he was doing a great job of not showing his nerves. While his heart pounded like mad and a heavy dose of panic screamed through his body, he maintained a smile.
Ashton studied him closely for several moments before giving his hand another squeeze. "It's okay, Justice. You're safe here."
Shame flooded Justice as he realized that maybe he hadn't been fooling anyone. Even Ashton's uncle had a sympathetic look on his face. The older man cleared his throat before saying, "Come on, let me show you to your table."
Justice trailed after Ashton, but they continued to hold hands. Despite the flurry of emotions battling inside him, Justice found a bit of comfort from that touch. Silly really, that something so simple from somebody he just met should feel so right, but it did. So much so, that when they reached their table, Justice found himself reluctant to let go.
He did though, sliding into the chair opposite of Ashton. True to Ashton's promise, they were the only ones in this area of the restaurant. If it weren't for the dim sounds of conversation, doors opening and silverware clinking against dishes, Justice would think they had the whole place to themselves.
He took the menu with a murmured thanks and opened it, not really seeing the words inside. Terry disappeared, so it left just Ashton and Justice in the room. Justice tried to concentrate on the menu, but failed miserably. Instead his gaze kept drifting to Ashton.
Justice still couldn't understand what the guy saw in some dorky loser like him. Ashton had everything going for him. He was hot, rich and had a great personality. The high-end blue sweater and designer jeans probably cost more than Justice's entire wardrobe combined. Plus, he exuded confidence while Justice bumbled his way through life. Moreover it looked as if Ashton's family could actually stand to be around him. Something Justice never experienced.
"Get whatever you want," Ashton urged.
"Huh?" Justice started, embarrassed at being caught ogling.
"I said for you to order whatever you want," Ashton replied, a sexy, lopsided smile coming over his handsome face.
Justice tilted his face downward, both to hide the bruises and the heat coming over his cheeks. God, what in the hell had ever possessed him to agree to go out on an actual date? It would probably take Ashton ten minutes tops to realize what a lost cause he had on his hands. Justice would be lucky if he didn't find himself taking a taxi home. He nervously licked his lips, wincing in pain as he was once again reminded of his split lip.
"What's good here?" he asked.
"A lot of people love the steak, but my personal favorite is the lasagna."
"Okay, then I'll go with that."
"Are you sure?"
"I trust you."
Ashton's smile faltered for moment as he began to fiddle with his silverware. When the silence stretched, Justice began to worry if he'd said something wrong. An apology was forming on his lips, when Ashton looked up and said, "Nobody aside from Bryce has ever trusted me with anything before, not even with something as small as ordering a meal for them."
"Why not? Even though we've just met, I can tell you're great."
Now it was Justice who glanced down as he realized he'd come off as some kind of gushing stalker.
"You're the only one who's ever thought that. Most people turn their back on me once they hear what my last name is."
Outraged, Justice looked back up. "Why the hell would they do that? You're nothing like your father."
A rueful smile twisted Ashton's lips. "How do you know that?"
Justice paused as he fought for an answer. In truth, he really couldn't, not since they'd just met the night before. Yet, there was something inside Justice that screamed he could trust Ashton, that while he may share the same blood as his father, they were cast from a different mold.
"Do you think I'm like Craig and my father?" Justice challenged by way of answer.
Ashton slowly shook his head. "You're everything they pretend to be."
A warm feeling pooled
Ashton studied him closely for several moments before giving his hand another squeeze. "It's okay, Justice. You're safe here."
Shame flooded Justice as he realized that maybe he hadn't been fooling anyone. Even Ashton's uncle had a sympathetic look on his face. The older man cleared his throat before saying, "Come on, let me show you to your table."
Justice trailed after Ashton, but they continued to hold hands. Despite the flurry of emotions battling inside him, Justice found a bit of comfort from that touch. Silly really, that something so simple from somebody he just met should feel so right, but it did. So much so, that when they reached their table, Justice found himself reluctant to let go.
He did though, sliding into the chair opposite of Ashton. True to Ashton's promise, they were the only ones in this area of the restaurant. If it weren't for the dim sounds of conversation, doors opening and silverware clinking against dishes, Justice would think they had the whole place to themselves.
He took the menu with a murmured thanks and opened it, not really seeing the words inside. Terry disappeared, so it left just Ashton and Justice in the room. Justice tried to concentrate on the menu, but failed miserably. Instead his gaze kept drifting to Ashton.
Justice still couldn't understand what the guy saw in some dorky loser like him. Ashton had everything going for him. He was hot, rich and had a great personality. The high-end blue sweater and designer jeans probably cost more than Justice's entire wardrobe combined. Plus, he exuded confidence while Justice bumbled his way through life. Moreover it looked as if Ashton's family could actually stand to be around him. Something Justice never experienced.
"Get whatever you want," Ashton urged.
"Huh?" Justice started, embarrassed at being caught ogling.
"I said for you to order whatever you want," Ashton replied, a sexy, lopsided smile coming over his handsome face.
Justice tilted his face downward, both to hide the bruises and the heat coming over his cheeks. God, what in the hell had ever possessed him to agree to go out on an actual date? It would probably take Ashton ten minutes tops to realize what a lost cause he had on his hands. Justice would be lucky if he didn't find himself taking a taxi home. He nervously licked his lips, wincing in pain as he was once again reminded of his split lip.
"What's good here?" he asked.
"A lot of people love the steak, but my personal favorite is the lasagna."
"Okay, then I'll go with that."
"Are you sure?"
"I trust you."
Ashton's smile faltered for moment as he began to fiddle with his silverware. When the silence stretched, Justice began to worry if he'd said something wrong. An apology was forming on his lips, when Ashton looked up and said, "Nobody aside from Bryce has ever trusted me with anything before, not even with something as small as ordering a meal for them."
"Why not? Even though we've just met, I can tell you're great."
Now it was Justice who glanced down as he realized he'd come off as some kind of gushing stalker.
"You're the only one who's ever thought that. Most people turn their back on me once they hear what my last name is."
Outraged, Justice looked back up. "Why the hell would they do that? You're nothing like your father."
A rueful smile twisted Ashton's lips. "How do you know that?"
Justice paused as he fought for an answer. In truth, he really couldn't, not since they'd just met the night before. Yet, there was something inside Justice that screamed he could trust Ashton, that while he may share the same blood as his father, they were cast from a different mold.
"Do you think I'm like Craig and my father?" Justice challenged by way of answer.
Ashton slowly shook his head. "You're everything they pretend to be."
A warm feeling pooled
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