Her Guardian Angel

by Megawrath

Leon Scott Kennedy thought the mission in Spain was over when he successfully rescued Ashley from Los Illuminados. So when the President and the First Lady asked him to "be there" for their daughter, the Agent had no idea what to expect. As Ashley continues to struggle with the trauma of her ordeal, will Leon's presence help her through the storm? Or will new complications arise?

20. Chapter 20

:: Author's Note ::

Apparently Fanfic is having some technical difficulties at the moment. I haven't been able to see the traffic graph for my story's views since the fifteenth. According to everything I read, pretty much the whole site is experiencing this issue. Not just me. So hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

All the same, I appreciate the new comments, follows, and favorites the story has received since posting chapter nineteen. I've said it before and I'll say it again, regular feedback and suggestions really does help the creative process along. Even if I don't use an idea exactly as stated, it might just spark something else that I do incorporate. So never feel shy to offer input or suggestions.

Now with that said, I'd like to talk a little about what to expect in this chapter. When I reached the point where Ashley and Leon were officially in a relationship together, I didn't want the story to just abruptly end. I really wanted a huge part of this story to be showing them dealing with the obstacles of navigating a new relationship as well. Both the ones all couples eventually go through, as well as some that might be unique to the President's daughter herself.

What's more, I really wanted to make Ashley's first time with Leon feel truly authentic. I could easily write a spicy sex scene between them and I'm sure it would do just fine. I've done more of those than I can count. But with this, I really wanted to aim more for authenticity than just pure lemon fluff.

Overall, I'm rather pleased with the final result. So with all that out of the way, I present to you chapter twenty!

:: End Note ::

Gabi told herself over and over again she wasn't going to get too emotionally invested in the details of Leon and Ashley's relationship. For her own peace of mind, it was better if she remained optimistically objective when it came to those two. But suppressing her curiosity was proving difficult when it felt like literally everyone on and off campus was talking about it. When she set out to help Ashley and Leon grow closer, she never intended for their relationship to just explode the way it had been lately.

Though in hindsight, they probably should have seen this coming. Absurdly handsome government agent almost single handedly rescues the President's daughter from certain peril whereupon they fall in love? The media was gonna be all over that story like fresh apple pie. Several news outlets were already hailing Leon and Ashley as the next great All American Love Story. A romance that was swiftly climbing over even Prince William and Kate Middleton in terms of popularity.

Truthfully, it felt a little disingenuous. As much fun as people seemed to be having, and as outwardly supportive as the country was trying to be, none of them had the full story. They didn't know about all the horrible things Ashley and Leon had to go through just to get to this point. It all felt so superficial. Which was why Gabi was originally going to try and avoid the hype.

That was until she heard that Leon's younger brother Ryland was about to appear on The Tonight Show to answer a few questions about America's favorite government agent as well as weigh in on the new couple.

"So, by now, I'm sure all of you have heard of America's newest love story that's sweeping the nation. It's been confirmed by multiple sources that Ashley Graham is dating the federal agent who saved her life in Spain," Jimmy Fallon declared in a bright chipper voice, much to the approval of the crowd.

Gabi curled up on the chapter room couch, biting the tip of her thumb in anticipation for what was coming next.

"And while we've all been especially curious to hear more from the President and from Ashley regarding this incredible news, it seems like most of America is just as curious if not more so to learn about the STRATCOM Field Agent responsible for Ashley's safe return and for capturing the First Daughter's heart, Leon S. Kennedy."

The audience cheered, with the ladies in the crowd seeming especially boisterous at that moment.

"Well, unfortunately, we couldn't quite swing the level of clearance necessary to talk to the man himself," Fallon joked, prompting the audience to chuckle. "But I think you're still gonna absolutely love my next guest all the same. He's an up and coming actor who's already started to make a name for himself on shows such as CSI: Washington and Law and Order: Bioterror Division, here to help shed some light on America's favorite government agent, Ryland Kennedy everyone!"

A small smile formed on Gabi's lips, her thumb still clamped between her teeth, as Fallon gestured stage left. Ryland came out smiling and waving to the roar of the crowd, again with the women in the audience getting especially vocal. Not that she could particularly blame them. Between that sandy blonde hair she was all too familiar with and his bright, exuberant smile, the youngest Kennedy brother fit the Hollywood pretty boy image to an absolute tee.

After shaking hands with Jimmy he took a seat at the adjacent couch next to his desk.

"Thank you so much for coming on the show, Ryland."

"Glad to be here, Jimmy," he responded.

Gabi audibly laughed. For God's sake, he even sounded like a younger, brighter Leon. His voice was missing that gravely undertone she was used to hearing.

"Now, I know we're all dying to know more about your older brother, but I don't want to just make this whole thing about him," Fallon insisted. "So how about we start with a bit about you?"

He turned to the crowd and waved, speaking in a slightly joking manner. "Right, so I'm the less cool younger brother, Ryland."

Jimmy and the audience all laughed boisterously at that. Gabi, meanwhile, quietly snickered to herself, her cheeks turning red. In addition to being a lot more energetic, he seemed to have a much more jovial sense of humor than Leon did. Everything about this boy screamed golden retriever energy, and she was here for it.

"No no, you're great. You're great," Fallon assured, still chuckling under his breath. "I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but you were already a regular on CSI: Washington before we even knew your brother's name, weren't you?"

He nodded brightly. "I was."

"And now I hear you're working on a new project? Mind telling us a little bit more about that?"

"Well, I was actually just recently approached by a pretty major studio asking if I'd like to play my older brother in a movie," Ryland admitted.

Gabi immediately lurched up off the couch, eyes bulging in shock. "Wait, what?!"

"No kidding?" Fallon sounded surprised as well.

He nodded. "I know, crazy right? They want me to portray Leon in a retelling of the events of the Raccoon City viral outbreak."

"So for your first major role you're playing your older brother?" Fallon repeated, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Well, they're still drafting up the script. But the project has been greenlit. Assuming all goes well, we'll begin filming in Boston in a couple of months."

"Wow. Wow." Jimmy Fallon turned to the audience in amazement who all proceeded to start clapping and cheering again. Gabi felt a rush of excitement coursing through her being.

Did he just say he was coming to Boston?

"So, does Leon know about this?"

"I mean, as far as I know," he answered candidly. "You have to understand, getting in contact with my brother is sort of like trying to call up the governor and chat. There's a lot of hoops and hurdles you have to jump through first."

Jimmy nodded along in understanding. "Right, right."

"But what's kinda funny is, he'll drop in on me all the time," Ryland added with a bright chuckle. "Like, I always know whenever Leon is watching me on TV because he'll just call me out of the blue every now and then and be like…hey, you're holding your gun wrong!"

Jimmy Fallon and the audience both burst into hysterical laughter. Even Gabi couldn't help but laugh at that. It definitely sounded like something Leon would do.

"Now, would I be correct in assuming the reason you're filming in Boston as opposed to Raccoon City is because of the reconstruction still going on?"

"Well, that is part of it," Ryland admitted. "But it was also, I believe, a conscious choice on the part of the director to film in Boston as opposed to Raccoon City as a show of respect. We don't want to parody the tragedy that occurred in any way, nor do we want to disrespect the victims of that awful event."

Jimmy shook his head vehemently while the audience clapped. "No, no. I one-hundred percent agree. Now, knowing what you've got planned in the future, I do wanna ask, what's it been like dealing with this sort of, I guess, sudden rush in fame you and your family seem to be experiencing now that your brother's exploits are getting out to the public?"

He seemed to think about the question for a moment before responding. "It's…been a little overwhelming, I won't lie. But on the whole, I'd say we're all just incredibly grateful so many people seem to support my brother."

The audience all clapped again.

"And I just want to clarify, Leon is the…oldest child?"

"Middle child," Ryland corrected. "I'm the youngest, Tommie is the oldest."

"Wasn't he just on TV as well? I think it was…" Jimmy snapped his fingers a few times trying to recall. "...uhhh…the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, correct?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Tommie was promoting his new book, I think."

"Oh, he's an author?"

"Well, he works for Wall Street. But my brother wrote a self-help book titled Success and the Family. It's a sort of…auto-biographical piece if I remember correctly. I don't know a lot about it, but he mentions Leon quite a few times."

Jimmy sat up in his seat and placed his hands on the desk as if pantomiming three different figures. "Okay, so it goes Ryland the actor, Leon the agent, and Tommie the wall street guy."

"Pretty much," he confirmed.

"You know, it would be the middle child that chose to be the assassin in the family."

Ryland cracked up at that, as did the rest of the audience.

"I'm just picturing you as a kid saying to your parents I wanna be in movies. Then there's your older brother who was all I wanna make money…"

"...and then there's Leon," he finished the joke for him, inciting another stream of laughter from Fallon and the audience.

"So, would I be correct in assuming that Leon was kinda the black sheep of the family?"

Ryland nodded. "You would be." He then turned to the audience and quickly clarified. "And I mean that with all the love and support in the world. I respect the hell out of my brother for what all he's done for our country."

"At this point, I think just about everyone does," Jimmy insisted before turning to the audience who all cheered in agreement.

Gabi smiled at that. It was clear Ryland was trying to be as genuine as possible when talking about his brother and to help humanize him in the public eye. Something she felt Leon would approve of.

