This Picturesque Life

He watched as she walked out from the bathroom, a towel clutched around her wet frame; he bit his lip to restrain himself, she had firmly told him no distractions. His eyes followed her as she eagerly put on her bikini bottoms and struggled slightly with the top. He stood up quickly and helped her tie the strings together and ran his hands down her side, she shuddered under his touch and he felt tension fill the air. He cleared his throat and backed away from her and sat on the bed to slip his shoes on, she sighed and pulled on shorts and a tank top before leaving to get Ashley ready.

It was the day Kevin’s party, that he was holding at his and John’s house and the weather was so wonderful he decided to open up the pool for everyone. During the two days Eric had managed to get closer to Ashley once more, she smiled up at him like she did to her mother but she still didn’t call him daddy. Eric let it slide though because he had no say in the matter, he just tried to have an optimistic outlook on it and hope for the best; the young girl didn’t like it when he was sad.

He exited his bedroom to see Olivia carrying Ashley out of hers, the little girl dressed in shorts and a white t-shirt. “Erwic,” She squealed excitedly holding her arms out towards him.

Chuckling he picked the tyke from Olivia and let her bury her head into his shoulder “Hey sweetheart, looking forward to this party?” He cooed slightly.

“Yup,” She mumbled into his shirt.

He chuckled once more before looking up at Olivia after a flash went off, she grinned and looked down at her digital camera and smiled before showing him how well it turned out. He stared at the picture of him and his daughter and leaned down to press his lips to Olivia’s quickly. “I want that,” He stated against her lips.

“I figured,” She smiled “Let’s get going,” She said pulling away. He nodded and followed her down the hallway; she put Ashley’s shoes and then grabbed the bag with spare clothes for the toddler before they left.

Kevin opened the door grinning as he took in the small family, he was semi-worried they wouldn’t show up, despite that all their friends were attending. He chuckled lightly at the sleepy looking toddler who rested her head upon her mother’s shoulder before his eyes flashed towards Eric quickly.

“Hey guys, glad you made it,” He beamed opening the door wider for them to enter “Everyone’s in the back,” He said casually.

Olivia smiled up at Eric “Take her out back? I’m just going to go the washroom,” She stated shifting Ashley in her arms.

“Yeah sure,” Eric smiled taking Ashley from her arms “I’ll see you outside,” He added kissing his girlfriends pink lips quickly before heading different ways. Kevin’s eyes followed the redhead as she walked alone down the hallways of his and his brother’s house; he caught Eric staring at him and grinned shyly before leading him towards the backyard.

The boys emerged back into the sunlight and cheers of Eric’s best friends greeting him and Ashley; Garret’s girlfriend squealed before ambushing the two joined by John’s girlfriend. The two brunettes cooed over Ashley who appeared more awake with the new found attention.

“Ashley, you’ve grown up so much,” Tania sniffled as Ashley grabbed her tanned fingers. The girl had been friends with Olivia since Junior High and was introduced to the boys in their sophomore year when the two groups were mingled by Olivia’s and Eric’s union. The girl smiled her brown eyes shining as she remembered the first time she laid eyes on the little girl “Wow, time goes by fast,” She stated.

Eric chuckled as he watched his daughter interact with the two girls “Tell me about it,” He mumbled.

Allison’s head shot up towards him detecting the sour tone to his voice, her eyes looked up at him worriedly but she didn’t voice her worry for fear of ruining the day for him. “Hey baby, want to come tanning with us big girls?” She questioned Ashley.

“No baby,” The girl pouted at her and folded her arms in front of her chest.

“I know, you’re a big girl, I’m sorry for letting it slip,” Allison corrected her mistake. “You want to come tanning with us though? Mommy will probably join us when she gets here,” She added.

Ashley nodded her head as her brown locks flowed back and forth, clapping her little hands as her eyes sparkled. “Awesome,” Tania grinned plucking her from Eric’s grasp and the girls rushed over to the lawn chairs set up in the sunlight.

He chuckled and made his way over to John and Rex, resting his arm on John’s shoulder as he watched the girls still “Sup man?” John grinned.

“Not a lot,” He shrugged before tousling his hair.

“How was your alone time with Liv?” John winked as the boys around them chuckled.

“Was all good,” Eric answered trying to refrain from spilling too much, Olivia wasn’t shy but the one thing she liked keeping hush, hush was by far their sex life.

“Didn’t make any siblings for Ash I suppose did you?” Rex smirked, his eyes gleaming with laughter behind his sunglasses.

“Not that I’m aware of,” Eric laughed with his friends.

“We’ll find out in a month then, wont we?” Tim chuckled joining the three a Coors Light in his hand. He winked before taking a sip of his cool beverage.

Eric laughed and tousled his hair once more as the sliding door opened and everyone turned their head in time to watch Olivia step out in her short, shorts and her bikini top. “God, just looking at her I would never guess she’s a mother,” Rex whistled lowly.

Eric nodded his eyes following her as she immediately walked to the girls, who greeted her with hugs and coos as it had been some time since they last hung out. “Hey man, you’ve got it bad…still!” John laughed at his friend.

“Oh like you don’t?” He smirked turning from the girls to the boys.

“Never said I didn’t,” The singer shrugged before opening his can and taking a sip “You want one?” He questioned Eric.

“Yeah sure,” He nodded John chuckled and grabbed a can from the open cool and passed it to his friend “Thanks man,” Eric smiled opening it and taking a sip of the amber liquid.