Chapter 5 STARSTRUCK(1)

She bowed her head as she walked through the doors of the hospital. She mumbled her greetings. She was a regular here so most of the workers called out to her and waved at her. She brought out her phone and dialled a number, it rang for a moment.

"Hello Ash, how are you?"

"Leo, I am fine" she answered in a small voice. "Good time?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered. "Rooftop."

"Meet you there."

She entered the escalator and thankfully it was empty. She let out the air she has no idea she was holding. She shut her eyes and leaned backwards, she noticed she was still visibly shaken by what had happened. She inhaled deeply.

She arrived at the rooftop not long after Leonard arrived.

"My best girl" he opened his arms to welcome her.

She embraced him relishing in the feeling of his strong protective arms around her, she sighed audibly. "My favourite person". He smoothed her hair with his hands, and when she pulled away, he held her shoulder staring at her, "Are you okay?" he held her hand. "How did it go? Did you get the job?"

"What do you think?" she asked.

Her teary eyes were the answer he needed.

He pulled her in for a hug. "I am sorry about that, Ashley. What happened?"

She wiped frantically at her eyes. "He was...he tried to take advantage of me," she said in a rushed whisper.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. He was visibly fuming.

"He said he was going to give me the job if I slept with him" Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head fighting back the tears. "When it became clear I wouldn't, he...he tried to force himself on me."

"Fucking hell!" Leonard cursed angrily, he turned around, his back to her and kicked the air. "How dare he do something that disgusting. I shouldn't have let you go. I shouldn't have, I am..."

Ashley pulled him towards her. "You should not blame yourself for any of this. It is not your fault."

His lips quivered, and he gritted his teeth in anger. "He could have hurt you!"

"He didn't."

He ran his fingers frantically through his brunette hair ruffling it. "If I hadn't talked to you about the opportunity if you didn't go to him this wouldn't have happened! God help him If I find him!"

"Leo! Look at me" he stared at his beautiful green eyes, her hands cupping his face. "Now is not the time for any of that. Now is not the time for you to blame yourself."

He sighed exasperatedly.

"I needed someone to talk to. I was hurting badly, that's why I came..." She wiped at her tear-stained face. "Can you be that person for me please Leonard..."

He exhaled deeply, tears welling up in her eyes. "Come here Ash" he enveloped her in a bear hug, his hands caressing her back. This unlocked the dam causing the torrents to flow unabated. Her crying intensified, and she clung tightly to his shirt, her head resting on his chest. Her sobs raked through her body frame.

He kissed her hair repeatedly, trying unsuccessfully to comfort her, "Come on do not cry Ash please I hate to see you cry" he rubbed her back in a circular motion. "I blame myself for this. How did I not know he a was horrible man? I should have done the research. I can not believe I had put you up to work under such a vile man..." he shook his head, the mere thought of what would have happened to her if she had not somehow escaped was unsettling.

Ashley held on tightly to her best friend. His all too familiar embrace that had provided succour to her one too many times in the past. It was warm and welcoming, it had a way of making her let it all out. She couldn't hold back anymore and before she knew it, she was crying a river. She cried for a while still in his arms before she finally stopped. Time passed by fleetingly and all the while he didn't complain or rush her neither did he stop hugging or rubbing her back all through. She leaned into his strength unsure of the strength of her own two feet.

"I am thinking you should take a break, Ashley with all that has happened recently. A break from one on one interviews for corporate jobs where they overlook your abilities" he smoothed her hair affectionately.

She nodded, wiping her face. "I was thinking the same"

"I will find you something and you wouldn't have to deal with any of this anymore I promise you" he smiled at her reassuringly.

She returned the smile.

He raised his right hand like he was taking an oath. "And I solemnly swear to be your knight in shiny armour as best as I can shielding you away from all of these predatory wolves if you'll let me."

She chuckled amusedly. "Of course Leonard. I will let you be my knight in shiny armour to protect me from all the predators out there."

He led her to a bench and they both sat on it overlooking the rooftops of the other tall buildings. He offered her his kerchief.

"Thank you" she smiled at him. She peered at it. "Is this one in your collection of handkerchiefs to carry with me every time for Ashley whenever she has her cry episodes since she can not remember to carry one for herself?"

He shrugged. "When you put it that way, I guess yes..."

They both chuckled. He carried a spare handkerchief for her every day even when they were apart. He had gifted a whole packet to her but she never remembered to carry any and so he had taken it upon himself to take one with him every time for her use.

He stared at her for a while as she wiped her face. He reached for her hand and squeezed reassuringly, "I promise you Ashley you don't have to worry about what happened to you today. I will make sure it never does again."

She smiled at him.

"I will also find another job for you myself, where you don't have to deal with people like that ever again" he kissed her forehead.

She shut her eyes, relishing in the warmth of his words. "I honestly do not know what I would do without you, Leonard. You're the best."

He smiled. "Of course, I do know that Ash. I am too amazing, I am the best. I need to be appreciated more you know..." he said feigning seriousness.

She lightly smacked him on the arm. "You know I always appreciate everything you do for me, Leonard. I do not take it for granted. You are my favourite person. You know that right?"

"Yeah, you have said it more times today I will never be in doubt" he smiled lovingly at her. He checked his wristwatch. "One, two, three...lunch break" he stood to his feet, taking her hand in his and lifting her. "We should go get something to eat at the restaurant in the next block."

"Why do we have to go that far for food?"

"Well, they sell the tastiest meals and treats."

She nodded. He crooked his elbow, she stared at him with a smile, and she took his invitation. "I need to make you feel better Ashley."

"I think I already feel better talking to you Leo". They took the escalators to the ground floor.

"Let us walk," he said as soon as they were outside the hospital building. "The fresh air will do you good."

As they approached the restaurant. Ashley halted, she scanned the building, it seemed pretty fancy and she knew the prices of food will be slightly over the amount she could afford to pay. She didn't have any job and with no hopes of getting anyone soon, she couldn't spend carelessly...

"Are you okay?"

"We should go somewhere else" she suggested.

"But I like this restaurant their foods are the best" he argued.

"And expensive if my guess is correct."

"I am taking care of the bills...

"But..."

He shook his head. "No buts..."

"You will be wasting a lot of extra unnecessary money..."

"Ashley! Who says I'm wasting my money on you?" he asked with a frown, clearly displeased.

She noticed his changed mood. She lowered her head avoiding his gaze. "I am sorry, Leonard."

He sighed inwardly. "You shouldn't say things like that to me ever Ashley, I care so much for you. Treating you to a meal it's absolutely nothing. I love you and that's why I do this. You deserve everything that I give to you. So do not worry about one little meal, okay?"

She glanced at him and then nodded. They were talking as they walked into the restaurant. She bumped into something hard. Her headache increased instantly.

Her fingers moved to massage her forehead and as she did, a sweet masculine cologne wafted through the air, she caught the scent it was masculine but not too strong or nauseating, just subtle like an ocean breeze and mist. She tilted her head backwards and then she saw a man towering over her, his skin a slight tan and the most beautiful combination of facial features she had ever seen in a man. The most beautiful pair of grey eyes peered at her under long lashes, he had finely cut cheekbones and defined facial features. He had straight and thick black hair. How can a human look like this, she wondered. He had an overpowering presence of a god even though she had not met one before and had no idea what one looked like. She zoned out everyone else around her, nothing else mattered at that moment as her ocean blue eyes stared into his stormy grey ones.