"Okay, so we all wanna know, Ryland, what was it like growing up in the Kennedy household? Describe that environment to us."

Ryland relaxed back in his seat and thought back to those earlier years. "Well, our dad was originally a Sheriff Deputy for King County, Georgia back before he met our mom. He accepted a job opportunity further up north and eventually worked his way up to Chief of Police."

"So, just a really really strong sense of justice then," Falon guessed.

"Oh, absolutely. Dad used to read this old story to us when we were younger, The Stone in the Road I think it was called, basically always encouraging us to never give up in the face of adversity. And Leon, in particular, really took that story to heart, I feel like."

"Wow, wow," Jimmy declared, nodding along. "So what would you say drove your brother in such a, I guess, different direction from you and Tommie?"

After thinking for a moment, Ryland shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly couldn't tell you. Leon was always kinda the introverted one in the family. He had all the charisma and opportunity in the world but acted like he wanted nothing to do with it."

"Huh…" he commented, listening intently.

"When we were like really little Mom put us all in the cub scouts," Ryland continued. "But only Leon stuck with it. He eventually made it all the way up to Eagle Scout and just never stopped. My brother, growing up, was always much more interested in, I guess, practical skills? He had this obsession with knives. And there was this old Native American guy who lived in the same neighborhood as us who he used to see like, four times a week, to learn all these crazy tricks with knives."

Jimmy gawked at him incredulously. "So, basically, he started early."

He laughed and nodded. "You could say that, yeah. My brother's always been kind of an enigma, even to us. But now that I'm playing him in a role, I've been trying to better understand his…perspective, I guess?"

"So, what's your theory then?" Jimmy asked next. "We're all just so curious about this guy but pretty much everything about him is a mystery."

"Yeah, that's kinda how it was growing up with him," Ryland admitted. "Like, he was a great brother. We got along really well barring the occasional disagreement. But he was also just really…guarded, for lack of a better word." He folded his arms and crossed one leg over the other. "My 'theory' is that he's just an old soul in a young body. Our family has a very rich military background, and I guess Leon just got more of that than the rest of us."

"That's just so crazy to me," Fallon insisted. "To go from marine, to cop, to…"

"You know he was only a cop for a day?" he cut him off with a slick grin.

Jimmy slammed his hands down on the desk in overt disbelief. "You're kidding!"

Ryland shook his head. "He was literally on his way to work from orientation when he drove straight into the middle of the outbreak. Not even twelve hours later they quarantined off the city and declared it a no fly zone. Legally, he was only a cop for a single day."

He just stared at him with his mouth hanging open in amazement.

"And I remember the day specifically because he actually called us to check in shortly before his cell phone service cut off," Ryland continued. "Like, the very last thing he said to Mom was, I'll call you when I'm at my new apartment, I just hope traffic isn't an ass."

The entire audience gasped at that last comment.

"Yeah, that whole situation was…chaos," he insisted. "Our poor mother was inconsolable."

Everyone awww'd in pity.

"Oh, I can only imagine," Jimmy spoke sympathetically.

He shrugged. "Well, in typical Leon fashion, Tommie gets a call from him two weeks later from a payphone of all things, and I kid you not, his exact words were hey, it's Leon. Tell Mom I'm not dead. *click*"

Everyone burst into laughter then started to clap.

"Like, gone for two weeks, and that was the whole conversation!" he insisted in amusement.

After giving the audience a second to settle down, Jimmy continued.

"Well, as incredible as that story is, the story between Ashley and Leon is just as incredible. And I think I speak for all of us when I say we're very very grateful to Leon that Ashley is not only alive and healthy, but also appears to be in a much brighter place."

Ryland nodded vehemently. "I absolutely could not agree with you more, Jimmy. And knowing my brother, as well as some of the things he's been through in his personal life that I don't feel fully comfortable talking about openly, I'm ecstatic for him and his new relationship. I genuinely couldn't be happier for my brother."

"Have you seen the pictures floating around?"

He perked up. "I haven't, actually."

Jimmy spun around and pointed at the screen behind them. "You should really see these. They're great."

What appeared on the screen was several photos of Ashley and Leon together in their formal dress and suit. Each of them were taken on that magical night the two first cemented themselves as a legitimate couple. And after being cleared by Secret Service they started spreading like wildfire all over the internet. It was these photos that all but confirmed the rumors Ashley was dating Leon and led to their sudden burst of fame all around the country.

"So where were these taken again?" Ryland asked curiously.

"I believe this is an event being held by Ashley's sorority," he answered. "Delta Phi."

"Woo! Wooooo!" Gabi cheered, jumping up and down in her seat.

"Wow," Ryland commented, an approving smile on his face. "These are great. Those two really do look incredible together."

"Right?" Fallon insisted. "Like, just look at this one. Tell me that pink dress doesn't look great on her."

The audience's hearts all melted at the sight of Leon and Ashley slow dancing. It then transitioned to a group photo of the couple which included Gabi, Lindsay, Beth, and Sarah as well.

"I mean, they're all really good looking girls," Ryland pointed out. "Especially Miss Emerald Dress over there."

Gabi's heart stopped dead in her chest and her whole body went rigid. The audience all wooo'd and hollered in approval.

"Oh, really? You like her?" Jimmy played along, feeding off the crowd's energy.

Ryland leaned forward in his seat and nodded shamelessly, that gorgeous smile still plastered on his face. "Yeah. She's cute."

The crowd erupted all over again. Meanwhile, Gabi's entire face was burning and the remote had fallen out of her hands.

"Hey, maybe if Leon calls he can set you two up."

"Oh, God, don't give that man ideas!" Gabi exclaimed, her face just turning even more red as she collapsed back into the couch, folding her arms over her forehead, still in a state of shock.

"You know, I might actually be cool with that," Ryland responded. "No lie."

The audience went completely berserk. Jimmy just kept egging him on.

"Well, isn't this exciting?" He then spoke directly into the camera. "Hey, to the young lady in the emerald dress, I think you've got a fan."

"Seriously, she's stunning," Ryland insisted.

Gabi stood up off the couch and started pacing around. "I'm gonna throw up. This is not happening."

"Alright folks, we're gonna take a quick commercial break, but when we get back we'll talk more about Ryland's upcoming film and…I guess set him up with one of Ashley's friends?"

Once more the audience clapped as the music swelled and they cut to commercial. Gabi was left standing in the chapter room in dumbstruck silence, whereupon she snapped out of it as the door burst open behind her.

"Are you watching the Tonight Show right now?" Sarah asked frantically, eyes wild.

She nodded. "Yeah…"

"Did you just hear…?

"Yeah…" Gabi cut her off, a slight tremor in her voice.

Sarah walked straight up to her and put her hands on her arms. "Gabi…Leon's hot actor brother just called you stunning on national TV!"

Before she could respond, Gabi's phone started ringing. It was Ashley! She immediately hit answer and put the phone up to her ear.

"Hey, Gabi. I don't know if you were just watching…"

"Put him on the phone right now!" Gabi cut her off severely.

"O…okay. One second."

She tapped her foot antsily while Ashley passed over the phone. The moment Agent Kennedy had the line he made his intentions clear.

"I'm calling him."

"Leon, don't you dare!" she growled frantically.

He just laughed at her. "Gabi, this is happening and there is nothing you can do to stop it."

She was completely unaware, but Gabi was absolutely scarlet at that moment. Easily the deepest shade of red Sarah had ever seen on her before.

"You made him say that, didn't you?"

"Of course not," Leon assured.

She stomped her foot. "Don't bullshit me! You called and told him to say that before he went on stage, didn't you?!"

He chuckled in response. "Gabi, I promise, I had nothing to do with that. Which is exactly why I'm gonna call Ryland and give him your number."

"Leon Scott Kennedy, I swear by all that is holy, l will sick my Cuban mother on you."

"So, I'm almost positive that would have worked on just about anyone else. But seeing as my girlfriend's mother currently lives in the White House, I'm afraid you don't scare me, little lady."

She whined pitifully and collapsed back onto the sofa. "Please don't. I wouldn't even know what to say to him."

"Gabi, you trust me right?" Leon spoke in a gentler tone.

She bit her lower lip nervously, starting to get a bit squirmy. "I mean…I guess?"

"Then trust me when I say my brother would absolutely love to meet you. You're easily one of the most charming, fun, and down to earth young ladies I know."

Her heart somersaulted in her chest. Did he really mean all that?

"Alright, we're gonna be at the resort soon. Expect a call in the next few days."

He hung up. Gabi dropped her phone in her lap and stared off into space, too stunned to speak. Sarah, meanwhile, had the biggest shit eating grin on her face imaginable as she calmly made her way towards the door, phone in hand.

"Sooo, looks like I should call Linds and Beth and let them both know we have our next project to work on."

She finally snapped out of it and spun around towards her sorority sister. "No!"

Sarah stuck her tongue between her teeth deviously and shut the door behind her as she brought her phone up to her ear. Gabi immediately sprung into action, leaping over the couch and throwing the door open before chasing her down the hall.

"Sarah, you get back here! I am not a damn project, you hear me?! Saraaaah!"

Ashley still could not believe her boyfriend was really doing this. What was going through Gabi's head right now, she wondered? As the two sat in the back of the secret service car, pulling up to the front of the oceanview resort, she was doing her best not to break down giggling while Leon talked up Gabi to his brother.

