Chapter 92: Asher
Booster wraps Penny in a hug that nearly
rly lifts her off the floor. She laughs, surprised, her face slightly amused against his chest. “It was see in ment you,” she says, and I can tell the means it.
“You too, ballerina,” he says, grinning. “We’re coming to your Spring Gala. Count on it.”
“Front row.” Anna adds, hugging Penny with just as much affection, her perllame like cedar and something earthy. “You’re a little presence. I see why he talks about you.”
thing but you’ve got a big
Penny’s eyes flick to mine at that, but neither of us say anything.
We walk out of the restaurant together. The breeze has picked up and the night air smell like grilled meat and pavement, I unlock the car and hold the passenger door open for her, and she slides in with a contented grown
Once I’m in the driver’s seat, she tips her head back, rubbing slow circles over her stomach.
“I’m so full,” she moans. “If you keep feeding me like this, Lac won’t be able to lift me. I’ll be the first Black Swan who eats herself out of the ais
Isport. “A toddler could still lift you.”
Her mouth drops open. “Excuse me?” She punches my bicep–not hard, but not exactly soft either. “You’re nude.”
“You’re dramatic.
“I’m just saying, you keep shoveling pork belly onto my plate li
like I’m training
ing for a sumo match.”
I glance over, and despite the dark swallowing her tiny frame, I can see the slight curve of her belly under the seatbelt. She’s nibbing it with both hands, pouting a little from how fall she is. It’s innocent Completely innocent.
So why the hell does my mind immediately betray me?
The image flashes like a bolt of lightning–her belly undet, not from grilled meat, but swollen with something I put there. Something small and growing. Her skin stretched. Her cheeks flashed. The image is visal I have to grip the steering wheel tighter.
Fuck.
I look away, I’m gonna drive an into a fucking wall at this rate,
“Thanks for inviting me
me tonight,” she
her voice soft again. “Really.”
“Thanks for coming.” I say, careful to keep it neutral. “They loved you.”
She smiles at that. “I loved them too. Anna’s so cool. I can’t believe she threatened to kick Eric’s ass if he joined the Navy and then still waited for him
I nod, keeping my eyes on the road. “They’re solid.”
Silence falls for a minute. Confortable. Almost too comfortable.
Then she speaks again. “Hey, about what Eric said earlier
“I don’t mean to ply,” she adds quickly. “But,
if you want to bring her around the house or something, or
you’re not home sure night because of
hen, it’s okay. I don’t want to take up your time. I didn’t realize I was, like,
“Drop it.” I say, sharper than I mean to
Chapter 92: Asher
+ 1) + bxx
She pars piiri. Her hands postill in her lap
grit my teeth, I should’ve handed that better.
the hell am I tappone) to explain something that shouldn’t be spoken set land?
“I post…..” she trien again, wire hesitant. “I know I’ve been… needing a lot from pro lately. You’ve been there for me in mark, and I’m peale grada) didn’t know you had somerene in your life and –”
“Penny.” I out her off. “Drop it.”
She stares out the window now, het reflection hairly
visible in the glass. Laan feel her walls going up, brick
- brick by brick
Leshale hard. “Sorrs,” I midten.
* post…it’s complicated
Because what the hell am 1 supposed to say? That she’s the gel in question? That the second Roster said those words, I nearly had a goddamn heart attack That I’ve been watching her for weeks now, slowly falling for her in a way that feels like drowning in warm water?
That the thought of her with Tyler makes me see red?
That all I want to do is pull over, unbuckle her seatbelt, lift her into my lap, and kiss her until her lips are brained and she knows mactly what the mom to
But I can’t say any of that. Not one fucking word.
She clears her trout. “It’s okay, I shouldn’t have asked. I don’t know why I said anything. Your love life im’t my business”
aly you knew.
I grip the steering wheel tighter and say mathing. Because if I open my mouth now, erything will come pouring out–and once it does, I won’t be able to take it back.
We pull up to the house a few minutes later. 1 kill handle when I say, “Penny, wait.”
engine, and for a second neither of us moves. She’s unbuckling her seatbelt, reaching for the doct
Her hand puses on the door. “It’s fine, Asher,” she says without looking at me, her voice small..
I’m out
of the car
before she can finish getting her door open circle around, intercepting her just as she’s stepping cot
She looks surprised
Before she can say another word, I gently grab her wrist–not tight, just enough–and guide her a step back. Then I lift her effortlessly and set her on the hood of the car.
She gasps softly. Her hands immediately go to the metal edge behind her to steady herself, and her eyes lock onto mine like I just shifted the whole gravity in her world.
God, she’s so light.
“I’m sorry,” I say, standing between her knees. Eve got to stop making a habit of standing there, but it’s fucking addictive. “About e Rooster said.”
She swallows but doesn’t speak
“I had a good time tonight. With you. Rooster shouldn’t have brought that up. It wasn’t his place.”
Still nothing.
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Chapter 92: Asher
Her er flick down, lashes thick, her expression verradable,
Then she whispers. “What’s her name?”
It’s like a punch straight to the gut. I should’ve seen that coming
I inhale slowly “Perm…”
That’s her name, is what I want to say. She still won’t Inok at më
“I don’t want to talk about that tight now,”
Her mouth twists slightly like she expected that mer. Her shoulders cul forward a little. Defensive. Hart
And I can’t take it
My hands go to her hips–automatically, instinctively. They fit ton perfectly there. I shouldn’t notice that, but I do. I feel her thier under my tunch, just the faintest tremble. Her breath catches
Finally, she
looks up.
And the look on her face
It’s like her heart is cracking, one fragile seam at a time. Her eyes are glassy, her lower lip trembling just enough to tear me apart. She’s trying not to cry.
I have no idea why she feels this sad. I don’t know if it’s because I snapped at her earlier. Or because she thinks I don’t trust her enough to share my “lowe
If she only knew,
If she only fucking knew how many night I’ve had to talk myself out of reaching for her. How many times I’ve heard her laugh and had to pretend it didn’t send a bolt of heat straight to my chest. How many times I’ve seen her strich on the floor in those tight–ass leggings and had to close my eyes just to
I step in closer, caging her in gently between my arms and the car.
knees are brushing my thighs now, her breath shallow, I can feel the heat rolling off her.
“I’m not mad at you,” I say, voice how. “And I’m r
not hiding anything to hurt you”
She doesn’t say anything, but her eyes search mine like she’s trying to decode a map that doesn’t make sense.
| rrach up, fuck a piece of hair behind her car. My fingers linger at her jaw.
“I had a good night. The best one I’ve had in a long time,” I admit, softer this time. “And I don’t want to ruin it by saying something I’m not supposed to
Her brows pull together, “Like what?”
Lake I want you to be mine.
Like I want you every second I’m around you and every second I’m not.
But I just don’t say anything
She nods, barely.
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Chapter 92: Asher
And still she doesn’t move 19
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