Chapter 16

Veronica got out of the car, Ashley following with a smile. They opened the door to the house, being welcomed by a pair of short yet warm arms.

"Ronnie, you're alright!"

"I'm sorry, Sammy. Were you worried?" Sammy hugged Veronica tighter, looking up with their big, glassy eyes, making their older sister coo.

"Very! I felt like my heart exploded! Make it up to me!"

"I see…" Veronica trailed off. She kneeled to meet eye-to-eye with Sammy, patting her sibling's head as she did so. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Carrot cake. I made some, so let's go eat!" Sammy said, pouting. Veronica smiled as she continued to pat their head before replying. Ashley watched from the siblings' side, wearing a warm smile.

"Of course."

"I'll get it out," Ashley said, leaving to the kitchen to get the cake. Veronica and Sammy sat on the floor near the coffee table, waiting for the food. She came back with 3 forks, plates, tissues, glasses filled with water, and a square cake covered in orange frosting, just waiting to be devoured. As she struggled to bring the stuff into the living room, Veronica rushed to help her.

"If you cannot carry it all, you should have asked for help," Veronica muttered as she took the glasses from Ashley, their hands grazing together.

"Right, sorry. I just didn't want to bother you. Uhmm, thanks…" Ashley mumbled, ears turning pink. She put the cake and utensils down, hiding her ears with her air after. "Sammy worked very hard on this, you know? They ran all around the kitchen making this."

"Hmm, I should taste it then…" Veronica said, taking the fork and cutting through the cake. She ate a piece, humming as she tasted it. Sammy watched with wide expecting eyes beside her, leaning over the coffee table.

"So?"

"This tastes amazing!" Veronica said, smiling. Sammy lit up, gasping as they grinned widely. "I really like it, Sammy!"

"Really?" Sammy said, Veronica, nodding in response.

"Oh, lemme taste it too." Ashley hummed as she took the fork, digging it into the cake.

"So? Does it taste good?"

"Uhmm…" Ashley trailed off, putting the fork down. "How much sugar did you put in this?"

"Hmm, not a lot. I think I put 4 cups?"

"I see, well, I'm not a fan of sweet things…" Ashley muttered as she scratcher cheek. Sammy started tearing up, their bottom lip trembling as she replied with a shaky voice.

"Does it taste bad?" Sammy asked with bloodshot eyes, high-pitched voice cracking. Although her sibling was starting to cry, Veronica found this the perfect time to get revenge for what Ashley said to her, so with a smirk and a mouth full of sweet carrot cake filled with diabetes; she leaned over the table.

"You're making Sammy cry, you know?" Veronica said, voice intentionally higher than usual. She ran her thumb across her sibling's cheeks, wiping the tears away. Sammy sniffled lightly and nuzzled against their sister's hand, the action making the CEO coo.

"Oh no, no! Of course, not. It tastes good. Too much sugar just isn't good for me." Ashley said, shaking her hands hastily. She then turned her head towards her boss, lips forming into a pout and brows furrowing. "And, Ms. Reyes! That's not how I talk!"

"Yes, it is. You talk like a child." Veronica taunted, shoving more cake in her mouth. Ashley scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest before retaliating.

"No, I don't!"

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes." Ashley stopped, her eyebrows furrowing. "Wait…"

"That was easy."

"You guys are like children," Sammy said before drinking from their glass. They giggled as they watched their sibling.

"Ashley is the child, Sammy. Not me." Veronica said, making Ashley retaliate. She stood up and pointed an accusing finger towards her boss, pouting as she whined.

"Hey! You're the child! You don't even know how to take care of yourself."

"Oh, oh! That's right. Bunny hero screamed when you fell. She even cried a bit." Sammy said, obviously not helping Ashley.

"Wait, really?" Veronica asked in disbelief and looked up at Ashley with slightly widened eyes, both eyebrows raised. Ashley paused before stammering, shaking her head as she tried to find her escape.

