Page 14 of Ashley
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The next morning, when Ashley awoke, she was alone. She had expected as much, but this time, it didn't sting or leave her feeling bereft like it had that first night with James. She stretched her arms over her head, feeling very much like the cat that had gotten the cream, and let out a happy little sigh. She was happy. Restored. Refreshed. And it was all thanks to James. She sat up and looked around, going still when her eyes landed on a bouquet of daisies and a new plushie that sat beside her on the bed where James had lain.
She reached out and ran a finger along the soft fur of the plushie toy. A sky blue kitten with sparkly eyes. She smiled and picked up the flowers, nosing at the blooms, when a knock at her door made her jump. Pushing the covers to the side, she sat and gave the door an assessing look. Was it James? Had he stayed?
"Yeah," she managed to choke out, voice husky from sleep.
"Can I come in?" Natasha called from the other side of the door. Ashley's shoulders slumped slightly at the familiar sound of her friend's voice.
"Of course," Ashley sighed, standing from the bed as Natasha entered the room with a cautious look on her face and a cup of coffee in her hand.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, holding out the steaming cup to Ashley.
"I feel," Ashley sipped from the cup and hummed at the rich taste, "good. Really damn good."
Natasha sighed, and some of the tension bled out of her body. "That's good, Ash. That's really good."
"You sound surprised." Ashley stood in front of the bed and threw a smirk at her friend, who only shrugged.
"I was a little nervous. James is a wildcard. He means the best, but I honestly don't know where his head has been lately, you know?"
Memories of the conversation Ashley had the previous night with James flashed through her memory. "He mentioned something like that," Ashley said softly. "That he hadn't been living right?"
Natasha gave her a tight smile. "That's putting it lightly," she replied but said nothing more. She stopped short when she saw the bouquet of flowers and new plushie on the bed. "Those are pretty."
Ashley smiled wide and nodded. "They are. Very sweet of him."
"He left his number for you."
"He did?" Ashley bit her bottom lip when Natasha nodded and then cleared her throat, trying to sound nonchalant but failing terribly. "Do you think I should take it?"
"That depends on what you want, I think."
She turned to look at her friend and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you want to explore this lifestyle further? Are you ready for whatever might come with James?" Natasha asked, sitting down on the bed and sipping at her coffee while Ashley sighed and walked toward the windows.
Ashley's brow furrowed. "I don't understand what you mean by 'comes with James'."
"He's going to want something more permanent than a one off with you," Natasha told her.
"I, ah, you think he's going to want something with me?" Ashley's voice was barely above a whisper, and she blushed scarlet at the thought that James would want something more from her. She wasn't even sure she could trust him, but the previous night was telling her that maybe, just maybe, she could.
Natasha chuckled. "Oh, I know he is. I saw the way he looked, leaving your room this morning. Plus, he told me he wanted more with you. A relationship, in fact."
"Oh," Ashley breathed, blushing bright red. She was no dainty, easily scandalized girl, but something about James made her feel vulnerable. It was nerve racking to have her carefully cultivated armor stripped from her, leaving her bare before him. She shivered and rubbed her arms, shooting Natasha a slight smile.
"I don't think I considered that."
"You should," Natasha told her, rising from the bed and moving to put a hand on her shoulder, "Silas tells me James is a very present and focused Daddy when he's in a committed dynamic."
"He is?"
She nodded, giving Ashley's shoulder a squeeze. "If you think it's too much, being the focus of—"
"No, I mean, it's not," Ashley interrupted and then waved her hands as she searched for the right words. " I mean, I want to be his—James'—focus."
"You liked last night, then," Natasha observed, and Ashley gave her a quick nod.
