Chapter 2

Ash decides that he would rather stay in, so I start working on dinner.  I’m making his favorite: my mother’s lasagna.  

             “I’m gonna go shower. Public transport just makes you feel all grimy,” he says after opening a bottle of red wine for us.  “Don’t drink that until I get out!  It’s gotta breathe.”

             “Yes, sir!” I snap him a salute before turning back to the meat cooking on the stove.

             “Mmmmm. I could get used to that kind of obedience from you.”  As he walks past, he smacks my ass with the towel that’s in his hand.

              “Asshole!” I call after his laughing form as he hurries into Kora’s room.  

               Over the next 15 minutes, while I hear the water running in the shower, I cook the meat, make the sauce, and layer the lasagna in the dish.  I’m just putting it in the oven when I hear Ashton calling my name.

              “What?” I call back to him as I set the timer on my phone.

              I hear a muffled sentence. Something about owls?

              “What the fuck are you talking about owls for?” I ask, walking towards the bathroom door.  It doesn’t help that the water is still running in the shower, so he obviously can’t hear me either.

              I reach for the doorknob and push just as he pulls the door open.

              Standing before me is a mocha skinned god. Fucking Adonis wasn’t as perfect as he is.  His chiseled abs, muscled arms and thighs, and his impressive length are dripping water and on full display.

              My mind goes completely blank for a second as I gape at him before I turn around and cover my eyes at the same time.  Not that it will stop the mental image that will play a role in every sexual fantasy that I have from now until the day I die, but I can’t let him see that all over my face.

             “What the fuck are you doing?” I scream, my voice almost to the pitch that only dogs can hear.

             “You couldn’t hear me! I was trying to make it so you could!” At first, he sounds defensive. But it quickly turns into a full out belly laugh.

              I’m still turned away from him thinking that I will never be able to look him in the eye again as he stands there laughing his ass off.

              “I have no idea what you find so funny about this situation!” My voice is indignant, but my hands still cover my eyes.  I cannot look at him right now. If I did, I can’t be held responsible for what I do to his body.

              “Your reaction. It’s not like you’ve never seen me naked before.”

              “Asshole, I wasn’t even in elementary school the last time I saw you naked! Things have-” unable to come up with a sufficient word I flail my arms for a few seconds.  “- changed.”

              At this, Ashton laughs even harder. I can tell from the heat of my cheeks that my face has to be as bright red as a tomato.

              Unable to take it anymore, I snap, “What the hell did you want?”

              Still laughing, Ashton says, “A towel. I forgot to grab one before I came in.”

               Oh. Not an owl, a towel.  Dumbass.

               “In the linen closet right next to the bathroom.” I start to walk away, really needing that wine right about now.

               “Can you get it for me? I don’t want to get any more water on the floor than there already is.” His voice is oh so reasonable for a guy who is about to make me turn back and face his delectably naked body.

               I huff out a sigh and turn around, one hand shielding his body from view while I open the closet and grab a towel.  I make sure that it’s one of Kora’s pink ones just out of spite.

               I turn away from him, holding the towel out behind my back.  As much as I’ve fantasized about this, the fact that he seems so unaffected does very little for my courage to act on anything and I just want to run away. Cowardly, I know.

               “I can’t reach the towel from there, Sam.  You’re gonna have to come closer.”

                Something in his voice makes my breath hitch and I struggle to keep my composure for an entirely different reason now.

                I turn slightly, still not looking at him as I move closer. 

                 His hand grasps my arm and he pulls me closer, turning my face to his. I open my eyes and all I see are his caramel colored ones teasing me.

                Ashton pulls the towel from my hand and slowly wraps it around himself.  “You know, if you wanted to repay the peep show, I’d be happy to keep the water running for you in the shower to help you wash all those hard to reach spots.”  With that, he turns and walks back into the bathroom and shutting the door.

               I’m left with dripping wet panties, heavy breathing, and a flushed face. 

               I hear him chuckle behind the door and it snaps me out of my stupor.

              So that’s how he wants to play. Alright, Ashton James. You have no idea what you’ve just started.