#ceo!ash

“Ash, we gotta get to our gate bud.” Calum said, smiling as he tossed the duffle bag over his shoulder.

Ashton sighed, giving Lily a last, long kiss, holding her tightly to his chest before pulling away to look at Calum. He wrapped his best friend in his arms, whispering quietly, “Keep our girl safe, will you?”

Calum laughed as he pulled away, “Always will.” He beamed, turning to look over at Lily.

She smiled, waving goodbye to Ashton as she and Calum both walked into the airport. They leaned on each other once they got into their gate area, waiting for their flight. Calum scrolled on his phone, sending a few texts to one of their friends that they’d be meeting up with when they landed, having not seen him in a year. They got on the plane and Lily fell asleep on Calum’s shoulder, staying that way for the entire flight. He ran his fingers through her hair and listened to a podcast until he fell asleep too.

He woke up as the plane began to descend, smiling down at Lily and gently waking her. They left the plane and collected their bags, getting into a lyft and going to the hotel. Calum checked them in and they went up to their room, hanging up their outfits for the benefit and putting everything else away. Calum pulled Lily to lay on the bed and took a photo with her, sending it to Ashton to let him know that they arrived. They both laid there together until Luke sent a text saying he was on his way to the restaurant they were meeting up at. Calum took Lily’s hand and they walked around the harbor together to meet up with him. Lily clung to his arm as they walked and Luke greeted them outside the restaurant when they walked up to the door. The three of them sat around and had drinks with their dinner as they caught up on everything that had happened in the past year.

~~~~~~~

They spent the next day doing tourist things around the inner harbor, before coming back to the hotel to get ready for the benefit gala on the top floor of the hotel. Calum sat on the bed with his shirt half on, the bowtie hanging undone around his neck, watching as Lily began doing her makeup, wearing one of Ashton’s t-shirts. He held his head in his hand as he watched her through the mirror, mouth slightly open. She giggled when she looked up and caught him staring. His face turned slightly red and he began busying himself with finishing getting his shirt buttoned and the bowtie in place. Lily finished her makeup and stood up, tugging Ashton’s shirt over her head and walking across the room to get into the long, glittery dress that Calum insisted she wear. She changed into the dress, feeling Calum’s eyes on her as she stepped into the dress, carefully pulling it up and walking back over to Calum, turning her back to him so he could zip it up. He gently took the fabric in his hands, slowly pulling the zipper up, pausing halfway up and gently kissing up her bare back before continuing zipping her dress.

He pulled back after doing up the top button above the end of the zipper and turned, grabbing his suit jacket from its hanger and pulling it over his shoulders, doing up the one button before offering his arm to Lily, both of them heading up to the top floor of their hotel to attend the benefit.

Calum confidently stepped off of the elevator, walking to the door to the Four Season’s event floor, Lily on his arm still as he spoke to the person standing at the podium, “Calum Hood, plus one.” He stated smoothly, smiling down at his girlfriend as he waited for the attendant to consult the list in front of him.

He nodded once he found Calum’s name, waving them through the doors and immediately the pair began looking for their tall blonde friend. They found him easily, holding his girlfriend tightly to his side while they picked at some appetizers that were set out, talking to a small women with impeccably curled light pink hair. She was wearing a black suit jacket over a low cut white top, showing off a small tattoo just below her sternum, the bottom tucked into her flared black pants. Lily began self consciously began running her fingers through her straight hair, not being entirely confident with a curling iron, so she had just pulled her hair into a half-pony, tucking the hair back into itself when she was styling it earlier. As Calum came to a stop next to his friend, Lily looked down, fingers playing with the skirt of her dress as she shyly stood with the group.

Luke smiled at Calum and Lily, quickly hugging Calum before bending down to embrace Lily too, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek in greeting before officially introducing the two to his own girlfriend.

The pink-haired woman spoke up once the three had gotten introduced to each other, bright blue eyes that almost rivaled Luke’s own sparkling under the hanging lights that were above the food table, “I’m Lisa, I’m working tonight, so if you guys need anything at all, just give me a call.” Lily smiled, accepting the other woman’s hand, noticing a radio on her hip as her jacket shifted as she shook hands with both her and Calum. She shot them one last brilliant smile before walking off to continue working elsewhere.

The four of them fell into conversation, finding a table to sit at while they did so. Calum and Luke gave each other updates on the companies since they’d banned business talk from last night’s dinner. Calum was beaming when he told Luke about Lily’s new promotion to CBA and Lily turned pink as she looked down at her lap while Calum berated the younger versions of himself and Ashton yet again for the fact that that hadn’t been her title all along. Calum began describing the new project he’d come up with to Luke, the blonde listening intently as Calum spoke, leaning in closer and nodding from time to time. Calum finished answering Luke’s final question about the project as the organizer took to the stage, the chatter which had been filling the room fading away.

