If he was going to ask her to dance one more time, she was going scream and tell him she was sick of dancing - at least, not to the constant beat of techno and electronica music playing through the speakers around the pool. She was beginning to get a headache. It had been fun at first, but after one hour turned to two, and then three, Riley knew she was done. D-O-N-E. Done.

Why on earth did she have to suggest they show up at the party Ashe had been invited to, if only to make an appearance even though he had told her he'd rather stay at the villa and relax? Going to the party would mean that he'd be working, he told her, something that couldn't be helped because he'd be on.

She should also have been more specific about the length of said appearance, for the afternoon party was turning into an all-night dance-fest, with everyone checking everyone else out as surreptitiously as they could (or not), and just having all-out fun, even if it meant getting shoved (playfully) into the infinity pool where some skimpily clad women were already holding court, their waterproof make-up doing double, if not triple, duty to remain waterproof. And how was Riley supposed to know that the party was being held by a major lifestyle magazine who'd long dispatched their photographers to document who among the world's Who's Who were present. Already three separate photographers and a cameraman had asked her for her name, though their assistants simply ignored whatever answer she said and wrote down, Ashe Hunter and friend in their notes.

And now there they were, surrounded by people whose names she'd forgotten, even that of the big-name director who was telling Ashe about a movie he was putting together, and that upon meeting Ashe in person, had decided that Ashe was the actor he was looking for the lead role. The big-name director was also really drunk so Riley wondered whether half of what he said was true, and from the look on Ashe's face, that faint perma-smile at work, Riley wondered if he knew it, too.

"Say yes, man, and I'll text my guy at Sony right now," Big Name Director said as Riley drifted away from the group, finding a quiet place on the deck with a view of the bulb-lit beach. Then she leaned against the railing and turned her attention back on Ashe as he held court.

As Ashe continued to listen to big-name director, his gaze drifting towards Riley as if making sure she was within sight, women and men surrounded them, absently swaying their shoulders and hips to the techno beat, their lips pursed as they made duck faces to their cell phone cameras and making sure Ashe and the director were in the background.

Riley sighed and turned her attention to the beach. Until she had excused herself, she had been with Ashe the entire time, him holding her hand and pulling her to the dance floor, laughing as she made silly faces at him while she attempted to dance seductively.

But now she was bored and - wait! Was that Lady Gaga? Riley thought as she spun around to look at the woman with straight blond hair walk past her, flanked by two other women. But without her contacts, Riley wasn't sure. She hadn't worn them since they arrived on the island eight days ago, though she found herself wishing she had them on now. She'd already mistaken Rihanna for someone else, and the performer wasn't too happy about the mistake. Riley never meant it though, she wanted to tell the singer. She really did want to say Rihanna, but in her excitement, who knew her mouth would say Shakira instead?

But Riley had to admit that she was also tired - so tired she could barely think straight. They'd done so many things ever since they arrived and though she would have loved to sleep in till noon every day, Ashe had packed in so many adventures for them both even though he didn't have to. She would have been satisfied just finding a shady spot around their oceanfront villa and read a book. 

Still, she had never smiled and laughed so much in her life that her cheeks hurt by noon. Already they'd ridden on jet skis and powerboats, gone waterskiing, kayaking and even hung on for dear life on some inflatable contraption that looked like a flat banana pulled across the water in high speed, with Riley screaming like she was going to die, and Ashe laughing so hard that he cried. They'd even gone horseback riding and hiking, and at night they enjoyed intimate dinners at the villa and hours just making love - though most times, they were out like a light the moment their heads hit their pillows, too sunburnt and too exhausted to care. Not that they minded. There was always the morning.

With Ashe still deep in conversation with big-shot director, and the last song segueing to reggae and everyone shouting and hollering their approval, Riley slipped away from the deck and stepped out onto the beach. Though the sun had already set, there were lights everywhere, strung between poles in myriads of colors. She could even see their villa in the distance, just four huge oceanfront properties away. She turned to look at Ashe again just as he was looking around the deck, searching for her. When he saw her, he waved as Riley pointed towards their villa, mouthing I'll meet you at home before taking her leave.

Maybe she was jealous of him getting all the attention from the beautiful people that surrounded him. Maybe she felt invisible, feeling like a shrimp next to his six foot four frame and simply labeled as "friend" to everyone else. Hell, she was just jealous, she conceded. She'd gotten used to having him all for herself.

Riley was ten minutes into her slow walk home when Ashe caught up with her, slowing down to match her ambling stride. He was wearing a thin white shirt that emphasized his toned muscles over dark shorts and flip flops.

"You didn't have to leave the party!" Riley protested as Ashe took her hand. "I told you I'd just meet you at home."

"And I told you I wasn't about to let you walk home alone." 

"But what about the party?" Riley asked. "You were having fun."

"You know me better than that, Riley-I-am," Ashe said. "But I am having fun now that we're away from that party. All that techno music was giving me a headache." He paused, breathing in the cool night air before turning to look at her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Just tired, and feeling a bit sunburnt."

"Would you like me to rub aloe on you when we get home?"

She smiled, thinking of all the other places she would want him to rub as well. "That would be nice."

