Ashley Kelly was born to do this!

She was busy at a photoshoot for KStyle Fashions, and she was killing it. Dressed in nothing but a small, barely covering anything KStyle green "money-making" bodysuit. Green was Ashley's favorite color, of course, the color of money. She liked her money stacked high and spent on her.

And she made lots of it.

Even before she was a hot, in-demand model for her sister and brother-in-law's company, she had lots of money. Now others were trying to get her to model for them, but she was sticking her ground. She was only doing this because of her family. The money was nice, but not needed. She was twenty-nine years old with an eight-year-old daughter. Her daughter would never have to work a day in her life.

That was just how she was built. She opened her hair & spa salon right after she finished cosmetology school. She was only twenty-one. How did she do that? Thanks to her brother-in-law helping her out, and some things she would never tell.

She loved her sisters, she did, but they did not need to know all of her business. Her sisters were her closest friends, even the ones way younger than her. They were her everything, especially after their mother died when she was twenty-three years old. That loss scared her to get her life right.

Lot of help that did.

"Ashley girl, you make this look easy!" the photographer gushed over her as she finished the photoshoot.

"That's it?"

"The camera loves you, so yes."

"Wardrobe change?"

"No, we'll do some more tomorrow, you're all done for the day."

They already did six outfit changes complete with new hair and make-up each time. KStyle was mostly an online shopping experience, so they had to have lots of pictures for the site. After almost two years, they were planning on opening stores in Atlanta and New York City, their biggest market. Of course, Kitty was going to have a store at her mall. She could not wait to shop and tear the mall up!

She was so proud of her sisters. All of them. They had truly taken the bit of success that Kitty received from dating Icee until they lined all their pockets. She was not mad at that.

An assistant came over and helped her put on a robe. The set was code, yet, she handled it like a professional. Her long, lean frame was oiled down so that it shone for the camera. Her hair, a fly, "Beyonce-style" honey blonde wig cascade down her back. No one touched her hair but her, and she traveled with a case of wigs, extensions, and pieces for every occasion. Her natural hair she kept braided down and even her sisters rarely saw it.

She headed to a dressing room and took a seat in a chair while the make-up artists started to take off her lashes, and then her make-up. She grabbed her phone to check in on her princess. Atiya was grown-grown at eight, a mini her, and was a wild child. Spoiled rotten as well, but that was on her.

"How's my baby girl?"

"Baby who?" Atiya responded when she Facetimed her. Her little smart-mouthed daughter looked around and behind her, her head full of braids with beads click-clacking like she was looking for someone. "Oh, you're talking to me?"

"Girl, if you don't-"

Atiya giggled. "I miss you, momma!"

"I miss you too TiyTiy!"

"Auntie Rena is mean!"

"Ooo, now if she hears you say that, I can't protect you from Chicago."

"You're in Chicago momma? Ooo, will you see Malik?"

She smiled. Her daughter was in grown folks' business, but again, she had no one to blame but herself. She treated her child like her friend, so sue her if she thought she was grown sometimes.

"Yes! You know Imma see my man."

"Tell him I say hey. Miss him too."

"You know he misses that face too. I'll call you later so you can talk to him. I have to go now, sweetie." She blew her daughter a bunch of kisses. "Love you! Love you!"

"Love you, momma! Hurry back before Auntie kills me!"

Ashley laughed at her child as she ended the chat. She was not the least bit worried about her child and her auntie. She knew Sarena would not hurt her child, she treated Atiya like one of her own. Sarena was a good mother too, she just did not take any nonsense. She did not speak to her two girls as she spoke with Atiya.

After she left the photoshoot, she was whisked off to her hotel where she would relax at a spa treatment courtesy of her brother-in-law. The man liked to spoil the women in his life, and she was not mad at it. Her little sister found a great catch. An international celebrity worth millions, who brought the family into the folds. First Kitty and Krystle, then Tenille, now her.

After enjoying a massage, facial, and body wrap, she relaxed back in her suite eating fresh fruit and a charcuterie board. She was fancy now. Not country bumpkin from Da Field, though she never thought of herself like that. After two years in St. Louis while in cosmetology school, she got a very urban education. The things she did while away...well, that's how she had Atiya.