"So you're really cool with me doing this?" Ryland asked.

He nodded assuredly, a slick grin on his face. "Trust me, you'd be making her day. Probably her whole week."

"Hey, any friend of yours is cool in my book, bro. I'm just a little surprised she isn't taken yet."

"You and me both, honestly," Leon admitted shamelessly. "But listen, no matter what happens, be good to her for me, okay? She's a really good friend. And that girl deserves more than I can give her right now."

"Coming from you? Now I've gotta meet her," Ryland joked before chuckling. "Alright. Commercial breaks almost up. I'll catch ya later, Leon."

"See ya, Ryland."

Leon hung up the phone and stashed it back in his pocket before leaning back in his seat.

"Do you really think he'll call her?" Ashley asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Knowing my brother, he absolutely will."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if they hit it off?" she insisted happily. "I mean, I know I'm probably getting ahead of myself again, but now I'm just picturing this scenario in my mind where Gabi and I both get to take the last name Kennedy and become family."

He rolled his eyes at that blatant telegraph. Subtle was not the word which came to mind regarding his girlfriend. Leon curled his arm around her waist and pulled her in close.

"Hey, crazier things have happened, right?"

She started swirling a finger around his pectoral. "They certainly have." Ashley looked up at him and arched a brow. "By the way, did you mean all those things you said about Gabi?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe?" With a slick grin he added. "But no matter how charming or fun she may be, she'll never hold a candle to you, babe."

Ashley giggled at him in a bubbly tone. "Smart man."

They kissed. At which point the car came to a stop in front of the entrance to the resort and Ross stepped out to open the door.

"You ready?"

Leon blew a breath through pursed lips and shook his head. "Not really."

"Just smile and walk," she instructed in a reassuring tone. "We'll make a quick statement for the press and then go straight in. I promise."

"If you say so…"

She kissed him again and rested her forehead against his. "Deep breaths for me baby. I'll make this as painless for you as humanly possible. I swear."

The back passenger door opened and Leon stepped out. Within seconds he was practically blinded by multiple camera flashes going off, whereupon the chatter of dozens of reporters holding up microphones and bombarding them with questions filled his ears. Already, he could feel his anxiety spiking. But the agent quickly reminded himself every single one of these reporters was vetted and searched before being allowed past the perimeter Secret Service set up. A roped off walkway led towards the entrance to the resort, with members of the Boston police acting as bouncers for the rabid story chasers.

Ashley stepped out directly behind him and immediately smiled and waved in a way that Leon could tell was incredibly rehearsed. As if she'd done this before dozens if not hundreds of times. She was wearing a simple navy blue pleated dress with sheer stockings and heels for the occasion. Something simple, elegant, and conservative enough not to attract too much attention to herself. Leon, meanwhile, had swapped out his normal jacket for a denim one with a fleece lining which he paired with tan khakis. Something that let others know he wasn't technically on the job, while still permitting a concealed carry.

Upon stepping out of the car, Ashley took her man by the arm and they made their way down the roped off walkway, the media following eagerly behind, continuing to bombard them both with questions. Occasionally, she'd look up at Leon and press her cheek against his arm while giving it a big squeezy hug, letting everyone see a small glimpse of the affection she held in her heart for him. The agent was, to be expected, stoically quiet and reserved throughout this process, though he did at least try to humor Ash by smiling and occasionally acknowledging what she was doing through direct eye contact.

As they reached the front entrance, Ashley suddenly turned around. The wall of cops moved to allow the press to swarm around the front step without getting too close. She raised a hand in the air to calm the crowd and allow her to speak.

"We have reservations to get to, so I can only answer a few questions," she insisted before pointing to one of the reporters at the very front. "We'll start with you."

"Laura Spiels, Channel Five News," the eager reporter introduced. "Tell us, Ashley, have you spoken with the President about your relationship with Agent Kennedy and does he approve?"

She nodded assuredly. "I have. Though he has yet to make a public statement on the matter, both my mother and father have offered their full support in confidence."

Once again they started bombarding her for attention. Leon was certain his blood pressure was starting to spike. How Ashley could stand all this commotion was beyond him. She pointed to another reporter.

"Ashley, Channel Forty-Seven News, the viewers at home want to know, did your feelings begin to manifest in Spain, and can you give us more details on the rescue?"

"What happened in Spain is something both myself and my boyfriend are still working through in private," she insisted. "My gratitude towards Leon for what he did for me is irrelevant to the way I feel about him now." Ashley looked up at him and squeezed his arm. "I adore this man. And every day I get to spend with him, I fall more and more in love."

"Just one more question," the same reporter responded. "Is the President at all concerned with a possible repeat attempt on your life or other form of retaliation by the ones responsible?"

She frowned at that, starting to shrink back somewhat and clutch Leon a little more tightly. That was one question Ashley was definitely not ready to answer. Seeing this, Leon suddenly spoke up.

"The incident in Spain was an isolated occurrence. And I can personally guarantee that the ones responsible for Ashley's kidnapping are no longer a factor. Rest assured, nothing like that will ever happen again."

Suddenly their focus shifted onto him and he felt his stomach churn.

"So, you're personally guaranteeing Ashley's safety, Agent Kennedy?"

"Well…" He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "...I mean, no, not exactly. I'm not here as her bodyguard. I'm here as her boyfriend."

"So then you feel no measure of responsibility for her security anymore?"

The agent was slightly taken aback. "No, that's…that's not what I said." He started to stammer. "Obviously if Ash was in danger, I'd…"

"Is your relationship just a cover for extra security measures?" another reporter suddenly spoke up.

Again, the question caught him completely off guard. "No! Wait, who the hell is saying that?"

"Can you confirm if Umbrella played a hand in the kidnapping?"

He was starting to sweat a little. All these cameras and microphones were making him nauseous.

"That's…a very complicated question. But I stand by my early statement that it was an isolated incident."

"If that's true then why are we seeing a major spike in the use of bio-organic weapons in West Africa?"

Leon blanched at that and fell dead silent. His heart started thumping up in his throat as a sharp ringing noise formed in his ears. Ashley frowned up at him in overt concern.

"Is there a correlation between the events in Spain and the rumors spreading of bioterrorists like Umbrella disseminating BOWs to ultranationalist rebels in the West African region?"

"I…" The agent let go of Ashley's hand and backed away, shaking his head from side to side. "...I can't answer that."

"Is there a greater plot the public doesn't know about?"

"Is Ashley Graham really safe?"

"Is your relationship with the President's daughter legitimate, or is this all just to distract the press from what's really going on?"

"What really happened in Spain? The public demands to know!"

On and on it went, the reporters bombarding him with questions he was no way, shape, or form prepared for, stifling him almost. It was suddenly getting much harder to breathe. He felt chilled, and was sweating profusely. Ashley took his hand and jostled him.

"Leon. Leon, are you okay?"

"I…" He was struggling for breath. "...I didn't mean…it wasn't my fault."

Looking down, Ashley could see the tremor in his hand had returned with a vengeance. It didn't take her long to put two and two together. Leon was having a panic attack!

Acting quickly, she began pulling him inside. "Ross, we're heading in. Get these fearmongers out of here."

Her bodyguard nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. Sergeant, begin pushing them back to the secondary perimeter! The press is no longer welcome here!"

Ashley helped Leon into the building, the sound of reporters and flashing cameras fading behind them.

Their weekend getaway had only just begun and already things were off to a rocky start. Ashley managed to calm Leon down by working him through a few exercises Dr. Williams taught her for dealing with panic attacks, but now he was barely talking. It was clear his pride was wounded, and what's more, there was a great deal weighing on the agent's mind. For as far as they had come, there was just no shaking the demons that continued to haunt them still.

Even now, it seemed, they were still stuck in Spain.

Ashley didn't know what to do. She was just trying to enjoy a romantic dinner with her man at the resort restaurant, but Leon was a thousand miles away at that moment. As she stared down at her menu, occasionally glancing up at him, she did her best to just try and get him to engage.

"So what are you gonna get? I might try the salmon."

He didn't respond, his arms crossed, his gaze off to the side.

"I was thinking we might get some spinach dip to share. Does that sound good to you?"

Again, he said nothing. Ashley sighed in frustration and set her menu down.

"Leon, talk to me. I can see you're still upset about what those reporters said."

"It doesn't bother me," he insisted in a quiet tone.

She frowned at him in annoyance. "Yes it does. It's written all over your face."

The agent turned away even more. Ashley reached over the table and grabbed his hand, pulling it in close to her.

"You're retreating again. Leon, you promised me you'd stop doing this. We can always talk to each other when something is bothering us. Always."

Finally, he relented, taking a deep breath and sighing woefully. "Those reporters ate me alive out there. What am I supposed to tell your father?"

"You'll tell him the truth," she insisted. "That you don't do well being the center of attention."

It was clear her words weren't really helping his mood, but she continued anyway.

"You were nervous. It was your first time speaking to the press. They asked a bunch of leading questions that were basically guaranteed to set you up for a fail, and what's more, they attacked your personal character. You got flustered, Leon, that's it. It's happened to me more times than I can count. You just have to…"

"Look, it isn't just about the press, okay?" he cut her off, his voice uncharacteristically aggravated.

She retreated a little, slightly wounded by his harsh tone.

"Sorry, Ash…" Leon quickly apologized. "...I didn't mean to get short with you."

