JEALOUS OF A TIGER CUB

Cole walked into the room to see Ashley, playing with the tiger cub. This scene turned his excitement onto contempt, he wished she was this happy whenever she played with him.

"Oh… Cutie pie" she said holding Kai up in the air. "Who's the cutest in the house?"

"Yes you are" she replied as she baby talked the little cub. "You're even cuter than grumpy old Cole right?"

This statement made Cole feel really bad, was it really cuter that him. Girls all fall for him but now Ashley was praising a tiger over him. She had never even told him he was cute but…., he thought.

"Oh Cole" she said dropping the tiger cub on the bed softly.

"Why didn't you come home early?" he asked.

"I toured the city with Kai, it was fun" she said with a smile.

"That thing is an animal, it doesn't even understand what you say to it so how could you have fun" he said sounding a bit frustrated.

"Cole, what's wrong with you?" she said with a furrowed brow. "Why would talk about Kai like that, you know he has feelings"

"I also have feelings, don't I?" he replied. "Ever since you've been around that thing, you don't even notice my presence"

Ashely slightly annoyed face turns into a smile and she bursts into laughter. Cole was a bit frustrated now, she didn't even listen to him.

"So that's what this is all about" she said "You're jealous of a tiger"

"No I'm not" he snapped back at her.

Suddenly he feels her body on his, Ashely gave him a hug.

"You know what?" she asked

"No matter how you are, I love you" she said.

Cole felt his heartbeat increased and he felt a bit of happiness in him. Ashley suddenly unwraps her arm from him like she was panicking.

"Don't get me wrong, I don't love you" she panicking

"No I mean, I do love you, but as a friend"

Cole patted her head.

"I understand" he said with a smile.

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Ashely sat on the bed, right in front of Cole as he skillfully moved his fingers in her head. He was giving her his special head massage but this time in the afternoon. Usually, she couldn't sleep without his massage but now, he decided to give her in the day as she was craving it.

She crossed her legs together in the lotus position and Kai sat in the space made by it as she massaged brushed its soft shiny fur. Ashley had found a way to give attention to both Cole and Kai without letting anyone of them feel left out. She was getting a massage at the same time giving one.

It was time for the switch, they had to do it in turns. She got up and made a switch. She knelt behind him after handing over Kai. She placed her hands on his head and gave him the massage the way she could do it.

She had a question she had always wanted to ask ever since. She thought it must have been the right time to do. She cleared her throat.

"Umm… Cole" she started.

He just gave a "Mmmm" to let her know he was all ears.

"Is your name also Sian?" she asked.

She felt him tense up a bit, the question must had hit him.

"Yes why?" he replied uncomfortably.

"Can I call you that?" she asked.

Still focusing fully on his body language.

"No" he said almost immediately.

"Why" she replied.

"I don't like the name" he said.

"Why?" she asked again but trying not to be too pesky.

"Because I hate it" he said sounding frustrated.

Ashley knew she was already stepping on his toe and decided to let it go. She wasn't really going to let it go, she would find out the truth but from someone else.

From the very time she heard the name, she fell in love with it. She had always restrained from calling him but she wondered why he would hate that. In her pinion, it suited him better.