Chapter 9

Veronica yawned out, feeling her bones crack as she stretched her arms. She blinked slowly as she turned her head to the side, looking at the clock on the bedside table. "What time is it?" she groaned as she squinted her eyes.

She felt a shuffle beside her, making her turn to the sound. She found Ashley still asleep. She was breathing lightly, a strand of hair fluttering over her nose as she breathed out, making Veronica stare as she struggled not to chuckle. She notices the eye bags under her eyes and looks at the light freckles dusted on her skin.

'She probably took her make-up off last night.'

With that thought, Veronica was reminded of the earlier events from the evening before. She cringed at how she sobbed like a baby, clutching Ashley as if she would die if she didn't have a hold of her. The embarrassment brings goosebumps to her skin, little hairs rising from their place. Despite how she cried so unattractively, her assistant didn't tease her for it or didn't ask questions. She just let her cry on her shoulder, making her shirt wet. Well, to be fair, her embrace was warm, it made her feel so cared for. She resisted the urge to dive into the sleeping woman's arms once more, resisted the urge to smell her floral and comforting scent, resisted the urge to touch.

'Maybe she's nice after-all.' She thinks as she shifts, putting a hand under her head, still looking at Ashley. 'I still don't deserve it though.'

She gawks at the way her long lashes clean from mascara, lay against her puffed cheeks from the morning mist, eyes still closed, and the slit between the curtains lets a beam of light shine through, the brightness hitting Ashley's face just right.

'Oh.' The sight makes Veronica speechless, her eyes slowly grazing down to the sleeping woman's lips. She takes note how chapped it is in the morning, but still, she leans closer. She feels the urge to kiss Ashley right then and there, but the woman isn't awake to let her. She pulls back and just enjoys her presence as she laid in the warmth of her body. Veronica realizes a little too long after that she's been staring and finally decides to sit up, go down and make breakfast.

As Veronica laid the pancakes on a plate, Ashley wakes up, the smell of maple and cinnamon hitting her nose, making it twitch like a bunny. As she opens her eyes, she hears the thud of soft footsteps get louder, seeing Veronica by the door.

"Oh, I see you're awake…" Veronica says as she enters the room. She goes to her closet, opening the doors as Ashley follows her with her tired eyes.

"… Did you make breakfast?" Ashley asks, sitting up. She yawns once more while Veronica replies.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Veronica turns her head to look at her clothes in hand as she bit her lip before replying. It reminded her of how much time she spent, just laying down as she gawked at Ashley like a creep.

"Ah, yes, well, I thought I shouldn't bother you." She said. "You seemed… peaceful." Ashley hummed before groaning as she stood up, groggy. She walked towards the curtains.

"Hmm, but you made breakfast yourself." Ashley said as she pulled the blinds open, the light shining through, making Veronica furrow her brows at the brightness. "We usually make it together, you know?"

"Well, it is to thank you." Veronica mumbled, voice barely audible but loud enough for Ashley to hear, causing her eyes to widen, mouth slightly agape as she turned her head slowly to look at her boss, dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

"I said, just say thank you!" Veronica shouts, looking away. Before Ashley can get a glimpse of her flushed face, her boss rushes away to her bathroom, scamming the door closed when she gets inside.

"Uh, alright." Ashley mutters, confused. 'Maybe I was just imagining it.' She thought. "Thank you, Ms. Reyes!" Ashley loudly says, calling out to her boss in the bathroom. She scratches her cheek as she walks out the room, grumbling under her breath.

"Damn, what's up her ass this morning?" Ashley said, pout forming on her lips. As she walks down the stairs, she remembers the night before. She was reminded of how small Veronica felt in her arms and although she wasn't familiar with it, she didn't hate it. On the contrary, she liked being able to help her boss in other ways than sex and work. It was new, but she was ready to welcome it again.

When she sat on her chair in front of the table, she stared at the food Veronica made. 'It's nice of her to make breakfast.' She thinks. "Her eyes were really puffy a while ago though…" She mutters.

"Why haven't you started eating?" Veronica asked as she was putting her cardigan on. She sat across the table from Ashley, taking the fork beside the plate in hand.

'Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.' Ashley thinks as she grabs a fork too, cutting a piece of the pancake.

"Wanted to eat with you. It's lonely eating by myself, you know?"

"I see…��� Veronica says, eating a piece of pancake before frowning. "Ms. Johnson, pass me the syrup."

"Yes, Ms. Reyes!" Ashley answers as she passes the bottle to her boss. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Ashley nods as she continues to eat. She looks at Veronica, wondering how such a cold face can cry so passionately. The duality was amazing to her. She slowly takes a bite, eyes still stuck on her boss. Her gaze must have taken a bit too long, considering the fact that Veronica started looking back at her, a perfectly shaped eyebrow raised.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"N-nothing." Ashley stutters, looking away as she timidly puts a piece of food in her mouth. Veronica narrows her eyes at this before speaking up.

"You want something." She said. "What is it?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Veronica sighs at this, putting her fork down.

"Spit it out, Ms. Johnson."

"Well…" She trailed off. "Are you feeling better?��

"That's not what you want to ask."

"You don't know that." Ashley grumbles, pout forming on her lips as she crosses her arms.

"Yes, I do." Veronica says, picking her fork up with her dainty fingers as she cut a piece of pancake. "I also know that you prepared to get fucked yesterday, considering the butt plug inside your ass. You probably took it off last night while I was sleeping though." Ashley's eyes widened comically, letting out a loud gasp as she covered her mouth. She looked at Veronica, mortified as she covered her face. Her boss smirked at her reaction, amused.

"H-how do you know that?!"

"I felt it when…" Veronica trails off, smirk falling as it formed into a frown. Ashley takes note of it and feels the air change, her own frown forming. "When I was touching you last night… But what do you really want to ask?"

Silence.

"Why did you cry last night?" Ashely asked, brows furrowed as she stared at Veronica.

Silence once again.

���You don't have to answer me…" Ashley said, leaning forward as she continued to look at Veronica.

"It's fine. You… you let me cry, anyway." She said as she drank from her cup. Ashley was on her toes, anticipating her response. She was so worried yesterday and as much as she wanted to help out, she couldn't. Veronica sighed before answering. "It was my ex."

"What?'

"The man, the model we saw yesterday. He is my ex-boyfriend."