Her mother and Victor about killed her when she told them she was pregnant just months before her graduation. As far as her mother knew, she was still a virgin, as she wanted all her girls to be till they got married. Victor wanted to find the guy and beat him up, make him marry her.

Marriage was for suckers, and she was good without it.

A knock on her door brought a smile to her lips. She knew exactly who it was and couldn't hide the excitement on her face when she swung the door open and there stood Malik Jackson, the finest man she had ever seen. She jumped on him, giving him a long, drawn-out kiss.

"Damn babe, let me get in the room good," he said, holding her in his arms while still closing the door.

"I missed you."

"You know I missed your sexy ass," he said, nibbling on her neck. "You are in my city and I need to spend all my time with you."

"I'm here to work, not see you."

"And that's a problem," he said. "Where's the bedroom?"

Malik was everything. Gorgeous, tall at six feet three, body like a sculpture made of bronze, with skin so smooth she swore the man bathed in cocoa butter. When she first met him six years ago, he had long locs down his back, now he wore them short with the sides shaved low. She called him Mr. Mandingo because the boy was packing large and extra in charge.

He was in Springfield when she met him, attending college at Missouri State University. Sue her for being superficial, but she fell for his looks before he even said a word. A man that fine, she didn't care if he was a jerk or not. Luckily he wasn't, and he adored her and her childlike she was his own.

"Atiya said hey and she misses you."

He laid her back on the bed, already pulling off her long dress. "Tell my girl I'm coming to see her in a bit. I miss her too." He kissed her. "I missed you more."

"Show me."

She had no complaints when it came to sex in the bedroom. She knew she satisfied her man because he kept coming back for more and more. They had been together off and on for six years and they had a vibe together. Although after he finished college, he moved back to his hometown of Chicago to become a sports agent, he traveled to Springfield often to see her and Atiya.

He spoiled her, always buying her gifts and taking her on trips. Everything was perfect with them...except for two things.

One...she never orgasmed with him.

Two...he asked to marry her dozens of times and she kept telling him no.

"I love you, baby." He kissed her stomach and up to her breasts, before making his way to her lips and kissing her. "Make me a happy man and be my wife."

"Are you proposing, yet again?"

"Number fifty-nine, please say yes."

"Malik," she let out a frustrated moan. Yes, he was a perfect man. Gorgeous, rich, and in love with her, but somehow, that wasn't enough.

"Okay, okay, baby, I'll give you more time." He slid into her and he felt so right with her, maybe this would be the time she reached an orgasm. She knew what they felt like, but she had yet to reach one.

Something had to be wrong with her body. An incredible man like Malik was a catch. He could have any woman he wanted she was surprised he wanted her. He stayed with her over all these years. A single mother with intimacy issues. If she did not find a way to love this man the way that he deserved, she could lose him forever.

Malik never knew she didn't orgasm because she got pretty good at faking them. She would curl up her hips to meet his thrust, close her eyes, and moan like her body wasn't under her control anymore. She bit her lip, and let out moans of pleasure, because it did feel good, though never enough to reach a real orgasm. It was strange because she enjoyed sex, but knew she was missing out.

Once Malik reached his orgasm, he lay satisfied beside her, pulling her in his arms.

"I love you, Ashley Kelly, baby, I want you and Atiya here with me."

"You know I can't-"

He put a finger to her lips. "With you traveling now, doing this modeling, Atiya needs me."

She rolled her eyes, pushing his shoulder. "You do know she has a father."

"I feel like she's mine sometimes."

"Well, she's not."

"She might as well be."

"But she's not! So stop!" She pushed him away, rolling away from him in the bed.

Malik moved close to her, spooning her and putting his arms around her. "I'm sorry. Just, you two are my world. I want you in it."

"We are."

"I want more."

"Be lucky you have me while you have me, Malik. Not spending our time arguing."

"You're right," he said, turning her to face him. "Marry me."

She laughed at him. "Number sixty, huh?"

"I'm not stopping till the answer is yes, I don't care if it's a million times I have to ask."

She was a very lucky woman.

A/N: Can Ashley be my favorite as well? Ashley is the one y'all, that makes me want to rush through the series and put her solo book out there to the world. There's a reason for the madness and that book is the fifth in the series of seven. Until then, next chapter with Ashley I'll spice it up more.