Ashton stopped strumming the guitar and looked straight into her eyes. The intensity of his look made Hayley’s breath get stuck in her throat. “How was it? Did I do justice to your favorite song?” he asked, flashing her a skew little smile. Of course, he did. He was a player. He knew the effect he was having on her.
Hayley came to her senses and pulled a bar stool to sit down beside him.
“Yes, it was mind-blowing! I didn’t think you would remember. When did you start playing the guitar?” she asked breathlessly.
He smiled, keeping down his instrument and getting up. “I used to play on my dad’s broken guitar when I lived with him. He taught me to play. Then uncle Daniel bought me this one. I started taking formal lessons, but I stopped playing it in the last four years.” Hayley searched his eyes at his indirect admission. Why did he stop playing? Was it because of her?
“Why did you stop?” She held her breath, waiting for his reply. Ashton stood watching her, his deep, penetrating gaze causing a flutter in her stomach.
“You know why!” he shrugged, a sly smile spreading across his lips as he went over to the oven to check their dinner. Hayley got up to peer at what he was making, forgetting all about their discussion at the sight of food.
“What are you making?” she asked, seeing him take out a delicious-looking casserole. He flashed a heart-stopping smile and placed the dish on the counter.
“Penne and smoked sausage. It has come out well, hasn’t it?” She nodded, inhaling the fresh aroma hungrily.
“You can take the plates to the table. I’ve got this.”
After some time, they settled down to eat the delicious dinner. “When did you make so much?” she asked with wonder, helping herself to the food.
“I bought the crusty bread and cheesecake from Mama’s bakery on my way home. So I had to make just one dish.” Hayley smiled in appreciation, but her mind was on what he told Madison earlier. So he hadn’t eaten his dinner at the resort! It was just a way to avoid going out with her.
“What are you smiling at? I wonder what’s cooking in that mind of yours,” he said, watching her as he helped himself to the delicious dinner.
“I was thinking if Madison was the reason you couldn’t respond to my messages.” Ashton looked at her warily for a split second and then nodded.
“Yes, she was here to ask me out to dinner, but how do you know? Did you meet her? Did she see you?” asked Ashton, a little alarmed. He felt claustrophobic in Madison’s presence, a strange discomfort that persisted every minute she was with him. The way she pursued him didn’t sit well with Ashton, and it made him wonder if Madison was obsessed with him. Therefore, he didn’t want Hayley to meet her.
“No, I hid behind the pillar. She didn’t see me.” Ashton released the breath he was holding and resumed eating.
“Good, because I don’t want her to bother you.”
The rest of the time he talked about his day at the resort, and Hayley listened with interest. He really loved his work. After dinner, he poured some wine and led her to the terrace where a rug was spread on the floor, just like in her apartment. They sat down, watching the stars and enjoying each other’s company. It was a magical night, more because she was with the man she loved.
“This outfit looks better on you than me,” he whispered, making her blush. She had been acutely aware of herself in his clothes. Did she look like a clown? But now, after getting his approval, she relaxed and smiled at him.
“It’s still loose. I remember you wearing these when we met for the first time.” Ashton’s eyes sparkled, and he watched her with interest.
“Do you remember our first meeting?” he asked, leaning in to stare deeply into her eyes.
“Yes, distinctly, and you?” she asked breathlessly.
“How can I ever forget?”
“Why?” Ashton stroked her soft cheek with the back of his fingers while he drowned in her beautiful eyes.
“When I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful girl on earth. You were so young. I wanted to protect you, to know you better.” His admission surprised Hayley, and she gazed back at him.
“But you avoided me. I didn’t exist for you.” Ashton released her, his hand falling to his lap.
“You were so delicate. I didn’t want to scare you. I wanted you to grow up first,” he said, staring into the darkness afar. Only he knew it wasn’t the entire truth. He was afraid of his dark past. His concern for his dad was eating him alive. He couldn’t tell anyone for fear of being abandoned, yet he couldn’t ignore the fact that his dad was still under Gambino’s custody. He had no way of rescuing his dad.
“I’ve grown up now, Ashton.” It was a soft whisper, but it brought him out of his reminiscence.
He stared into her luminous eyes, seeing the love reflected there under the dim terrace lights. Although four years had gone by, he was surprised that she still loved him.
“I can see that!” he smiled, his eyes sweeping over her curvy body. Even in such an ill-fitting outfit, she was the se*iest woman alive. “Do you want to know me the way I do?” Hayley nodded, tongue-tied and shy. Yes, she had wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to delve deep into his soul. She wanted to know how he felt about her!
“Do you want to give us a chance?” he asked in a hoarse whisper. The cozy corner suddenly felt charged, as if ready to explode with the se*ual tension emanating from them. Of course, the spark was always there between them, but now it wasn’t dormant anymore. It was bursting to find a vent!
“Yes, Ashton.” He didn’t wait for a second and pulled her over his lap, tangling his fingers into her hair and holding her head to steady her. His eyes glittered with desire and he leaned forward to claim her lips, slowly, lingeringly.
The pent-up se*ual tension between them finally found a vent and erupted like a volcano. His lips moved across her soft ones fast, tasting them like they were his last meal of the day. They tasted even better than his fantasies could imagine. Their last kiss was too brief for him to get enough of her sweetness, but he wouldn’t let her go so easily tonight.
A soft sigh of surrender escaped her lips, and he slipped his tongue right into her mouth, tasting her as if he’d tasted nothing sweet before. The kiss turned hungry, wild, and passionate, like it was always between them. Ashton groaned with need, eager to satiate the burning desire mounting deep within him.
Hayley kissed him back just as aggressively as he had, eliciting a groan of pleasure from him. He could feel himself throbbing hard against his pants, begging for a release.
Hayley moaned deliriously, the sound echoing in the still night. He groaned and pulled her closer, thrusting his bulge into her cro*ch, rubbing himself harder against her. He knew it was sheer madness, but his body had stopped listening to all logic.
Hayley gasped but didn’t run for the hills as he had expected her to. Instead, she rubbed her hips against his erection, trailing her lips to his neck and biting gently. She licked the sting with her hot tongue, making him lose all his self-control. His sharp intake of breath made her realize what she had done. She had unknowingly awakened a desire that he was battling hard to curb.
His mouth attacked her neck aggressively in the same way as she had. It made her arch her neck to give him more access.
Ashton’s hands got busy, her eager response to him kindling the fire that he had doused for the last four years. Finding her supple breasts, he pushed her bra away and took a handful of one. A gasp of pure pleasure escaped her mouth when his rough thumb rubbed across her nipple. Her body jerked forward at his feather-light touch, urging him to try the other one.
“Ashton, oh, please touch me,” she whispered wantonly. He smiled, extremely satisfied with her response. Soon he pulled off the tee shirt and unclipped her bra, pulling it off her body.
The sight of her voluptuous orbs made him harden painfully. He had to taste them or he would die!
“You’re more beautiful than I had ever imagined, Hayley!” His mouth latched on to her delicious mounds, biting them a little and devouring them one by one.
“Do you imagine me?” she gasped with surprise, her breath erratic from the sinful pleasure he was giving her.
“Yes, all the time. I want you to be mine. I want to date you as we used to.” He eased off her body and glanced up at her with hope.
“So do I,” she whispered breathlessly, as a flush spread all over her. He pulled her into his arms, crushing her to his chest. “Just don’t throw me out of your life again, Ashton. I’ll die this time.”