The moment the door closed, David’s lips were
on mine. The kiss was deep and urgent.
Panicked, I tried to pull away, but he caught my
tongue with his. My mind went blank, my legs
weak. He held me close, and I caught the scent
of cedarwood and a hint of tobacco.
Intoxicating.
He kissed me again, and this time, I didn’t
resist. But what followed wasn’t what I
expected.
“David…you’re hurting me.”
“This isn’t right…”
“David…do you even know what you’re doing?”
He stopped, breathing heavily, his forehead
resting against mine. “I’m sorry, Ashley.”
“Have you…never done this before?”
He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. “No. I
was rejected once, got hurt, and never tried
again.”
I froze. A hazy memory surfaced. I had rejected
him back in high school. I’d been attracted to
him, but…fate had other plans.
“Ashley,” he whispered, brushing my hair away
from my face, his eyes dark and intense. “One
more time?”
く
I saw myself reflected in his gaze, a stranger I
barely recognized. This time was different. I
gripped his arms, my fingernails digging into his
skin. He bent his head, his lips finding mine
again as he moved inside me.
When it was over, I was too exhausted to move. David held a glass of water to my lips, and I
drank it gratefully, drifting off to sleep. As I
slipped into unconsciousness, I felt his hand in
mine.
“David?”
A soft kiss landed on my forehead. “Goodnight,
Ashley.”
- 7.
The young woman sitting next to Ethan was
stunning, but she lacked Ashley’s quiet
magnetism. That seat had always been Ashley’s.
It folt strongn to c00 comoono aloo thoro Still
<
It felt strange to see someone else there. Still,
this was Ethan’s first public girlfriend, so
everyone was polite.
“Ashley must be really stuck in Miami.”
“Yeah, it’s a long way.”
“Ethan, maybe we should just start without
her?”
The woman beside him asked curiously, “Who’s
Ashley, honey?”
Ethan gave a casual shrug. “Just a friend.”
“Oh. Well, we’ll have to invite her next time! I’m
starving.”
“Alright, let’s eat.” Ethan raised his glass. The
conversation picked up. He was getting tipsy.
The woman beside him, flushed with alcohol,
looked even more beautiful. His friends were
<
laughing. Ethan told himself it was fine. Ashley
wasn’t here, and life went on. He still had
women, friends, all around him. He didn’t need her.
“Man, what is it with everyone making things
official today?”
“Who else?”
“David Carter. Remember him? He was even
more popular than Ethan back in school.”
Ethan felt a sudden jolt. “What about him?”
“He made his first ever Facebook post. Totally announcing his girlfriend.” His friend showed Ethan the phone. He saw the words: “Old dreams fulfilled, new ones to make.” The picture was of two hands clasped together.
Ethan recognized them instantly. The hand held securely in the man’s grasp was Ashley’s. He
<
knew the faint scar on her ring finger. He’d
accidentally caused it three years ago. He’d
told her it was in the perfect spot, a ring would
hide it perfectly. He’d bought her the ring later,
but she’d never been allowed to wear it
publicly.
- 8.
Now, her hand was held by another man. And
that man was David Carter. A harsh laugh
escaped Ethan’s lips. Was it amusement? Or
pure rage? He tossed the phone aside and
stood up, his face a mask of cold fury.
“Ethan?” The woman beside him looked
startled. “Honey?”
He didn’t seem to hear her. He didn’t even
glance her way. She followed him, her voice
small. “Can I come with you? I don’t want to
stay here…”
