Make Me Feel Alive

This is going to be such a mistake, I thought as I walked into the coffee shop. I glanced around, and spotted Ashley after a minute. He had found a table against the wall, his back to the Window fronts. The place wasn't overly crowded yet, so we'd chosen a good time to meet up.
i bit my lip, then started toward him. I hadn't necessarily dressed up, but I had taken more care with my hair today where it kind of flowed down to my waist in pretty curls, and I had put on a little makeup behind my glasses. I was wearing my favorite blue dress that cinched at the waist, and converse because I still hadn't recovered from my heels fiasco last weekend.
"Hey," I said as I stepped to the table, and he looked up. He grinned as he saw me, and stood.
"You look nice," he said, and I blushed slightly.
"Thanks. Nice t shirt," I teased, seeing the lead singer of his bands face sprawled across it.
"Hey, I gotta support my man, okay?" he laughed as I set my purse on the table. "Watcha want to drink? Or eat?"
"I'm fine, actually." Honestly I doubted I could afford the coffee here, or even the food. I had to be sparing with my money and this place was almost more expensive then Starbucks.
"What? Girl, you're going to starve to death," Ashley rolled his eyes. "Now what do you want, really?"
"Honest, I don't want anything," I said hastily, flushing slightly. He frowned at me.
"Alright," he said after a moment, "sit tight, I'll be right back."
"Okay," I watched him walk over to the register, propping my chin in hand. I pursed my hips, watching as his black jeans stretched tightly on his very nicely shaped booty as he leaned against the counter.
Morgan! I chided myself, and looked away quickly. I crossed my legs under the table and looked out the window, watching as people walked by on the sidewalk, the sun bright today. It had been a nice walk over, only a few minutes, so I basically had forty-five minutes to hang out before I had to leave again.
"Here," I straightened as Ashley sat a coffee and muffin down in front of me, and then slipped into the chair opposite me.
"Wha ---."
"You gotta eat on your lunch break," he told me, his face surprisingly stern as he looked at me. "It's not healthy. You don't need to be on a diet anyway."
"I'm not on a diet." I muttered, I'm just broke.
"Prove it," he challenged, lifting his own coffee to his lips. It was all I could do not to glare at him.
"Fine. How much do I ---?"
"You don't owe me anything." he interrupted me. "Besides, the blueberry muffin is to make up for the donuts. Honestly, I can't bake," he shrugged, and I grinned, stifling a chuckle.
"Half it with me then. You'll make me feel bad otherwise," I said quickly before he could argue, and he shrugged after a moment.
"Fine. So how was work today?"
"It's good. I spent most of the week helping one of the girls pick through dresses for a date," I chuckled, breaking a piece off the muffin.
"Is it Vale?"
I stared at him in surprise.
"She's going out with our drummer CC," he explained at my look. "Though I don't see what he does. Sure, she's hot, but she's such a ---."
"She's very blunt," I interrupted him. "But she's actually very nice when she gets to know you."
"I guess," he frowned. "But she's crabby."
I smiled, and then took a sip of coffee.
"How did you know I liked chocolate creamer?" I nearly dropped my coffee.
Ashley brightened. "I saw it in your cabinet when you were getting me a bandaid."
"Well aren't you observant."
Trevor had been dating me for months and he didn't even know what I liked.
"Okay, so Friday. we have this concert," Ashley started, tracing his finger along the rim of his coffee cup, "we could hang out. You could come, actually. I can get you a VIP pass."
"Um," I hesitated, biting my lip. "I dunno. I don't want too ---."
"Take advantage?" Ashley shook his head. "You're not."
"Do you have a thing for finishing my sentences or something?" I looked at him in amusement, pinching another piece of muffin off; it was literally the best muffin I had ever tasted. Why had I never been in here before?
Oh yeah, student loans.
"Hey, I can just read you like a book is all. Your face is so expressive."
I looked down quickly. "Right. I've been told that a lot."
Ashley chuckled. "So, no to the concert then? How about after?"
Ehhh.
"I don't know," I hesitated. "Are we just hanging out or ...?"
I needed that clarified before anything else happened.
Trevor was still an issue.
Ashley looked at me curiously. "You mean are we chilling or is it a date?"
"Basically."
"Well," Ashley walked his fingers across the table and onto my hand. "Dates usually mean something that would lead to a relationship, which I'm against. Sooo..."
"So just as friends then?"
"Possibly," he started to draw slow circles across the top of my skin. "Even friends with benefits sometime."
My eyes flicked to his in surprise. "I'm not that easy."
"I know," he sent me a grin. "That's why I'm buttering you up first."
I sent him a look, and tugged my hand back. "it's gonna take more then coffee and muffins for that."
"I figured. That's why I offered the concert. Usually you girls jump at the chance to see us in action."
"Well, I'm not much for crowds." I glanced at my phone, checking the time. "Especially rowdy ones."
Ashley leaned back in his chair, a speculating look on his face. "I see. Okay, just as friends then, nothing else. For now," he added, and I rolled my eyes.
"You sure have an ego."
"Just as nice as your legs," he winked, and it was all I could do not to smile at him.
"I actually have to get going," I hesitated; I actually didn't want to go, I was kind of having a good time. Ugh, why did I have to work?
"Okay. You actually have a 9 to 5 job, I get it," he stood, and then nudged my coffee at me. "Don't forget this."
I grabbed it as I stood, and slipped my purse over my shoulder. "Thanks for all this, it was nice."
"Only nice?" Ashley walked me outside, opening the door for me.
"Very nice," I sent him a smile as I turned to face him, the coffee warm in my hand. "I'm glad you suggested the idea now."
"Oh, so are you saying you weren't happy about it at some point?"
"Just because you finish my sentences doesn't mean you get to make them up for me too," I told him, and he laughed. He caught my hand as I started to walk away and tugged me to him.
"Friday night," he said, using his free hand to brush my hair out of my face. "Mark it down. We're gonna do something."
"Fine. But as friends," I warned him, aware of how intimately close we were. "No benefits."
"For now," he agreed, and this thumb traced my lower lip.
Pull away, Morgan! Don't let him do that!
"And," he continued, dropping his hand to let it curl firmly around my waist, pulling me firmly against him, "you'll come around eventually."
"Ashley---." I started to protest.
His lips suddenly pressed against mine, and I blinked in shock as his tongue traced my lower lip before leisurely entering my mouth as if this was normal.
Don't you kiss him back! My nun of a conscience yelled.
He seemed a little surprised when I did.
I was a little surprised when I did.
I opened my eyes when he pulled away, slightly pleased with myself at his expression; he hadn't expected that.
"God, I meant to show you what you were missing, but I think you turned it around on me," he muttered, and took a step back, dropping his hand off my waist.
I chuckled, taking a few steps back myself; being near him too long was like taking ecstasy.
"I'll see you Friday," I told him, raising my coffee in salute.
"I'll be waiting," he grinned at me.
I smiled as I turned away and started back to work. I was so going to get way in over my head, I knew that. But he made me feel like I wasn't in such a rut with my life. He was spontaneous, surprising... And it made me feel a little bit more alive when I was with him.
I didn't feel so boring.

Notes

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