“Will you help me do something fun with my hair tonight?” Talia asked, and Ashely’s old smile returned.
“I’d love to!”
But just as she was starting to act like her old happy self, Axon, Jax, and Lumod walked by carrying decorations for Hai. Axon caught Ashley’s gaze and her smile immediately faded.
“How does after lunch sound, Talia?” She returned her focus to the conversation in front of her.
“Sounds good to me!”
We continued on working through the morning and I caught Brexl walking through the clearing more than once with asatchel stuffed to the brim with something he was working very hard to keep me from seeing.
Every time he walked past, I could feel his gaze on me. Devouring every inch of me as if we were in our room and not among the entire dekes outside in the clearing.
On his third trek back into the mountain, I caught his gaze and wanted nothing more than to follow him inside.
“I’m running low on mats,” Sarah interrupted my thoughts as she looked at her dwindling pile.
“I’ll get some,” I volunteered, hoping I didn’t look too obvious about my real intentions.
It was silly, but I wanted to see Brexl. I knew we’d be together for the rest of the day, but I wanted him now. I wanted his warmth, his shy smiles, and his lips on mine.
Maybe our kissing session had been a mistake. I should not want him this much, but I did.
I made my way to the storage room where the mats were being kept, and as luck would have it, Brexl was walking by the storage room too.
He lit up, and an easy smile drew across his face as soon as he saw me.
“Hello, how are things going for you?” My voice cracked as if I were a nervous schoolgirl.
“Things are going well. Can I help you carry those?” He pointed to the stack of mats in my arms.
“Sure!” I said, a little too excitedly. “I actually need a few more.” I bent down to add to my pile and accidentally dropped them all.
Brexl got on his knees to help me, putting us at eye level with each other, and barely an inch apart.
“Oops,” I said as I stared into his deep brown eyes.
“Oops,” Brexl repeated.
“What are you apologizing for?” I breathed.
“This,” was the last thing he said before his lips met mine.
His big blue hands cupped my face, and he started kissing me like a man on fire, and my kiss was the only thing that could quench the flames.
“You sure do like to practice,” I said with a fake laugh.
“I am not practicing.” Brexl pulled back and looked down at me with an expression of hunger and sincerity.
“You’re not?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“No,” he said as he started to kiss me down my neck.
“I am showing you,”kiss“how much I like you,”kiss“just the way you are.”
I could feel my heart melting in my chest. He was referring to an earlier conversation. I had told him I hadn’t figured out how to be in a relationship and be myself. But I didn’t feel that way with Brexl, not anymore. I’d already slipped up once, and he showed me that he just wanted me for me.
“Brexl,” I bit back a moan as he started to kiss me lower. “I like you too. Just the way you are.”
