Hayley pushed at his chest, fuming at his words. “I chose you. So feel honored and let’s get this over and done with. Next time, you might not be this lucky!” Ashton did a double take and gaped at her insolence with disbelief. The little Hayley he knew who used to have a secret little crush on him would never have the courage to look up at him, let alone answer back. Who was this sassy girl? It turned him on more than he would like to admit, and his lips turned up into a heart-stopping smile.
“I see! So what exactly do you expect of me? Play the doting boyfriend?” he drawled with a lazy grin and a wink. Hayley refused to let her heartbeats give her away, and she forcefully placed some distance between them. She counted his bad habits to keep sane and not blush at his desperately flirtatious ways.
“No, that would be boring! Just hang out with me, dance a little, and be around, that’s all!” His shoulders sagged melodramatically, and he looked around at the group of giggling girls who just came in, all eyeing him as if he was the tastiest piece of man meat around!
“I can hang around with them if you’re sure you don’t want me to act like your boyfriend!” he threatened, while Hayley groaned with frustration. Obviously, she wouldn’t like her date to hang around with the most notorious gang of her batch, the ones she hated! They were her arch-enemies.
“Fine, be my boyfriend!” she said, flailing her arms and pulling him towards the auditorium, away from Candy and her gang. Ashton placed his arm possessively around her bare shoulders, all ready to play his part. The touch of his rough hand on her skin made a tremor of electric charge course through her body, shocking her completely. What was that? Her body had never reacted this way to any guy before! Previously, she had always stayed almost two feet away from Ashton, so the opportunity to touch him never arose.
“You can start when we’re in front of others!” However, it didn’t have any effect on Ashton and instead of removing his hand, he hugged her to his side with a smirk on his face, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
“It won’t look genuine enough! You need to get adjusted to my touch!” She grimaced, knowing that it was true. They entered the huge school auditorium that had been turned into a ballroom with mauve and white tulle drapes and a mirrored disco ball light in the center. There were white strings of lights strung across the ceiling diffused behind the drapes. Pearl ivory and lavender balloons were used at the entrance to create an archway, giving an entirely unique look to the place.
“Wow! This place looks fabulous!” gasped Hayley, looking around for her friends. With Ashton’s arm sliding down to her waist, she could hardly concentrate on her surroundings.
“They overdid it!” came his bored drawl, making her glare at him.
“No, they didn’t. I love it and so do my batch mates. You’re just jealous because you guys didn’t get such special treatment.”
“I don’t attend such stupid parties!” said Ashton, releasing her and stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets.
“Why don’t you admit you couldn’t find a date for yourself?” she continued relentlessly while he gave her a pointed look of warning.
“That’s impossible! No one can turn me down! I didn’t go because, as I told you, I have better things to do than attend such stupid parties,” he muttered. Hayley shrugged and walked away from him.
“I’m sorry that I asked you out. You can leave after dinner.” She went towards her batch mates who were busy taking pictures against a beautifully decorated wall. They all greeted her, and she easily mingled among them, flanked by Alyssa, Skylar, and Sienna. Skylar arrived alone since her date ditched her at the last minute, while Sienna and Alyssa were with their classmates.
“Didn’t Ashton agree to come with you?” asked Skylar at seeing her all alone.
“He’s here, but I dumped him. He feels proms are a waste of time!” Hayley complained angrily.
“He’s an ass! Don’t mind him. Why don’t you dance with someone else? I’m sure Shaun Peterson will ask you for a dance!” said Sienna, and they all giggled except for Hayley. She hated the sight of the guy who always sought her out.
“I think you should dance with Shaun tonight. After all, you’ll never see him again!” said Skylar.
“Yes, you should, Hails!” said Alyssa. Hayley’s eyes sparkled with excitement as a new plot flitted across her mind. This was the perfect opportunity to give Ashton a dose of his own medicine. All his life he had flirted with other girls right under her nose, making her burn with jealousy. So now it was her turn to get even with him.
“You all are right. I’ll dance with Shaun tonight.” They all cheered her and after the photographs, headed towards the buffet tables to have their dinner. Hayley searched for Ashton and found him laughing with a group of volunteers who were members of the prom committee. Flanked by two girls on either side of him, he didn’t look like he needed her company. Hayley seethed with jealousy and grabbed a plate and served herself absent-mindedly.
“Don’t let him spoil your mood. He won’t change. Why don’t you just enjoy your special day with us?” said Alyssa, whose date, the class clown, Frank too, was busy with another girl. With Sienna’s date busy helping himself to the food, it seemed she too was stuck with them. A dashing man wearing a dark blue business suit walked inside the auditorium, stealing all the attention. He came to a stop before a wide-eyed Skylar, making her stop dead in her tracks.
“Hello, Skylar! I’m sorry for being late. I was held up in a meeting!” he said in his husky tone that sent goosebumps all along Skylar’s arms.
