Always a Friend

Chapter 51

We stayed with our friends for about an hour when Ashton asked if I was ready to go. He slid out of the big round booth and held out his hand when I reached the edge of the seat. I took Ashton's hand, my eyes not wavering from his as I stood up. His hand around mine was enough to make me want to rip his clothes off; I couldn't imagine the sensations his hands on my body would create. 

"We'll just talk to you tomorrow." Chloe smiled, grasping her straw as she raised her cup to her mouth. 

"Yeah." Sarah's eyes beamed with excitement. 

"Okay." I smiled back, trying not to focus on their rather weird expressions. 

Ashton grasped my hand, leading me out of Tasty Treats to a more vacant lot. I was so distracted inside that I hadn't noticed when most everyone had left. I perused the lot for any sign of Rhys's car, wondering if he had been waiting for us to leave so he could jump Ashton away from Ty and Braedon. Ashton unlocked his car and told me not to worry about Rhys, that they saw him drive away almost thirty minutes ago. I turned to open the passenger door when Ashton placed his hand on the top of the door and leaned in closer to me. I turned to face him, trying to gaze up into his gorgeous brown eyes, but the dim lighting made that difficult. His fingers brushed across my cheek; my breath caught. He leaned down ever so slowly, our mouths less than an inch apart. The faint hint of mint still lingered on his breath from the mint he popped in his mouth fifteen minutes ago when he thought I wasn't looking. 

"Hey, Hughes! I thought you were leaving?" Ty hollered off in the distance. 

"You've got to be fuckin kidding me." He dropped his head beside mine, almost resting his forehead on my shoulder. He raised his head, and he was close enough that I could see the annoyance on his face. "Yeah, we were just about to leave." He removed his hand from the car and stepped back. 

"You dumbass! He was about to kiss her!" Sarah screamed in the middle of the parking lot, smacking Ty upside his head. She stormed over to Chloe and Braedon. Ty, with his palms, turned up, followed Sarah. Braedon and Chloe were leaning against his car, their laughter echoing in the empty lot. Ty reached Sarah at the back of Braedon's car, trying to talk to her. Braedon managed to park close to one of the few lights in the parking lot. Sarah motioned her arm over to us several times while her mouth moved a mile a minute. After a few minutes, Ty hung his head and walked toward us. Ashton opened my door and motioned for me to get in. He walked around the back of the car, where Ty stopped him. I couldn't make out what they were saying, and I didn't want to turn around in my seat to stare at them either. After a few more minutes, I couldn't take it any longer and turned to my left, glancing over the top of my headrest back at them. A few seconds later, I saw them fist bump, and Ty walked off. I heard Ashton holler at Braedon, then he turned and started walking around the car. I hurried up, faced the front again, and reached down in my purse. 

"Finally." He sighed as he sat in the driver's seat. "Let's get out of here before Ty interrupts us again." He started the car and sped out of the parking lot, not giving either of our friends a chance to come over to the vehicle. 

We pulled into his driveway thirty minutes later. A few lights were on in his house, but mine was pitch black. No lights glowed from the windows, letting me know that Mom was home. And she was probably going to be home rather late tonight. I lowered my head, peeking through the tops of my lashes at the darkness that loomed throughout my house. 

"You okay, Gemma?" Ashton's fingers brushed back a piece of hair covering my cheek. 

"Yeah. Thanks for getting me out of the house." I opened the door and grabbed my purse from the floorboard beside my feet. I closed the door and started walking toward my house's steps, where my homework was screaming my name. 

"Gem, you going to be okay?" 

"Yeah. I'm going to finish my homework before bed." I turned around, expecting Ashton to be right behind me, wanting to finish what he had started to do back at Tasty Treats. Instead, he was at the edge of the sidewalk, not moving forward as if an invisible barrier kept him there. "I'll see you tomorrow at school." 

"Coffee before school?" He smiled and turned toward his house. 

"Sure. Night, Ashton." 

"Night." He turned around, smiled, ran across his yard, up his steps, and disappeared through the front door. While I was left standing in the moonlight, staring at his front door, hoping he'd run out, take me in his arms and kiss me. I waited a few seconds like girls do in the movies, and still nothing. Did my breath stink? I cupped my hand in front of my mouth and exhaled. Nope. I turned and shuffled my feet toward the porch, wondering what had changed from the parking lot to now. Did Ty say something to him that changed his mind about me? I stood inches from the front door, staring at the door handle, not really wanting to go inside. Then again, I didn't want to look like an idiot standing here, either. I glanced toward his house, sighed, and unlocked the front door. I stepped inside and leaned back, gazing out the door, hoping to find Ashton staring at me. All I found was his car sitting in the driveway and the memories from a perfect day. 

Wednesday morning came with mixed feelings of sadness and excitement, leaving me confused as hell. What had changed so much in such a few short minutes that he didn't want to kiss me? Did he come to his senses and realize it was me? I threw back the covers and headed for a shower, hoping the drain would swallow me. 

Mom was leaning against the counter, grasping her coffee mug with both hands and staring at nothing in particular across the room. "Morning," I said as I opened the refrigerator door. 

"We need to talk, Gemma." Mom lowered her cup an inch from her mouth. 

"Mom, Ashton's taking me to school for coffee. Can we talk later after school?" I motioned my thumb over my shoulder toward the hallway. 

"I just have to say this one thing. I'm sorry for always being gone. I'll do better." 

"Okay, Mom. I'll see you later after school." I blew her a kiss, turned, and rushed out of the kitchen and down the hall toward the front door before she could stop me again. I opened the front door and found Ashton walking up the steps, looking hot in his tight shirt and dark jeans. Anything looked good on him. "Hey." I stepped outside, closing the door behind me. 

"Coffee?" He turned, letting me walk down the steps first. 

"Sure." I smiled. "I'm going to get a muffin to eat on the way to school." I placed my hand on the handle of the passenger door. I went to yank on the door, but it didn't budge. My eyes wandered to the top of the door where Ashton's hand held the door shut. His cologne tickled my senses, making me crave to be closer, wanting his hands on my body. 

"I should've done this last night." He moved closer, and before I could say another word, he pressed his lips to mine, our lips brushing against one another, igniting a fire deep in my soul. A fire that raged out of control for one guy only, Ashton.