50. Ashley
CHAPTER 50
ASHLEY
I ’m still reeling from the conversation with Sean when I step foot into my house, and my friends yell, “Surprise!”
At least twenty people are crowded into my living room, and even though I knew about the party, I can’t help being misty eyed. There’s a huge banner above the couch that says Welcome home with balloons hanging on either side of it.
Now I have to pretend I didn’t know there was a surprise party planned for me. “Oh my God, you guys. I can’t believe you did this.”
“They already know I spilled the beans,” Kenzie pipes up.
I roll my eyes. “Man, you can’t keep a secret, can you?”
She shakes her head. “Nope.”
Zoey, Gia, and Blair break away from the group. Zoey is carrying a huge gift basket and beaming from ear to ear. “Welcome home.”
“Thank you. Oh my God, what’s that?”
“Just a few things to help your recovery.”
I reach for it, forgetting that I’m not supposed to carry anything heavy. The movement reminds me though, and I wince.
“I’ll take that.” Sean reaches for the basket. “Do you want me to put it in your room?”
I don’t miss the way my friends are watching my interaction with Sean. I realize then that if Sean told everyone we dated during freshman year, then my friends know I kept that information from them all this time. Heat spreads through my face. I can’t believe they aren’t giving me crap for it.
“Sure,” I reply without making eye contact with him.
He takes a step forward, then stops. “Uh… which one is your room?”
“Oh, right. You’ve only been here once.”
“Why don’t you show Sean where your room is?” Zoey smiles.
I hesitate. It’s one thing to talk to him outside, but after that loaded conversation, I don’t want to be alone with him in my room. “Uh…”
“Yes, you should definitely show him,” Gia chimes in.
“I need to say hello to everyone,” I reply lamely.
“It’s okay. I don’t need a tour, just directions,” Sean adds.
“I really think Ash should show you the way.” Zoey gives Sean a meaningful look, and it makes me curious.
Now I have to see what that’s all about. “Oh, fine. Follow me.”
“You can just point out which door is yours,” he says once we’re in the hallway. “You don’t need to come in.”
“Oh, I’m coming in. What should I expect when I walk into my room?”
“I have no idea.”
I give him an incredulous look.
“I swear I don’t. If there are more surprises, I’m in the dark too.”
The door is closed, but I don’t hesitate to push it open. The last time I was here, Brian had all the condoms spread on the bed after he’d finished messing with them. I’m glad to see they’re gone. My roommates must have gotten rid of them. I know it’s been only a couple of weeks, but it feels like that happened years ago.
“Where should I put this?” Sean asks.
“On my desk. Thank you.”
Feeling tired suddenly, I sit on the edge of the bed and, taking advantage of Sean having his back to me, I study him. I shouldn’t be surprised when the yearning hits me square in the chest. I let anger consume me earlier, and my other emotions took a back seat. I was confused and couldn’t tell Sean whether I still loved him or not. Now, it’s all I can feel.
When he turns around, he’s holding a flip-able picture frame in his hand. “Where did you get this?”
I narrow my eyes. “I’ve never seen that before.”
He walks over and shows me the frame. The picture on display is a candid photo of us together at my first art show gallery. “I’ve never seen this photo of us before. Who took it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Darren?”
I flip to the second picture, and it’s another candid of us at the party in Sean’s dorm. We’re standing together in the soapy hallway. Sean is holding me. “This one was taken right after you helped me back onto my feet.”
Sean sits next to me, and now, all I can think about is our proximity and how hot the room is. He’s the one who flips to the next picture. It’s yet another picture of us, taken when we weren’t looking at the camera. In this one, I’m laughing at something Gia said, and Sean is watching me wistfully. This was taken after we were broken up.
“We’ve been parent-trapped,” Sean mutters.
A sob gets lodged in my throat, and my vision goes blurry. I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to stop the ugly crying that’s coming.
“Ash?” he asks softly.
I look at him and allow his blue eyes to reel me in. “I never stopped loving you either.”
“Come here.” His fingers are suddenly in my hair and his lips crush mine.
His kiss is everything that I remember, and yet, so much more. It’s urgent, and hungry. It’s like we’re trying to erase three years of heartache in one single stroke, one shared breath.
He pulls back, pressing his forehead against mine. “I love you so fucking much, Ash. I can’t believe I almost lost you.”
“I love you too.”
He captures my lips again. The hunger is still present, but his touch is tender, careful. I know that he’s holding back on the account of my injuries. I wish I wasn’t hurt and that I didn’t have a houseful of guests.
