**Ashley’s POV**
I finished massaging the lotion into my skin, and loved how smooth it felt on my skin. My hands moved slow over my arms and legs, pressing the cream in until every bit soaked up, leaving that soft, even touch that made me want to keep rubbing just to feel it longer, my palms gliding from my wrists up to my elbows in one long pass, then back down to my fingers, then over my knees and along my shins, the lotion disappearing into my body like it was meant to be there, making my skin feel brand new, like I could start over if I just kept touching it.
I tried as much as I can to live in the moment and stop my brain from freezing from all the questions and doubts that still hunt my mind. *Can I really ever truly forgive Alessandro?* The question sat heavy in my head, making my