After all the speakers had finished, all the guests rose to mingle and look at the things at the silent auction table. Calum began going around, finding other business people that their company often partnered with to pitch his new project to, Luke walking with him as a wingman since he’d already decided that his company would join in, as well as to talk with those people about his own projects. Lily stood by his side to add in details as well, but wandered off after half an hour to get drinks for herself and Calum, getting stopped on the way back by an old classmate.

“Lily O’Donahue? Is that really you?” a tall man asked, sauntering over from a nearby table which he was the sole inhabitant of.

“Tristan Ross, it’s been a minute.” Lily stated, pausing in her beeline back to Calum, plastering a smile on her face.

“It certainly has,” Tristan stated as he reached her, looking her up and down, “How’re Irwin and Hood doing?”

“They’re good. I should-“

“Irwin here? Been hearing that you two are a package deal recently.” He raised his eyebrows on the last word before acting as though he was looking for the golden haired CEO. “Surprised he let you go off on your own lookin like this, like throwin chum in shark infested waters.”

Lily stepped back, a quick look of disgust crossing her face before regaining her composure. “Ashton is back in California, I’m here with Calum.” she stated, single finger tapping against Calum’s whiskey that she was holding.

Tristan didn’t seem to take the hint that she needed to go, instead continuing to try to move closer to Lily while she tried to discreetly step back, making advances towards her while her eyes scanned the room, Calum having disappeared from where he had been when she had excused herself to go get them both drinks.

Her eyes fell on Lisa and the other woman easily read the expression on her face, clipping over to her and standing by her side. She stood there in solidarity with Lily, hand on her shoulder as she steeled her expression and glared at Tristan. A minute later Lily felt another presence behind her, another, stronger hand placed on her shoulder.

“Tristan Ross, what a surprise,” Calum stated cooly, the slightest tinge of disdain entering his tone. Tristan jumped slightly at the appearance of the larger man. Calum kept his expression flat, but Lily could tell from his touch that that fact had amused him slightly. “Caught a bit of the last things that you said to Lil, she suddenly more interesting to you now that she’s got a boyfriend? Swear there was one night in the frat house where you looked dead at Ashton and said to him ‘watcha see in a little plain jane like Lily O’Donahue anyway?’ Pretty sure both of us were ready to fight you then and there for the way you were talkin bout our best friend, our girl.” Tristan’s face turned beet red and he let out a dark laugh, “Good to know somethings don’t change huh, Hood? Still Irwin and Lily’s loyal guard dog, aren’t you. Wonder if Irwin would let you in on a round with her as your little treat for stepping in.”

Calum’s expression darkened at Tristan’s comment, lowly stating “Doesn’t matter what you wonder, or how you think our friendship works, doesn’t change the fact that you’ve always been an asshole.”

Tristan stepped forward, fist raised when two men in all black with radios on their shoulders stepped between him and Calum, grabbing Tristan by the shoulders and nodding to Lisa as they walked him out. None of them had noticed throughout the conversation that Lisa had signaled to the security team to be on standby and keeping an eye on the situation that was developing, shock filling Tristan’s face as he was walked out of the benefit. Lisa smirked, waving her radio at him before wrapping Lily in a protective hug. She smiled, thanking Lisa quietly, to which the other woman shook her head in response.

The three of them walked together to get some dessert, Calum finally taking his whiskey from Lily, slowly sipping at it while he draped his arm over her shoulder. When they reached the table the green haired man who had been playing the music that had been filling the hall for the past hour walked over, swooping down to kiss Lisa in greeting, wrapping his arm around her. Calum and Lily introduced themselves to him when he stood back up, holding her to him as he smiled kindly at them. “I’m Alex,” the brown eyed man said softly, smiling as they began chatting idly over the desserts.

Eventually the event wound down and Calum and Lily made their way back down to their hotel room. Once they’d changed into their pajamas Calum asked, “Wanna see how Smokey and Duke are doing?”

She nodded simply, cuddling her bare face to his chest as he started the FaceTime call to Ashton. When Ashton answered he immediately flipped the camera to show the dogs, Smokey in his lap and Duke in Michael’s. “Smo!!” Lily cooed instantly, smiling as the pit bull looked around for the source of her voice.

“Knew exactly who it was you two really wanted to talk to.” Ashton stated, giggling as he scratched under Smokey’s chin.

“Love you, Ash.” Lily said with a smile as the hazel eyed man appeared on Calum’s phone screen again.

He grinned and Calum leaned down to kiss the top of Lily’s head before stating, “You’ll never believe who we ran into.” “Luke?” Ashton joked, mirth filling his face at his own small joke, having already known of their plans to meet up  with their shared friend.

Calum rolled his eyes and began telling him about everything that happened with Tristan. When Calum finished Lily could feel the tension he was holding and she reached up to cradle his head in her hands. “Well, if it makes you feel better you can totally just fuck your frustrations out.” Ashton tried to joke, but he was upset about the whole thing as well.

“M’not gonna do that to Lily.” Calum started, but Lily hopped in.

“Sounds good to me, I’ve got some frustrations from having to deal with him that I’d like to get rid of.”

Ashton groaned since he was stuck alone with the dogs and Michael, eyes drooping as he looked at Calum and Lily through his phone. Calum was already smiling down at Lily, beginning to kiss down her neck when they heard Michael go, “No you don’t!”

Calum dropped his phone to the mattress, pulling Lily into him and soon after they heard the call ended noise. Calum chuckled before hungrily attaching his lips to Lily’s, having been aching to do so all night long.