"N-no! That's not true. I didn't cry." She said. She looked at Sammy right after denying Veronica, scolding them with a nagging finger. "Sammy, don't make things up."

"But it's true! You went on and on about how you can't take care of her even though you were beside her."

"Oh…" Veronica mumbled as she looked down, ears turning a light pink. 'She's always concerned about me. What's so different now?' She wondered with pink ears.

"I, wait, th-that's not true…" She trailed off. Veronica looked up at her again, making her look away, ears flushing.

"Why did you cry—"

"Anyway, since we're done with the cakes, I'll go wash this!" Ashley said, quickly picking the empty plates and forks up. "Um, Ms. Reyes, you should be resting. The doctor said so."

"But—"

"I-if you need anything, let me know!"

…

Ashley stands by Veronica's door, fiddling with her fingers before finally deciding to knock with hesitance. "Ms. Reyes, I have to go home now."

"Hmm?" Veronica opens the door. Ashley struggles not to stare at her boss's exposed collarbones and toned thighs, obviously from working out. The dress hugged her figure, the white fabric a beautiful bright contrast to her slightly dark tan. The melanin made the latter drool, and her boss seemed to notice her lingering stare. She looks down at her shoes, to avoid the other's gaze.

"It's late. I have to go home…" She trailed off, throat feeling dry. Veronica leaned against the doorframe, her dress riding up. Ashley gulped.

"I see. How are you going to go home?" She asked, leaning closer towards Ashley. The closing proximity made the woman's breath hitch, yet she didn't want to step back farther, anyway. "It is literally raining, and as you said, it is late."

"Yes, well… I can just ride the bus."

"Do you even have an umbrella?"

"Err…"

"You do not." She said. "You can have one. There is a lot near the door."

"Ah, I see, well, thank you." She bowed slightly. She stepped back, and it felt like she was struggling to pull herself away from a compelling magnet. "I'll get going. Please rest well."

Veronica watched as her assistant took a few more steps away from her, feeling like every step weighed down on her. She bit her lip in hesitance before calling out to Ashley.

"… Wait."

"Yes, Ms. Reyes?" Ashley asked as she turned back, facing her boss. Her eyes slightly widened in confusion, eyebrows raised high. It was one of the rare times Veronica called out to her (excluding work) and not the other way around.

"You can sleep here tonight." Veronica said, voice small as she gestured to the house. Ashley ogled at her, feeling her underwear dampening in contrast to her drying throat. Her hands started getting clammy with nervous and the beat of her heart quickened in pace.

"Oh…" Ashley's underwhelming response made Veronica wonder why she asked in the first place. She looked away and sighed lightly before speaking.

"If you do not want to, that is fine—"

"Oh, n-no! I'll stay." She said, walking towards Veronica again. The latter looked back at her. "Um, what about my clothes though?"

"You can just use some of mine."

"But where am I gonna sleep?"

"There are a lot of guest bedrooms." Veronica shrugged. Before she continued, she paused, looking at Ashley through her long lashes with a suggestive look, eyes narrowed. "However, if you don't want that, you can sleep here… with me." Ashley stepped closer towards the former as she bit her lips, eyes stuck on her.

"Are you sure we're just going to sleep?" Ashley whispered, leaning in even closer.

"I thought you wanted me to rest?" Veronica stared at Ashley's eyes, one of her hands slowly finding their way towards her waist and the other towards her jaw. The

"I do. I'll do all the work." Ashley said. A moment of silence took over them as they stared into each other's eyes, time seeming to have stopped.

Before she knew it, Ashley was met with a pair of soft lips hungrily pressed against her own. She kissed back with the same vigor, hand leading up to Veronica's shoulder as she squeezed it. As their kiss deepened, Ashley gently pushed her boss inside, smoothly closing and locking the door afterwards. They don't want Sammy coming in and blinding their eyes out of nowhere after all.