Regrettably, I pull back. “We should return to the party.”
“I know, but since your friends are most likely responsible for this, I think they can entertain the crowd for a little longer.”
“True. Then kiss me some more.”
SEAN
Eventually, Ashley and I returned to the party and found out the mastermind behind the picture frame trap was Zoey. She figured that, on the off-chance either of us was being stupid about getting back together right away, we needed a reminder of how much we loved each other. Gia and Blair helped curate the pictures. The one from the art gallery was taken by Ryder. I didn’t see that coming, especially after he screwed the team over when he quit in the middle of the Frozen Four.
Everyone has gone home, but I linger. I don’t expect to spend the night, but I’m hoping Ashley will ask me to stay. She’s still on the couch, and I’m helping her roommates clean up the place. Fiona comes over holding a trash bag.
“I’ll take that,” I say.
“Thanks. It’s the last one.”
“All right. I’ll be right back.” I veer for the back door.
“You’re not going to put on a coat?” Ashley asks from the couch.
“Nah, I’ll be back in a sec.”
I rush outside, and even though the temperature has dropped and it’s snowing, I don’t mind the cold. The temperature inside the house is a couple degrees too warm for me. I should have taken off my sweater.
When I get back inside, Fiona, Kerrie, and Lauren aren’t in the living room with Ashley anymore.
“Where are the girls?” I ask.
“In their rooms.” Ashley gets up and tries to cover a yawn with her hand.
“You must be exhausted. I should head out.”
Her eyes turn round. “You’re not spending the night?”
I grin, relieved. “I was waiting to be invited.”
She holds out her hand. “Come.”
My heart is pounding. I can hardly believe I’m here with Ashley and that I can love her as much as I want. Holding hands, we head to her room. She locks the door behind her, and then I freeze for a second. I’ve fantasized about this moment for so long, even though I shouldn’t have, that now that it’s here, I don’t know what to do.
“Alone at last.” She smiles.
“Yes.” I cup her cheek. “Finally.”
She covers my hand with hers. “Your hand is shaking.”
“I know. I’m fucking nervous. Can’t you tell?”
“I’m nervous too.” She moves my hand and places it over her chest. “Feel how fast my heart is beating.”
I chuckle. “I don’t remember us being this nervous our first time.”
She smiles. “No. But we were pretty drunk then.”
“Thank God for alcohol.” I step into her space and frame her face between my hands. “I missed you so damn much, Ash.” I kiss her lips softly, but when she sighs against my mouth, all the pent-up desire of years erupts from the pit of my stomach and spreads through my veins at the speed of light. It takes every ounce of self-control I possess to keep the pace slow.
“I want you so much, babe,” I kiss the corner of her mouth, then the column of her neck.
“Not as much as I want you.” She lifts her chin, granting me better access to the hollow of her throat.
I pull the fabric of her sweater down and run my tongue over her collarbone, making her moan softly. I step back quickly. “Did I hurt you?”
“What? No.”
“I shouldn’t be doing this. Fractured ribs are no picnic, and the last thing I want is to delay your recovery.”
“The doctor said no sudden movements. That’s all.”
Even though I’m so hard, it’s painful, I’m not going to risk it. “I’ll be happy just to lie next to you.”
She pouts. “Are you saying kissing is off the table?”
“Well, I guess we could kiss.” I rub my thumb over her lower lip, and she shudders.
“You could also help me undress,” she says softly.
I swallow hard. “I can do that too.”
“My leggings should go first.” She smirks.
I narrow my eyes. “I see what you’re doing.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Holding her stare, I reach for the elastic band of her pants and slowly kneel in front of her, pulling the fabric down her hips and then her legs. Ashley reaches for my shoulders and lifts each foot to help me with the task. I toss the leggings to the side, but I don’t get up. Instead, I kiss her belly near the edge of her panties.
“Sean….”
“Yes, beautiful?”
She runs her fingers through my hair. “Is this really happening?”
I grin. “Yes, babe. It’s happening.” I get up from my knees, because if I start eating her out, I won’t be able to stop, and I’d rather Ashley be in a comfortable position. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“You’re forgetting my cardigan.”
“Right.” I reach for the top button and make quick work of releasing of all of them. Underneath, Ashley’s wearing a white button-down shirt that I remove as fast as I can as well.
Once her clothes are gone, I stop. I can see the bruises on her torso, and it makes me feel like an asshole for wanting to sex her up.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
My eyes sting, but hell, I don’t want to fucking cry again. I did plenty of that in the past two weeks.
She touches my face. “Sean… you can talk to me.”
