Ashley could not contain the happiness coursing through her.

She was yet to decipher what pushed her to ask Dave for something more, but she had to give it to herself. She knew what was good for her.

After an amazing time in each other's arms, Ashley went to shower, and throughout, all she could think about was Dave and how good he made her feel in and out.

Even when they went to sleep, Ashley's dreams didn't turn into nightmares. Physically, she felt safe in his arms. And mentally, well... she was just so happy, some scary dream about her burning house did not bother to show up.

Getting off the tousled bed which managed to reek of Dave, Ashley wondered where Dave was. Walking to the large window on her right, she peeked past the black and white curtain.

And the beach was the first thing she saw.

The beach sure was a sight to wake up to. With the sea looking blue and peaceful from afar, Ashley made it a thing of importance to have some fun on the beach while she was still there.

Once Ashley walked back to the bed, she grabbed the closest shirt around, which happened to be Dave's. She took off her tank top and put the grey shirt on. Looking down at her chest, she noticed how perky her breasts were and that view brought a smile to Ashley's face.

And that smile increased when she recalled how Dave treated them the previous night. The thought of such happening again made Ashley's insides joyous. So joyous she wished to rush into his arms as fast as possible.

After a quick freshening up, Ashley walked past the blue door of the room and as she did, she acknowledged that Dave's presence was changing her.

She thought long and hard and she could not recall a moment when a man's touch and words made her feel happy. And, the more she probed the memories of her previous relationships, Ashley figured out that she usually failed to feel the strong embrace of pleasure. Sometimes she put up a strong front to make herself invulnerable to things. Or perhaps, the men she was with just didn't know how to properly pleasure a woman.

Point was, Ashley had never felt so elevated with any other man. Not even with Kevin, who she thought made her feel good when he was still interested in her.

When Ashley found her way to the kitchen which was just past the living room, she was greeted by an arousing sight.

Dave, who was focused on what he was cooking, was half-naked and wore thoroughly ruffled hair. That sight turned her on and Ashley knew that if she was not careful, she would be doing more than touching him.

Whatever he was cooking would just have to be the sacrifice.

"I like the sight I have woken up to," Ashley finally said as she halted her steps and leaned on the marbled counter.

The man who was looking all serious swiftly wore a smirk and his eyes raked her from head to toe.

"The sight in front of me is better."

Ashley looked to her left and saw that there were stools waiting to be occupied. She climbed one of the stools and planted her knees on its round surface. Then, she ignored the heat coming from the in-built cooker that tried to threaten her and leaned forward to see what he was making.

"Hm. Pancakes," she said, not breaking her smile.

"Someone is exceptionally happy this morning."

"I actually like this feeling. It has been a while since I felt this way."

"I am glad."

Dave turned off the cooker, set the pan aside, and grabbed plates from a nearby rack.

But, Ashley got hungry for him. She did not let him dish the meal. With swiftness in her movements, she grabbed him by the collar and felt more of his lips on hers.

While minding the heat around the cooker, Dave took over. Ashley found his response triggering. So, she didn't hold back.

Dave didn't hold back. He explored slowly and carefully, making sure to nibble or bite softly at certain intervals in a way that caused soft moans to fill the kiss.

When he finally pulled away, Ashley felt like she had lost something and she dragged him closer but he stopped her.

"Okay, greedy, that is enough. We have to continue with our sessions. I have reasons to believe not much came from the two or three sessions we have already had."

"I would rather go back to sleep."

"Don't change the topic, Ashley." Dave resumed dishing their breakfast. "I am under pressure here to make sure you don't slide into your heartbreaking sadness again."

"I am under pressure too." Ashley tilted her shoulder seductively as her lips twitched. "I am under pressure here because I am trying so hard not to jump on you and have you take me again."

'Damn! Even the way I talk has changed,' she thought.

Dave ignored what she said and continued, "If there is an emotion in this life that proves to be dangerous and destructive, it is sadness. And I like you too much already to dump you into it."

Ashley collected her breakfast from him, a pout on her lips because she knew he would never let her talk her way out of his sessions.

~

Moments later, they were seated on the carpeted floor of the living room, resting side by side after a good breakfast.

"So let's talk, Ashley."

"I am all ears."

"I noticed how much your house getting burned down affected you and I just have to wonder and ask if this is the first time something terrible is happening in your life."

Sighing, her thoughts travelling into the past, Ashley replied to him quietly, "Honestly, no. The time my dad died was very awful for me. But I did not crack like I did yesterday. After crying for the first two days, I... I pulled myself together immediately because my mother was in a more terrible state."

