Ashlynn giggles as I lean down, kiss her neck, and murmur against her skin, "I'm addicted to you, Ashlynn Marie. I don't think I can ever get enough of you."

Slapping my chest, Ashlynn, still laughing, yells at me, "Will you quit it? They are children here."

"Yeah, you two stop with all the f.u.c.kin' kissin' so we can eat. My stomach is growling so d.a.m.n loud I can't take it."

"You'll eat soon enough. Stop whining like a little b.i.t.c.h, Parker," Vance says as he drapes his arm over Reagan's shoulder and pulls her in for a kiss.

Parker lets out an aggravated groan and glares at Vance. "Seriously, dude? My body is my f.u.c.kin' temple. It takes a lot of hard work and eating to look this good."

Becca, who's been hooking up with Parker for the last two weeks, leaves Tamara and Nikki and skips around to walk beside him. She runs her hand down his chest and beams up at him. "It'd be a shame to let anything happen to this body. I swear I see that V every night in my dreams."

"Oh my G.o.d, y'all are wacked. I don't know what is in the water here, but all I know is I ain't drinking it," Nikki blurts out as she whips her head from Parker down to Ashlynn and me. "I so need to get laid by something that doesn't run on double-As!"

I burst out laughing, along with everyone else at that one.

After Ashlynn got her salt water taffy, which I've never seen a girl who loves that stuff as much as she does, by the way. We headed towards Broadway Bill's Bar & Grill, the same place I took Ashlynn on our first date. Halfway there, I spot Sophie and her friends coming out of a gift shop. I don't realize I tighten my grip on Ashlynn's hand until she brings her free hand to my shoulder. Rubbing it, she asks, "Are you okay?"

"What?" I ask caught off-guard, and glance down at her as I try to avoid making eye contact with Sophie.

"You just practically cut the blood flow from my hand." She laughs as she squeezes me and swings our entwined hands into the air.

Shaking my head, I apologize, "I'm so sorry. It's nothing; I'm fine."

My heart is racing as I spot Sophie heading straight towards us. Vance spots her and her friends too, and mumbles, "s.h.i.t," under his breath.

"Hey, strangers! Long time no see," Sophie says, giving us a smile I can tell is as fake as her t.i.ts. She rests her hands on her hips and slides her eyes over all of us before giving a look to her two friends before plastering back on her big fake smile. "Are y'all going to Linc's party tonight?" Her eyes turn and focus on me, and I feel as if I'm trying to swallow a boulder, and my heart is racing so fast I think I can hear the blood flowing to it in my ears. "I was really hoping we could get together, since I haven't seen you since the Fourth of July." Sophie completely ignores the fact I'm holding Ashlynn's hand as she stands only a few inches away from me.

This chick can't take a clue. She's been blowing up my phone since the day after the Fourth. I figured me not getting back to her would've been a good enough hint I am no longer interested, but I guess she just isn't that smart.

Clearing my throat, I hold Ashlynn's hand a little tighter, trying to silently tell her she has nothing to worry about. I told her before and I'll tell her a million more times if need be that Sophie means nothing to me. "Yeah, I got a text from Linc a little while ago telling me about the party. We'll be there, so I guess we'll see ya."

I figure that'll be a good enough response and we can go on our way, but of course, it isn't.

Sophie, completely oblivious to the fact Ashlynn is standing right beside me and holding my f.u.c.king hand for Christ's sake, asks, "Well, I was wondering, since you're going and I'm going, if maybe you want to go together? I've texted you a few times to get together, but you've never gotten back to me." She just can't take a hint.

"Umm, well, I'm actually going with Ashlynn," I say, and notice the look of shock flash across Ashlynn's face, but it quickly disappears. She releases my hand and wraps her arm around my waist, hugging me as she stares blankly at Sophie.

"It was nice meeting you, Sophie, and I'm sure we'll run into each other again tonight, but we really must be going. We are on our way to grab dinner before we head to Linc's." Ashlynn's voice comes out sweet, but I can hear the hint of anger in it. To other's who don't know her, they wouldn't notice it, but I do. I hope none of that anger is in any way directed at me. I knew this chick would come back to bite me in the a.s.s. Why the h.e.l.l did I ever get together with her that night?

"Aww, well aren't you cute? I bet you think Chase here is the sweetest guy ever, and you're just so excited to be out with him today. Well, FYI, if you want to keep hanging out with Chase, I suggest you keep your legs closed, because once you give into him, you'll be tossed to the curb, just like me and every other girl who's come into contact with him."

