Cinders & Ash: A Cinderella Story (Passion-Filled Fairy Tales Book 3) by Rosetta Bloom

decline. “I give you my word.” He turned his back to her and listened to the water splash as she swam ashore. He heard the noise of rustling fabric and wondered if she was retrieving clothing from her bag. He had an urge to turn and see her again, yet he’d given her his word, so he didn’t. He decided to close his eyes and imagine her as she had been the other night, only this time, dripping with water, wet and glistening and moist, ready and waiting for him.
    He was smiling when she called out, “It’s fine to turn around.”
    He almost didn’t want to, certain that the vision in his head would be more appealing than the one when he turned around. He turned and there she was, sitting on a blanket, not far from him, a simple blue dress thrown over her. It was one of those lighter blues, almost the color of the sky, and the fabric seemed thin because she’d put the dress on while wet. The frock clung to her body in all the right places. Perhaps this was a better sight. Perhaps, he’d enjoy peeling this dress off of her.
    She waved him over and he noticed she had some bread in a basket, and also what looked like berries. “Why don’t you join me?” she said. “The least I can do is feed you since you jumped in to save me.”
     
    * * *
    As Ash sat down on the blanket with her, he smoothed the dark hair that was plastered to his face, away from his forehead. He was still very wet and she felt bad that he’d jumped in thinking she was drowning.
    Her father had taught her to swim when she was young, and she was very good at it. Much better than some of the other girls. She didn’t think Marigold or Bathilda knew how to swim at all.
    Ella held out a piece of bread to him. His fingers grazed hers as he took the offering, and she felt a spark in that simple touch. “Thank you,” he said and took a bite. He chewed a moment, then asked, “Do you live around here?”
    Ella shook her head almost instantly. She didn’t want him knowing that she lived not far. Just a couple of hills over. “It’s rather out of the way, but my lady sent me on a day errand, and I thought I had time for a swim without her notice.”
    “Your lady seems very demanding,” Ash said.
    She laughed. “If only you knew the half of it,” she said. “But I don’t mind a hard day’s work, just so long as at the end of it I feel appreciated. My father used to always tell me how much he appreciated my efforts, my kindness. But now, no one appreciates me.” She looked out over the water, feeling a sudden wave of sadness as she realized the truth in her words. She missed being appreciated, being loved, being told that she was kind and generous. Even now, if Lady Kenna were to make her do the same amount of work, but showed a little appreciation and a few kind words, Ella wouldn’t mind. She would be happy that she had a family, a stepmother who loved her and sisters to call her own.
    She turned back to see that Ash had scooted closer to her on the blanket. He was sitting right in front of her now. He placed his hand on her knee. “I can’t ignore my curiosity any longer. I must know why you didn’t come back. I thought you enjoyed yourself”
    She looked at him. “I did,” she said. “It wasn’t the during,” she admitted, trying to figure out how best to phrase it. “It was after, when you said I was just a thing that you wanted. Not a person, but a thing. Like I was no more than a sack of flour, and then you just dismissed me with word that I should get my money. I felt low, then. I felt like a common whore, and even though that’s what I was doing, it felt awful.”
    He was shaking his head. “I didn’t mean it like that —”
    She placed a finger on his lips. “It’s alright,” she said. “I presented myself as such and that is how you and your friend see me. I just realized that I don’t see myself that way, and I don’t want to present myself that way.”
    “My friend?” he asked. “Do you mean Chandler?”
    “The