"You took care of her," Dave completed and squeezed her hand which he had earlier grabbed.

"I had no choice. It was just both of us, no one else. Ever since that time, I always had it right in life. I got what I needed with no stress. My college days were more awesome than my high school years since I schooled at a Fashion Academy. And boy, was I a topper."

Ashley chuckled as she took a minute to relive the good times.

Her honey-brown coloured eyes sweeping across the plastered ceiling, she continued, "Life was easy. When I set out to have my own business, the whole process went without any issues. The next thing I knew, I was getting married to a man I loved. At least I thought I loved him.

But, everything just changed when I caught him in bed with another woman. Nothing in my life felt easy anymore. I could feel some weight fall upon me.

After I caught my husband and mother, I crashed at the door and all I did was cry. It was surprising because the Ashley I grew up to identify as was so strong, she would have walked out of the house with pride instead of breaking down in tears."

Tears now forming in her eyes, sadness resurfacing in her heart, Ashley turned to face Dave whose attentive eyes didn't fail to watch her.

"All I did that day was cry. The whole scenario kept playing in my head throughout that night to the point that I was deprived of my sleep. A few days later when Kevin came with a divorce letter, I lost it. I became so angry at myself, at him, at everyone. After signing the stupid paper, this heaviness fell on me and I just..." Her brows knitted with great distress.

"... I just lost myself. I became weak and helpless. I hated it, but I couldn't help the feeling. Becoming a shadow in my own house killed me slowly. I knew it killed me, but I still stayed in that murdering position without trying to help myself."

"Come here, you." Dave quietly said as she burst into a loud sob.

While her fingers dug into his back in a way that begged for a prolonged embrace, Ashley realised how much damage she had been causing herself. She stayed in a dark place for too long. And for the first time, she understood why Dave was scared that she would slip back into her sorrow.

Had he not intervened, she would have fallen deep into depression especially since she just lost a great fraction of her house. Her life would have made no sense and... most probably, something terrible could have happened to her.

Sniffing as her tearing died down, Ashley pulled away from his strong embrace and gave him a small smile, her eyes suddenly feeling tired.

"It is so terrible that you had to go through such a period alone," Dave started, his hand reaching out to caress hers. "Honestly speaking, I think your reaction to your house getting burnt is not just because something bad was happening again. You were scared to lose another thing dear to you.

But you really need to understand that what matters the most at the end of the day, is you. From now on, you should try to live your life in a way that will assure that you don't end up losing yourself."

"I..."

Placing a finger on his lips, he cut her short.

"At this stage, you have you and you only. Okay, you have me too, but the main focus here is you. Kevin, your mother, the people that hurt you, the things you have lost... They are all in the past. Ashley, even though it is not as easy as it sounds, you have to learn to let go of the past first in order to focus on yourself.

Even though it is a gradual process that might never end because one way or the other, the past finds a way to come back, gradually dealing with our haunting past helps a lot in our growth as humans."

As Dave talked, the sensual image of her mother and Kevin replayed in her head and Ashley cringed.

She would give anything to get the painful scene out of her head, no kidding.

And, Dave's little talk about letting go of the past sounded like a good plan despite being a difficult one.

So, while she admired the veins that decorated his hand, Ashley said, "I actually want to focus on me. Letting go of the past and finding a better version of me sounds good."

Dave returned her smile. "Good. That brings me back to a question I have always wanted to ask you."

"Yeah?" she asked, lips tucked in.

Adjusting his position to face her fully, his elbow perching on the couch, Dave brushed her hair to the back and asked, "What makes you happy, Ashley Steve?" She was taken aback by the question as it was one she had never been asked nor thought of. But Dave was not in a hurry to get an answer. "Just think about the question, Ashley. You can give me an answer when you can."

"Okay."

His question was a huge bother.

"Don't be so gloomy now, Ashley Steve." He tugged at her hand and made to get up. "Let us do something fun."

Ashley stopped him from taking a step forward.

"I just want you to hold me, Dave."

She needed a while to reason about her life. Having fun at that moment didn't sound right.

"Gladly," came Dave's response as he sat back.

The built man then opened his arms and Ashley went in. Her arms instantly wrapped around his bare back and she buried her face in his welcoming chest.

And they stayed like that for a while.

Dave ran his hand through her back soothingly and Ashley continued thinking and rethinking about her life in a way that roused more tears that dripped onto Dave's skin.