Ashlynn tenses against my body, becoming rigid. Why do chicks gotta be so d.a.m.n catty?

"Sophie, you are making a fool of yourself right now. You don't know me or Ashlynn. Going out with me and my boys two times doesn't give you the right to act like you know me. And a little FYI for you, Ashlynn isn't just some girl. So why don't you take a hint and leave me and my friends the f.u.c.k alone?"

Sophie's face drops quickly, wiping the smirk from her lips. She opens and closes her mouth, but nothing comes out. I hate being mean to girls, but the minute she started spewing s.h.i.t at Ashlynn, she crossed the line.

"What the h.e.l.l ever. Don't say I didn't warn you," is all she says to Ashlynn before storming away from us.

"What a psycho b.i.t.c.h," Parker grumbles before clapping me on the back. "You okay, bro?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just sorry you had to deal with that," I say, turning to Ashlynn, who is now quiet and refusing to look at me. She still has her arm around my waist, but she isn't holding me as tightly as she was when we first started talking to Sophie.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I knew at some point I'd have to deal with a run-in with one of your conquests. At least she didn't cry or claw my eyes out, so I guess it went as well as could be expected."

Her words feel like a sucker punch to my gut. Never until now have I actually felt like a bad person. I'm young and have my whole life ahead of me. Sure, I've lived it up and slept around, but what twenty-two year old hasn't? None of us think about what it'd be like if we meet that one girl who'll make us want to change our ways and what we'd do if our past and our present collide?

I know if it was me and I had some a.s.shole standing in front of me, making it known he f.u.c.ked Ashlynn, I'd pound his face into the asphalt.

"So, there's a party tonight and we're all going?" Becca asks, changing the subject, thank G.o.d.

"Yeah, it starts at nine. We were planning on asking y'all at dinner if you wanted to go with us, but Sophie kind of put Chase here on the spot," Parker says, slapping me on the back.

"Well, I for one am excited to go! It isn't a beach vacation unless we attended a summer beach party!" Becca exclaims.

Now we just have to pray Sophie and her friends don't try to stir up more trouble at the party tonight.

The entire time we were eating, Ashlynn barely said two words to me. She only talked and laughed with Becca, Nikki, and Tamara, and even chatted a bit with Reagan. I could feel the knots in my stomach twisting with every pa.s.sing second. I f.u.c.ked up big time. I really like this girl, and to think maybe my chance is now over is p.i.s.sing me the h.e.l.l off. The urge to punch something is overwhelming.

My big mouth told Ashlynn I'd only met Sophie two days before the Fourth, which is also when I started my game of flirting with Ashlynn too. At the time, I thought Ashlynn would be just another girl I'd work my charm on, f.u.c.k, and move on from. Never did I imagine I'd spend the next two weeks spending every day with her, and not even having s.e.x. I don't even recognize the person I've become since meeting her. Parker and Vance think it's all an act, that I'm playing a game with her for entertainment, but the truth is I'm really falling for this girl, and I don't know if I will be able to pretend as if we never happened when I return to Charlotte.

She's smart, so I know for a fact she's put two and two together and realized not only did I go out with Sophie after our amazing day out on the boat, but I f.u.c.ked her too. I want to punch myself in the f.u.c.king face after seeing the hurt in Ashlynn's eyes when Sophie said I'd just toss her aside after getting her into my bed. That's the farthest thing from the truth. I don't know how I'm even going to survive saying goodbye to her when she leaves back to Georgia, let alone voluntarily push her out of my life.

Pulling my truck into the driveway, I park beside Vance's Mustang. He opted to drive himself and Reagan, since I couldn't fit everyone in my truck. As soon as I shift the truck into park, everyone hurries out and heads toward our beach houses.

I quickly swing open my door, jump down, and run around the truck to meet Ashlynn. Grabbing her hand, I pull on it, stopping her from going up the stairs. "Ashlynn, wait," I plead as her friends run up the stairs to go get ready to leave. Becca told Parker she'd be over as soon as she showered and was dressed for the party. I know Ashlynn said she'd go, but I want to make sure she's okay first.

"What? I need to get ready," she says with a little more venom in her tone than I was hoping for.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her to my chest and lock my eyes with hers. The hurt in her eyes is like a knife twisting in my chest. "I just want to talk to you and make sure you're okay. I don't want you letting Sophie get to you. She's just a jealous and spiteful person. I would never do anything to hurt you purposely."

