Dress Me Up, Dress Me Down (Ashton Irwin Fanfic)

Chapter 22 (Ashton)

I sat on the window ledge on the outside of Portofino's at 7:20.  I found this cute little Italian restaurant when the lads and I were just exploring.  We joked that we should all go to this place and have a date night together.  I didn't know if Charlotte was one of those girls that were early or fashionably late so I got here early just to be sure.  I looked down at my interlocked hands and squeezed them tightly.  I was a little nervous.  Okay, I was really nervous.  I looked around just to be sure she wasn't walking my way when I wasn't looking.

It was 7:35 when I heard the clicking of heals on the brick sidewalk.  I stood up and looked to my right, and I saw her.  She looked so beautiful.  And I didn't think she could look more beautiful than when I saw her yesterday.  The body hugging red dress looked great against her dark complexion.  Her hair cascaded down in waves.  She tried to let out a smile but bit her lip from smiling too much.  And I'd do anything to bite her lip.

"Hey," she said smiling at the ground and removing her hair from her face.

"Hey," I said with my hands in my back pockets.  God my hands were sweaty.  So much for trying to hold her hand.

"Uh, so I saw the note," she said awkwardly laughing.  "You didn't leave your number."  So that's why she didn't text me, I thought.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot," I said shrugging.

"Yeah, nice strategy," she said smiling.

"What do you mean," I asked.

"Since you didn't leave a number, there would be no way for me to say no.  I couldn't just leave you hanging," she said laughing.

"Oh," I said laughing.  Guess it was a good idea to not leave my number.  Smooth Ashton, smooth.

"Well, I'm starving. Shall we," I said motioning towards the door.

"We shall," she said.  I opened the door for her and followed her inside.