Loving Him (Ashton Irwin a.u.)

Chapter 20

[AN]: A step-by-step guide to chapter 20:
1. locate your tissue box
2. assign yourself a dark corner to migrate to
3. play some sad music (I recommend watching the video I've attached)
4. good luck

Two weeks later, it was St Valentine's Day weekend. Ashton and I both had a long weekend off work we were going to be spending in Barbados. I mean - of all places, I never thought I'd be holidaying in Barbados, especially for just three nights! How cool was that!

I rolled over as soon as I woke up in Ashton's embrace to face him, only to see he was already awake and watching me with an excited expression on his face. "Barbados, baby!" he said in a sleepy voice.

"Flight's in five hours, baby!" I replied with equal enthusiasm, and he groaned in response.

"It's too early in the morning to get up."

"Oh, then I'll just call the airline and ask them to hold the flight for a few hours?"

"That sounds perfect," he said with his eyes closed and a lazy smile taking over his chapped lips.

I watched as he stretched his arms above his head and then curled up into a ball in front of me again, before telling him, "You're so cute."

"I'm not cute," he argued defensively, lazily holding up a finger to sassily wag at me to add oomph to his point. "I'm a man. I'm hot, sexy, handsome, whatever you want, just not cute."

"So I can call you adorable?"

"No, that comes under cute."

"Sweet?"

"No, I'm spicy."

"Endearing?"

"I prefer 'undeniably charming'."

"Fetching?"

"Irresistible."

"Now you'll get me singing Fall Out Boy until I can get that song out my head," I grumbled as I threw the sheets off my body and slowly sat up.

Ashton and I had arranged to sleep at my house (with Aiden) the night before our flight so that we wouldn't have to worry about collecting Aiden's things from Ashton's house minutes before we were going to drop him off with his mum and grandparents - ie. Ashton's sister and parents.

I was surprised at how organised Ashton could be sometimes, but then again I guess he needed to be organised to be a teacher. Once I had gotten him out of bed he was dressed, showered and completely packed within fifteen minutes, whereas is took me the full fifteen minutes just to shower alone. We were both in a taxi with Aiden and two suitcases between us on the way to Ashton's family home within an hour of waking up, which I thought was pretty impressive compared to my usual speed. We had the cab wait while we dropped off Aiden because I wanted to make sure Ashton was quick, even though I understood why he would take his time considering how close he was with his nephew.

"I'll keep the meter running, then?" the driver asked as he pulled over by the curb.

"That's great, thanks," I told him as I pushed Ashton out the car.

"Patience, grasshopper," he mumbled as he gently took my hand and helped me out.

"If you pay the driver I'll be patient." I waited for him to take Aiden out by his car seat before taking his hand and walking up the well-landscaped front garden to the oak wood door.

"Fine," he agreed as we walked, "I'll pay the cab fare."

"Thank you." I rang the bell and kissed his cheek as we waited to greet his family.