Chapter 11
Luke had claimed a second kiss, and as I’d dreaded, it was better than the first, cataclysmic in its perfection and heat. That man had become the epicenter of my imagination and spank bank, and the sun that gave my hormones life, burning me as never before.
Thankfully, this one ended way better than the first.
I refused to let the doubts in and did the same thing I told him. I didn’t hate myself over it. Luke’s sexuality, his reasonings were his own. He’d gotten off, and I’d had the pleasure of controlling him while he did. Win. It didn’t need to be more than that.
I pushed myself off the wall, rubbing a slightly shaking hand over my face, and made my way back to the dance floor. Hopefully, Luke had gone home and wouldn’t be in the faces I passed with little awareness.
Fear had darkened his expression and curled his broad shoulders before I’d barked at him.
He’d seemed almost relieved when I told him it was okay, as if no one ever had before.
That made me ten fucking feet tall and bulletproof.
I didn’t even care I hadn’t gotten off with him.
My balls weren’t happy about it, but I could console them later.
Savannah and Morgan were still dancing where I left them.
They’d invited me to Aunt Penny’s for the weekend so we could go out for a night before classes started after the break.
I’d been a little down that there wouldn’t be a chance to catch Luke in one of his fancy suits at some charity thing, but lo and behold, someone was on my side for a change and dropped him in my lap. Almost literally.
“Where’d you go?” Savannah yelled over the music.
“Let him piss in peace, Savy. You don’t have to know everything,” Morgan said, supplying my lie for me. He nudged my shoulder with his, and I nodded at the save.
We danced and hung around for another hour, but my fun had fled on two feet. I faked it as much as possible, but the need low in my gut only got worse, and I was glad when they were ready to leave.
Savannah and Morgan chattered on the way home while I stayed silent, thoughtful and reminiscent. Damn, but Luke was a dream. All buttoned up but so alive underneath.
Only a few hours after I lay down on the couch, I was up again, whispering my goodbyes to my cousins, gratefully accepting a to-go coffee from Aunt Penny, and dashing off to Hickory Bend before heading back to school.
Not like it was on the way, but I’d promised Jamie and Momma I’d make the time once more since I might not be able to see them until the winter break started.
I stopped at home and had breakfast while I waited on Jamie to let me know when and where to meet him.
As usual, the house was loud with screaming girls, and with Ben being home, he made sure everyone was getting along and getting the attention they needed.
“How’s your daddy?” I asked him from my perch at the dining room table. He had May standing between his knees as he brushed her hair.
“Oh, he’s hanging in there. I’m not sure what for any longer.” Ben was worn-out. It was etched in the new lines on his face and the slow lift of his arm. “Daddy’s had a good run. He knows it’s over, but something is holding him here.”
“And how’re you doin’?”
Ben glanced at me with a tired smile. “I’m okay, Ash. I’m okay. It’s been a long year, but I’m okay.”
“You want me to take the girls for the afternoon? Give you a moment to rest?”
“I can help Daddy rest, Bubba,” May said with a pout.
Ben chuckled. “No, it’s fine. I need to be here. I need my family.” He tucked his face into May’s neck and blew a raspberry. “Even this little one.”
“Daddyyyy,” May squealed before running off.
Ben chased after her, claiming he still needed to brush her hair, but he probably just wanted to make May scream louder and laugh harder. I’d never known a silent home, and even if this one didn’t feel quite the same as it had before I’d moved to the dorms, I relaxed in the constant state of noise.
This was my happy place. Not so much the structure itself, but being under the roof of so much life and love it overflowed into every room.
Just before lunch, Jamie texted me to meet them at Parlo instead of their sad trailer park off Mill Street.
They spent as much time as possible not being home to run into their daddy, so this was nothing new.
I hated their daddy, and if I never saw that man again, it’d be too soon.
If I had gone to their home without a heads-up and run into him, I’d probably have gotten my ass beat for mouthing off to the asshole.
Cory Anderson was just as big and mean as Michael.
He wasn’t the sort you wanted to be on the bad side of, but unfortunately for the world, he didn’t have a good side.
Jamie’s dark presence lit up when I got out of my car. He sat on top of a picnic table with Michael beside him on a bench.
“Went to see your momma?” Jamie asked as I neared.
“You know it. She’d have my hide if I came to town and didn’t.”
“Good.”
Momma loved both of them like her own, and I secretly loved it when they spoke fondly of her too.
I sat on the opposite bench from Michael and leaned my shoulder into the table. Chunky clouds dotted the sky, but we sat in the shade of a huge tree hanging on to its browned leaves.
“What’re y’all doin’ today?”
“You’re lookin’ at it,” Michael grumbled.
“Mikey was supposed to have a job today, but the guy canceled. We’ve just been hangin’ around.”
“Sounds good.” I plopped an elbow on the table and cradled my face in my hand. “I could fall asleep out here now that I don’t have screaming kids runnin’ around.”
Jamie snorted. “Rough night?”
I eyed him for a second too long, and a wide grin split his face. I might not have thought of Jamie as anything romantic, but I wouldn’t deny he was cute. Given his all-black clothes and affinity for gloom, on the rare occasion he smiled, he was as bright as a full moon.
“What’d you get up to?” Jamie teased.
Other than the empty picnic area and the rusted-over building in the distance, there wasn’t much around us, and certainly no one to overhear. This place hadn’t changed since the first time I’d been here. There was something settling in old things.
