Chapter 128: Asher
The drive back to the lodge in quiet. Penny hums softly just happened.
ily beside
me, eyes trained on the passing trees, and I know she’s trying to smooth the edges of what
Not because those guys tried to start a light–hell, that’s practically toutine by now. There’s alwayt someone. At a bar. A gym. Some kid who just got too big for his ego. Or worse–actual enemies trying to kill me in the middle of nowhere. That’s part of the job. I’ve made peace with it.
What I haven’t made
te peace with is the
e rage that curled inside me like a fuse the second that hastard put his hand on Penny and pulled her away from me
I thought of seven different ways to and him. Seven fast, clean, ellective ways to incapacitate or kill take your pick. My brain just does that, now. It’s not emotional. It’s tactical. But this time? It was emotional. I was upset because for the first time in years, the instinct wasn’t urvival. It was her.
It was her little flinch. Her wide eyes. Her voice, Utrying to keep calm while asking me not to make it worse.
I would kill for her.
And I’v
ed to say th
I’ve never wanted to say that about anyone in my life.
By the time we pull into the gravel lot beside the lodge. I’ve gone too far into my own head. Penny unbuckles her seatbelt, looking around.
The lodge is still empty when we walk in
Penty frowns, “weird. Tyler said they’d be heading back.”
“Good.” I shut the door behind us.
- “I like the quiet,”
she peeks up at me through her lashes and smiles. “Me too.”
I follow her into the great room, past the fireplace and wide planked floors. It’s warm in here. Still smells like cedar and pine and snow–damp wood. Str hesitates in the doorway to the kitchen
“I wanna hake something,” she says.
I stop walking “You what?”
“Cookies. Or something sweet.” She steps inside. “For when everyone gets back. I feel like I haven’t helped with anything.
“You? Baking?” I Bean against the doorway, crossing my arms. “Is this a known skill of yours or possible public safety hazard!”
gasps, spins around. “Excuse me? I’ll have you know I make killer cookies”
“Us–huh.”
Ak Mila:
“I’d rather not.”
She narrows her eyes at me, but I can’t stop the shall smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. She moves toward the cabinets like it’s already decided.
“Stay if you want,” she says with a shrug. “But I’m doing this.
I don’t move.
Not because I want cookies.
But because her hoodie’s slipping off her shoulder and she hums when she find the flour, and because I’m going fucking inne watching her live in the
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Chapter 128: Asher
same space at me and not be mine.
So stay.
And fast.
And nothing like the orderly people I’m used to.
I hand her things when she askt. Menture when she forgets. Kiste a spoon she already used for cinnamon so it doesn’t ruin the whole bowl,
ty treasure.
I watch her mix chocolate chips with both hands like she’s trying to bury
“This the part where the house explodes?” I murmur.
She throws a paper towel at me. “This is the part where I feed you cookies and you fall in love with me.
Obviously
But my body doesn’t register it like one.
I tightens Hardens. Heat crawls up the back of
Π
neck and down to my crotch.
She don’t notice. She’s humming again.
She gets flour on her hands and wipes it on her jeans.
When the turns to me to ask for the baking soda, I brush my hand down her cheek first
Chocolate. Kight on the corner of her mouth.
She still. Lips parting slightly Eyes locked on mine,
“I got it,” way softly
She don’t move. Doesn’t flinch.
My hand lingers half a second too long
I drop it. Step back. Breathe.
She banks like she’s just come back online. “Oh. Thanks.”
“You had a–yeah.”
The cookies hit the tray in uneven scoops. Too close together. Way too many chips in same, Barely any in others.
But she’s smiling, checks pink with kitchen beat and whatever this is between us.
ten. Sets the timer.
She puts the tray in the oven.
Then leans back against the counter, brushing her hands off on a towel. “That une she says, eyes fluttering closed. “God, it smells like Christmas,”
1 look at her. Really look.
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Chapter 128: Asher
Hair messy. Fingers smulped. Shit sliding off her shoulder.
And it hits me in the chest.
We’re standing
too close new. She doesn’t seem to notice. Or she does, and the don’t care.
I want to reach for her again. Just a small thing. Her wrist, maybe. Her jaw. I want to touch her neck where I saw that huise, make sure it’s still not burting. I want to know if she’d let me
So far, she always has
The oven beeps. She joups a little.
She pulls the tray out carefully, and I grab a towel to help her lay it on the stovetop. The smell explodes–sugar, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla.
She rips off a piece and bless on it, then pops it in her mouth. Her eyes close. She moans, just barely
I nearly lose it.
She ce
open one eye and grins at me. “Told you,”
“Give the one.
She breaks one in half and hands it over,
It’s good. Not perfect. A little raw in the middle. But the way she’s watching me, waiting for a verdict, smiling like this moment is something that matters?
It’s perfect
“Not bad,” I say.
“Not bad?” she echoes, affronted. “That was basically divine “
I reach across the counter. I swipe my thumb across her bottom lip, taking in how full and pink and beautiful it is. This time, slower. Deliberate
“I will have chocolate? She asks with a frown
B he doesn’t. I just needed her
I feel her breath catch
She’s not pulling away either.
I force myself back.
We stand in silence
The tray cools. Outside, I hear a car door slam
Voices in the distance.
She doesn’t say anything. Just smiles a little. Tucks a strand of har behind her ea
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Chapter 128: Asher
I look down at her hands, her fingers still dusted with flour.
“Wanna go again?” she asks.
“with the cookies?”
She nods.
I nod to “Yeah, Sure.”
I’ll do whatever keeps me in this kitchen with her.
Whatever gives me a reason to stay in her orbit a little longer.
Because this—this warm, stapid, dangerous thing–it’s becoming the only kind of peace I know how to clase.
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