“Ash! The taxi will be here soon to take you to the airport!” AJ yelled up the stairs.
Within seconds, she came stomping down the stairs.
“I can’t believe you wouldn’t call the limo to take me, Alex,” she glared at him as she breezed past him.
“What’s the difference? As long as you get there.”
“The difference IS, Alex dear, that I don’t like taxis. Taxis are gross, taxis are for people that DON’T have money. WE have money Alex, I wish you would act like it.”
AJ rolled his eyes. “Why should I? You act like it enough for both of us. All you do is spend money. I’m starting to think that’s all you care about.”
His attitude took her by surprise. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Baby, I love you. You know that, right?” she purred running her hands down his chest.
He looked deeply into her eyes trying to find the love she claimed to have for him. All he saw was coldness and manipulation. He knew she manipulated him, he just didn’t know what to do about it. They had been together for 3 years. He knew in his heart that it wasn’t true love, he knew she wasn’t the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he couldn’t end it. He needed the security of having someone there, someone to comfort him. She gave him what he needed. All he had to do was give her the material things she wanted.
“Alex? What’s wrong baby? Oh, I know what it is...you’re gonna miss me,” she cooed, taking his hand and leading him into the living room.
She pushed him down onto the couch and sat in his lap, straddling him. She started kissing his neck.
“Ash, the taxi is gonna be here soon.” He tried to fight her, he was sick of having meaningless sex. He was sick of going through the motions. He wanted to make love to a woman that actually loved him for who he was, but it was no use. His body responded to her touch even though he didn’t want it to.
She knelt down on the floor in front of him. He watched her as she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants.
“I’m really don’t want to take a taxi, Alex,” she pouted as she slowly ran her hand up and down his length.
He looked down at her and she looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. She knew exactly how to get what she wanted from him. She kissed down his chest and started to take him in her mouth. He grabbed the back of her head to get her to take more of him, she pulled away.
“You want me to make you happy, you have to make me happy. You’re not gonna make me take a taxi, are you Alex?” she purred.
He sighed and reached for the phone. As he talked Ashleigh smiled at him and continued to tease him.
He sighed and reached over and picked up the cordless phone, dialing the limo driver. Ashleigh continued to tease him the whole time he was talking.
“Jim will be here in 15 minutes,” he said after he hung up the phone.
“Good boy,” she said, “you know what happens when I’m happy, don’t you Alex?” She gave him a sly smile as she enveloped him in her mouth.
He lay his head back on the couch and closed his eyes. This may not be true love, but it was the closest thing he had to it.

As her plane landed in Orlando, Cassidy watched out the window. She had been to Florida many times before, but for some reason, something felt different this time. She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Maybe it was her hope against hope that she would run into Alex somewhere.
She laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. She couldn’t help but think of him. It had been a couple weeks since he called her. In a way, she wished he called her back. She wanted to apologize for acting the way she did to him. Unfortunately, he never called back. She couldn’t say she blamed him in the least.
“Forget about it, Cassidy. You’re the one who screwed it up,” she told herself.
After she got her bags, she walked outside to get a taxi to take her to her hotel. As she walked out the door, someone slammed right into her, causing her to drop all her bags.
“Excuse me,” Cassidy said sarcastically to the young, dark haired girl.
The girl stopped, turned around, and slid her glasses down her nose.
“You need to watch where you’re going.” She looked her up and down, gave her a dirty look, then turned to walk away.
“YOU need to get that stick out of your ass,” Cassidy threw back at her.
The girl looked back at her giving her another dirty look.
“Fuck you,” she said as she swung her hair over her shoulder and stomped off.
“What a bitch,” Cassidy cursed as she bent down to gather her things then a man walked over and started helping her pick up her bags.
“I’m really sorry about that,” the man said.
“Why? You didn’t do anything , it’s not your fault,” Cassidy said looking up at him and smiling, “but thank you.”
She noticed that he was dressed in a suit.
“No problem, she’s a pain in the ass, I know. Not many people stand up to her”, he laughed.
"I can’t stand people who think they’re better than everyone else. You know her?” Cassidy asked as she stood up and looked around for a taxi.
“You could say that,” he laughed. “I drive her around a lot, let’s just say. I notice that you need a ride somewhere. This limo here is mine, I have to pick someone up in about an hour, but I’d be happy to take you where you need to go.”
“Thank you, but that’s not necessary.”
“I insist,” he said as he started to load her bags in the trunk.
“I said no thank you,” Cassidy said, starting to get angry as she took her bags back out of the trunk.
“Listen, you’re not having much luck getting a taxi. Let me give you a ride. I’m sure my boss would insist as well, especially if he found out how his girlfriend just treated you”.
Cassidy sighed and looked at him. She thought for a minute.
“I don’t know who you are, you could be a serial killer for all I know!”
He laughed, he admired her strong personality.
“The name’s Jim, I’m from Kissimmee,” He held out his hand.
She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Jim, I’m Cassidy, from Indiana."
“You feel better now, Cassidy? Do you think I’m a serial killer?”
She looked once more for a nearby taxi, not spotting a single one.
“Alright, I give up,” he sighed, “The hotel isn’t too far away anyway.”
He opened the door and let her in then finished loading her bags into the trunk.

Chapter 5
Back