She is beautiful. Never in my life have I seen a woman so gorgeous. I stare at her like I'm in a trance. I must be, because it's impossible to look away. Her red lips. Her soft closed eyes. He long blonde hair. Her hips. Her hands in the red sparkly...
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Suddenly, Lacy's voice pierces the quiet evening air, calling out, "Ashley! We just got our paycheck!" I turn to see Lacy waving energetically from across the street. She's grinning from ear to ear, her excitement palpable.
I look back at Ashley, our faces so close I can feel the warmth of her breath. She glances toward Lacy and then back at me, her expression conflicted. "I gotta go," she says softly, her voice tinged with reluctance.
"Yeah," I reply, my heart sinking as I realize I have to let her go. I dread the moment she'll leave my arms, and then, all too quickly, she slips away from me. In a flash, she's gone—out of my sight, out of my arms, and I'm left standing there, feeling an aching void where she just was.
I want to feel her again, to hold her, to kiss her, to make her mine. The longing is almost unbearable, and as I watch her disappear into the distance, all I can think about is how much I need her.
The next day, I wake up early. The barracks are quiet, with the first light of dawn just beginning to seep through the curtains. Training is scheduled for later, but for now, I lie in bed, savoring the peaceful moment. Ashley is asleep beside me, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. She looks so serene, so beautiful, just like she did yesterday. Her hair, still slightly damp from the rain, curls softly around her face.
I know I should get up and prepare for the day, but I can't bring myself to leave her. I already dread the moment I have to pull on my uniform and head out the door, leaving her behind. But duty calls, and after a few more stolen moments, I quietly slip out of bed. As I stand at the door, fully dressed in my soldier's uniform, I can't resist looking back at her one last time before leaving. She's still asleep, her peaceful expression making it even harder to walk away.
Today's training is grueling, as always. The drills are relentless, and every muscle in my body aches with exhaustion. But no matter how tough it gets, my mind keeps drifting back to Ashley—her smile, her laughter, the way she looked yesterday with her hair wet from the rain. I can't shake the image of her from my thoughts.
By the time training is over, the sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the town. The nightclub hasn't opened yet; it only comes alive after dark. But Ashley had shown me a way to sneak in through the back door, a safety measure in case of a fire, so it can't be locked. I make my way through the quiet streets and slip inside, navigating through the dimly lit corridors until I find her.
She's standing at her worktable, her focus entirely on the dress she's altering. The dress is stunning—a tight black number with intricate detailing that she's meticulously adjusting. A cigarette dangles from her lips as she carefully threads a needle through the fabric. I can't help but admire her skill, the way her hands move with such precision and grace.
I approach quietly, not wanting to startle her, but she senses my presence before I can speak. "Lacy, I told you I don't have time for—" she starts, but then stops when she realizes it's me. "Oh, it's you, Michael. Don't sneak up on me like that again, or I might kick you in a place you really don't want to be kicked," she warns, though there's a playful glint in her eyes.
