Chim- Sunrises through the skylight

Chapter 3

Cheryl's POV

Lamps around the house are lit. I turn on the porch light so that if Ashley is roaming around, he knows that someone is home, even though my car isn't there. I don't particularly like being home alone. I ponder calling my mam, but I don't want her freaking out about Ashley, or the messages or anything of that nature.

I pick my phone up from the counter and continue texting him.

"Babe, please pick up."

After two minutes, all the messages say 'delivered' but not 'read'. I start to call him. Voicemail. Sh!t.

I go back to texting him, but now the messages say 'read'. A grey speech bubble filled with dots appears on the left side of the screen. My heart drops. It could be his brother texting to say they found him, it could be Kimberley saying the same thing, or it could be Ashley talking to me. My heart rate speeds up as each minute goes by.

3 minutes later a message comes through.

"Hey."

"Ashley? Are you ok? Where are you?"

"Start locking your doors babe"

"What???"

"Cheryl."

I scream. Ashley is standing in the hallway. His clothes are soaking wet, I hadn't realised it had started raining. His hand is clutching a single daffodil.

My face lights up as a smile creeps along one side of his face; a smirk even.

I step towards him with open arms and he spreads his too.

He holds me tightly, but not too tightly. I feel safe. I feel loved. It feels perfect. I missed this.

He lets go and twirls the flower between his fingers.

"None of the flower shops are open at 2am." He laughs lightly.

"So you picked a daff from me garden instead."

"Daffs we both planted."

Our foreheads press against each other. I drop the flower as his lips meet mine. He takes a deep breath through his nose and mutters against my lips "God I missed you"

His hands move down to my bum and then to my thigh. I lift it and curl my leg around the back of his. His other hand explores my hair and the back of my neck, as if he's never touched me before. It seems so new to him, but he is so gentle; like I'm some sort of precious metal or a rare jewel that he must not damage.

I spring up on my tip toes and wrap both of my legs around his waist. The flower is trampled at his feet now. He walks slowly to the kitchen and sits me on the counter. Our lips are still pressed against each other, and his tongue still gently touching mine every now and again. He takes off my Ugg boots one by one, then unzips my jumper.

"God I want you."

"Do it Ashley." I whisper like wind as he sucks on my neck.

His hands go underneath my top and around to my back. His hands are so strong, but so soft.

ZZZZZ. My phone buzzes behind me.

Ashley ignores it, but it's a call. He continues to suck on my neck and my shoulder and my chest, but I move my hand behind me and reach for the phone.

"Babe."

"Mm"

"Babe stop, it's Kimberley."

"Tell her to go away."