Fifteen

Will

It was Christmas. We’d done sleigh rides, caroling at people’s houses I didn’t know and would probably never see again, we’d watched a theater version of A Christmas Carol, and then the version with Mickey Mouse on TV with Ashton’s step-nieces and nephews. Our days had been cram packed. Our nights had been…honestly, the best in my life. She started waiting until everyone else in the house was asleep before sneaking into my room. And I’d become very practiced at not making any sort of sound, not when she sucked me down her throat, not when I ran my hands over every inch of her, and not when we made love…

And I was in love with her. I was desperately, totally and completely in love with her. It felt strange to think about being in love. I never had been before. I mean, I’d had my share of girlfriends over the years and even now I could still count most of them as friends. But nothing had ever been like this before, no one had ever reached into my soul and touched me down deep the way Ashton had. She was this amazing mix of sweet and fire all rolled into one, and in the most gorgeous package. I could spend my days just looking at her, I really could. I was out of my mind, totally and completely out of my mind. And so very much in love with her. I wasn’t even sure how that had happened.

After a late night spent with her mom’s family on Christmas Eve and an even later night in my bedroom, I woke up early to find Ashton sneaking out of my room.

“Hey,” I whispered, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Where are you going?”

She flashed me a smile that made my dick hard in less than a second. “Everyone’s going to be up soon. It’s Christmas. Time to unwrap presents.”

“Come back and let me unwrap you instead.”

She shook her head, but she walked back to the bed anyway, her pretty red hair flowing over her shoulders. “Come on,” she whispered. “You have to get up.”

“Oh, I’m up,” I told her.

“You have a one-track mind.”

“It’s your fault.” I reached my hand out to her. “If you weren’t so gorgeous and sexy...”

Ashton giggled as she took my hand, and then I pulled her back into bed beside me and then curled around her.

“You’re going to get me into trouble,” she said as I slid my hand under the waistband of her flannel bottoms and then into her panties.

“Come on. It’s Christmas,” I urged as I brushed my fingers across her clit.

“Will!” Her breath hitched, and I knew I had her.

I nuzzled against her neck, inhaling that floral scent of hers, and then I pressed my finger into her familiar warmth. She was wet, like she always was, and I slid another finger inside her. “Just a quick one,” I promised.

She kissed me as I tugged her pajamas and panties over her ass and down her legs. And she kissed me while I dropped them over the edge of my bed. And she kissed me as I yanked a condom from the table by my bed. She held my gaze with her pretty blue eyes as I tore the wrapper open and rolled the condom over my dick.

“Just a quick one,” she reminded me.

And it was a shame. There was nothing in the world I loved more than caressing every inch of her soft skin, taking my time as I rolled her nipples between my thumb and forefinger, sucking on her clit and making her come over and over.

But it would have to be a quick one.

I kneed her legs apart, grabbed her waist with one hand, and my gaze locked with hers as she wrapped her legs around me. I pushed inside her and almost came. Fuck. It had to be a quick one, but not that quick.

A breath escaped her at my entrance and she tightened around me. God, there was nothing in the world like making love to Ashton. I leaned forward and kissed her again as I slowly retreated from her before thrusting again. She tasted like heaven, she smelt like heaven, and her body wrapped around mine felt like heaven.

Ashton slid her arms around my back and the touch of her fingers against my skin was almost electric. Fire coursed through me and I increased my pace. Beneath me, she panted softly, taking each thrust, and her gaze held mine like nothing ever had. I’d never felt this connection to anyone else in my life.

A gasp escaped her and her nails dug into my back as she clenched around me. There was nothing in the world prettier than Ashton Sommers coming. My balls tightened and then hot seed burst from my dick.

I collapsed beside her and she turned in my arms. “I’m so glad you came home with me for Christmas.”

And so was I. I don’t think I’d ever been more glad about anything in my life. “I’ll come with you anywhere you want, Ash.”

She playfully smacked my chest. “Seriously, Will?”

“What?” I frowned down at her.

“You’ll come anywhere I want?”

I bit back a smile. “I did not mean that the way you took it. Some little redhead has a dirty mind.”

That blush I was so used to tinted her cheeks. “Some people think I’m frigid.”

Fucking Campbell. “Well, those people are idiots.” Then I did smile. “But I’m just fine being the only one who knows the truth. Don’t feel like you need to let anyone else in on the secret.”

She leaned closer to me and kissed me softly. “Merry Christmas.”

“Ashton!” her father’s voice boomed down the hallway. Almost right outside my door. Shit!

