“Sounds like you were betteroff with Bobby,” I said.
Ashley nodded. “He was kind. Andsweet. You would’ve liked him, I think.”
He moved to sit down besideme so we were pressed together shoulder to knee, feet knocking against eachother in the small space.
“Can I kiss you?” Ashleyasked. “Just… one more time. Before you go.”
There was no way in hell Iwas saying no to that.
I reached out, turningAshley’sface toward me, and leaned in. The first touch was tentative, my lips skimmingover his, but it wasn’t enough.
His lips parted first, aneedy whimper spilling into my mouth, and that was it. I pulled him into mylap, tugging him closer, fingers curling around his hips as he climbed on topof me and settled there, the perfect weight to ground me.
My fingers slipped under hist-shirt, sliding over warm skin. I swallowed down a moan, my heart pounding inmy chest, head spinning as he kissed the breath out of me.
Ashley, Ashley, Ashley.
How was I meant to get overhim? I knew I couldn’t keep him, but… I wanted to.
There’d never beenanyoneI wanted like this.
Ashley hummed as the kissbroke, resting his forehead against mine as rain dripped from the leavesoutside, a counter-point to our galloping heartbeats.
“Kissing in the rain,” hesaid softly, running his fingers through my hair.
I wanted him to do that allthe time.
“What?” I asked after toolong a pause, distracted by gentle fingers.
“Just something I said tosomeone a few days ago,” he murmured. “Doesn’t matter.”
Little by little, he sankinto my lap, leaning against me and letting me hold him. My hands splayed overhis back, and it took everything I had not to crush him against my chest andhang onto him with all my strength.
I was going to leave himhere. When the rain died down, we’d both trudge back to the car, and then I’d takeAshley away and drop him off at his parents’ house, and thenleave him.
In this place that he washorrified by the idea of being left alone in.
I didn’t want to. Thethought of doing it made my chest tight, fear squeezing the air out of my lungsas I rubbed circles on his back and tried to imagine never doing this again,losing this wonderful thing when I’d justfoundit.
I didn’t want to,because…
Because…
Because Iloved him.
For the first time in mylife, I wanted to be someone’s one-and-only. I wanted the warm smiles and thequiet courage and gentle touches every day of my life, and I was about to givethat up.
Sour panic twisted my guts,a wave of nausea washing over me.
How could I lose this? Howcould Ihandlelosing this?
When I’d first metAshley, he needed me. Now, I needed him.
And I was about to give himup.
TWENTY-ONE
ASHLEY