"I'm just trying to help," she responded, still a little tender. "Please, Leon, talk to me. Tell me what's really bothering you."

He sighed. "Those things they were saying about Africa…they're true. You know that right?"

Ashley turned away, a guilty look forming in her eyes.

"We're starting to see a disturbingly sharp increase in the use of bio-organic weapons in the West African region. And if what the BSAA has been reporting is true, they're behaving exactly like the monsters we fought in Spain."

"Leon…"

"We can dance around the issue all we want to, Ash. But the fact is, you and I both know why this is happening," he insisted angrily. "After three days in that wretched place, all the fighting, all the horror, all the misery we suffered, we somehow made it out alive. And then right there at the very end, when we were basically scott free…"

Once again Ashley retreated, hanging her head woefully.

"...I fucked up. I let myself get double-crossed again and was left with an impossible choice."

Ashley gripped the hem of her dress until her knuckles turned white and glared up at him, a bitter hurt scowl forming on her face.

"Don't forget why it was you had to make that 'impossible' choice."

Slowly, it began to dawn on him what it was he just said, and Leon's expression changed to that of abject regret.

"She would have killed you if you hadn't given her what she wanted," Ash insisted, letting her voice drive home just how upset she was with him. "And more than likely, I would have been dead as well."

He tried to backpedal. "Ash, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"You specifically told me I was worth it. You told me I should never feel guilty over the sacrifices that were made to get me home," she continued, getting progressively more and more worked up. "Was that a lie, Leon?"

"Of course not," he assured, slightly taken aback by just how mad she was getting. "Ashley, that's what I meant at all."

"So then what did you mean?"

For the longest time, he was silent. Ashley finally shut her menu and stood up from the table.

"You know what? Maybe we should just call it an early night. I'm suddenly not that hungry."

Ashley stormed off, Ross tailing behind her.

"Ash. Ashley, wait!" Leon called out to her

She ignored him, leaving the restaurant in a huff. He cursed under his breath and tossed his napkin aside before standing up and leaving the table as well.

The couples suite that was reserved for Ashley and Leon was cozy and plush, designed specifically for bringing two lovers closer together. Unfortunately, right now, the two of them were anything but close. With Ashley having holed herself up in her room while Leon took the couch in the living room. Neither one of them were talking to each other, content to stew in their own bitter feelings for however long they lasted.

Though inevitably, those bitter feelings faded away into remorse. It was Ashley who caved first. After changing into a silk night robe and slippers, she opened her door and made her way into the living room where Leon was watching TV.

"Hey…why don't you come to bed?" she offered gently.

He didn't respond, his eyes still glued to the screen. Ashley sighed morosely.

"Leon, I'm really sorry I stormed off like that. I shouldn't have gotten so defensive." She turned away guiltily. "Force of habit, I guess."

"It's not your fault," he assured in a low, dull tone. "Guess I just haven't changed as much as I thought."

Ashley gave him a concerned look before turning her attention to what was on the screen. A news anchor was reporting on the incident that occurred outside the resort. And it was clear just from the headline they really weren't trying to paint Leon in a very good light.

"But to make matters worse, the agent couldn't offer a coherent response. When questioned about a possible link between the incident in Spain and the rise of BOWs in West Africa, Agent Kennedy stumbled through his words, reportedly sweating profusely. Before finally having this to say."

"I…I can't answer that."

"Many are starting to doubt the claims that Spain was an isolated incident, and now in fact believe that there is a link between Ashley's abduction and the rising death toll in West Africa from bio-organic weapons. Yet the President continues to abstain from making an official statement, or even just acknowledge his daughter's relationship with Agent Kennedy. Considering the facts we have on hand, it's not difficult to figure out why, despite their sudden rise in popularity…"

The TV shut off. Leon looked to his left to see Ashley standing there next to him, having hit the power button.

"What are you doing?"

She placed the remote on the coffee table and straddled his lap. "Just put it aside for a moment, okay?"

He turned away from her to which she gently tilted his gaze right back.

"Hey…look at me," she insisted in that same gentle tone of voice. "Put it aside. Whatever you're going through, just put it aside for a moment and let me reconnect with you."

Finally, his body untensed and he took a deep breath before gently gripping her waist while she wrapped her arms around his neck. They spent a moment kissing away all their resentment, their hurt feelings, and reconnecting as a loving couple. When they finally pulled away, it was clear all wounds had been healed.

"I'm sorry I'm so stubborn, Ashley," he apologized sincerely, affection returning to his voice, taking her hands in his and kissing the tops of each palm. "Guess I haven't changed as much as I thought."

She giggled at him sweetly. "What are you talking about? Baby, we had one teenie little fight. It was barely even that."

"Just seems like that's how it always starts. Whenever Claire and I would…"

She abruptly placed a hand over his mouth, a slightly irritated look in her eye. "First of all, I'm not Claire." Her smile soon returned and she lowered her hand. "But second of all, I know the kind of man you are, Leon. I know there's gonna be moments where you retreat into your own head and throw your walls up to the world, and that's fine."

Ashley rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes.

"Just so long as you remember to let me in when you do that, I don't care if you retreat from the world."

"Deal…" he responded, shutting his eyes as well.

"Now tell me what you need," she insisted. "You don't have to talk about anything if you don't want to. Just tell me what you need, my love."

Leon caressed her cheek and breathed in her scent, letting it relax his being. "Right now, you're enough."

They spent some more time reconnecting, just silently basking in one another. Until finally Leon kissed her and spoke again.

"I will say, Claire and I never made up this quickly."

She chuckled brightly. "Yeah, well, that just makes me the better girlfriend."

He raised a brow at that. "Feeling a bit territorial, are we?"

Ashley bit her lower lip and cupped the back of his neck in her hand, pressing him close again. "Maybe just a teensie bit."

They kissed for a moment longer. After which Leon finally said what needed to be said.

"Ash, as far as I'm concerned, there was no choice to make back on that island."

She smiled at him and nodded in understanding.

"I was getting you home one way or another. That was my mission. My purpose. The only thing that mattered to me at all for those three days."

He turned away from her, a solemn look in his eyes.

"But if you knew that a single decision you made was most likely going to lead to the deaths of thousands of people, could you fully live with that?"

She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…probably not. But I really don't think it's fair for you to put all of that on yourself, baby."

He cast his gaze back to her tentatively.

"You weren't the one who hand delivered the Plaga sample to Umbrella. You're not the one killing people with bioweapons. Sometimes it's best to just leave the blame with those who are truly to blame and try to move on."

"Maybe…" he admitted. "But I still had a hand in it. No matter how small."

"Then that's something we're both gonna have to live with. Because I've already decided if the roles had been reversed, and I had been in your position, I would have done the exact same thing."

"Ash…"

"You mean too much to me, Leon," she insisted, her eyes glassing over. "After everything those wretched men put us through, the world is just going to have to forgive us."

He dried her eyes with his thumb. "It was so much easier to process all this shit when it was just you and me." Leon sighed guiltily. "The truth is, I've kinda been dreading this moment for a while now."

"What do you mean?"

"When it all blows up?" he responded with a shrug. "When our little bubble on campus bursts and the whole world gets involved. I liked it a lot better when it was just you, me, and our friends."

She looked away and frowned guiltily. Now he was the one guiding her gaze back to him.

"But I've faced a lot worse than the judgment of the world to keep you by my side," he assured, love in his voice. "And I'd face a lot worse still."

Try as she might to fight it, it was inevitable a tear would fall at that. Ashley wiped her cheek on his hand affectionately as he dried her eyes once more.

"I know you don't consider yourself to be a hero, and that's okay," she assured. "The world may not come to view you that way. Whether they deify or vilify you, it honestly doesn't matter to me."

She placed both her hands on his face, pure, unbridled adoration in her eyes.

"Because you're my hero, Leon. And I hope you can at least be proud of that."

At long last, his smile returned.

"I will always be proud of that."

She kissed him on the forehead before finally standing up. "Now come to bed, silly."

As she turned to head back to the bedroom, Leon suddenly spoke up.

"Sure you don't want to show me what's under that robe first?"

She stopped and smiled knowingly, a full blush forming on her cheeks as her heart started to beat rapidly again. Slowly, Ashley turned back around, a playful grin forming on her face.

"Actually…there's something else I wanted to show you."

Leon genuinely had no idea what to expect when his girlfriend told him to pull up a chair in the bedroom and close his eyes before absconding away to the bathroom to change. Though he'd be lying if he said he wasn't excited all the same. Ashley was getting bolder. And given her level of commitment when it came to these little surprises of hers, he had no doubts he was in for one hell of a show.

"Alright, I'm coming out," she called to him from the bathroom. "Remember, no peeking!"

He chuckled, relaxing back in his seat with his arms crossed, eyes still firmly shut. All joking aside, he could hear the twinges of nervous anxiety in Ashley's voice. Eager as he may have been to finally end this dry spell once and for all, the agent needed to remember that this was still her first time. His girlfriend's safety and comfort remained at the forefront of his mind before anything else.

The sound of her feet pattering back into the bedroom alerted the agent to the fact she was now standing directly in front of him. His heart rate spiked as he concentrated on the mechanical process of keeping his breathing even.

"Okay…are you ready?" she asked in a disarmingly sultry voice.