Ashton

Shit! I knew I shouldn’t have let Will talk me into staying. Dad would shit if he found us together like that. I just about leapt out of bed, and my feet landed on my flannel pajamas.

“Ashton!”

Shit! Dad was almost there.

I almost tripped trying to pull my pajamas back on. I wasn’t even sure where my underwear was.

The door handle started to turn. I raced across the room, next to the door so that it would block me, and I gestured to Will for him to pretend to be asleep. He closed his eyes just as the door opened and I heard my dad sigh.

“Where the hell is she?”

Just about six inches away with just a door hiding me. Please, Dad, go away. My adrenaline was racing and I was almost positive Dad could hear my heartbeat, it was pounding so fast.

But then the door closed and I sank against the wall in relief. And all the air in me whooshed out.

Will peeked an eye open. Then he tossed the blanket aside so I could see every naked inch of him. “Just a quick one?” He grinned.

Jerk. I flipped him off, which only made him laugh. Then I turned back to the door. What if Dad was just waiting on the other side for me to poke my head out? I inched back across the room and immediately saw my underwear right next to Will’s bed. Shit. Dad hadn’t seen that, right?

“Go to the bathroom,” I whispered.

“Why?” He frowned.

“Check to see if my dad’s in the hallway or if I can make a run for it.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed a pair of boxers from his suitcase. He put them on, and then tugged me into his arms. “Best Christmas morning ever, Ash.”

Yeah, up until Dad almost walked in on us. “I would not have pegged you as an adrenaline-junkie, Will.”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “Just addicted to you.”

And I couldn’t help but smile at that. I was pretty addicted to him too. “We’ll both be dead if he finds me in here, so head towards the bathroom, ok?”

“He doesn’t have any guns though, right?”

I shook my head. Not that that meant anything. “Dad wouldn’t need a gun.”

He heaved a sigh and slid his hands from my waist. “All right, I’ll head toward the bathroom.”

“And act tired,” I said as he reached for the door. “You know, like you just woke up.”

He opened the door, yawned and stepped into the hallway. Then he poked his head back in the room. “Coast is clear. Go quick.”

And I bolted from his room toward the back staircase. Dad would have already searched my room, and I was hedging my bets that he hadn’t searched the game room, down below. If he had, I was fucked.

Nobody was in the stairwell and nobody was in the game room. So I grabbed a fleece throw blanket from the edge of the sectional and curled up, like I’d slept there all night.

I didn’t have to wait long. Less than five minutes passed before I heard my dad’s unmistakable stomping down the steps.

“Ashton?” he asked.

I groaned like I was asleep.

“Were you down here all night?”

I groaned again.

“Hey, wake up, Princess. It’s Christmas.”

I slowly blinked my eyes open. “Dad?” And then I swiped at my eyes.

“You scared me to death. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“Must’ve fallen asleep down here,” I lied, and then pushed up on my elbows. “What time is it?”

“It’s Christmas morning. Get up.”

I kicked the fleece throw off me and bounced from the sectional. “Merry Christmas, Daddy,” I said as I hugged him quickly.

He squeezed me and then sniffed. “You smell…like sex.”

Pretty sure my heart just stopped. “Dad!” I gasped. “I cannot believe you just said to me! So gross.”

“Were you down here all night?” He glared at me.

“Yes!” I lied indignantly, my hands on my hips and my chin thrust upward, glaring right back at him. “God, Dad.”

“Then go take a shower,” he said, looking at me like he still didn’t believe me. He could probably tell I was lying. He was a pretty good liar himself. He had to know all the telltale signs, right?

Will

Mr. Sommers almost knocked me down in the hallway. He barely grunted an “Excuse me” as he barreled toward the front door. Then he bellowed, “Going out!” before slamming the door with such a force the glass panes shook a little in their frames.

And then the place was so quiet all I could hear was a shower running somewhere in the distance and the heat coming through the vents.

I breathed out a breath. The man was clearly pissed. Probably at me. I was lucky he hadn’t smashed my head into the wall as he’d passed me. I probably should keep my distance from Ashton over the next week. If I was as smart as she seemed to think I was, I’d give it my best shot. But I knew myself. My resolve would last all of 5 seconds. She’d smile at me and it would be over.

I started for the sun room, since it always seemed to be the most private place in the house. I could sit there and wait for Ashton, play around on my phone. Better than mingling with her family, if I didn’t have to. Not that I didn’t like them, I did…But it still felt a little awkward hanging out with them when she wasn’t there.