As they reached their villa, Ashe led her to the deck. Taking her right hand, he placed it on his left shoulder, letting his left hand drift lower to gently hold her along her waist as his right hand held her left arm up along the side.

"What are you doing?" she asked, grateful for the sound of the surf replacing the incessant beat of the techno music still reverberating between her temples.

Ashe bent his head so his mouth was right in line with her ear. "I'm dancing. With you." He led her backwards a few steps and then forward, before lifting her left arm over her head so he could gently spin her around and back to face him.

Riley giggled when she found herself facing him again. "But where's our music?"

"Who needs music?" He pulled her close so she was against him. "We have our own music playing right now, luv. Can't you hear it?"

In the distance they could hear the heavy bass beats playing from the party they had just left, and somewhere closer, maybe a villa or two away, someone was playing a familiar song on a guitar, repeating the chorus again and again as if the guitarist was perfecting the chorus before he could move on. But it didn't matter to Ashe, who simply followed along with the music as he moved Riley across the deck and dangerously close to the edge of the pool, grinning broadly as she giggled. She always giggled when she danced with him, especially under the threat of being tossed into the pool.

But as she lay her cheek against his chest, Riley sighed and closed her eyes, knowing it was the last thing Ashe would do - at least for that evening. She listened to the beating of his heart through his shirt, the rhythm of his own feelings playing out live. She smiled, allowing him to lead her through the deck, her body moving along with his as if she'd known him forever.

She remembered the first time they danced, that night when he took her out for salsa dancing. She'd been so awkward then, too self-conscious to let go of her body, not even her shoulders. But Riley remembered how she did let go, and how good it felt then, just like it did now.

She sighed as she closed her eyes, letting all her anxiety slide off her skin, all her doubts and her insecurities disappearing into the night. It wasn't long before she realized that Ashe was humming a tune, the vibrations from his vocal cords a soft thrum against her temple. She recognized the melody, for it was one of her favorites and she knew he liked it, too, for they'd ended up purchasing the same song on their own music accounts, the spendthrift part of him kicking in to tell her that maybe they should have just one account from here on since they shared the same taste in music.

Though Ashe wasn't much of a singer, Riley loved to hear him sing his off-key songs, especially in the shower when he thought she couldn't hear him. No wonder he didn't get that role of the late Conley Brennan - a role that went to Gareth instead - he told her one day, for heaven help him, he couldn't hold a tune. It was one thing to nail the Southern drawl, he added, but the singing had completely eluded him. But Riley didn't care. She loved Ashe, even if he was tone-deaf (he wasn't - he just couldn't hold a tune).

Riley couldn't remember how long they danced, or how long before they made it inside the house, still dancing. Outside the window, she could see the full moon reflected against the water as he twirled her around, his movements slow and deliberate.

"Do you know that I fall in love with you everyday, Riley-I-Am?"

His question took Riley by surprise just as she stopped to face him, and she fought back a gasp that would have been followed by tears. But she didn't want to ruin the moment with a bout of crying, so she forced a surprised look and shook her head.

"It's the strangest feeling, and it both hurts and feels glorious all at the same time," he murmured, resting both her hands behind his neck as they continued to move to the music only they could hear.

"Even when you're surrounded by the most beautiful women of St. Bart's–"

"–none of whom are you," Ashe interrupted, and Riley looked away, realizing how predictable she'd become. She had been jealous of the attention everyone else lavished on him at the party. But it wasn't any more than was lavished on some other celebrity, she thought, like Rihanna and if Lady Gaga was really there, her, too. It wasn't as if Ashe hadn't lavished the same exact attention, if not more, on her, ignoring everyone else who paraded in front of him.

"I'm sorry. I guess it will take some getting used to," Riley said softly, "all those people wanting a piece of you, and all of them so beautiful and so accomplished."

"And none of whom live the way you live your life, Riley, with so much passion and hope. And if they did, it's not my concern because you are the one I'm with, not them," he continued, still leading her across the floor before spinning her slowly one more time. It was as if the lyrics of their song had been replaced by the words he spoke then.

"None of them know the things that you've been through, and that no matter what you've gone through, here you are, with a smile on your face, even your eyes," he said. "So, my answer is no. No matter how many gorgeous women there may be on this island, the only one I want is this gorgeous woman named Riley Eames."

"Now that you put it that way–" she chuckled, but Ashe interrupted her with a kiss so soft it made her catch her breath. When would she ever learn—deep in her heart and always, regardless of who was around who happened to be more beautiful or more accomplished than her—that she was worth loving, that despite her insecurities and her imperfections, here was a man who loved her, a man who fell in love with her everyday, who sang songs even though he couldn't hold a tune, so he hummed it instead because he could hold the tune then.

Then as the kiss grew deeper, she knew he was right about another thing. There was no one out there like her, just like there was no one in the world like Ashe Hunter.

And there was no one else who had his heart — but her.

Thank you so much for reading Loving Ashe! 

My heart is full 8 years after I wrote Riley and Ashe's story to see it reach #1 in so many categories (which means YOU are getting to know them!) and I hope you continue to follow the story with Loving Riley and (coming soon) Loving Gareth.