He slowly nodded his head.

"Then open your eyes, baby."

Leon slowly opened his eyes. Whereupon he proceeded to burst into a fit of laughter. Ashley was standing there in a baggy black and white cat onesie complete with tail and kitty ears hoodie. The built in slippers were designed to look like cats paws and she'd completed the outfit by giving herself whiskers and a button nose with what he assumed had to be eyeliner.

"Ta da!" she declared in a silly manner while raising her hands into the air, a bright happy smile on her face.

In one fell swoop he went from excited to chortling uncontrollably. Leon turned away with the back of his hand cupped over his mouth. It was impossible to take her seriously in that outfit.

"So what do you think?" she asked gleefully while swaying from side to side, clumping the baggie onesie in her hands as she did so. "Like my new pajamas?"

"They're very you," he insisted, still snickering under his breath.

Ashley snickered in a coy manner. "Whaaat? I found this online and thought it would be super cute. Don't you think so?"

"It's adorable," he assured, leaning forward on his knees. "It's also not at all what I was expecting."

She feigned surprise, placing her hands squarely on her hips. "And just what exactly were you expecting?"

"I think you know damn good and well what I was expecting," he responded, playing off her energy.

Ashley placed a hand up to her mouth and gasped, pretending to be offended. "Why, I never! Just what kind of girl do you take me for, Agent Kennedy? And here I thought you were supposed to be the consummate professional."

"Because that thing just screams professional, doesn't it," he immediately retorted without missing a beat.

She giggled in response. Her cheeks heated up and she bit her lower lip, now painted in red before lowering the hoodie to reveal another set of cat ears connected to a headband. Leon's heart skipped and he subconsciously sat up in his seat. She gripped the zipper of her onesie and slowly started pulling it down.

"So…were you maybe hoping for something a bit more like…this?"

The zipper stopped at her navel where she proceeded to delicately pull the onesie open, revealing a black lace bustier directly underneath. Now she had his full attention. With a playful coyness in her eyes and startlingly suggestive smirk on her face she pulled her arms free of the sleeves before lowering the onesie to the ground, rolling her hips back and forth as she did so. Every move was deliberate and agonizingly slow as she built up to the big reveal.

Ashley Graham stepped out of the onesie and kicked it away, now dressed in cat themed black lace lingerie. The skirt terminated in white ruffles, with a pattern cut up the front of the bustier that showed off her navel and traveled up her midriff, terminating in a diamond cut that revealed the crease of her healthy bust as well. In addition, the outfit came with matching stockings that connected to a garter belt hidden beneath the skirt as well as fingerless gloves that traveled just past her wrists to the middle of her forearms.

The cherry on top? A black choker collar with a golden bell on the end. Playful, whimsical, and easily one of the sexiest things he'd ever seen in his life. Ashley's choice of lingerie fit her personality to an absolute tee, and his approval was almost immediately apparent. Needless to say, the agent was in love.

"So, what do we think now?" she asked while biting on the tip of her thumbnail, equal parts flustered and excited. It was clear by her body language and the way her chest was rising and falling rather briskly that she was nervous, but was also still trying to keep the magic going.

"Ash…holy shit," was all he had to say in response.

A nervous giggle escaped her throat as she turned her eyes away, face scarlet, her grip tugging at the hem of her skirt. "You really like it? I tried especially hard to find something that I thought would fit me. But I've never really worn anything like this before."

"It's you," he insisted assuredly. "Everything about it is perfect, Ash. The outfit, the reveal, the makeup, all of it."

Ashley hid her smile behind her hands before running them along her skirt thoughtfully. "I really like it too. More than I honestly thought I would. I've always been weird about showing off my body. But, I don't know…I guess it makes me feel…sexy?"

"It should. Ashley, I couldn't imagine another woman pulling that outfit off as well as you do."

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, her impish grin returned as she fluttered her lashes at him. "Well…the show isn't quite over just yet."

He leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his knees, really just drinking the whole thing in. Ashley quickly set a few things up, whipping out her phone and connecting it to the room's built in surround sound system. There was a specific playlist she had prepared just for this routine, and the moment she hit play and Wicked Games by The Weeknd started piping in through the walls, the magic truly started.

Ashley sauntered back towards her spot in front of him, one foot in front of the other, smokey lust in her eyes and lips pursy with desire. The way she saw things, just because the sex might prove to be a little lackluster given it was her first time and all, that didn't mean she couldn't pull out all the stops building up to the main event. She was determined to make this night as memorable for Leon as humanly possible and really project all these feelings she held in her heart for him.

So why not tease her man with a little stripshow before they did the deed?

If there was one major advantage Ashley had going into this that other girls didn't, it was that over the past two years she'd been honing her dance ability as a member of the JAU dance team. During the days leading up to their first night at the resort, the girls had been helping her come up with a small routine to strip to. As Gabi affectionately put it, performing a striptease when you have legitimate dance experience isn't that difficult. All you have to do is take one of your normal routines, remove everything but the extra spicy bits, and then slow it down to a crawl.

Which is exactly what she did. As the music picked up, Ashley began to slowly sway her hips while running her hands up her neck to pump up her hair, then down her curves as if to hypnotize him with her body. She took her time. Every move was a line of erotic poetry she spoke with her hips, her eyes a playful tease that would occasionally lock with his, conveying a depth of honest emotion and desire her words alone might not fully offer.

It was strange, she felt so anxious a moment ago she was trembling. But now that the music had started and words gave way to action, Ashley was startlingly in control. The nerves hadn't completely disappeared, there was an adorable shyness to some of her more blatantly risque movements that, in all honesty, only heightened the experience for Leon. But on the whole, the effect she was trying to have on him was working.

From the standing position, she transitioned seamlessly onto her knees, pumping up her hair and giving it a twirl before stretching out in front of him like a feline only to then pop back up and arch her back, curling her hand in front of her cheek and showing off her 'kitty claws' to him, projecting that playfulness of hers yet again. Everything she gave him, Leon devoured, and God was she finding it hard to look this man in the eye.

Next came the moment she'd been practicing more than any other part of her routine. Slowly, purposefully, Ashley crawled towards her man, one arm in front of the other, eyes locked to his, lips parted in ravenous desire. More than any other part of her routine, she really wanted to nail this one move. For at least a moment, she didn't want Leon to see just a playful kitten, but a panther, a hungry lioness boldly taking what she wanted.

The way his brows raised, the subtle change in posture, let her know she succeeded and her smile only grew as she gripped his knees and parted his legs, spinning that beautiful blonde hair of hers again before seamlessly transitioning back into a standing position. She was on fire at that moment. Ashley had spent the majority of her life stuck in the public eye. It was part of why she was so comfortable joining the dance team and performing in front of hundreds of strangers.

But right now, she wasn't performing for anyone but Leon. The eyes of the masses were nowhere to be seen. Right now, only he was watching her. Only he would see this performance and the message it was meant to convey. The depths of desire he'd been slowly tugging out of her since that night they first danced together. Her unexplored sexuality. Her repressed libido, finally welling up to the surface. And as she found that confident stride of hers, Ashley really began to let her hair down. Leaning on straining arms, she got a hair's breadth away from his ear and whispered sultrily.

"Am I turning you on yet, Agent Kennedy?"

"Woman, you're killing me," he insisted, equal parts shocked and aroused by this startlingly bold performance of hers.

A soft giggle rang in his ear. "Good. Because you've been killing me for weeks now."

Leon gave her the most incredulous look imaginable. Who was this little hellcat and what had she done with Ashley? The vixen he no longer recognized then tossed her cat ears away and shook out her hair before removing each glove and playfully tossing it at his face. She then placed her foot on the edge of the chair directly between his legs, heel on point, leg fully on display.

"Mind helping me?" she softly requested while hiking her skirt up a little for him.

He took what she offered and ran with it. Slowly, sensually, he unstrapped the garter on her right leg and gently pulled her stocking down, peppering her leg with kisses all the way down. Everywhere his lips touched left her skin raised and set her body on fire all over again. This was bar none the hottest she'd ever felt in her life.

They repeated this little exchange with the left leg, whereupon she turned to the side and bent low, dropping her upper body whilst hooking her thumbs through her skirt. Ashley pulled it down, revealing a barely there scrap of a lace black thong. The last time Leon saw this particular part of her body it was one of the most mortifying experiences of her entire life.

Now? She wanted to leave nothing to the imagination.

Straddling his lap, Ashley swayed her hips to and fro for a moment, just gazing into his eyes, her own swimming with lust, before finally sitting back down and reaching around to her back to unzip her top.

Whereupon she hit a snag, quite literally. Ashley had never worn one of these before and, in her haste to show off, inadvertently jammed the zipper. Upon realizing what just happened, she shut her eyes and took a deep breath before sighing in frustration.

"Leon…could you help me?" she asked with an embarrassed smile on her face.

He chuckled at her good spiritedly before twirling his finger. "Turn around."

Ashley spun around in his lap and took a seat while he tried to pry the stubborn zipper free. But nothing he was doing seemed to work. She hung her head and moaned pitifully.

"It's stuck, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid you jammed it pretty good," he admitted, still smiling for her sake.

Ashley buried her face in her hands. "Why did I just know something was gonna go wrong?"

"Hey, minor setback. That's all," he insisted encouragingly. "Seriously, I am absolutely loving this, Ash."

