Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Suddenly, I’m all too aware of my too-tight shorts cutting into my hip. I stand up and wrench them down, then let my heavy hair free from my ponytail, fully intending on passing back out in here. But then a sense of awareness prickles over my body from head to toe. Like I’m being watched. It’s the same way I used to feel when I fantasized about Asher watching me in bed or in the shower, even when I was too young to have those kinds of thoughts. I shrug the feeling off. Asher just got back, and he’s already fucking with my head. That’s all it is.
“My, my. You sure have grown.”
I yelp, just as a hand covers my mouth to muffle my screams.
“Shut the fuck up. You’re going to wake your brother,” the voice that I now realize belongs to Asher says in a low growl.
“Good! What the hell are you doing here?” My traitorous heart is slamming against my ribs as if trying to throw itself at Asher. Like it knows it belongs to him. Not anymore. I take a step away from his shadowed figure.
“Haven’t you heard? I’m your new roommate, baby girl.”
No. No. What?
I’m already shaking my head. This isn’t possible. He doesn’t just get to show back up after three years and invade my space. I’ve waited for this day. God, I’ve fucking died waiting for this day to come. But this isn’t how I imagined it. Not even a little bit. And, I’m not a lovesick kid anymore. At least that’s what I tell myself.
Asher’s eyes drift down to my legs, and a smirk tugs at his lips, reminding me that I’m standing here without pants. I sit down on the couch, quickly snatching the blanket and pulling it over my lap.
“A little privacy?” I snap.
“Oh, look who grew a backbone along with those other…assets.” He makes a show of scanning my body from head to toe, and my face heats with embarrassment. I know why I’m bitter and angry, but where is his anger coming from? Asher has always used his sharp tongue as a weapon, but I wasn’t ever on the receiving end of it. In fact, I always got the impression that he purposely shielded me from that side of him.
Guess the kid gloves are off.
“What happened to you?” I say it more to myself, but he hears it, because he balls his fists at his side and his eyes narrow.
“I don’t know, Briar. What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking!” I whisper-yell, bending over to retrieve my discarded shorts and pulling them back over my legs under the covers.
Asher shakes his head, and I get the feeling that I’ve disappointed him. But that’s impossible. He’s been back for three whole seconds. I haven’t had a chance to let him down.
“It’s late,” he finally says, his wall slamming back in place, more impenetrable than Fort Knox. He plops down on the couch and crosses his arms behind his head, like he owns the place. “Do you mind?”
“Unbelievable.” I bunch my blanket up in my arms with a huff and grab the rest of my stuff. Too drained and confused to keep arguing, I take one last searching look into those soulless eyes before turning around and leaving without another word.
The sun beats down on me through my window, and I smother my face with a pillow, making a mental note to buy blackout curtains. I don’t think I slept for more than a few minutes at a time. I tossed and turned all night, alternating between irritation and concern for Asher. Once the initial anger cooled, I started wondering what could’ve happened to cause the chill in his demeanor.
Dash’s words from last night about Asher belatedly echo in my head. Maybe I should’ve been more understanding. I still can’t believe he’s here. In my house. Like nothing ever happened. But he’s not Ash. Not the one I used to know.
My phone buzzes from my nightstand, and I pick it up to see a text from my brother.
Dash: Asher’s staying here for a while. Just a heads-up.
A little late for that.
Me: Do Mom and Dad know?
Dash: No. And we’re going to keep it that way.
Me: Don’t I get a say in this?
Dash: No. He’s family. He needs us, whether he wants to admit it or not.
I sigh and roll out of bed, needing to at least make a coffee run before I can have this conversation, but I decide that a shower is more important. Shower first. Coffee later.
After stripping down, I snag the towel off the hook on the back of my door, wrap it around me, and stumble my way down the hall. I’m rubbing the sleep out of my eye with the palm of my hand when I twist the knob to the bathroom door. It takes a second for my vision to adjust, but when it does, I see Asher. Naked. Standing over the toilet with his left hand braced against the wall, and his right hand… His right hand is wrapped around his length.