The moment he laid her on his bed, Hayley started having second thoughts about his intentions. No, she couldn’t afford to get pregnant at eighteen. Her eyes widened as she watched Ashton come up to hover above her, supporting his weight on his elbow. His hand tucked away the stubborn stray curl that always escaped her bun. Hayley’s breath got stuck in her throat, wondering what he was about to do!
“Relax, Hayley!” he whispered, planting a kiss on her forehead. She watched him with awe, a thousand questions flashing across her mind. Would he make love to her now? Or would it be like any other physical intimacy he had with the other women? Would he forget her and move on afterward? No, she couldn’t live after seeing him with another woman!
“Why are we here, Ashton?” She gazed into his eyes brimming with tender emotions, something she wasn’t used to witnessing. Was this the same rough, uncaring Ashton who hardly acknowledged her presence in the past?
“I can’t see the disappointment in your eyes, Hayley. I want you to the point of no return, but I will wait for the right time. You’re too precious to me. I want you to be sure of yourself first so that we repent nothing later on. Do you understand now?” Hayley nodded and waited for him to promise her a happily ever after, but he didn’t. Yet her heart sang with delight, knowing that she was precious to him. She had never expected Ashton to admit so much to her. Maybe she would make him change his mind about relationships and marriage. Maybe he would marry her someday! She flashed him a bright smile and reached out to kiss his cheek.
“No, don’t touch any part of me or I’ll explode, babe!” Hayley’s jaws dropped at his admission. What? Was his condition that bad?
“We can kiss at least if not make love!” she coaxed deliberately, loving the effect she was having on him.
“Nope! Not on the bed! I brought you here for you to hear me out. So are we good?” Hayley laughed and nodded.
“Yes, I guess so.” Ashton smiled with relief. He didn’t have any idea what was happening to him! He was never this tender, and neither did he ever restrain his urges. Now every time he wanted to engage in mindless se* with her, there was something in his heart that stopped him. Despite desiring her so much, he couldn’t go further than a kiss with her. Who was this new Ashton Pierce? Where was the impossible flirt who only engaged in one-night stands without care?
“I wish we could spend more time together!” said Ashton in a soft whisper, his fingers caressing her cheek absent-mindedly. His mind went into overdrive as he thought of ways to spend more time with her. These stolen moments weren’t enough now. Although they hadn’t committed to one another, yet there was an inexplicable bond that held them together, attracting them to each other like magnets.
“What’s stopping you? It’s Saturday tomorrow. Won’t you get leave?” She sat up excitedly, hoping he would ask her out. Ashton grinned at her, a bright idea forming in his head.
“I have leave on Sundays only, but this weekend I will visit uncle Daniel and aunt Jodie. I promised Alexander to take an update on them.” Hayley’s face fell and all the excitement left her.
“Oh! I don’t have college tomorrow. Only half a day at work!” she said, getting up.
“We can go out on a date in the evening! Be ready by 5:30. I’ll pick you up from your house.” Hayley’s face brightened up with excitement. She wanted this all along! A date with Ashton! Although she had gone out with him before, this sounded like a proper date, the one she always dreamed of. This time he was the one who had asked her out!
“Date? I thought you didn’t date!” she teased him.
“We’ve started dating you now.” Hayley’s jaws dropped at his confession. Was he serious?
“Seriously? I didn’t know we were,” she said with an eye roll. Was that how you date? He hadn’t even asked her for her consent.
“Now you do. So?” He watched her with an amused look on his face.
“No, it doesn’t happen that way at all.”
“I prefer following my own rules.”
“You have to ask me if I want to date you.” He flashed her a knowing smirk, as if he could read her thoroughly.
“I know you do.”
“Then we aren’t dating,” she said with an eye roll.
“Yes, we are. Wait till I catch you and drill it into your head.” He chuckled and got up to grab hold of her, but she ran away to the kitchen to make dinner. It was already 6:30 and if she didn’t hurry, she would be late reach home.
“Please let me make dinner. I’ll get late.” He stopped behind her and watched her with interest.
“Help me with the spaghetti.” He grinned at her controlling tone. She was already behaving like a wife when he had just agreed to date her. Yet he loved it.
“Sure. I feel burdened already!” He set about making the spaghetti with a grin on his face.
“Don’t date me if you feel so burdened.”
“I will date you. Soon I’ll whisk you away from under your dad’s nose.” Hayley smiled at his candid announcement. It made her heart skip a beat. Although weird, she liked this possessive side of Ashton’s nature.
“Then ask me to be your girlfriend. Or should I ask you to be my boyfriend?” she asked impatiently.
“What’s the hurry? Let’s just date.”
“Ugh! How do I make this guy understand it doesn’t happen that way? You can’t just think of dating someone one day and then forget about it. Did you know that dating has four stages? The first phase is of initial awkwardness, while the second is of growing attraction. The third stage is the most crucial one where the partners assess their emotions to see if they have a future with each other. You proceed to the last stage only if you’re sure about your feelings for one another. It leads to knowing one another well before committing to a long-term relationship.”
“Phew! It sounds difficult!” said Ashton with wide eyes. “How do you know so much?”
“Skylar and I researched because she insisted! But that’s not the question.”
“Yeah! I know the question! I don’t understand such complicated stuff, Hayley. So let’s just date.”
“We’re in the second stage.”
Ashton shrugged, not agreeing at all.
“No third!” Although Hayley fought tooth and nail with him, she was glad deep within that he had changed his mind about relationships. So he did want to be in a relationship with her!
The food turned out average amidst all the banter, and Hayley blamed him for diverting her mind. “I’ll make something better for you on Monday,” she said, clearing the table quickly. It was seven-thirty and she would again be late. What excuse would she give her parents this time?
“Since we’re now dating, you have to give me a kiss before you go.” Hayley stood on the tip of her toes to reach him. With his towering frame, it was an impossible feat since he didn’t cooperate in any way, testing her wishes. She grabbed his neck, but he still didn’t lean down to her level.
“Bend down. Will you?” she said, giving up. He chuckled and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his torso and pinning her against the wall. He claimed her lips with an urgency that blew her mind off. Sliding his tongue in, he tasted every delicious inch of her. A moan of pure pleasure escaped her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him back. The kiss turned hungry, fast, and eager to satiate the burning need that pulsated between them. At last, he released her reluctantly and rested his head against her forehead.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, babe!” he whispered, his fingers playing with her soft hair. Hayley’s heart skipped a beat at the endearment. She loved the way he said it with so much emotion he himself wasn’t aware he felt for her!
“Bye Ashton! I can’t wait for tomorrow!” With a wide smile, she slipped out of his cottage and back into the parking area. As she drove, many times she had the uncanny feeling of being followed but found nothing unusual in the rear-view mirror. Was it Jason’s man?
Ashton smiled, seeing her drive through the gates of her mansion. After he threatened Jason last night, there had been no sign of his men near her. It made him immensely pleased, but at the same time, he realized what it was. It was the lull before an impending storm.
Jason wasn’t a man to leave this so easily. He would definitely try to get back to him, but what exactly was he planning to do? Ashton had no idea. There was only one way to know! He had to wait and watch! He wasn’t afraid of anything since he had nothing to lose.