She stares up at me a few beats, the only sound being the seagulls flying above us. It's a calm day, with gentle waves rolling in. My senses are filled with her sweet, delicious perfume mixing with the salty air. I slide one hand into her hair, feeling her silky blonde strands. She closes her eyes as soon as my fingers touch her scalp.

At least I know my touch doesn't repulse her. She parts her lips and lets out a shaky breath before opening her eyes back up, and when she does, the hurt that was there is magnified as my reflection shines from her now dark and stormy blue eyes.

"I'm scared, Chase. I keep trying to tell myself you're different from the c.o.c.ky a.s.shole I met two weeks ago, but seeing her was like having ice water dumped over my head. You've been so sweet, and I've loved every single second I've spent with you, but I can't help but think...is it all just a game to you? Once we finally have s.e.x, will it be the last time I see you, because you'll have gotten what you want and move on to the next naive girl?"

G.o.d, I hate she feels this way. The sad part is she's right. The Chase everyone knows would do what she's thinking and wouldn't look back as I walked away. I did it to Sophie, and so many girls before her, but with Ashlynn, it's not like that. No matter how many times I tell her though, I don't think she'll ever believe me.

"I hate that you think that, Ashlynn. I've been an a.s.shole so many times in my life that I don't blame you for thinking that I'd use you, but I'll tell you now and I'll tell you again every single day until you leave to go back to Georgia-I like you. A lot. More than any girl I've ever met in my entire f.u.c.king life. I have no intention of using you. Why the h.e.l.l do you think I've refused to have s.e.x with you? Never in my life have I turned down s.e.x, but I wanted to make sure you were one hundred percent sure you were okay with our arrangement before I allowed you to accept me into your bed."

She relaxes in my arms and lays her head on my chest, resting her cheek against my heart. It's racing so fast right now it feels like a wrecking ball slamming repeatedly against my ribs, trying to bust free and jump straight into Ashlynn's hands.

"Can I ask you something and you be honest with me?"

f.u.c.k, I don't know if I'm backing myself into a corner right now, but reluctantly, I tell her, "I'll tell you anything you want to know." I hope to G.o.d agreeing to this doesn't bury my a.s.s deeper into the hole I've dug myself into today.

Pulling away from me, she slides her hand into mine and leads me to the stairs to sit, then tugging for me to sit down beside her.

She silently picks at the nail polish on her fingernails, not looking at me as she asks the one question I was wishing she wouldn't ask, "Did you sleep with Sophie before or after our day out on the boat?"

Raking both my hands through my hair, I let out a loud, frustrated groan as I prepare to hurt her once again today. "After. I'm an a.s.shole, Ashlynn. I'm so sorry. I don't know what the f.u.c.k I was thinking that night. I knew it was wrong, but I still did it. The most f.u.c.ked up part was the whole time I was with her, all I could think about was you, but still...I did it."

I spot out of the corner of my eye Ashlynn brushing a tear from her cheek. My chest hurts so bad right now I rub at it with the palm of my hand. Feelings f.u.c.king suck monkey b.a.l.l.s. This is why I've always kept my love life simple. Once you develop feelings, everything gets complicated.

Reaching out to her, I wrap my arm around her shoulders and hug her to me. "Please, don't cry," I murmur into her hair as I press a kiss to the top of her head. "I messed up big time, but not once since that day have I looked at another girl. I know we're just friends, but I really like you. I knew the second I saw you with that Liam guy the next morning I f.u.c.ked up royally not asking you to go out that night instead of her. I've worked every day to make it up to you."

Ashlynn shifts on the stairs and looks up at me with watery eyes and I feel sick to my stomach again. f.u.c.k. I feel like the world's biggest jacka.s.s right now.

"If we would've had s.e.x on the beach the night of our first date, would we be where we are today, still hanging out and doing whatever it is we're doing? Or would you have gotten what you wanted and moved on, putting me back in the just-friends zone? I'm so confused right now. I hate I have all these awful thoughts buzzing around in my head. Every day I get closer to going home, the more it hurts to be with you, but the idea of not being with you hurts more. Does that make sense?"

She's adorable when she gets like this. She rambles on and on, firing off question after question. "Well, that was a lot of questions in one, baby, but to answer them all, if we would've had s.e.x that night, believe me, we'd still be where we are today, but we would've been having a lot of s.e.x over the last two weeks. Trust me-you're not the only one confused with everything going on. I am too. I keep telling myself what we have is just for right now, and once you leave, we'll say our goodbyes and go back to our normal lives, but honestly, I don't know if I can do that. I find myself falling for you more and more every day we spend together."

