Lilly looked at Ashton and found him talking to Elsie, his stepmother.

"What is she doing here?" Lilly frowned.

"Hey, aren't you going to greet your mother in law?" Eva asked.

Lilly turned her attention to Eva and gave a small helpless smile. "I don't think so. They both seem to be in a very serious discussion so I don't think it will be a good idea to interrupt them."

"It isn't that they are talking about something serious it's just that whenever the two of them meet each other the atmosphere around them turn like that."

"Filled with tension and discomfort." Lilly completed.

"Yes." Eva acknowledged. ''It's hard to understand why this happens but I don't think Ashton treats her this way just because she is his stepmom. I have met him quite a few times and he respects women. So there has to be a solid reason as to why he is like that with her."

"Ashton is someone who has secrets. A lot of them." Lilly said more to herself than to the girl in front of her. Every time she looked at Ashton there was an urge to know more about him, she smiled looking at the man who had his back towards her. Her curiosity which felt utter stupidity to her.

"He would never tell you what's going on in his heart or head. Even if he were in pain he wouldn't tell anyone. He is that sort of guy."

"You have fallen for him you know." Eva smiled at her. ''The longing for him in your eyes speaks it."

Lilly looked at Eva but then dismissed her words mentally with a smile on her face because there was no way she could fall for him. It was just her curiosity. The need and want to know more about him had nothing to do with love.

"You know men are egoistical creatures. They never tell their troubles to anyone." Eva smiled as she looked at Liam. "They feel telling others about their pain would portray them as weak but if there comes a day when he tells you his deepest sorrows and darkest fears when he tells you his secrets that he has never told anyone then just know it's because you have broken the walls he built around his heart. If he tells you his secrets then it's not because he is weak. No. It's because you have earned his trust. It would be because you have become someone special to him and that day you would know how much he loves you."

Eva looked back at Lilly as she continued, "He married you maybe because he saw something special in you. The day when you would gain his trust completely he will tell you all his secrets. Why his relationship with Elsie is so tense I don't know. Neither do Aaron and Liam. But I am sure you will succeed in breaking those walls around his heart. So Mrs King, don't worry I hope that day comes for you soon." she smiled.

"That sounds like a good luck wish," Lilly said returning the smile.

"Eva," Liam called for his wife. "Would you come here for a minute?"

" I will be back." Eva excused herself and now Lilly was left alone with her thoughts as she looked at Ashton from this distance. She could neither hear his voice nor see his expressions but looking at his body language he wasn't looking very happy.

"What's going on? Why is she here?" Lilly was getting worried every passing second.

As Livia returned with Aaron, Liam and Eva came back. Soon Ashton too joined them. After a brief conversation, everyone parted ways. Livia was pregnant and needed to rest. The newly married Richardson couple got a call from Liam's grandmother. Ashton's mood was so spoilt that it didn't go unnoticed. So after bidding farewell three couples headed to their destination.

Lilly and Ashton's journey to home once again was filled with silence but the silence this time was different from the previous one because now the tension filled the air like the calm before the storm. A storm Lilly was praying and hoping for not to come.

She had wanted to ask Ashton what he had talked about with Elsie and what she was doing there. But every time she would try to get the word words out of her mouth just one look at Ashton and the dark and dangerous vibes coming from him was more than enough to scare her and kill the words before they even left out of her mouth. So she kept quiet. The 30 minutes journey seemed like 30 hours long.

When they finally reached home driver opened the door for Lilly. As Lilly got out of the car she found Ashton by her side but before she could say something he spoke up.

" I have some work to take care of so I am going to my study."

"Ok." Lilly nodded silently as he left before even listening to her. She stood there watching his retreating back.

"He was so cheerful in the morning and now he looked in such a foul mood. What exactly happened back there?"

After checking up on Sam Lilly went to her and Ashton's room. Changing into her pyjamas and an old comfy top she hopped on her side of the bed but today even her most favourite and comfortable wear for the night were failing to provide any comfort.

For a moment she thought of going to the study and look for Ashton to ask if he needed something but then again what right she had. It wasn't like this was a real marriage where she needs to worry about her spouse. They both had their life and problems so it was better not to meddle into his business, she decided.

Lying on her side of the bed she tried to sleep but the sleep refused all her advances. Just as she was about to get out of the bed she heard the bedroom door open and Ashton entered the room.

She held onto the edge of the bed with her eyes tightly shut and the quilt pulled over her head she pretended to sleep. She heard him closing the door behind him. She could hear his every step and what he was doing. After a quick shower, he changed into his clothes for the night and slipped to his side of the bed.

'Is he asleep?' Lilly wondered. She turned to her right to look at him and found he had his back towards her.

'Should I ask him?' she contemplated as her lower lip suffered between her teeth. Finally mustering her courage and taking one deep breath she let the word out.

" Ashton?"

"If you are going to ask what I talked to Elsie then it was nothing interesting."

"No, I was -''

"And don't worry I will not let her take your Sam away," he answered with his back still towards her.

Lilly sighed. Well, she was worried about Sam but at the moment there was just one question she wanted the answer of.

" I just wanted to ask if you are alright."

Her question was followed by silence and then he finally turned to look at her.

"Why? Are you worried about me?" his question caught her off guard. She looked at him in those beautiful eyes but there was no sign of teasing or mockery. It was just blank. Expressionless.

Was she worried about him, she questioned herself and from in came a voice.

"Yes, I was worried about you," she said honestly.

He looked at her for a moment as if captured in a spell and then his eyes twinkled.

"You know Mrs King, you make me want to do this."

"Do wha-"

Before she could even complete her question he got up on his arms and pressed his lips against hers. He had meant to give her a small quick kiss. Just a light peck on those soft lips. He just wanted to feel her under him to know this wasn't a lie or a mirage but somehow that simple kiss which was supposed to last just for a few seconds stretched to more than a minute.

A kiss that was meant to be simple and wee started to turn into something hot and passionate. She tried to push him on his chest but he caught her hands and held them above her head.

At that moment she wasn't sure if she wanted to push him away or to pull him a bit more to herself. She wasn't sure what she needed or wanted from him. Her head was in a mess and this man was responsible for all this. When he finally allowed her to drag some oxygen in her lungs and loosened his grip on her wrists she looked into those dilated pupils.

''You always surprise me." Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear he brushed her cheek gently.

"If I were to ask you or if I tell you that what I said yesterday about wanting to touch you, about how much I desire you if I say that wasn't a lie then what would you say. Would you want to take this one step ahead?"

She looked at him. Confused as to where this conversation was going and he seemed to understand her dilemma as he said, "Lilly, I want you like a husband would want his wife. I want you in that way. In every way."