“And you are?” she asked, totally dumbfounded by the stranger. Caleb had told her that his friend would love to accompany her to her prom, and she hadn’t argued further. It was useless anyway because Caleb’s words were unbreakable rules. Being ten years older than her, Caleb was more her guardian than just an older brother. Since he trusted only his friend around her, she didn’t have the courage to protest. She had expected someone older, but the drool-worthy man in front of her didn’t look ten years older! How could he be Caleb’s friend?
“Christian St. James,” he said with a charming smile, extending his hand for a shake. Skylar’s jaws dropped, realizing who the guy was! She looked around at the jaw-dropped curious looks of her friends and others around her. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him to a corner to give him a piece of her mind! She knew what an as*hole he was!
“Who was that?” whispered Hayley after she left with the man.
“Don’t know! Never heard of him!” said Alyssa, looking equally perplexed.
“We’ll ask Sky later. Let’s grab some dinner before it all disappears,” suggested a worried Sienna, watching their classmates attacking all the food like they hadn’t eaten for ages!
“Oh, my God! The food’s almost finished!” exclaimed Hayley, rushing to serve herself. She could see Ashton being fed by the volunteer who was with him earlier, and her blood boiled with jealousy. He was such a man-who*e! To her immense embarrassment, he looked at her at that precise moment, raising an eyebrow at her with amusement. Hayley scoffed and looked away, pretending that his flirting didn’t affect her. He could rot in hell with those bit*hes for all she cared!
She enjoyed her food with her friends, turning her back towards him to block him out of her view. However, after a few minutes, she found him right in front of her with the girl. Disturbed, Hayley walked away to join her friends. All their dates had returned, and they were animatedly discussing where to go for the after-party! Christian had already whisked Skylar away somewhere, and they were all dying of curiosity.
“Who will you dance with, Hails? Your date has ditched you for Sylvia Francis,” said Alyssa with a scoff. Sylvia was a clingy type who chased all the good-looking senior boys, and they hated her!
“I’ll go home!” said Hayley, feeling upset.
“Wait, Shaun’s coming this way. I think he wants to ask you for a dance!” whispered Sienna. The rest of their batch mates made their way towards the dance floor where the DJ was churning out popular dance numbers. “I’m out of here. Are you planning to dance with me or not, Mark?” she glared at her partner and pulled him along to the dance floor.
“Frank, let’s dance,” said Alyssa, rushing to grab hold of her partner. Hayley rolled her eyes at her friends when Shaun approached her.
“Hi, will you dance with me? I’ve been looking for you the whole evening,” he said breathlessly. Hayley grinned at him, checking his tall frame encased in an expensive tuxedo. He looked quite dashing tonight with his blonde curls and cute dimples.
“Sure, let’s hit the dance floor!” she said with a smile, discreetly noting Ashton’s jaw-dropped stare. It was time to get even!
The music was peppy and a recent favorite of Hayley’s that energized her to show off her best moves to the world. Or maybe to Ashton in particular! She grabbed Shaun’s arm and pulled him closer, making his eyes widen with surprise. “Let’s enjoy tonight, Shaun! We might never meet again!” she yelled in his ears with a laugh. “I’ll seek you out, Hayley!” he yelled back, but Hayley didn’t pay any heed to his reply. She was busy gyrating to the music, concentrating on her seductive moves to tempt the guy who was watching her like a hawk. Ashton couldn’t take his eyes off her, even for a second. The way she grated sensuously, all he could think of was pulling her against his hard body. She bent over and for a moment; it made him think of mind-blowing se*. All his earlier determination to stay at least two feet away from her hot body the entire night crumbled to dust. At that moment, she looked up and their eyes met. “F*ck you, Hayley!” he swore, his blood rushing to his head at the sigh
Amazed at himself, Ashton drove off towards his studio apartment. How did he end up agreeing to go on a date with Hayley when he swore to stay away from her? No, he should get a grip on his mind. He couldn’t cave in to a momentary attraction. Annoyed, he parked his car and ran up the stairs to get the steam off his mind. “Ashton, hey! What’s up with you? Where are you coming from?” asked Madison, leaning against her door as if waiting for him.“Hey! When did you return?” asked Ashton, unlocking his door. Upset at his own behavior, he wasn’t in the best frame of mind to tolerate anyone at the moment. “Just! So you didn’t answer my question! You weren’t at work a few minutes ago.” Ashton hated this interrogation! What was up with Madison? Why couldn’t she mind her own business? “How did you know that?” Ashton frowned, noticing her discomfort. Sometimes he doubted her claim of just being friends with him. Friends don’t bl*ody stalk one another! “I dropped in to see you on my way home