“Ran into Luke last night.”
Jamie raised his brows, and Michael chuckled.
“He kick your ass this time?” Michael asked.
“Nope. That wasn’t what he wanted with my ass.”
“What happened?” they asked at the same time.
“He kissed me.”
Jamie narrowed his eyes. “Were you Asher or Ashley.”
I shrugged. “I mean, I had on a skirt, but a sheer shirt. If that didn’t remind him I don’t have tits, my dick might’ve.”
Jamie cackled to the sky, leaning far to one side like he couldn’t contain himself. Michael shook his head and absently steadied his stepbrother.
“Only you would fall into such shit and come out smelling like roses,” Michael snarked.
“Hardly. He got me all hot and lathered, but we didn’t talk about shit. Everything is still as clear as mud.”
“What a dick,” Jamie scoffed.
“I dunno what to think about it now. I figured he cut out so quick before because he was straight and freaked.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “So what was this last night?”
“Maybe you turned him gay,” Michael growled.
Jamie glanced at his brother, then blushed, which Michael didn’t see since he was too busy studying the forgotten building surrounded by tall weeds.
“I doubt that,” I said, ignoring the tension between them.
“Did he say anything?” Jamie asked.
“Not really. Moaned a few times, though.”
Jamie’s cheeks turned even darker as he snickered. “You text him?”
“No. I can’t do that. I was the one that lied. I said I was sorry, but he hasn’t exactly forgiven me yet. I can’t be the one to reach out.”
“But this …”
“No.” I waved it away. “He tasted like tequila, so he was probably drunk. He won’t remember it today.”
Jamie turned to Michael, who was still pretending to ignore us. “Let’s go see Ash on campus one weekend.”
Before Michael could answer, I perked up. “That’d be fun. I’ll get Percy, and the four of us can have a good time.”
“Could we stay in your dorm?”
“It’d be a tight fit, but I could sneak you in as long as my roommate doesn’t mind.”
“You ain’t sleepin’ around anyone I don’t know,” Michael barked, proving he was listening to every syllable.
“You’ll be there, dumbass.”
Michael huffed. “Maybe.”
Way sooner than I’d like, I had to leave to get back to campus with enough time to finish homework.
The drive to the dorm might as well have been twice as long since I didn’t want to make it. When I got there, the guys had had an entire conversation without me and solved all my troubles.
Not exactly, but they meant well.
Sunday 5:57 PM
Ty
It’s Sunday.
Jack
Very good, big brother.
Wren
Fact. It’s Sunday.
Tate
I’m lost. What about Sunday?
Ty
Where’s the update? Where’s my drama? What’re we calling Asher and Luke? Lasher? Ashke?
Percy
Lasher sounds like the wrong kind of drama.
Ty
No one likes a prude, Percy. Don’t yuck someone’s yum.
Percy
I would never! But Lasher? Ashke is cute.
Ty
Fine. So what’s new with Ashke?
Michael/Jamie
Ash is driving home, he can’t comment.
Cal
Boooo.
Michael/Jamie
So I’ll do it for him!
Ty
That’s the spirit!
Percy
I love it when Jamie has the phone.
Cal
I love how you can tell which one has it.
Tate
Lol. True. So what’s the tea?
Michael/Jamie
Ash went clubbing and bumped into Luke. And I mean bumped.
Ty
Spicy.
Nick
Yes! Some action in this drama.
Michael/Jamie
Nothing was said, with words anyway, and Ash’s not sure what to do. I told him to text the guy. He’s got his number still.
Ty
Unless he changed it.
Wren
That’d be extreme. I mean, sure Asher was misleading at first but he came clean and apologized.
Nick
Not gonna lie, sometimes changing the number is the only thing when she gets her friends in on annoying the shit out of you.
Ty
Fucking harassment, is what it is.
Nick
Finally, someone who gets it.
Ty
I gotchu, bro.
Nick
I might need therapy.
Cal
Or a thorough dicking down.
Nick
You offering?
Jack
He is NOT.
Percy
What would Asher say, tho? Luke is hot and older, like mature, he can’t be all ‘do you like me?’
Ty
Why not? Old farts have feelings.
Tate
You met Luke, Percy?
Percy
OMG! I forgot to tell y’all. Yes! And wow, Ash can pull. Luke’s dad is a bully and Ash saved the day. I swear I thought Luke would swoon.
Ty
Wait, I think I missed an episode of Ashke.
Wren
We all did, sounds like.
The fuck? Ashke?
Ty
There he is.
Tate
Give us details. How hard was that ‘bumped’ into?
Lol. Wow. Um, well, hard enough I know his O face, and it’s hot AF.
Percy
OMG, I’m blushing.
Tate
Nice.
Ty
Fuck yeah. So when’s the wedding?
Y’all are ridiculous.
Cal
You cannot end with that. What happened afterward?
I made sure he was good to go home, then told him to clean up his mess.
Jack
Oh fuck. Asher the dom? I did NOT see that coming.
Why didn’t I see that coming?
Cal
I think we’re all shocked.
Nick
Nah. Can totally see it.
Ty
I’m shocked. When did this happen?
Goodnight, kids.
Tate
Noooo!
Percy
No, no good night, tell us more.
Ty
Fucking hate you, Ashke!
Jack
Yeah, until the next episode.
Ty has left the conversation.
Cal
Lol, I love your brother, Princess.
Jack
He is loveable. Lol.