Page 19 of Make You Miss Me

Winking back, she replies, “Sure thing hotshot.”She pauses then asks, “Okay, what about you? What was your favorite memory growing up?”

I pause to think for a moment while taking another pull from the milkshake straw.

“I would say camping on the beach with Greyson as a kid. The beach starts not too far from the end of my property, so we would trek across my yard and through a small, wooded area and set up camp there. We would pack up a wagon with all the essentials that a nine- and ten-year-old would think we needed to survive overnight. So clearly nothing helpful.” I let out a laugh, recalling those nights.

“I remember this one time we forgot our snacks back at the house and we both refused to go get them. I didn’t want to go back because it was G’s fault we didn’t have it. He didn’t want to go because he said it was my fault, so clearly neither of us went back to refusing to admit responsibility. We were so fucking hungry, too. My mom must have known and right before she went to bed that night, she showed up with our packed cooler of snacks. Said she was waiting to see if we would cave, but couldn’t bear to let us starve to death, either.”

“That sounds amazing. I could just picture the two of you with your backpacks and flashlights venturing out and fending for yourselves.”

“Yeah, those were the days.”

We continue asking each other questions and getting to know one another for what seems like only a short while. It isn’t until Fran drops off our check that I realize It’s almost two a.m.

Not wanting this night to end, I try to convince her to come back with me. “What would you say if I asked you again to come back to the hotel with me tonight?”

She goes to reply, but I quickly blurt out, “We don’t even have to do anything besides talk. I’m really enjoying getting to know you.”

Ashley quirks her eyebrow at me, as if questioning my intentions.

“Okay, not going to lie. I would love to touch you. In fact, I would love to tie you to my bed and never let you leave. Making you come undone beneath me until the sun comes up. But… if all you want is to talk, I’ll take that too.”

Her gaze drops to her hands again.

Shit.

“Listen, you don’t have to say anything. I get it, well, sort of… It is what it is. If you change your mind, I’m in room 525.” I slide the extra key card across the table.

She’s still quiet beside me. So, I decide I need to man up and accept our fate.

This shit sucks.

I throw down enough cash to cover our check and a tip for Fran. I kiss her on the cheek and stand to leave.

“I had a great time with you tonight, Ash. I hope you change your mind… about everything.”

She finally looks up at me with glassy eyes. “I wish I could, more than you know.”

“Goodbye, doll,” I say and leave the diner.

I don’t look back, unwilling to see the tears I know are cascading down her cheeks.

This can’t be over, not yet at least.

Ashley-

I am a complete train wreck of emotions right now. From feeling such relief after talking with Cass to utter excitement when I felt Trent’s touch. Then that excitement morphed to complete terror when I recognized two of Gio’s men walking to a table on the main floor of Masqued while Trent’s arms were wrapped around me.

Ugh! Not to mention the absolute war in my head over whether I should take Trent up on his offer, especially after getting to know him more at the diner.

See… I, Ashley Castrovinci, am a TOTAL fucking disaster right now!

I felt terrible rushing Trent out of Masqued and then making him wait so long for me at the diner knowing he came all this way to surprise me. But once I saw Gio’s men, I was more concerned about our safety. Leaving the club right after him, I took the long route to the diner just in case anyone was trailing me.

The men that were there aren’t the guys I’ve seen following me in the past, so it could have just been a coincidence. Regardless, I wasn’t taking any chances.

Getting to know Trent tonight just made things that much harder. Seeing those sexy green eyes in person had me wanting so badly to throw caution to the wind.

Coming home to an empty house doesn’t help with my wandering thoughts. My parents are on one of their many lavish weekends away, and my brother has his own place now. He hasn’t lived here in quite some time, but his absence is still felt.

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