Hating You to Love Me

9. Ashley

I waited, for a whole five minutes. He stayed like that, I could feel the flutter of his lashes on my neck. He wasn't asleep or unconscious. He was the real Alex, who wasn't afraid of not having an answer. I wondered what had gotten into him. Alcohol of course.

"Ashley." He whispered again and I took another deep breath. Waiting for him to continue. "I think you might just die of high heart rate." Damn him! Another beat left as I pushed him back and he looked up at me. I myself could feel the heat flowing through my veins, my cheeks must be red because he was staring at them longer than usual.

"Peach." He smiled and I just flailed, freeing myself from his touch before I got up from his lap. But he didn't stop. He held my wrist. I didn't look back over my shoulder. I was flushed AF. Ofcourse I didn't like him but the attraction. Damn. Him!

"Don't call me that." I warned but he chuckled yet again.

"Thankyou peach." He said, completely ignoring what I asked him not to do.

"For what?" I didn't want to look back. I stood there waiting for him to continue but he didn't. He set my wrist free. I turned my head and he was still looking at me.

"Answer me dammit!" He was doing this on purpose and I couldn't help but feel a nerve popping on my forehead. I walked closer and he raised himself up on his feet.
"Yea?" He smirked.

"I need an answer, do not confuse me." I said, looking up in those eyes of his. The same eyes that looked at me when I cried the night before. I was reminded how he held me, nestled in his chest. The feeling of warmth washed my head and my body thinking about it. The anger diminishing as I got lost in my thoughts.

"I love how I can get you all worked up in mere seconds." He pushed a strand of my hair behind as his hand slowly traveled down to my neck and he held it gently, rubbing his thumb gently on it. I was stiffer but patient. I'd not flinch. He was so drunk. And Of-course he might be that touchy, only because he couldn't get a hold on himself.

"I love working you." He said and I saw a dark glint pass his eyes as he stared at me. He had never passed me this look, the look of deep desire and that look that I knew very well. A look that warned me to run away but yet surrender myself to him. I blinked as I felt my heart rate rise.

"Why don't you just kiss me and get over with it? What's with that hungry look in your eyes." I raised a brow and he laughed lightly.

"Once I do, there is no 'over it'." He said as he leaned down pecking my lips. "Good night." He smiled as he walked upstairs leaving me all confused. What the fuck did he mean? What's even wrong with him? He didn't have to say that stuff. Jerk.

****

I entered the room, pushing the door close behind me. Alex was nowhere, I guessed he was in the bathroom. I hurried to the bed as I settled as quickly as possible. I had one goal in my head, to fall asleep before he entered the room but so unlucky I was. There wasn't a single desire to sleep in me. I was wide awake no matter how many sheep I counted.

I heard the bathroom door slide and his footsteps rang in my ears. It was all too awkward for me. All of it was dawning upon me like a cold ice bucket. I closed my eyes under the covers. I could smell his cologne wafting off his freshly bathed body, all the scent of alcohol was gone. I didn't move but I allowed my body to relax, then it struck me. Last night, a familiar warmth dawned in my heart.

I opened my eyes slowly, failing to keep them shut. I turned my head, and I noticed how he was dressed in his grey t-shirt and navy shorts. He dried his hair with one hand and other rested alongside his torso. He turned his head in my direction. "I know you hate the scent of alcohol." He muttered and my heart stopped. Yes, I did. How did he still remember it?

I kept staring at him. A million questions filled my head. He put the smaller towel aside as he made his way onto the bed. He laid there on his side. I turned myself around facing him. We both laid on a safe distance, facing each other. "Thankyou." I couldn't hold back the smile forming on my lips.

"You're welcome." He did too. There was silence as we laid there. I realised how we weren't arguing but conversing. Weird.

"How was your day? Had fun?" I asked him, curious and ready to waft off the awkwardness. I put both my hands together and then placed my head on top. He mimicked my actions. "I am so tired because it was so fun." He smiled, maybe at the revision of the whole trip.

"Why didn't grandma come back?" I asked and I noticed a small drop in his smile before it turned into a grin. "Apparently she wanted to give us alone time and was too tired to ride back home. It's a three hour drive." He said and It left me confused. He drove his way back all alone? For me?

"Why would you take a three hour drive back alone?" I frowned and he just sighed.

"Wouldn't you ask me what I did today?" He said changing the topic swiftly. I let it pass, I will ask him again someday because getting a little knowledge of what fun he had seemed like a better choice.
"I really want to know." I nodded lightly.

He turned on his back, facing the ceiling. "First we visited grandpa in the graveyard, offered him roses and let him in on my secrets." He looked at me and winked. I chuckled. I loved seeing him being back. The alex from all those years ago was coming alive and I didn't seem to be cautious anymore. I knew it would happen, and I knew what was next. But for that moment, listening to him was important. Very important. God knows he might have another mood swing and ruin everything.

"Then we visited her brother's farm. It's a three hours drive so we enjoyed some rock, then indie and pop. It was fun, I was me today. No, I am me today and it feels good. We enjoyed shooting range, a few drinks and a good lunch. Again in the evening we went to a village bar, it was so fun dancing and catching up with my countryside family. And then I left early cause I had to come back here, safely." He sighed and turned his head to me.

"What did you do today?" He asked as he once again turned on his side, pulling covers over himself. He shifted closer, a little too much but I didn't mind it. I stared at him for a couple seconds before my eyes fell on his lips. No, luscious lips.