Spurred on by his words, she huffed in frustration but otherwise stood up. "Alright. One second."

Rather than unzip the hopelessly stuck top, she elected to just pull it completely over her shoulders. Though a little awkward looking, Leon was more than a good sport about it. She eventually managed to get the darn thing over her head.

"Alright, you go away," she insisted while tossing the infernal top aside.

He just smiled and laughed, fully enjoying the view of her naked backside, now free to the open air. Ashley took a moment to fix her hair before getting herself back in a good rhythm. Leon had been nothing short of an absolute gentleman to her since first arriving on campus, never once pushing Ashley's boundaries or touching her in any way that could be misconstrued as sexual.

She was ready to change that. Ashley had a lot of firsts to give, and she wanted Leon to have all of them.

Taking him by the wrists with her back still turned to him, Ashley sent his hands on a private tour of her body, incorporating them into her routine as she glided his palms up the swell of her butt to her hips, gyrating back and forth before promptly taking a seat in his lap, and grinding against the prominent bulge in his pants. From there she guided his hands up her belly to finally cup those two soft pliant mounds he'd been so secretly curious about, all while her hips continued to gyrate in his lap to the beat of the music.

"So, now that we're officially here, I feel like I can say this without coming off as a creep," he spoke softly into her ear while his hands lingered on her bust. "You have, bar none, the most gorgeous breasts I have ever seen on a woman before."

That little comment caused her to break character for a moment, smiling bashfully, showing all her teeth as her face lit up scarlet. Only for her to slip straight back into it and rest her head against his shoulder before whispering in his ear.

"Oh you like them, huh?"

He nodded, whereupon she released his wrists, letting him feel her up at his leisure.

"Well, they're all yours, baby."

With full consent given over Leon cupped, fondled, and squeezed to his heart's content, taking his time, savoring every soft sigh and delicate moan she offered in return. In response, Ashley fully relaxed back into him, her routine devolving into a simple grinding of her hips against him while she braced herself with his thigh on one hand and wrapped her arm around his neck with the other.

This was startling his girlfriend in ways Leon probably never anticipated. Ever since coming into maturity, Ashley had always been especially weird about her breasts. The product of too many comments made behind her back in highschool and too many photos posted in tabloids when she became an adult. Even when her sorority sisters would make a comment, no matter how well intentioned, she would always feel creeped out and a little repulsed.

But not right now. The way he touched her, how he gently showed each stiffening bud equal, loving attention, made her feel so sexy and so proud of her beautiful chest. But more than that, it revved her up in ways she honestly wasn't expecting. Ashley had no idea letting your boyfriend feel you up like this could be one of the hottest things of her life, but if there was one thing she could count on when it came to Leon, it was that that man was perpetually revealing new things about herself that even she didn't know.

"I love the way you touch me, Leon," she moaned softly into his ear.

He chuckled quietly at the somewhat awkward delivery. It was clear Ashley was just getting lost in the moment, which he absolutely adored. Wanting to give her more, he started running his hands all along her body, down her smooth as porcelain legs then up the curves of her hips again. All while he kissed along the length of her neck, attacking that sweet spot directly behind her ear and sending her body into orbit. A deep, thrumming pulse she wasn't used to began to build between her legs.

Finally, she took his wrist and guided it down to her underwear. No instructions were needed, Leon simply began to glide two fingers up and down the noticeable damp spot that had formed where her heat had risen to furnace levels.

"You are so unbelievably wet right now," he observed, his more sanguinary nature at last coming out to play.

She giggled timidly, her face burning again as she suddenly inhaled sharply, a pulse of something sinful running through her. "Am I really?"

He nodded. "Oh yeah. I can tell this is really starting to rile you up."

"Can I be honest? This is probably the most turned on I've ever been in my life," she insisted, her breath shuddering with every exhale. "Like…I never knew just your touch would be enough to…"

Her words cut off and her back arched as he grazed his teeth along her neck, causing her to shudder in pleasure all over again.

"Ready to take this to the bed?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. I'm really enjoying this. Let me just savor it a bit more."

He nodded in understanding. Ashley turned her head back and kissed him passionately whilst settling into a slow grind on his lap. His right hand continued to glide up and down, causing her belly to quiver and sounds she'd never uttered before to leak from between their liplock. Taking his hand again, Ashley lifted the strap of her thong and guided him in.

Come to find out, his girlfriend wasn't just wet, she was fucking soaked. Leon took over from there, circling, gliding, and flicking directly against her horribly throbbing clit, only to then plunge two fingers in and cause her whole body to clench. Ashley pulled away and gasped, starting to tense up.

"Relax," he gently encouraged, his fingers continuing to make sparkles dance along her legs. "Tell me if it starts to hurt, okay?"

She nodded, her eyes shut, chest heaving up and down. It was so intense. Almost a little too intense if she was being completely honest. At one point, Ashley had to tap his wrist and ask him to slow down a little, but the moment he did those crazy sparkles started dancing along body again. His free hand continued to fondle her breast and before long Ashley could feel something starting to build up.

His fingers curled deeper inside her and hit…something…whatever it was, it forced a noise from her diaphragm that made her immediately clamp a hand over her mouth for how mortifying it was.

"There it is," he declared playfully.

There what was?! What the hell did he just do? Ashley's hips gyrated in rhythm with his fingers, her belly tightening as she pressed her hand down harder on her lips. Her legs lifted off the ground and her toes curled as something built, and built, and built deep within her…

…then fireworks, just like the girls said.

When it happened, her belly spasmed and her thighs tensed up. A barely audible squeak leaked from beneath her hand, and her body shivered from head to toe, letting Leon know what it was he just made her do. Finally, her whole body untensed and she collapsed back into him, panting for breath, now red in the face. He chuckled in amusement before kissing her cheek.

"So how was it?"

She could barely offer more than a thumbs up in response. Ashley's heart was pounding out of her chest and spots were appearing in her vision. Occasionally, her lower half would spasm again with another small one and she'd shiver all over again.

"That was…oh my God," Ashley finally managed to respond. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged. "Honestly? I didn't do a whole lot. That one was mostly you."

Hearing that was a bit surprising. That performance she put on for him must have gotten her more worked up than she thought. Ashley's body felt lighter now, and there was a warm, glowing aura enveloping her at that moment.

"I'm glad we did this," she insisted, still catching her breath. "I read online that it makes it easier if you…you know…"

He chuckled at her and nodded. "I hear ya." Leon kissed along her shoulder and then up her neck before speaking softly in her ear again. "Ready?"

She slowly nodded her head up and down.

"Yeah…I'm ready."

Given just how conservative they'd been with their relationship so far, even just seeing her man shirtless was still enough to make Ashley's heart all fluttery. Though tonight, she was about to see a lot more than that. As Ashley lay there naked on the bed, splayed out on her side, she watched as Leon pulled his shirt over his head, just taking a moment to admire that gorgeous body of his while trying to keep her anxiety in check.

"So, does it like, hurt being trapped up against your pant leg like that?" she asked in reference to the still very prominent bulge tucked up against his thigh.

He shook his head, unbuttoning his khakis. "It can get a little uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt necessarily. Why?"

"Just curious," she assured, starting to get fidgety again. "I…may be a little more nervous than I thought I'd be."

Leon nodded in understanding. "Perfectly normal."

She watched as he pulled his pants down, revealing his black briefs and more of that toned, lean body of his. It really was surreal, Ashley felt, how she could be this horny and this much of a jittery wreck all at once. Her friends really weren't kidding, the weird cocktail of emotions and thoughts dancing around in Ashley's head at that moment left her feeling particularly vulnerable.

Fortunately, there was no one on Earth she felt more comfortable being vulnerable around than Leon. What's more, the agent had been preparing for this in much the same way she'd prepared that little routine for him. This would also be a first for him too, in a way. Leon had never had sex with a virgin before. And he wanted to make sure he was prepared before they took this next step.

Pretty much everything he read online parroted what he already sort of instinctively knew. Be kind, be gentle, go slow, and above all communicate with your partner, basic things like that. Though there were a couple tips he did find useful, such as having a bottle of lube on hand just in case it was needed. One post he read suggested focusing more on foreplay than actual intercourse, which he was completely fine with.

Once he had stripped down to his briefs, Leon laid next to her on the bed and they spent some time in their comfort zone, just kissing and cuddling while Ashley explored his body the way he'd just been exploring hers a moment ago. While she was no stranger to those brawny arms of his or his well defined pecs, it felt different having so much of their skin pressed up against each other. Truth be told, she was still acclimating to just being naked in front of her boyfriend for the first time.

"Could I just…see it before we do this?" she suddenly pulled away and asked with an embarrassed smile on her face. "Or is that too weird?"

He chuckled at her and relaxed back on the mattress, folding his arms behind his head. "Knock yourself out."

"Thanks…" she responded meekly. "...I know this is silly."

Leon shook his head, as laid back as ever. "Not at all. Do whatever makes you feel more comfortable."

Ashley kissed him on the lips and rested her forehead against his. "You're the best boyfriend in the whole world for putting up with me like this, you know that right?"

"It's seriously not a big deal, Ash," he assured her. "We're going at your pace here. I made that clear from the very beginning."

She peppered his face with kisses, leaving a trail down his chest, past his abdominal muscles, before arriving at his briefs. After peering back at him with that same bashful smile on her face, Ashley bit her lower lip and gently pulled his underwear down.