Standing in the middle of her enormous walk-in closet, Hayley stared at her useless collection with dismay. What could she wear to her first date? This was what she had been dreaming of since the day she met Ashton. Now it was finally happening, and she was at a loss. None of the clothes she possessed were good enough. Some were too glittery, some too loud, some too revealing, and others were just too tight. Time was running out, and she fished out a white one-shoulder ruched longline midi dress that hugged her figure, giving her a smoldering and fiery look. Clipping on her favorite diamond solitaires, she added a dash of makeup and curled her hair as quickly as she could. Spraying her signature designer perfume, she gazed at herself, admiring her handiwork. Satisfied with the results, she peered out of her window to check for Ashton’s BMW. A smile brightened up her features as she made a dash for the front door. “Are you going somewhere, Hails?” asked her granny from the living roo
Acutely aware of his arm around her waist, Hayley accompanied him to the upscale in-house restaurant of the resort, Rotterdams. “Isn’t this the restaurant chain Alexander is training to head?” asked Hayley with surprise. “Yes. Silver Spring is a franchisee owner. Alexander helped me get through.” “He might have recommended your name, but you’ve got through because of your own capabilities,” said Hayley, eager to change his opinion of himself. It irked her to see him always stay in Alexander’s shadow, although he was more brilliant and more capable! Ashton shrugged, not agreeing with her at all. With zero experience in this field, it was solely because of Alexander that he got the job. There was no point in arguing with her. He wanted to enjoy his first date! “Have you ever dined at Rotterdams before?” he asked eagerly. As far as he remembered, she hadn’t, but he wasn’t sure since he had lost touch with her in the last four years. “No, this is the first time for me.” Ashton smiled
Ashton came out of his dazed state and watched the cab disappear. Hayley’s words echoed in his head constantly, robbing him of his peace. “You’re the dumbest guy on earth. I don’t feel a thing for Shaun.”What could that possibly mean? If not Shaun, then who did she love? Could it be him? He knew she used to like him when she was young. No, that was out of the question. She had grown up and matured in the last four years. Maybe it was someone from her college. He couldn’t be that lucky! Yet his heart wanted to hope! He wanted to be the one she loved! ‘Get a grip on yourself, Ashton. Even if she loved you, then what? What can you offer her?’ reminded his inner voice. Yes, it was true. He didn’t have any surety of his own life. What would he offer her? If she knew everything about him, she would forget him and move on. No woman could love a guy like him! Sighing, he drove on towards his apartment. With his duty at 7 o’clock in the morning, he had to move out tonight. With few belongi
“He's taking quite a long time to reach here!” said Eva impatiently. It had been forty minutes since she had called Ashton and yet the guy hadn’t put in an appearance. All her friends had left, except Hayley, of course. With Eva’s roommates away at a nightclub, she could relax with her friends in the tiny apartment. “He has joined work on Long Island. Today was his first day. Maybe the traffic is more,” said Hayley, although her patience was running out too. She couldn’t wait for long. Her parents would return from the club and immediately seek her out. She wanted to enjoy their get-together at Alyssa’s apartment after college. Skylar and Sienna dropped her off at Eva’s apartment and left without her, since she didn’t wish to go home without meeting Ashton. “Oh, no wonder his apartment was locked. I met the bi*ch who lives next door.” Hayley sat upright, all ears about the woman. Was it Madison? Ashton never took her to his house, and she had the inkling that it had something to do
A tremor went down Ashton’s body the moment her soft arms went around his torso. It was a strange feeling, and it left him perplexed. He had se* with random women since the age of eighteen, yet he never felt this way with anyone. What was this feeling? It was like a restless uproar within his body, an overwhelming need to feel more of her. He wanted to feel her pressed against his back. Could he try the time-tested trick he knew of? There wasn’t any other way available for him.He applied the brakes for a jolt and it had the desired effect. With a gasp, Hayley tightened her hold around him while her body eased closer to his, flush against his back. A smile of satisfaction lit up his face while Hayley blushed furiously. Feeling his hard, muscular body against her own made her heartbeats race. It was a new feeling altogether, and she loved it immensely. The way her body fitted against his made her feel as if she was meant to be with him. She could spend a lifetime this way, pressed clo
The next day Ashton was too busy to check up on Hayley. Derek Miller kept him on his feet all day and he hardly found time to take a lunch break. By the time he returned to his cottage, he was totally drained. His eyes popped out to see Hayley sitting on his front porch, waiting for him. All his tiredness evaporated at the sight of her! His eyes roamed all over her and he couldn’t help but check her out before she noticed him. The semi-formal beige trousers paired with a royal blue chiffon top made her look so mature. Even in the light of the setting sun, she glowed like a million neon bulbs as she sat on the steps, checking her mobile phone. “Hey! Sorry to keep you waiting. Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, stopping in front of her. She looked up and slipped her phone into her pocket. “Hi! I didn’t want to disturb you at work.” She stood up with a shy smile on her face. “Where’s your puppy?” Ashton grimaced at her question, pulling out the keys to the cottage. “I thought you came