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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Ashley smiles at me, a warm, radiant smile that makes the butterflies in my stomach go wild. I can feel my cheeks heat up, my heart beating a little faster. She has that effect on me—effortless and powerful.
"I spoke with Richard," she says casually, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "He was a bit worried about William, but I convinced him to give him an extra-large paycheck, even though I ended up playing for him tonight."
"Wow, Ashley," I say, genuinely impressed.
"What?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing," I reply, shaking my head with a smile. "I'm just taken aback by what a good person you are."
She laughs softly, a sound that always manages to warm my heart. "You ready to head home?"
"Are you ready to go home?" I ask, feeling a bit hopeful, thinking maybe we'll finally get some time alone.
She hesitates for a moment, glancing toward the door. "You can go ahead without me. I think... I think I'm going to check in on William again. I won't be long, don't worry," she says, her smile genuine, but there's a flicker of concern in her eyes.
"I can come with you," I offer, not wanting her to go alone in this late hour.
"No," she says quickly, shaking her head. "You've already done so much tonight. You must be exhausted. Go back, rest. I'll come back soon."
"You promise?" I ask, feeling a mix of concern and disappointment.
"Promise," she replies, her smile softening.
"Okay then," I sigh. "I'll see you later."
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I throw on my jacket, grab my bag, and give the club one last glance before heading out. Michael already left. The night air is colder than I expected, biting at my skin as I step outside. I pull my jacket tighter around me and start walking down the street. It doesn't feel like summer at all—more like the dead of winter. I can see my breath puffing out in front of me as I walk.