His erection sprang forth and her face flushed. Ashley wasn't so clueless or sheltered as to not understand how this works. But this was still her first time actually seeing one face to face like this. With nothing but videos as reference, she'd always thought a man's penis was kinda funny looking. Now though? She was a little intimidated.

Gingerly reaching out with her right hand, Ashley gripped him and gently started to stroke the way she'd seen done online. What surprised her the most was just how warm and hard it was. For whatever reason, she sort of just assumed it would be cold and soft to the touch, but that wasn't the case at all.

"So, I'm gonna just go out on a limb here and say that you're…big, right?"

Leon shut his eyes and relaxed while she slowly stroked him up and down. "I am…slightly above average."

She giggled at that, still feeling a little self-conscious. "Does this feel good?"

He nodded. "You can use a little more pressure if you want."

Ashley spent some time just getting herself…acquainted…so to speak. Part of her felt silly getting this flustered over something so normal. But she couldn't really help it. Given how, until just a few days ago, she barely even knew what a blowjob or a handjob was, going from clueless to her first time in such a brisk manner was a little jarring.

Still, she was curious. And the more Leon seemed to get into this simple rhythm, the more comfortable Ashley became. She stared down at his manhood, a playful glimmer in her eyes as she tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand.

"You've washed recently, right?"

He nodded, opening an eye and peering down at her curiously. Ashley very gingerly lowered her head down and tentatively took him into her mouth. Just testing the waters so to speak. The girls had already given her a few tips in case she decided to try this. Such as how to cover her teeth with her lips so they didn't graze the sensitive skin, or how a man's head was more sensitive than the shaft. So she wasn't going into this completely blind.

All the same, Ashley was having to suppress her nervous giggling over the fact she had an actual cock in her actual mouth! She really didn't want to inadvertently laugh and send him the wrong idea. Apparently, that was kind of a sore spot for guys. Still, this felt so alien to her.

Or rather, it did until Leon smiled and started stroking her hair. She loved that! It was one of her absolute favorite things in the whole wide world, cuddling with her man while he gently ran his fingers through her hair the way he was doing at that moment. It was clear Leon was enjoying himself, which motivated her to keep going. Ashley eventually found a comfortable rhythm, and before long, she was gazing back into his eyes, her head bobbing up and down like a pro.

"Fuck…" he grunted in pleasure, tilting his head back and shutting his eyes again. "...where did you learn how to do this?"

"The girls gave me some tips. We also watched a few videos online for reference," she answered candidly before immediately diving back down.

He chuckled before sighing contently. "Should have known."

Faster and faster her head went up and down. All joking aside, Ashley was really starting to get into this. Knowing she was pleasuring her man, knowing he was enjoying this, compelled her to keep going. It did wonders for her confidence, and what's more, hearing his reactions made this one simple act feel a hundred times more intimate. It was a little disappointing she couldn't fit all of him down her throat, but Ashley was confident with enough practice she'd be able to do it.

Eventually, however, her jaw started to ache and it became progressively more and more difficult not to inadvertently graze him with her teeth. Sensing she was about near her limit, Leon gently tapped her cheek.

"Alright, I think that's good, babe."

She lifted her head up and pouted at him. "Are you sure? I was kinda hoping you'd finish."

He sat up off the pillow and brought her lips to his, kissing her tenderly for a moment before responding. "It's fine. For a first attempt, that was amazing."

"Really? You're not just saying that?" she asked bashfully, still a teensie bit self-conscious.

Leon nodded, caressing her cheek, his forehead resting against his girlfriend's, connected with her. "I promise." With a slightly wicked grin of his own he then added. "But now it's time for me to return the favor."

"What do you mean?" she asked, not understanding.

He chuckled at her cluelessness before shaking his head. "Don't worry, I'm about to show you."

She was gently guided onto her back where she splayed out for him, staring up into those baby blue eyes while her heart started to race in her chest all over again. Being in this position, with her man now looming over her like he was shrouding her in a blanket, left the flustered girl nearly drowning in all these crazy emotions she was feeling at that moment.

"God, you're beautiful," he insisted, staring down at her with loving adoration while softly stroking her cheek.

Tears welled up in her eyes as he kissed her. Ashley had never felt so vulnerable, and so nervous, and so loved all at the same time like this before. It was here that Leon's experience really began to shine as he glided his hand up her leg while kissing that devilishly sweet spot behind her ear again. From there, she was actively holding back moans as he kissed along her collar bone, down the swell of her breasts, before licking and sucking on each of her stiff pink nipples. As his tongue glided down her belly to swirl her navel, she clasped both her hands over her mouth again. Something he must have found amusing because he stopped.

"Don't hold back on me now," he teased her playfully. "I wanna hear what I'm doing to you."

She hid her scarlet face in her hands and shook her head from side to side. "It's too embarrassing. I sound like a dying hyena."

"You do not," he insisted with a coy grin. "Come on, this is the best part for me, Ash."

Ashley finally parted her hands, her face still adorably red. "Is it really?"

He nodded. With a timid breath, she placed her hands beside her head and gripped the comforter before nodding.

"Okay. I'll try not to cover my mouth anymore. No promises though."

"That's fine," he assured. "And I sincerely hope you realize I'd never actually make you do anything you're not comfortable with."

She smiled down at him lovingly. "I know."

With those words, Leon parted her thighs. Almost immediately she turned her head to the side, ears burning like crazy. It was taking every ounce of willpower she had not to hide her face again. Leon was seeing everything down there. And given just how much of her upbringing involved lessons in how to properly keep herself covered and protect her modesty while in front of a camera, having her legs spread open like this while she was so hideously wet was basically anathema to every instinct she had.

Yet like with every single one of her discomforts, Leon's constant, gentle, and loving touch melted away all her insecurities. For a while, he just playfully nibbled and kissed along her inner thighs, causing some of the most indignant noises she'd ever made before to come spilling out of her mouth.

She felt his tongue finally make direct contact with that hideously sensitive nerve cluster between her legs and her back arched, whereupon she balled up the comforter in both fists and just let herself get vocal. Over the course of the next few minutes her boyfriend did such hideously pleasurable things with his tongue down there it completely overrode her initial hesitation.

"Atta girl," he commented before going straight back down. She felt his fingers enter her while his tongue continued to work and her eyes bulged open in shock as a particularly powerful jolt hit her. Ashley clasped a hand over her mouth reflexively then immediately pulled it away, shutting her eyes tight and clamping her lips shut while shaking her head vigorously from side to side. As her pleasure built and built, it just happened.

"Fuck!"

Almost immediately, his head popped up, a look of surprise on his face. Ashley buried her face in her hands again, whining in abject mortification. She could not believe she just said that!

"Ash…did you just say…?"

She huffed in frustration before glaring down at him. "Can we please not make a bigger deal out of this than it is?"

He snickered at her devilishly, a teasing grin now plastered on his face. "And here I thought you weren't even capable of uttering that word without bursting into flames."

Ashley turned away from him, just pouting harder. "You're a butt…"

"Hey…" Leon positioned himself directly over her again and cupped her cheek in his palm. "...I'm only teasing because of how much I'm enjoying seeing you this way."

Her heart went all fluttery again and she clutched her hands to her chest. "Really?"

"Absolutely," he assured. "Knowing I get to introduce you to this, seeing all your little reactions to something you've never experienced before, means the world to me."

And just like that she was melting all over again. Christ, how could one man be so infuriating and so sweet all at the same time? Too flustered and too turned on to really care anymore, she just settled for wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply again. When they finally broke was when she said it.

"Leon…I'm ready."

"You sure?"

She peered up at him with nervous doe eyes and nodded meekly. "Go get the condom."

Leon slid off the bed and grabbed the condom on the nearby nightstand, tearing it open with his teeth and sheathing himself in one fell swoop. She watched in nervous anticipation as he then grabbed the lube and smeared it around his member.

"Apparently, this is supposed to help it be less painful," he explained. "Though, I honestly have no idea just how credible that source was."

She bit her lower lip nervously and nodded. "That's okay. Even if it doesn't work, I still appreciate the fact you're trying so hard to take care of me, baby."

He glanced over at her and smirked while applying lubricant to himself. "Well honestly, what do you expect at this point?" Leon made his way back over to the bed and assumed the position he was in earlier. "Since getting back from Spain, that's basically been my whole mission."

Ashley rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, I don't recall have sex with the President's daughter being anywhere in the job description."

"Guess this is what you call one of those off the book career perks then," he offered jokingly.

She was trying really hard not to laugh, finally settling for wrapping her arms around him and pulling him in close. "Just shut up and kiss me before you do this, goober."

They spent a moment in tender liplock whereupon he finally gave her the look as if to ask if she was ready. Ashley quietly nodded her head whereupon he guided himself into position.

"We're gonna go really slow to start," he insisted, his voice becoming gentle again. "If I need to stop at any point, you just tell me. Okay, Ash?"

She nodded, keeping a firm grip on the back of his neck. "Okay. I trust you, Leon."

With her consent once again confirmed, Leon began to push forward extremely carefully. Almost immediately, he could tell they were gonna run into a problem. Ashley had a death grip on his neck and she was already starting to tense up.

"Try to relax," he instructed, still moving incredibly delicately. "Breathe for me, Ash."

