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Chapter Fourteen
Evening rolls around and I’m eternally grateful for the peace and quiet. After I stormed out at breakfast, the guys didn’t follow me and my day at the shop was crazy busy enough to distract me from the shit storm that was my morning. I turned my phone off, got stuck into my work, and enjoyed the lack of drama. The worst thing to happen all day was when I misplaced my latest delivery of garnet tumblestones, but I’m sure they’ll turn up.
I’m unwinding in the bath with candles lit and crystals surrounding me, Naga and Jasmine incense burning and lilacs floating in the water, when the doorbell goes. I ignore it. I’m not expecting a delivery or any visitors so I lie back and hope whoever it is goes away.
They don’t.
When the ringing of the bell becomes incessant, I grab my towel and stomp downstairs, flinging the door wide open in my frustration.
My jaw drops when I see Ash on the doorstep dressed in smart black slacks and an ink blue button up shirt. Wow he looks breathtaking.
“Erm, hi?” I squeak, my cheeks flame when I realize I’m naked, dripping wet and wrapped in just a towel.
“Didn’t you get my messages?” Ash frowns.
“My phone’s been off all day,” I reply.
“But at breakfast I said I was going to take you out tonight…” he reminds me. “You forgot didn’t you?”
Ah fuck. Should I lie? Pretend I was getting ready for our date and lost track of time?
“Sorry,” I admit. I suck at lying.
“Sorry, I’ll leave you to your evening,” Ash says, turning to go.
A completely unexpected bolt of desire flares through me and I call out to stop him.
“Ash! You could come in if you like? Just let me finish up and I’ll be with you in a few. Make yourself at home.” I turn and race back upstairs, realising too late that my towel doesn’t entirely cover my body. I may have just flashed him a little. I don’t stop moving, too scared he’ll leave anyway, too embarrassed he might have seen.
I race into the bathroom, pull the plug on what promised to be the best bath ever, and quickly blow out the candles. I brush my teeth, catch sight of my green face in the mirror and blanch. Shit! I forgot all about the face mask. Mortification drowns me as I rinse it off. On the plus side, my skin looks a little brighter. I know that I can’t put a full face of makeup on or get dressed up, so I let down my hair and run my fingers through the loose waves, then pull on clean clothes. I’m not dressing up, but I’m not about to go down there in my avocado pyjamas either. Right, a simple lace summer dress it is. It’s long enough that I don’t have to bother with underwear. Fuck putting a bra on when I’ve already had my bath ripped out from under me.
“Sorry about that,” I say, racing into the lounge. “I’m sorry I forgot. And that I didn’t turn my phone on to see what the plan was. It was a crazy day.”
“It’s okay. I called and cancelled our reservation. I figured you weren’t in the mood to go out. Have you eaten?”
“No,” I confess as my stomach growls loudly to confirm it. Ash laughs.
“Takeout?”
“Absolutely. Order whatever you fancy. Just get a mix. I’ll grab us some drinks.”
I return a moment later with drinks as Ash is just hanging up the phone.
“I ordered Mexican, is that okay?”
I smile. “I love Mexican food.”
“It shouldn’t take too long. About a half hour or so.”
“Great.” I smile nervously. Now that he’s shown up unexpectedly, I don’t know what to say.
“Relax. Shall we watch a film or something?”
I nod and let Ash set it up. I like how comfortable he is here, but I guess he did spend the night as Batfink.
“You know when you...erm, stayed over?”
“Yeah?”