I take her wrist and kiss the palm of her hand. “I feel like a jerk that I can’t keep my hands off you when you still have bruises from the accident.”
“If you’re a jerk, so am I. I don’t want you to keep your hands to yourself.” She gets on the mattress and slides down the middle. “Now take your clothes off. I want a private show.”
My lips curl upward. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“As you wish.” I pull my sweater off first, then my shoes, socks, and jeans go next. Now I’m standing in the middle of her room wearing only my briefs and a T-shirt.
“I said all your clothes.”
“I was getting there.” I grab my T-shirt from the back, because I know she loves it when I undress like that.
Her eyes are wide and her breathing is shallow now as she stares at me. I’m keeping my underwear on, since tonight is all about her.
“You’re still not in your birthday suit,” she says as I approach the bed.
“I need the barrier, babe.” I sit next to her and kiss her mouth softly.
She parts her lips, and I have no choice but to take the offering. Our tongues mingle unhurriedly. I just want to savor her sweet taste slowly. It’s been too long since I could do this without feeling guilty. I’m so lost in her that I don’t notice when our positions become horizontal. My hand is cupping her cheek, but she takes my wrist and moves my arm lower.
“You can touch me,” she murmurs against my lips. “I won’t break.”
“You’re already broken,” I counter.
She laughs. “Fine. I won’t break more. Please, Sean. Can’t you see how much I’m burning for you?”
“I can’t say no to you when you put it like that.”
I run my fingers over the swell of one breast and tease her nipple with a feather-light touch. Ash moans like a kitten, and I muffle her sexy sounds with my tongue. I’m caught in a fever, shaking with desire, and yet I don’t change my pace. I tease her nipple, making it as hard as a pebble, then move my hand south until I find the edge of her panties. Ash’s breathing becomes shallower when I slide my hand under the cotton fabric.
“So fucking wet for me already. I love it.” I swipe my finger left and right over her clit, making her hips buckle.
“Oh my God.”
“Shhh… no sudden movements, remember?”
“I can’t help it. It’s been so long.”
I try not to think that it hasn’t been that long since she was with another man, but I’m choosing to believe her asshole ex sucked in bed and had a small dick to boot.
“Tell me how good my fingers feel playing with your pussy.”
“They feel so good.”
“Tell me I’m the best you’ve ever had.”
“You are the best, the only one I ever wanted.”
I try not to let that go to my head, but I’m shouting fuck yeah in my mind just the same.
“That’s right, babe. And you’re the only one I ever wanted too. You’re my everything.” I keep playing with her clit, knowing she’s getting closer to the edge.
“I need you to ground me,” she says suddenly.
“What?”
“Don’t let me jerk when I… fuck.” Her hips buckle again, and her legs close together, trapping my hand between them. I get what she meant. I toss one leg over hers, hoping that’ll be enough to prevent her body from convulsing too much during the orgasm. I swallow her moans and, focused as I am on Ashley, I forget to keep my own body in check.
“Jesus fuck,” I blurt out as I come in my underwear, then hide my face in the crook of her neck.
She laughs. “You broke a new record.”
“I did?” I pull back to look in her eyes.
“Yeah. Your fingers outperformed my best toy. I want to return the favor, it’s only fair.” She reaches for my crotch, and I’m not fast enough to move away.
“Too late, babe. Witnessing you fall apart around my fingers did the trick for me.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
My face is hot, and my ears are burning. Since I’m already embarrassed, I might as well confess, “It isn’t the first time you’ve done that to me.”
“What? When did I make you jizz in your underwear?”
“When we were teens. I didn’t exactly jizz in my pants, but I came close. Do you remember that bonfire party in Birchen Beach when I got into a fight?”
“Yes.”
“Well, at dinner before that, when I saw you wearing that skintight dress, it did a number on my body. It was the first time I realized you were stunning and that I wanted you.”
“ That’s why you got into that fight. You were jealous!”
“Damn straight I was jealous. But I didn’t want to accept it at the time.”
She touches my face. “You’ve come a long way since then.”
“I’m sorry I was such a moron. I’ll never stop making it up to you. Not only for all the grief I gave you when we were younger, but also for what I put you through in the last three years.”
Her eyes become bright with unshed tears. “I forgive you, Sean, but if you want to spoil me, I’m not going to stop you.”
I chuckle. “Good, cause I’m about to make good on my word.”
“Oh yeah? What are you going to do now?”
I slide down the mattress until my face is parallel to her hips. “I’m going to eat you out, babe. I missed your sweet pussy.”