Getting to Know You

Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

ASHOTN’S POV:

I sat down on the bed as Natalie instructed, crossing my legs Indian-style as I waited for her.  She sat down in front of me with her sketchbook in her lap and two pencils in her hand.  She reached up and twisted her hair into a knot, sticking a pencil into it to keep it up.

“How does that not fall out?”  I mused, wondering how that skinny pencil was keeping her thick curls on top of her head.

“I don’t really know.”  She laughed, scooting forward until our knees were touching.  I smiled at the sound of her laugh, grateful that all thoughts and feelings toward Marcus were left where they belonged:  with Marcus.

“How do you want me to pose?”  I asked, grunting dramatically as I flexed my arms.  She laughed, leaning forward and playfully slapping my chest.  She grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me forward, bringing her lips to mine.  "Take off your shirt."  She whispered against my lips, kissing them softly one more time before she let me go. 

"So I am posing nude."  I teased, slipping my shirt over my head.

"You're posing shirtless."  She corrected, biting her lip as she considered whether or not she would actually draw me naked.  "We'll save the naked session for another time."  She winked, opening her sketchbook.  I took her face between my hands, making sure she was looking at me.  "Promise?"  I asked seriously, making her laugh.  She kissed me with a smile on her lips and cupped my chin in her hand, tilting my head slightly. “Promise.  Now stay just like that.” She said, kissing me once more before she leaned back and adjusted her sketchbook in her lap.

“Find something to look at so you don’t move too much.” She said, swiping her pencil across the paper for the first time without even looking down; she was looking at me. I looked right back at her, a small smile twitching at the corners of my mouth as I stared into her deep brown eyes. I had found something to look at.

I started at her eyes the entire time, chuckling when she squinted to get a better look at me. My gaze followed hers whenever she glanced down at her drawing, always meeting her eyes again when she looked back up.

After staring at Natalie for twenty five minutes, I had started to fidget a little. I could only stare at her for so long without touching her in some way; she was gorgeous, and I couldn’t resist. I wanted to feel her, I needed to feel her. I slowly reached out and brushed my fingertips across her knees, my whole body tingling as I felt her smooth skin against my fingers.

“I’m almost done, Ash.”  She chuckled, thinking that I was fidgeting because I was tired of posing, but that wasn’t exactly true.

“You have lovely eyes.” I said when she looked up from her lap, making her blush. "Thank you, Ash." She said softly, looking back down at her drawing. I leaned forward and she put her hand on my chest. 

"Ash, don't move." She said. 

"I'll go back."  I chuckled, reaching forward and pulling the pencil from her hair, smiling as I watched her mess of curls fall over her shoulders and down the sides of her neck. I sat back down and continued to stare at her, only lasting a few seconds before I leaned forward again. 

"Ashton, don't mo-" I pressed my lips to hers softly.

"Ash-"

"You're beautiful, Natalie Owens."  I smiled against her lips.  "Did you know that?"  I asked, kissing her again.  She didn't push me away this time.  Instead, she dropped her sketchbook on the floor and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down on top of her.  She rolled over so she was laying on my chest, and I slipped her shirt over her head, shivering when her bare torso landed on mine.