shower, grabbed a towel, wiped his hair a little and went out to the room while he wrapped his towel around his waist. But before he did, I could visualize his naked body. And I don't know if it was my idea, but I thought he was excited.
My sex contracted once again by betraying me.
Ryan looked up at me and frowned and stopped in the middle of the room. Yes, I was also surprised to be standing there and I didn't take my eyes off her body for a moment...
I walked over to where he was and stood in front of him. His imposing stature eclipsed mine. His body was still wet. A few drops of water fell from his hair and rolled down his naked body from the waist up. I reached out and put my hand on his chest right where the tips of the phoenix's wings touched.
Ryan didn't say anything, he just looked at me. I slipped my hand over his naked, muscular, wet torso from the recent shower. I felt him shiver when my hand reached the edge of the towel. In one quick move I pulled it out and threw it somewhere in the room, checking to see if what I had seen was true before he put it on him...
—Anastasia, are you all right?
And now, what I lost myself. I was so caught up in my perverted fantasy I wasn't even paying attention.
—Yeah, I'm fine, I'll let you get dressed. —I said clearing my mind as I turned around and left the room.
I didn't want to go on invading his privacy and disturbing myself further. I stood outside his room with my back to the door. Why hadn't he locked the door? Who would have told me to go into his room. Seeing his naked body once again brought back memories to my mind. Memories I was trying to forget.
—I thought you'd left for the talk. I called you several times but you didn't answer.
—I didn't hear you. —he replied.
—We'll be late for the talk. —I told him looking at the time on my phone.
It was only five minutes to four o'clock.
—We won't, they moved for around 4:30 pm. That's why I didn't wake you.
He didn't wake me up. Had he been in my room and I didn't know about it?
—You can come in now, Anastasia, I'm dressed. — I went back into his room.
Is that what he called being dressed?
Ryan was sitting on the bed. He was wearing dark jeans. Nothing more, giving me an impressive view of his sculpted naked body from the waist up. He got up and went to the closet looking for a shirt.
—You were in my room? —I asked him curiously as I looked at the phoenix on his back looking back at me.
—Yes. I called you several times and when you didn't answer I looked out. I saw you asleep and I didn't want to wake you. —he said to me as he pulled out a blue shirt and put it on.
Dressed like that, no one could say he was the president of a company. I enjoyed it while he finished dressing by rolling up his sleeves up to his elbows and putting on some black converse. I've never imagined him dressed so casual, much less with converses. He went to the bathroom and after a few minutes there he went out, adjusting his hair with his hand.
He grabbed some Ray-Ban aviator off the coffee table and smiled at me.
—We can go now. —he said as I turned around and left his room.
Ryan followed me and when I got to the elevator I pressed the call button. Not a minute passed when the doors opened and we entered. The elevator felt smaller than it actually was. And Ryan's smell, that delicious smell of cologne and bath gel, started to drive me crazy. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. That way I wouldn't ever be able to forget it. The smell of it just reminded me of the night we had spent together. And I quickly began to feel so warm up.
—Are you all right? —Ryan's voice sounded more sensual to me at the time than it should.
I opened my eyes and turned to look at him before answering.
—Yeah...I'm fine. —I answered him trying to get the memories of him naked on me out of my mind.
Ryan looked at me with his eyes squinting.
—You look anything but fine, Anastasia. —he said to me as I squeezed my legs and tried in vain to control the butterflies and the racing beats of my heart.
What would he think if I told him that his presence, his smell and the memories of the night together had completely excited me.
—It's nothing, I just have a little headache. —I didn't like lying to him, but I couldn't tell him the truth.
He examined me curiously from top to bottom and looked up at me again until he saw it in my eyes. At that very moment the doors opened and we stepped out of the elevator. We're heading for a room ready for the talk. And after two hours, in which I managed to rule over my body, and control it, the talk was over. I got up and walked towards the exit, but before leaving I looked for Ryan.
Ryan had been chatting with a blonde woman with lush curves who had not taken her eyes off him during the whole talk. And he had smiled at her and answered her questions. As I watched them from afar talking, I wondered what they would talk about. And at that moment I was jealous. I wanted to be the one who smiled like that, and I wanted to be the one who touched his arm so affectionately. I knew what he was doing, seducing her, like he had done to me. She'd be one of many others who, like me, would pass for his bed only once. —But you did it twice. —I was reprimanded by my subconscious and I ignored it.
I know that I have no right to claim anything from him, I had put the rope around my neck rejecting what he had offered me. So I walked out of there on my way to the room. I sent him a message that I was in the room, that I wasn't feeling well.