Ashlynn shifts to her knees, climbing between my legs one step below me. Her soft hands come to rest on my cheeks and she wrinkles her nose up as my scruff scratches her palms. I give her a small smile as I slide my hands into her hair and tilt her head up towards me. "Are we okay?" I ask, bringing my face down closer to hers. I inhale deeply, breathing her in and savoring the tingling sensation that courses through my body as she consumes me. I love her smell, and how she feels in my arms. I know it's crazy and we're bound to end up hurt when July thirty-first comes, but the pain will be worth it, because she's worth it.

She nods her head gently in my hands as she nibbles nervously on her bottom lip. "We're okay. I'm so sorry I got all emotional."

"Don't ever apologize for being honest with me. I'd rather us hash it out now than have you bottle it up and spend the last two weeks we have together with you being p.i.s.sed off at me."

Leaning up on her knees, she brings her lips to mine. I guess that's the signal to change the topic. I'm not complaining, because if I could, I'd spend every waking moment kissing her...and doing other things.

I think I've been a gentleman long enough. As long as I get the green light tonight, I'll be ending our evening with my d.i.c.k buried b.a.l.l.s-deep inside Ashlynn's sweet, tight p.u.s.s.y, and hopefully put to rest any doubts she has about the two of us. I'm going to spend these last two weeks making sure she has the best d.a.m.n summer of her life.

WHEN I CAME TO SOUTH CAROLINA, I said my only agenda was to have fun. After everything I went through with Evan, I called off relationships for the time being. I've spent the last four months licking my wounds and trying to go out and have fun, but I just don't know how to do casual. I've only been with two men, both of which were my boyfriends at the time.

How does one separate love and s.e.x? I keep telling myself to just have fun, be the fun Ashlynn everyone knows and loves, and go for it. Chase is incredibly s.e.xy, and would be the perfect rebound guy to help get me over my slump since Evan, but with every pa.s.sing day, I find myself falling for him.

I've told myself to make some distance between us, go out and party with my girls and flirt with other men, anything to help lesson my attraction to Chase, but as soon as the idea crosses my mind, I push it away. The only guy I want to be around is Chase.

To make matters worse, I found myself more hurt and upset over the fact Chase slept with Sophie after our amazing day out on his boat than I did when I discovered Evan cheating on me! That fact alone has me freaking the h.e.l.l out. Why am I falling for a man I know I can't have? Who in their right mind would want to be with a guy who lives states away?

The idea of him even wanting to be with me for more than just friends who sleep with one another is ridiculous. I don't even know why the thought would cross my mind. He'd never be able to last months with us apart, while I'm at school and he's traveling for racing. Guys can't stay faithful half the time while they have their significant other at their disposal. How the h.e.l.l could one expect them to when they're not even in the same state?

I just need to stop thinking. That's my entire problem. I'm thinking way the h.e.l.l too much. I need to just go for, have s.e.x with Chase, end this G.o.d forsaken dry spell I've had, and then move on. It's the only way I'll leave back to Georgia with my heart still intact.

We've been sitting on the stairs for a few minutes talking about our run-in with Sophie today, and now I'm officially talked out. I'm done giving that girl another second of my time. Still holding Chase's hand, I stand and stare down at him with a soft smile on my lips. "You want to wait in my room while I shower, or do you need to go change?"

I'm not going to waste any more energy being mad. We're both single. He had every right to sleep with that girl. I may not like it, and I admit it hurts like h.e.l.l thinking about it, but it is what it is. He's here with me, not with her, so I need to focus on that.

He lets out a sigh and runs his hand over his head as a look of relief flashes across his face. "I'm going in what I'm wearing. The only girl I am worried about impressing is you, and if you think what I'm wearing is good enough, then I'll gladly follow you inside."

I lead Chase through the house and into my bedroom. He tries to head straight for the couch, but I tug on his arm, telling him he's coming to my room. He's been inside the beach house a few times, and I've been in his, but never in the bedroom. He always stayed in our living room, I think because he was afraid if he was alone with me, he wouldn't be able to keep going slow' with whatever it is we're doing.

I'm done going slow. I know I told him I wasn't sure if I could handle just s.e.x and not let emotions get in the way, but I'm going to try. I need to, or I'll regret it for the rest of my life. I don't want to return to Georgia and be burdened with what ifs' as I wonder what would've happened if I'd just had s.e.x with him.

Leaving him on my bed playing on his phone, I slip into my ensuite and take a shower. I've never been more grateful for having the best room in the house than I am today. As I'm rinsing my hair, I hear a knock at my bathroom door, and my stomach immediately flips with excitement as the idea of Chase joining me in the shower crosses my mind.

