Switch Mode

The Attention 111

The Attention 111

ASIOITS POV: Dive and Take 

+15 BONUS 

Chapter in Ashton’s POV: Give and Take 

The car wasn’t crowded at all

Gino and Dominic had long since made themselves scarce

Ashton sat with the takeaway bag beside him. He lowered the temperature in the car until the faint flush on Mirabelle’s cheeks subsided

The windows had a tinted glaze to protect them from prying eyes

Mirabelle removed a bottled water from the minifridge and drank 

Is this Carmen’s cooking?she asked, eyeing the box suspiciously 

Yes,he said absently. A few water droplets had dribbled down her chin. She was licking her lips

She looked at him. You really didn’t have to bring me lunch. There are plenty of places to eat around here. And it’s not exactly on your way.‘ 

It wasn’t. Not even close. It was a fortyminute detour with traffic and a minor detonation of his schedule

But Ashton hadn’t been thinking logically when he’d spotted her with Finn Carter. Logic had left the building the second he saw that man’s hands on her shoulders

I happened to be nearby,he lied smoothly

She shrugged. Alright then.She consulted her phone. It’s way past lunchtime. You’re probably hungry.‘ 

Join me.‘ 

But I’m not hungry.‘ 

Just a bite. You know you love Carmen’s cooking.‘ 

I do.She dug out a disposable fork. Alright, just a bite.‘ 

He opened the box

Immediately, a wave of vegetable oil and fried onion smell wafted out

Mirabelle winced, the fork hovering midair uncertainly

This is Carmen’s cooking?‘ 

Ashton mentally cursed the restaurant. The fries were glistening so much, he could see his reflection in them

But one lie led to another, so he nodded. Yes. Carmen wanted to try something different today. You know, switch it up a bit

She’sexperimenting.‘ 

Mirabelle inched away from the food like it might jump out and stain her blouse. She set down her fork. You go ahead.‘ 

It was Ashton’s fork’s turn to hover

I thought you were hungry,’ Mirabelle said

With grim determination, Ashton picked up the plastic fork and speared a piece of chicken which looked marginally less oily than its companions

It was appalling. Greasy, oversalted, vaguely spongy

He chewed mechanically, swallowing with difficulty

The silence stretched. Only the sounds of his tortured chewing filled the car

1/3 

Chapter 11 Ashton’s POV:Cive and Take 

+15 BONUS 

Mirabelle watched him sympathetically. She handed him a bottle iced water from the minifridge. Here.‘ 

He took a grateful swig

You don’t have to eat it if you hate it so much,she said

‘I don’t hate it. I’m just not used to it.‘ 

You’d have to be a junk food addict to get used to it.Mirabelle glanced at her phone. I should get back to the office.‘ 

Wait.He wiped his mouth with a napkin, then took a breath min 

What is it?‘ 

I brought you lunch. Shouldn’t I get something in return

For a lunch I didn’t eat?‘ 

It’s the thought that counts,he argued

Fine. What do you want?‘ 

He pretended to think about it. He already knew

Kiss me.‘ 

What?‘ 

When she didn’t move, he sighed. I bring you food, only to find you’ve already eatenwith another man. And now I’m here, starving, forcing down cold leftovers. But it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.‘ 

No one asked you to bring me food,she murmured, sounding conflicted

It’s alright,he said again, soft and martyred

She hesitated

Then, as if deciding to humour a particularly petulant child, she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek

Except Ashton turned his head just before she landed

Her lips grazed the corner of his mouth instead of his cheek

He didn’t give her a chance to retreat

He chased her down with a kiss of his own, firm, insistent, coaxing 

He caught her bottom lip between his, teasing it with a slow tug before tracing its curve with his tongue

She tensed, startled. He felt the resistance in her shoulders, in the way her breath caught

But then she gave in

Ashton’s pulse surged, a low thrum in his throat and chest

The car around them was dim, sunlight filtered through tinted windows, casting a faint golden haze

Outside, the world carried onhorns honking, engines sputtering the distant grind of brakesbut it all faded into nothing beneath the press of her lips

She parted them slightly. Enough for him to deepen the kiss, slipping his tongue past the seam of her mouth, slow and reverent, not demanding but utterly unrelenting

The scent of her perfume mingled with the ghost of her lip gloss, now smeared across his own mouth

2/3 

Chapter III Ashton’s POV: Give and Take 

Then she bit his lower lip

Not hard. Just enough to shock him back into his body

He froze, breath hitching. Was that anger? Reproach

He was about to pull back, to apologise, but her arm slid behind his neck and pulled him in

Her fingers tangled at the base of his hair. She kissed him again, deeper this time, without hesitation

He tasted a trace of chocolate cake on her tongue

+15 BONUS 

Her mouth moved against his with the confidence of someone who knew exactly how he liked to be kissed, and had no interest in pretending otherwise

It was familiar, practised, wellrehearsed

But there was nothing tired about it

Their mouths moved in sync, a rhythin built from their multiple rehearsals

She kissed him until the lip gloss was entirely gone, until only heat and breath remained between them

Then she pulled away

Ashton sat there, dazed, lips tingling and heart pounding against the starched line of his shirt

She met his eyes, amused and just a little smug. Next time you want a kiss, just ask. You don’t have to torture yourself with sad excuses like that.She glanced pointedly at the takeaway container, still open

Then she opened the door and slipped out of the car

Ashton watched her disappear into the building

Then he reached over, flipped the tray up, and dumped the entire offensive meal straight into the bin

Worth it.‘ 

The Attention

The Attention

Score 9.9
Status: Ongoing Type:
The Attention

Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Options

not work with dark mode
Reset