Highly Inappropriate

35.

ASHLEY'S POV

I woke up to the feeling of lips gently kissing and biting my neck. Inhaling Alex's lavender scent, I immediately smiled as I opened my eyes and saw her hovering above me, her intentions quite clear.

"What time is it?", I asked in a low groggy voice as her lips lowered to my collarbones.

"Sex o'clock?", she smirked, bringing her eyes up to mine.

"Ugh, I can't baby..", I groaned in frustration, earning a puzzled look from her. "It's that time of the month for yours truly."

"Party pooper.", she mumbled against my neck before planting a kiss on my lips and climbing off me.

"Sorry.", I chuckled, rolling on my side and resting my head on my hand as I watched her shuffle through her clothes. "You okay by the way? You were pretty emotional last night.."

"I'd be better with my tongue inside you.", she teased, flashing me a devious smirk and causing me to laugh. "But yeah, Ash. I'm great actually."

I smiled warmly at her and watched her as she got undressed, absentmindedly biting my lip at the wonderful sight before me. I allowed my gaze to scan every inch of her perfect, toned, inked body, taking notice of every single detail that made her so perfect in my eyes. I then focused my attention on one specific tattoo that went from the side of her waist all the way down to her thigh, ending mid way. Compared to her sleeve tattoos, this one was definitely the biggest one and the most detailed she had, and it made me wonder if there was a meaning behind it.

"See something you like?", she inquired, causing my eyes to shot up to hers as I felt myself blushing.

She sure as hell caught me checking her out.

"I do actually.", I smiled sheepishly at her as she put her shirt on. "Why the phoenix?", I then questioned, tilting my head to the side.

"Huh?"

"That big ass tattoo.", I clarified, seeing that she had no idea what I was talking about.

"Oh..", she paused, glancing at it for a split second before looking back at me. "Like it?"

"Very much."

"Good. Cause I've spent 600 bucks to get it done.", she chuckled softly as she slipped into some light blue skinny jeans, eventually covering her wonderful ass.

"Why a phoenix though?", I questioned again, sensing that either she was avoiding my question or there actually was a deeper meaning behind it.

"Aren't you curious, Miss Stevens.", she sighed, laying back on the bed next to me.

"Pretty much so."

A comfortable silence fell between us as I waited patiently for her answer, her eyes never leaving mine as she stared at me intensely.

"You know the legend for which a phoenix rises from it's ashes once they die after bursting into flames?"

I nodded silently, urging her to go on even though I had a feeling of where this was going.

"Well, basically I got it after getting custody of the kids.", she paused, slightly biting her lip. "After my fucked up teenager years, bouncing from one foster home to the other, and after getting into every possible drug I stumbled upon let alone troubles.. getting clean, getting a job and eventually bringing my brothers back home signified a fresh new start for me. My parents, my past, every weakness and nasty thoughts I had that made me seek comfort in drugs and alcohol.. everything was left behind. I wanted to change. My brothers needed me to change, little did I know that I needed it myself in the first place.", she smirked, letting out a soft chuckle. "Anyways, back to my tattoo.. after getting custody of the kids, I was stronger, or at least I like to think I was. After losing myself for years, I overcame my past and I reached the light at the end of the tunnel as stronger as ever."