Sadly, after yelling, "Yeah?" I learn it's Becca, not Chase.

"We're heading over to hang out with Vance, Reagan, and Parker until you're ready to go," she says through the door.

My excitement soon returns as I realize they're leaving, which in turn is giving us the entire house to ourselves until we leave.

I shave my legs and my armpits, then rinse out my conditioner. I lather up my poof with my favorite pineapple, tropical-scented body wash and scrub every inch of myself, making sure I smell amazing all over. I'm glad we went to the spa the other day and I got another bikini wax, because now I'm perfectly smooth for Chase.

Wrapping my towel around myself, I get to work blow drying my hair and pull it up into a high ponytail. I quickly brush my teeth, slide on my deodorant and spray my chest with my favorite fruity body mist that I know drives Chase crazy.

The second I walk out of the bathroom, Chase's eyes dart up from his phone, and then slowly slide down my body before working their way back up to land on my eyes. "If you want privacy, I'll go wait in the living room," he says with a pained tone as he sits up on my bed and begins to stand.

I bite my lip as I notice his d.i.c.k hardening in his shorts. I've been dying to taste him and see his face as I make him c.u.m in my mouth.

That all ends now.

Shaking my head, I walk over to him with my towel still secured tightly around my body. I stop in front of him and run my fingers through his hair before cupping the back of his head as I stand between his legs, my knees pressing against the mattress. My entire body is tense as his fingers glide up the outside of my thighs.

"Stay," is all I say to him before leaning down and brushing my lips against his as I tilt my head slightly and run my fingers up and down his neck, scratching at his skin gently with my nails. He groans against my lips as I scratch his scalp and run my fingers through his hair, and he grips my thighs tightly, causing my s.e.x to clench.

I'm so wet right now thinking about his rough fingers and what they'd feel like sliding in and out of me.

His hands continue to work their way up my legs, sliding under my towel, causing me to shudder against him. I moan into his mouth as they come to a stop at my b.u.t.t, possessively squeezing my a.s.s in his hands, pulling me against his chest.

Opening my mouth, I suck on his tongue as he pushes it between my lips, and the second our tongues touch, my girly parts tingle with desire. Every part of my body craves Chase's touch.

Within seconds, he's standing, lifting me by my a.s.s and tossing me flat onto my back on the bed. Staring up into his piercing blue eyes, I'm instantly overwhelmed with emotions as they flood through me and my stomach begins to feel as if a million fluttering b.u.t.terflies are trapped inside of it.

I am so falling for this man...c.r.a.p!

Casual s.e.x just flew out the window and floated away in the warm Atlantic Ocean.

"You smell so d.a.m.n good," he whispers against my skin as he breathes me in and presses kisses over the top of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s as his hand grips my towel.

My breathing is shallow as I try to push my thoughts out of my head and focus on the here and now. My hands are slightly shaking as I grip his shoulders, and Chase pulls on my towel, causing it to fall open, exposing my body to him.

I'm self-conscious as I lay naked in front of him. Sure, he's seen me in a bikini, but never fully nude. Only two guys have, and even then, I was shy.

Leaning up on his knees, his eyes slowly roam over my body, the heat coming out of them scorching my body, warming me from the inside out. His intense gaze mixing with the feeling of his hands moving up my sides and stopping to cup my b.r.e.a.s.t.s has my head spinning and my heart hammering against my chest.

"d.a.m.n, Ashlynn. You're absolutely perfect. Every. Single. Inch. Is perfect," he says while pressing kisses to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, down to my stomach, and slowly, he kisses and nibbles a path to the inside of my right thigh.

I clench my s.e.x, wishing I could press my legs together to dull the ever-growing ache between them. I've never been so worked up in my entire life.

I'm relishing the feeling of Chase's lips sucking and biting on my inner thigh and his hands teasing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and nipples. I can feel an o.r.g.a.s.m building deep inside of me, and he's not even touched me intimately yet. His tongue is drawing circles along my thigh, driving me absolutely crazy.

"Are you seriously trying to torture me?" I laugh as I wiggle beneath him. "G.o.d, I've waited way too long for this," I say between moans as his hand leaves my left breast and slides torturously slow down my stomach before coming to rest on my other thigh.

I swear he is trying to kill me!

"Chase..." His name comes out breathlessly from my lips as his mouth moves from my thigh to just above my p.u.s.s.y. My hands navigate from his shoulders, back into his hair, and I tighten my grip, lacing his tousled locks in-between my fingers and let out a frustrated moan.