When the fear of isolation pulls Ashton and Ria together, nothing can prepare them for the collision. An anomaly shatters the repetitive fabric of their lives, sending them on a journey of discovering themselves and one another.
Beneath Ashton's gen...
❝Even after everything you've shown me, my entire existence desires to be with you.❞
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ASHTON BLINKS along with the whir and snap of Ria's camera."Ashton." Her voice rises and she drops her arms, camera tight in her hands. She attempts to pierce him with a deadly glare by narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips, but it looks like she just ate a lemon instead.
He chuckles and bats his lashes. "What?" Mock innocence laces his deep voice.
Tinges of red caress her tan cheeks. "Quit blinking! I'm trying to take a serious picture." She shuts one eye and raises the camera again.
"Ria, you've taken a million shots of me. Don't you think that's enough?"
"I have to capture every moment of this trip. We only have a week left before we have to go back home." She snaps another picture as his smile crumbles.
I have a week to decide whether I should let you go after this.
Over the past three days, since Vincent left with daunting threats in his wake, Ashton has been juggling each of his options; all of which are painstakingly awful.
He can stay with Ria and risk Vincent hurting her.
He can leave Ria and get her off of Vincent's radar.
They can run away and hope that Vincent never finds them.
The single selfless choice lingers like a fog of obsidian lurking in his plain of thought. He should choose it. Ashton has been nothing but selfish in his relationship with her. It's time that he made some sacrifices instead.
If only he could call Daniel and ask him for advice. Daniel has always been able to clear up Ashton's thoughts when he needs it the most.
He brushes his fingers across the delicate sand and stares as the sun sets over the ocean. Another day closer to the end. How does time fly so fast?
Whir. Snap!
Ashton looks over to Ria as she's grinning down at her camera — guilty of nabbing another photo — with love in her eyes. Sun-kissed and lilac hues reflect over her tan complexion in the most mesmerizing way and sends her flame-like hair rippling behind her.
He opens mouth just as Ria mutters, "You're fucking beautiful."
His heart lurches and a gentle laugh escapes his lips. "You took the words right out of my mouth."
"Want to see what we have so far?"
"Sure."
Ria stands, fiery orange and lavender beach robe flowing behind her as she steps over a short distance to rest between his legs. She leans against his bare chest and begins flipping through the photos they've taken so far. Aesthetic images of them on the beach, him in the water, or them simply around the town, fills her library. Times Ashton stole her camera and snapped a few unknowing shots while they were touring the stores and tourist traps. He smiles and bites back a chuckle at the one he took at the restaurant they went to last night.