So I dropped into one of the cushioned chairs, looked out at the blanket of snow covering the landscape, and then I pulled out my phone. Ten o’clock. Too early back home to call and wish anyone Merry Christmas yet. But not too early to call Chase since he was still on Virginia time. I tapped his name and waited for his overly cheerful voice.

He answered on the third ring. He didn’t sound cheerful. “What the fuck, Parke?”

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked.

“You’re waking me up on a holiday. That’s what’s wrong with me.”

“You’re not on Virginia time anymore?” And I did feel bad, but only a little. He had, woken me a few days earlier.

He grumbled something I couldn’t quite make out over the phone. Sounded a little like ‘Go to hell.’

“You want me to call later?” I asked.

He blew out a breath. Loudly. “Well, you woke me up now. Merry fucking Christmas.”

I laughed. “Sorry, man. I thought you’d be up.”

“Late night with Jamie.”

His ex again. “What does that mean?” I asked. “You breaking up with Avery? Or just what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her?”

“I don’t know, Parke.” He blew out another breath. “She’s so young, you know?”

“Yeah, she’s in high school.” I agreed. I wasn’t even sure what he saw in the girl. I mean, she was pretty and was a great singer, but you know…high school. And there were a lot of girls of legal age at Wheston. Or… maybe back in Phoenix.

“Avery’s cool,” he said in defense of his much younger girlfriend. “But young, and… I don’t know. Jamie gets me and…” He grumbled more under his breath. “Why don’t you get out of my head. What’s going on with Ashton?”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I’m pretty sure Ashton’s perfect.”

“Oh, she’s got you.” The first time that morning, he laughed. “I have never heard you sound like that. Not one time.”

That was the truth of it too, and I knew it. “Chase, there is not another girl like her in the world. At least not one I’ve met.”

“Does that mean your balls aren’t blue anymore?”

Pretty far from that. “Hey, that tweet is gone. Don’t mention it to her. She’ll kill me.”

“Or make your balls turn blue again.”

That might be a fate worse than death.

“Don’t mention what to who?” Ashton’s voice came from the doorway and my stomach twisted.

Shit. “Chase, I’ll call you later.” I looked up to find Ashton frowning slightly at me.

“Good luck,” he said as I disconnected the call.

I was going to need luck. “Hey, Ash.”

“Don’t tell who what?” she repeated.

I wasn’t going to lie to her. But maybe I could distract her. I pushed out of the cushioned chair I’d been in and reached my hand out to her. “Hey, I think your dad hates me even more than he did before.” That was the truth. Just not the one she was asking for.

“Why?” Her frown darkened as she let me pull her into my arms.

“Ran out of here. Yelled he was leaving. Almost knocked me down in the hallway.”

She wrinkled up her nose. “He said I smelled like sex.”

Yeah, he definitely hated me then. “Great,” I muttered.

Ashton tilted her head to one side and said, “But you didn’t answer my question, Will. You said someone was going to kill you and to not tell her something. Am I that someone?”

So much for the distracting her theory. “I tweeted something I shouldn’t have.” I heaved out a sigh. “But I deleted it almost instantly,” I added quickly.

Her red hair swayed as she shook her head. “I’m not even following you on Twitter. I guess I should, huh?”

“You don’t have to,” I said.

“Uh-huh.” She narrowed her eyes on me. “What did you tweet?”

So embarrassing. “That I was, um, suffering from blue balls.”

“Will!” she gasped.

“I deleted it,” I said again. “Honest to God.”

“Did anyone see it?”

I do have a lot of new followers. But I thought mentioning that might get me kicked in the shins. “Chris replied to the tweet. But I took it right down.”

“My brother saw that?” She winced.

“He does follow me.” I shrugged. I mean, she already knew that.

She pushed out of my arms and looked really pissed. “Damn it, Will. Why would you do that?”

I wasn’t even sure. “I’m just used to venting on Twitter. Nobody usually cares.”

“Yeah, well, I care. It’s not bad enough you have the whole school laughing at me, and now—”

“No one even knows it’s you, Ash.”

“Fuck you, Will.” She shook her head in annoyance as she started from the sunroom.

Shit. “Ashton.” I started to follow her.

But she turned back around and poked me in the chest. “Just leave me alone, ok?”

That was the last thing I wanted to do, though. But the expression on her face said she’d like to rip my head right off my neck. So I thought it might be best if I gave her a little space to cool down just a little. “Ok, I’ll just be right here.”

She didn’t say another word as she stalked out of the room. I was definitely in trouble. But she’d forgive me, right? I mean, it wasn’t really even about her. It was about the situation.