As both of them staggered into the bathroom, the last piece of their clothes gone, their hands couldn't stop roaming and feeling. Their lips could not stop connecting and tasting. Their hunger for each other seemed to have multiplied over the past few hours. And Ashley liked that.

After helping Dave turn on the shower while her other hand hovered around his lower body, Ashley took a step back to admire the uncovered fine specimen in front of her. As she did, she felt a wave of affection rush through her. Ashley did not only find him very irresistible at that moment, she appreciated him.

With a smile on her face and her eyes trying to communicate her emotion, Ashley thought back to the first time she met Dave. He had come a long way in her life and he had barely spent up to three weeks in her life. The man was undoubtedly extraordinary.

Her thoughts were soon disrupted as Dave's arms went around her waist and pulled her closer like she was iron to his magnet.

"I won't lie, Ashley," his hands moved rhythmically to and fro her back, "every day, I grow hungrier for you." Dave then went on to cup her butt cheeks causing her needy groin to further glue into his. His lips found a sensitive point on her right shoulder blade and he got a throaty cry from Ashley. "Tell me, Ashley, what are you doing to me?"

Ashley, who surprisingly found a new wave of confidence, snapped Dave's hands off her buttocks. She placed them on the swell of her chest, her eyes glistening with desire. Then, she replied to him with a low and sexiness-filled voice, "I could ask you the same."

The smile that took over whenever they happened to stare into each other's eyes came back.

Ashley's smile widened when Dave began to caress her breasts, slowly and carefully. It was as though he wanted to make sure to do a good job of satisfying her.

"I can't help but find you mesmerising."

He attached his tongue to one of her sensitive nipples and a moan escaped her.

"Even... with my problems?" she asked, her breath gradually becoming ragged.

"Your problems mean nothing to me, Ashley Steve." The pressure of the water increased when Dave relaxed his stance and instantly had Ashley's legs wrapped around his waist. "You are all that matters."

His lips found hers again.

Their groins did the same thing. They had been playing a game of push and pull to relieve the growing tension between them.

Without wasting a second, Dave gently pushed Ashley against the ceramic wall, and with the water around them aiding, he went in and out of her heated hole with a rhythm that set her heart racing. Her insides began to burn with needs, very sensual needs that were communicated through her cries of pleasure.

As time went on, the desire passing through both of them took over entirely and they went at it with a touch of abandon. That recklessness took them to a height of pleasure that made them cry and yearn for each other the more.

Panting as they tried to maintain a firm grip on each other, the duo finally peaked after minutes. And while Ashley shivered in his hold, Dave immediately killed the wail of pleasure that left her mouth with an intense lip lock which lasted till the final result of their hunger for each other was partially satiated.

"Remember the time you showed up in front of my house dancing?" Ashley asked when he broke the kiss and planted his forehead against hers.

Adjusting her legs so that she was more secure, Dave asked with inquisitive eyes, "Why the weird question?"

Pulling slightly at his wet hair which her hands had found a way to caress, Ashley said, "Just answer the freaking question."

"Yes, I do."

"That was the first time I genuinely smiled after a while."

"And fortunately, I have seen more smiles, so I must be doing something right."

Seconds passed and those seconds were filled with sobriety that had gratitude instilled within it.

Finally, after those seconds multiplied for a while, her hands still playing with his wet hair, Ashley pushed out the words she wished to utter, "You really do make me happy, Dave."

The man did not reply to her with words, his lips did. A long, affectionate kiss on her forehead changed course and went onto her cheeks, then the side of her lips, then her chin. Finally, a gentle one rested on her lips, sending a wave of relief through Ashley.

To kill the seriousness between them, Dave asked "So, do you still think I am jealous?"

Shrugging, some sort of nonchalance on her face, her newly found smile playing on her lips, Ashley replied, "Yes."

"Ugh, you just don't learn. Come here."

And, he hungrily took her lips again to her liking.

~

There is something about the dark. It is usually the time we seem to think about our lives the most. Memories flash through our minds, and ideas that have been forgotten come back. Even regrets of the past resurface.

Our life gets served before us like a dish and if we want, we can start crunching on each event one after the other, sorting out what needs to be sorted out. Or we could discard the dish.

And, with the cool breeze from outside keeping the sprawled, slender figure of Ashley Steve comfortable in that environment, Ashley could not help but take advantage of the darkness.

The questions Dave Scott asked her came back and she decided to find answers to them at that very moment. She decided to resolve the sorry state of her life.

"You are still awake?" The side lamp came on after the voice of the man beside her slightly startled her out of her thoughts.

Ashley turned to face Dave. "I was just thinking."

He lazily motioned to her to scoot closer to him. Encasing her in his arms, he asked with a heavy voice, "About what?"

"Your questions."

"I told you not to stress yourself about it."

"I am not. I just can't help but want answers so badly. Tell me, Dave," she looked up at him, face all sulky, "what do you think I can do to make myself happy? What should I do?"

"You can actually start by telling yourself you can be happy." He looked down at her before continuing. "You need to realise that you alone hold the power to become the best version of you."

"That sounds exotic for some reason."

"What sounds more interesting is a method I like to call; crazy self-sessions. It basically entails standing in front of your mirror and telling your image that you can be happy and that you will be happy. If you don't profess it yourself, I don't see how anything else will bring happiness. Your sad self will just keep pushing everything away."

"So, basically, I should start talking to my mirror."

"You get the drill."

"Okay. But..."

"Aren't you sleepy? Let's have this discussion tomorrow, please."

"Okay." A few seconds later, Ashley broke the silence. "Dave?"

"I am sleeping."

"I just want to say thank you." His eyes fell back onto hers. "You are doing so much for me, I just have to appreciate you."

Giving her side a light squeeze, he replied, "You are welcome. Now, go to sleep."

"Did you mean what you said in the shower?" She pushed further. "Am I really all that matters?"

With his weary eyes studying her, Dave gave her a quick nod. He reached to turn off the lamp, and tiredly said, "Please, go to sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Dave," she replied quietly into the night, her whole system jumping. She liked the form of happiness nestled within her heart. As Ashley gathered the blanket around her body, sleep already knocking, she hoped and prayed that it would last for a very long time.