Ashley gave Arthur a flustered shove. "It’s been so long, and you’re still thinking about that?" Back then, the mood had definitely been there—but they were outside, and it wasn’t the right time. They’d spent ages gathering seafood and had a blast while doing it. Now that the sky was completely dark, Ashley had thought for sure he’d forgotten all about it. But to her surprise, he hadn’t. Arthur gave a wicked grin. "How could I forget? I’ve been thinking about it this whole time." He leaned in close again. "So? How about making it up to me tonight?" His blunt question made Ashley blush even deeper. She scrambled to change the subject. "Um, I’m gonna grab a bowl from outside." Arthur caught her wrist. "The bowls are in the kitchen." Her face turned an even deeper shade of red. Her heart was pounding wildly, like a little deer had wandered into her chest and started crashing around. With a firm tug, Arthur pulled her straight into his arms. Off balance, Ashley tumbled right into him. Arthur caught her perfectly. "You came running into my arms on your own," he teased with a mischievous grin. Fuming with embarrassment, Ashley shoved him away and bolted out of the kitchen like her life depended on it. "I—I’m taking a shower!" Behind her, Arthur’s hearty laugh echoed down the hallway. "Hahahahahahaha!" He was in high spirits. He didn’t chase after her, just hummed a tune while quickly cleaning up the seafood. He couldn’t wait for Ashley to come out.Twenty minutes later. Ashley stepped out of the bathroom, clearly hesitant. Her freshly washed hair was still dripping, and her skin—flushed from the hot water—looked impossibly soft, like a blooming pink rose. Her thin nightgown clung faintly to her figure, just enough to tease the imagination. Arthur gulped. He set aside the food he was about to cook and immediately turned off the stove. When she saw him charging toward her like a beast, Ashley’s face turned crimson. "You—you go shower first!" she blurted. Arthur paused, then made a beeline for the bathroom. Girls were delicate and needed to be treated with care—and after all that time gathering seafood at the beach, he really wasn’t in the cleanest shape. He took a quick shower and headed straight for the bedroom. Ashley was inside, drying her hair. She was facing away from the door, arms raised, and that flimsy nightgown clung to her body like a second skin. Her curves were on full display, and Arthur felt his blood surge. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, gripping her slender waist. Ashley shivered. The nerves that had been building inside her only grew worse. "You—you’re back already?" she stammered. Her long chestnut curls were still damp, draped over her shoulders, perfectly framing her curvy figure. The sight made Arthur swallow hard. Staring at her parted lips, he didn’t say a word. He simply leaned in and kissed her. "Mm—" Startled, Ashley instinctively tried to pull away. Arthur was too intense tonight. She was scared. She pointed frantically toward the kitchen, signaling that the food still wasn’t finished.Arthur caught the motion and reluctantly let go. "I’ll finish it later." Then, without missing a beat, he dove right back in. Ashley felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. This Arthur wasn’t like before—no soft tenderness, no slow buildup. Every move was impatient, urgent. She already knew she was doomed tonight. Just imagining what was about to happen made her cheeks burn. Arthur’s hands moved restlessly over her, and every touch made her tremble. "Be... be gentle," she gasped, trying to plead with him. A long, long time later. Ashley lay sprawled on the bed, completely limp. She felt like she’d been run over by a truck—her whole body felt like it had fallen apart. Even lifting a finger felt impossible. Thank goodness she’d eaten those snacks from the old lady earlier—if not, she would’ve passed out from exhaustion. That workout had burned through everything she’d just eaten, and now her stomach growled in protest. The sound snapped Arthur out of his haze. He scratched his head, a little sheepish. "I’ll go finish cooking." Ashley finally breathed a sigh of relief.