Ash's Darling | ✔

Chapter 11

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer to me. I kissed her forehead as she tried, and failed, to look over my shoulder. I chuckled and moved to the side to let her see what I was cooking. "Are those chocolate chip pancakes?" She gasped excitedly.

"They are, indeed." I lifted her chin with my index finger and brought my lips down on hers.

"Those are my favorite." She said, breaking the kiss. "How did you know?"

I pulled her back to me so I could kiss her again. "I'm just a good guesser." I mumbled against her lips.

We started kissing again when I smelled something burning. I cursed and ran over to the stove. Grabbing my spatula, I scooped the burning pancake out of the pan. I turned around to throw the pancake in the trash when I saw Esther trying to suppress a laugh. "If you laugh I'll make you eat it." I threatened, throwing her a playful glare.

I chucked the pancake in the trash and turned back to make a new one. I saw Esther lean against the counter, watching me while I poured more batter into the pan. I turned the burner to low heat and walked over to the counter Esther was leaning against. I lifted her up onto the counter and leaned towards her, wanting more of her.

She leaned away from me. "Ah ah ah," She put her finger to my lips as if to say 'shush'. "I'd like to eat this pancake, not burn it."

I groaned and walked back to the stove to check on the pancake. Flipping it, I turned around and walked back over to stand in between Esther's legs. I leaned forward, holding onto her waist so she couldn't move. "Please, just one more?" What can I say, she's addicting.

"We're begging now, are we?" She laughed. I don't care what I have to do, I just want another kiss.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up and kiss me already." She giggled and leaned forward, pecking me on the lips. "Seriously? That's it?"

"Yep, now go get the pancake so it doesn't burn."

"Yes, ma'am." I mocked as I rolled my eyes.

I finished cooking and gave Esther a plate as I started to get some pancakes onto mine. I reached over to the counter near the stove to get syrup and realized it wasn't there anymore. I turned around and found the culprit. Esther had already snatched it and was pouring it onto her pancakes. "I was going to get that for you, darling." I walked over and sat next to her at the table.

"You were busy so I got it for myself." She shrugged.

I chuckled and watched as she took her first bite, moaning from the taste. Fuck, Don't think about it. Now is not the time, Ash. I leaned over and kissed her neck and mumbled in her ear. "I love that sound."

She paused and started blushing. She looked down at her plate, trying to hide the blushing. I lifted her head and kissed her lips. "Don't be embarrassed, darling."

I sat back in my chair and started eating. As I took my first bite I realized how fucking great of a chef I am.

No wonder Esther moaned, these are fucking amazing.

Esther finished her plate in a matter of seconds and I was going to ask if she wanted another one when her phone started ringing from upstairs. "I'll be right back." She stated as she got up from the table and ran upstairs. I finished my pancakes as Esther was on the phone and when I was done I put our plates in the sink. I heard Esther run downstairs as I was rinsing the syrup off the plates. I turned around and saw that she had changed clothes and thrown her hair up in a bun while she was upstairs. She seemed out of breath as she turned to me. "Have you seen my shoes?"

"What? Why do you need your shoes? What's going on?"

"Apparently my mom texted me last night saying she wanted me to be home at nine this morning but I never got the text and now she's mad." She rushed.

"Mae, I'm sure it's fine. Your mom seems nice, I'm sure she'll understand. Plus you're not that late anyway, it's only ten." Why is Esther so worried? She's only an hour late, her mom shouldn't be too mad if we just explain what happened.

She stopped looking for her shoes and turned to me. "You don't know her."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head and went back to looking for her shoes. "It's nothing, just help me find my shoes and then drive me home please."

I decided not to ask any more questions, at least not right now, and I helped Esther to find her shoes. I found them under my bed and walked downstairs to give them to Esther. She thanked me and dragged me to my car. "Please hurry up, Ash. I need to get home."

I looked over at her as I put the key in the ignition "Esther, how mad is your mom going to be?" Was her mom really going to be that mad over her not seeing a text?

She was quiet for a minute as I pulled out of my driveway and started driving towards her house. "I don't know, it'll be fine. She'll probably just yell at me for a while but that's it I think."

It was quiet for the rest of the drive and as we pulled into Esther's driveway I barely had time to park before she opened the door and ran towards her house.

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Author notes:

I was really craving chocolate chip pancakes while writing this chapter if y'all can't tell.

Anywho, the next chapter will be up tomorrow around 11am CDT

[Edited 3/16/22]

xoxo ~ Alex