More Than A Favor (Elaine and Logan)

Ashton's face wore a smile that was both helpless and affectionate as he said, "You've done this before. You have a history of it."

I was left speechless, heat rising to my cheeks. Embarrassment and imitation mixed within me

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He really was something. Instead of keeping his thoughts to himself, he had to spell it out so plainly. His emotional intelligence was surprisingly low for someone so perceptive.

"Elaine," Ashton said softly, his tone teasing but gentle, 'you were so bold when doing something wrong, but now you're acting all timid. You haven't changed a bit from when you were a child."noveldrama

I opened my mouth, ready to retort, but then his words sank in.

*Doing something wrong?"

I froze as realization hit me.

Last night. When I opened the door wearing the nightgown. He knew. He hadn't thought it was an accident. He had seen through it-he knew it was deliberate.

Oh my god.

The car keys in my hand felt like they were about to snap under the pressure of my grip. My face burned as I stammered, “Who's doing something wrong? It's clearly you. You're just.... mmm..."

Before I could finish, Ashton leaned in and kissed me.

It wasn't the wild, passionate kiss from the night before. This one was soft, almost tender. His lips were cool from his moming run, but they carried a warmth that spread through me like fire.

I stood there frozen, unable to move. My eyes fluttered shut as I felt his lips against mine, the faint tickle of his breath, and the quickened pace of my heart.

Even as I was caught up in the daze of his kiss, I couldn't help but notice him-his long lashes brushing his cheekbones, the sharp line of his nose, and how effortlessly handsome he looked so

close.

When he pulled away, I felt breathless, as though he had stolen all the air from my lungs. His hands still held mine, and his gaze was steady, filled with emotions I couldn't quite name.

"From now on, I'll take care of the bad things," he said, his voice low but firm.

I was blushing so much it felt like the redness had spread from my face all the way down to my ankles. I kept my head down, unable to look at him.

"Did you really have no business with Dr. Bennett?" Ashton asked again, though his tone was less teasing this time.

I shook my head, still refusing to speak. I didn't trust myself to form coherent sentences.

Why was I acting like this?

When I was with Logan, people often teased us about being a couple. Logan would sometimes pinch my cheek, put his arm around my shoulder, or kiss my cheek in front of others, never felt shy or

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< Chapter 176

flustered back then.

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But now, with Ashton, I felt like an inexperienced, shy girl experiencing her first crush.

And the truth was, I had been pretending to be so composed and confident all this time. When we were at Amaty, I acted like this seasoned woman who knew how to handle relationships. But now? Now it felt like I was exposed, my real self laid bare.

"I originally planned to make you some spaghetti," Ashton said, breaking the silence. "But it seems that's not needed now. Be careful on the road."

I remained quiet, still too embarrassed to respond.

Ashton smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Elaine, do you know what you make me want to do?"

"What?" I asked, finally finding my voice.

He leaned in again, his cheek brushing against mine as his soft lips grazed my earlobe. "I want to kiss

the you more," he murmured, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "Because the more I kiss less shy you'll become."

you,

My whole body felt like it was on fire. I tapped his back twice in protest, but it only made him laugh. That laugh-deep, warm, and so very Ashton-made me even more self-conscious.

"Don't laugh!" I exclaimed, covering his mouth with my hand.

But then, I felt a tickling sensation on my palm.

He kissed my hand.

I recoiled slightly, startled, but he chuckled again, clearly enjoying my flustered state.

"Alright," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm done teasing you. Go ahead and drive safely."

I bit my lip and hurriedly got into the car, my face as red as a boiled shrimp.

As I started the engine, I glanced out the window and saw him still standing there, watching me with a

smile.

Ashton rarely smiled like this-so openly, so brightly. It was like the first rays of sun breaking through the clouds, warm and full of promise.

My heart fluttered, and I couldn't help but smile back.

This was what love felt like-real love. It was exciting, nerve-wracking, and sweet all at once.

I drove off, but even after putting some distance between us, I saw in the rearview

mirror that Ashton remained where he was, watching me leave.

It was then that his words from the amusement park the night before came rushing back to me.

I'll be leaving tomorrow.

My hand froze on the steering wheel as I realized I hadn't asked him where he

was going.

A sudden wave of unease washed over me.

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Get $>

Mend

I quickly slammed on the brakes, my heart pounding for an entirely different

reason now.