RECAP:

Unlike how we have kissed before, our lips began by moving slowly and softly. I allowed her to take control, but ended up closing the gap between us and kissing her harder.

I felt her weight shift into my hold, so I moved a hand to her hip for support.

As she pulled away from me, she made sure to bite my bottom lip slightly. I could feel my boxers tighten in response to her action as she caught her breath.

"Ditto." She whispered and my stomach erupted with a feeling that only Rebecca Brooke could give me.

Looking back, I felt stupid and Niaive for the smile touching my lips when I was preparing for the day.

Flicking my wet hair away from my forehead one last time, I found myself switching off the shower nozzle and grabbing a towel from the bottom shelf of the counter.

Even this action brought my thoughts back to Becca.

My Becca.

The rest of the morning was a blur until I heard her distant voice, pulling me out from the paper pages that lay in my hands.

It seemed to be coming from the kitchen, so I sprung from my bed and strode down the line of stairs awaiting my stride.

From the archway, Becca's thick curls were spun into a messy bun which exposed her bare back. She wore her elegant silk pyjamas as she hummed her way to the fridge.

I considered admiring her from my current position but my legs were already taking me towards her tall frame as I wrapped my arms around her waist and brought my head to her neck.

Just as my lips made contact with her soft skin, I felt her physically tense beheath me and she wriggled out of my grasp.

"Morning." I whispered flirtatiously as she spun around in my hold. Her face flushed light pink, however I didn't let her lack of eye contact go unnoticed.

"You ok?" I questioned with worry, searching her expression for my answer but my brows furrowed in defeat.

"What are you doing Ashton." She spoke with boredom and her lips parted and she bobbed her head over each of my shoulders to check if someone was watching.

"What does it look like i'm doing?" I smirked and rested my hands beside her.

"It looks like you're trying to get us caught." She answered.

"What for? I'm simply just talking to my best friend's sister." I pointed and she tugged her bottom lip beneath her teeth.

My eyes trailed to follow her movement, but when she realised I was observing, I was shot a look which I took as a sign to step back.

"Fine, It that's what you want" I pulled my hands up in surrender and stepped back but couldn't help speaking my mind afterwards "You know, out of everyone, I least expected you to want to be hidden away." I muttered and reached for two glasses.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her reply seemed calm, but I could tell that my comment had gotten to her.

"Nothi-"

"Ashton." My name rolling from her lips was enough for me to obey her questioning and she knew it. She'd done it on purpose, knowing the effect it would have on me as the flashbacks from the night in my room came flooding back.

Glancing back up at her, her eyes were the same dark pools of brown that made my heart skip a beat. The bags beneath then had long disappeared after last night and from the way she rubbed her forehead, I knew she was once again in the presence of her wild mind.

"You just-You deserve better than to be kept a secret Becca." I breathed out and handed her a glass from my hand as a kind gesture.

Her lips parted once again, but the sound of heavy footsteps prevented any sound from coming out.

Despite us being far away from each other, she made sure to take a couple of steps back and filled up her glass from the fridge dispenser.

Unlike mine and Becca's casual appearances, Ethan appeared in the archway with neon swim shorts and a bottle of suncream.

We both let out a chuckle when we saw the flimsy lilo underneath his arm and the thin layer of white cream that sat beneath his left eye.

"What?" He grinned and made his way towards the bifold doors. "If it is about the shorts, just know that these bad boys were 50% off so-"

"So you decided that the fish couldn't see you already?" Becca jokes and my smile grew.

"Whatever, make fun of them all you like. It's not like I have feelings or anything." He wiped a fake tear from his eye, smudging the blob of suncream into his skin.

"Wait, where are you going?" Becca asked and drank the last of her water.

"Where does it look like i'm going?" He remarked and it became clear how their dynamic hadn't changed in the two years that I hadn't seen them.

Although they joked around, It was clear how easily they understood one-another.

I wish Becca and I could understand each other like that.

Within seconds, Ethan was making his way down the stone staircase with his lilo.

"I'm gonna join him, you coming?" Becca asked and began her strides towards our rooms.

My phone buzzed in my pocket,changing my answer to her question.

"Yeah, I'm just going to grab some food." I replied and she offered me a smile and nodded before hurrying off upstairs.

From my jogger pocket, I reached for the device and tapped onto the screen. An unknown number caught my attention as I adjusted the mobile in my hand.

Entering my password into the screen, my brows furrowed with the simplicity of the message.

Becca.

It wasn't long before the next message pinged below the first one.

Needs.

I waited for the next words to appear, the lump in my throat growing.

You,

And then my phone nearly fell out of my grasp with the stream of notifications following the last ones.

Ashton.

It's.

Time.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I could already feel my other hand clenching into a tight fist.

Looking back, I wished I had never opened that sick message.