She inhaled and exhaled a few times in a slow, deliberate pattern as he filled and stretched her uncomfortably wide. "I'm trying…it's just a lot."

"Do we need to stop?" he asked sincerely.

She shook her head. "No, I can keep going. Just…maybe try to go a little slower?"

Leon nodded before kissing her as he slowly worked himself in and out, trying to push himself just a little further in each time. Occasionally, he'd check in with her just to make sure she was still doing okay, before pressing a little bit further. She tried to distract herself by focusing on kissing him, but he was just so uncomfortably wide it was hard not to tense up.

And then she felt something give way, whereupon all fun and games came to an abrupt and immediate halt.

"Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow ow! Leon! Stop! Stop! Stop!" she pulled away and cried out, tapping his shoulder frantically.

The moment he heard the word stop Leon pulled out and immediately got off of her. At which point she curled up into a ball of hurt and clutched at her crotch.

"You alright?" he asked, overt concern in his voice.

"Uhhh…maybe not?" she grunted in clear discomfort.

"Was it your hymen?"

She checked her hand to see it was now coated in a small amount of blood. "Yep. It sure was." Ashley groaned in pain as the throbbing really started to kick in. "God, they warned me it might hurt. But I wasn't expecting it to be that brisk."

He frowned worriedly, rubbing her shoulder for comfort. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just…just gimme a sec," she insisted, focusing on just inhaling and exhaling. "That one really caught me off guard."

"I'm so sorry, Ash," he apologized profusely.

She quickly waved off his concern, really wanting to comfort him but also not really being able to move from that spot. "No, no, Baby, it's not your fault. Gabi and the others warned me this might happen." Ashley winced as another sharp throb stabbed through her. "Every girl's hymen is a little bit different, and I guess mine is the kind that decided it wanted to be a bitch."

"I don't get it," he insisted, slightly baffled by this. "It seems like we did everything right, what happened?"

"You may just be uncomfortably wide," she admitted, the pain finally subsiding into a dull ache. "At least for me."

He sighed in frustration before offering an apologetic smile. "Well, in that case, we should probably call it quits tonight."

She suddenly jolted up, a distraught look on her face. "What? No! We don't have to do that."

"Ashley…" he spoke gently but firmly. "...I just hurt you really bad. Accident or no, I'm not sure I'm fully comfortable doing that again until you've had a chance to recover."

"But…" She looked a little ashamed. "...you didn't even get to…"

"Hey." His voice was slightly more stern than before. "That's not the point of this."

Ashley blushed, it was clear her ego had taken a hit and she was still a little embarrassed despite his words. Sensing her disappointment, Leon kissed her tenderly on the forehead and turned her gaze back up to his.

"How about this? Let's go shower and cool off for a bit, okay?"

She nodded, looking a little bit like a sad puppy dog at that moment.

"Okay…"

The warm water was what soothed the ache between her legs, but it was the aftercare her wonderful boyfriend provided that really helped Ashley heal. After that whole debacle of a first time, she was still feeling a little tender. Her sisters had warned her up and down to adjust expectations, but to be cut off so abruptly like that? When everything seemed to be going so well? She couldn't lie to herself, Ashley was extremely frustrated and more than a little disappointed they couldn't finish what they started.

Which is what made this aftercare she was getting all the more important. As they stood in the spacious shower together, Leon didn't just hold her, he really went the extra mile. Washing her hair, lathering her body all over with his hands, reminding Ashley over and over again just how much he loved her and how special she was to him, all while giving her as many kisses and cuddles as she needed.

For a while, she just stayed like this, her body pressed up to his under the warm water in gentle liplock. When she was finally feeling better, Ashley pulled away and looked up at him.

"And you promise you're not disappointed?"

He smiled at her assuringly and nodded. "I promise. Ash, just that I got to spend this special moment with you is more than enough for me."

She sighed contently and rested her head against his chest. "God, I don't know what I did to deserve a boyfriend as perfect as you are, but it really means the world to me you're so understanding, Leon."

"What can I say? You seem to bring out the best in me. But honestly? I feel like the lucky one here."

Her face heated up all over again. She wasn't quite ready to say this out loud just yet, but there was a part of Ash that was still exceedingly grateful to Leon for everything he'd done for her. Not just as her boyfriend, but as her protector and confidant. When she called him her hero she really did mean that from the very depth of her heart. And the more she thought about it, the more she began to realize that losing her virginity to Leon was kind of an afterthought to simply expressing how it was he made her feel.

And as those thoughts bounced around in her head, her heart started to thrum again. She glanced down towards his manhood. A mischievous little smirk sprouted over her lips as she pressed herself against him and kissed her man far more fiercely than before. Whereupon she gripped his cock in her right hand and began to stroke.

"What are you doing?" he asked somewhat warily.

She giggled impishly and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Just kiss me."

They began to passionately make out with each other, Leon gripping her by the waist while she tugged and stroked at his stiffening manhood. There were so many things Ashley wanted to give this man. Whether out of gratitude or just the sheer, unbridled affection she held in her heart for him, what she wanted more than anything was to give back to Leon in whatever way she could, as deeply and sincerely as she could.

And as she was just now starting to figure out, this applied to sex as well. Honestly? She didn't really care that the act itself was not that great. What Ashley wanted most was to make Leon happy. But more than that, making him happy made her happy too.

Not just happy…but aroused as well.

"I wanna do something for you, baby," she whispered sultrily into his ear. "And I don't want you to overthink it, okay? Just relax and let me take care of you."

He frowned at her in concern. "Are you really sure you want to…"

"Shhh." She placed a finger over his lips. "Leon, what did I just say? Relax. Right now, this is all about you."

Though slightly taken aback by her sudden boldness, he was curious to see where this was going. Ashley continued to stroke his cock for a moment before dropping to her knees and running her tongue from the base of his member all the way up to the head of his erection. What she'd just decided was that it didn't matter if her first time was disappointingly short. She was with the man she loved, the man she wanted to give the whole world to.

One way or another, this night was not ending until she reciprocated. Ashley would not be content until she got her man off. Knowing what she had to do, she spent some time warming him up with her lips before grabbing the bar of soap and lathering up her tits.

"I don't know if this is gonna work or not, but I've been told guys really like it when their girlfriends do this," she admitted while rubbing down her chest. "And you told me I have nice boobs, so…"

Leon swallowed back the lump in his throat and braced against the tile wall as she proceeded to sandwich those two soft hefty mounds between his manhood.

"...does this feel good?"

Yes. Yes it really did. But words were sort of beyond him at that moment. Ashley was actively pumping her breasts up and down his length, washing him with her soapy tits. And whether she was fully aware of it or not, she was making the most adorable little expression while she did so.

"Fuck…Ashley…" Leon growled.

She smiled, fluttering her lashes up at him as she continued to bob her chest up and down. "It's okay. If you want to you can…you can…"

He gawked down at her incredulously. No way she was actually gonna say it, right? Ashley pushed all her doubts and insecurities aside, looked up in his eyes, and just did it.

"...you can come on my face if you want."

And just like that, he was already close. She could feel his cock pulsing between her breasts, encouraging her to keep going.

"In fact…I want you to. I want you to come all over my face, baby. Please? Will you pretty please come on my face?"

Leon gripped the sides of the shower and shut his eyes tight. He was about to erupt.

"Please, please, please come on my face?" she purred for him. "I want it. I want you to paint me white with your cock. Pretty please?"

Without warning he slammed his fist against the shower door and shouted.

"Fuck!"

He burst all over her face and she reflexively shut her eyes, scrunching up a little as it hit her all at once. The sensation wasn't incredibly pleasant, and, if she was being a hundred percent honest with herself, not exactly the most flattering thing in the world to have done to her, but this was all for the sake of making the man she loved happy. Which she'd already decided was more important to her than anything else right now.

Still, the comedown from that little performance was the epitome of awkward. For the longest time Ashley simply stared up at Leon, her face now covered in him.

"So…was that…sexy, or whatever?" she asked sheepishly.

Leon just stared down at her in abject disbelief. She really was completely clueless as to what she'd just did, wasn't she?

"I know I don't normally…say things like that," Ashley admitted, almost immediately starting to feel self-conscious again. "But it's what the girl in that porno my friends showed me did, so I thought I'd just try it out, you know?"

Finally, he found the will to talk again. "I'm sorry…do you hear me fucking complaining?"

She giggled quietly at his words, finding her smile again. "So, can I wash it off now?"

Leon rolled his eyes at her and nodded. "Of course you can."

Ashley quickly stood up and washed off her face, making sure she was good and clean before finally turning around and kissing him again. She seemed to be in a much better mood now, which helped put his mind at ease.

"Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Much better."

"Good." It was then his stomach started to growl. "You know, we never did have dinner. Feel like ordering room service before we go to bed?"

She groaned in delight. "Oh my God, yes! I'm starving!"

"Awesome. We'll veg out in front of the TV for a while, eat our food, then head to bed."

Ashley sighed contently, getting nice and melty in his arms again. "Sounds wonderful."

She spent a moment just nestled up against his chest before smiling up at him again.

"Leon?"

He raised a brow. "What is it?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up on the tips of her toes. At first he thought she was going to kiss him again when she suddenly turned her head and whispered into his ear.

"If you tell anyone about that, I will kill you."