"No," Ashley agreed, greeting him with a kiss despite the mask. "You're my monster now."

Continuing to dress, Ashley tossed his hair back, satisfied that his appearance had been returned to an adequate level of tidiness. "You ought to fix up a room for me," he said, starting to head back the way they had come. "Clean. Pretty. Worthy of me. So I'd be willing to stay the night. Or find somewhere nicer to stay."