Ashley felt a knot in her stomach while he stared back at her with his deep intense gaze. Something about his eyes had always bewitched and she would find herself eventually falling weak for his clear blue eyes.
'He is dangerous for my heart' she thought and averted her gaze before she end up doing something unknowingly that she would later regret.
She slowly turned and was about to step out of the water when he suddenly pulled her back making her sit right in between his legs.
"Where do you think you are going huh? I haven't finished with you yet" he said and found her body stiff as he wrapped his hands around her stomach making her comfortably sit in front of him.
Ashley felt his chest touch her back and a sudden volt of electric power passed through the skin that froze her completely blowing up her mind.
She could feel his hot breath brush her earlobe as he conveyed his words to her completely blocking her thoughts.
Why was her mind and heart not in her control whenever she was close to him? why was she always losing her sense to act rationally, Ashley was going crazy because she had no answer to them.
"You might think of me as a person who is behind your body and that is the reason I am chasing you. But let me tell you, Ashley Brown, just the way you lost your virginity to me I too lost mine to you. You are the very first women who I slept with and I don't regret every single moment I spend with you that night" his sudden confession broke her statue-like demeanor and she swift turned herself looking at him in disbelief.
Ashley didn't know even though she was his first and now she felt more guilty to think of him as those men who whore around. She was so wrong to judge him and now she wanted to erase every thought that she even dare to think about him.
As if the wall around her heart broke completely she leaned closer and sealed his lips taking Tristan by surprise. She didn't want to stop her overflowing emotions and just embrace them with welcoming hands.
This man was too precious to let go and now she was finally realizing it. Her father was right when said to her that he would be the one who would cherish and love her the way she deserved.
The type of love she was expecting from her previous relationship, Tristan was slowly showing her. The tenderness in his every touch and the truthfulness in his every word made her want to believe him and give him a chance to make her feel happy.
She said she wouldn't fall in love again because she had enough but this man she was kissing without holding back was slowly making her fall for him.
Sometimes it takes years to feel love and sometimes it's only a moment that gives you butterflies. And right now she was feeling every possible emotion overflowing through her actions.
Swiftly lifting her, Tristan made Ashley sit on his lap as she wrapped her leg around his perfect torso deepening the kiss. The same passion from that previous night rushed to her mind and she dug her fingers and pulled his head closer to her.
The licking sound of their lips echoed around their entangled body. Ashley had never felt this urgency towards anyone but with Tristan it was different.
He made her feel special with his care and genuineness and now she didn't want to stop herself from letting her fall again. This love that she felt for him came to her surprise and now she wanted to hold it tight and never let it slip away.
Running short of breath finally, the couple decided to pull apart panting heavily and trying to catch their breath as they rested their foreheads together.
"I don't know if this raw feeling towards you is due to attraction but I want to give us a chance Tristan. I want to feel your love and make me happy. And if marrying you can bring me true love and care then yes I will... I will marry you"
Tristan who wasn't expecting this to come after a hot passionate smooch felt his heart accelerate on her confession and he blinked his eyes pulling back and staring at her face with utter confusion.
"W-what did you say?" he asked as he shook his head trying to grasp whatever comes next.
Ashley cupped his face and looked straight into his eyes before she confirmed, "Marry me and make me happy" her words came like a fresh breeze of life and he burst into a contagious smile pulling her for a kiss again.
Tristan couldn't believe what he just heard but one thing he notice was Ashley being truthful with the words she said and that was enough for him to believe it.
"Are you sure you are not joking?" he asked knitting his brows and again asked.
"Do you want me to change my mind?" Ashley who had never taken the initiative before had proposed to him without thinking twice frowned when she saw how reluctant he was to believe her.
Tristan widen his eyes at her remark and shook his head holding her close," No...! I won't let you back now" he said tightening his grip on her which made Ashley chuckle.
Things changed so drastically between them and now both Ashley and Tristan wanted to make their bond stronger and unbreakable.
The second chance that Tristan was blessed with turned in his favor and now he wanted to prove to Ashley that not everyone is like that scumbag Greg.
She was that precious treasure he wanted to protect with all his life and cherish with all his heart.
Ashley was too overwhelmed by how the situation between them changed drastically that she couldn't stop herself from getting nervous. This wasn't something she was expecting when she came to visit him. But now.. everything was different, she was different.
Her heart was pounding like crazy when all of sudden she remembered," Wait! Hold on" her loud words slowly disappeared from the flowery romantic atmosphere around them and Tristan watched her creasing his brows.
"We can't let the world know about our marriage not when everything around me is messy," she said with an urgency recalling how things around her were yet to be taken care of.
Tristan thought for a while before nodding his head. Even if he was handling things behind her back yet he knew she wouldn't like it if she finds it out. There were many things that Ashley wasn't aware of and he didn't intend to expose them until the time was right.
She was a woman with pride and never liked to completely depend on others and if she wants their marriage to be a secret then who was he to refuse.
"Let us do as you say," he said agreeing with her, and saw her lips curled up before she moved closer and sealed his lips.
****
"I want you to publish every picture that you clicked. Make sure Ashley's face is visible enough to notice" Greg ended the call and smirked bringing the glass of wine close to his lips and sipping it.
"Did you expect me to sit quietly and watch you ruin my image just like that, huh Ashley?.. No, that's never gonna happen at least not in this lifetime" his eyes turned darker as he looked at the picture scrolling them and fumes when he saw Ashley roaming with a man but unfortunately his face wasn't visible which upset him a little but he didn't worry as he had something to use against Ashley and degrade her reputation even more.
"And this will be my biggest weapon to tarnish your image" he smile evilly and ended up gulping the entire glass of wine.
"I want you to see how you will handle it"
****
After their heated kissing session, Tristan and Ashley headed back to their room. Tristan was still in denial about how his yearning was finally coming to an end and now finally Ashley was accepting him.
He felt like it was a dream but the woman next to him assure him it wasn't a dream but a reality. Standing in front of her door they kept staring at each other not ready to part ways. They were just a room away but still, it made them difficult to tear.
"I just can't believe you finally agreed to give us a chance" Tristan heaved out a sigh and smiled as he couldn't contain it anymore and bent down a little before pecking her.
Ashley too agreed with him as it was so sudden for her to dive into taking such a big decision. But now that she had finally agreed she would make sure to give her best.
"I know it's too sudden but I did what I felt was right and I agree to accept you with all my heart Tristan but promise me you won't break it" her words came out of the concern and the anxiousness in her eyes didn't get unnoticed.