Aspen (The Dragon Kings #2)(12)

Thirty minutes later, the doorbell rang and Skye ran to get it. While Aspen waited for Skye to get the pizza, the boys came back into the room, all sweaty.

Aspen looked up. “Enjoy your workout?”

Sid nodded and wiped a towel across his forehead. “I’m gonna go change.”

Rowan looked green. As soon as Sid and Theo disappeared upstairs, he collapsed on the floor and lay there, not moving.

“You okay?” Aspen asked.

Rowan shook his head. “They are animals. I couldn’t keep up with them if I tried.”

“We can cross personal trainer off your list of possible careers then, huh?”

“Theo should consider it. He yelled at me the whole time I was in the gym.”

Aspen stood over Rowan. “You gonna come eat?”

Rowan nodded and held out his hand. Aspen pulled him up, and he groaned. His face was flushed, and his hair was all sweaty. “You might want to go wash up. There’s a bathroom just outside the kitchen.”

Aspen helped Skye gather plates and cups. A few minutes later all three boys appeared. Theo patted Rowan on the back.

“You’re coming tomorrow, right?”

Rowan swallowed and looked at Skye, who smiled at him.

“We should do this every day. Homework, workout, and dinner,” Skye said.

“I’ll be here.” Rowan gave Skye a grin.

Aspen nearly choked on her pizza. He was so in for it.

In the car, on the way home, she tried to feel him out.

“You don’t have to come tomorrow.”

“I know. I want to.”

“She’s not looking for a relationship. She’s with Sid.” Skye didn’t seem like the type to intentionally hurt someone, but she’d rip his heart out without even realizing what she’d done.

Rowan snorted. “Yeah right. Sid still has eyes only for you. I’m not sure what’s going on. But he and Skye are not together. Show me your algebra homework because I expect it’s not done.”

“I left my book at Sid’s.” Aspen thought for a few seconds on how to handle this. Admit that something was going on or deny it? If Rowan would be spending more time at Sid’s, then keeping it a secret would be difficult. “Please don’t tell anyone. It’s important people think Skye and Sid are together.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll tell me what’s really going on.”

“Not yet.”

He frowned at her. “You can trust me.”

“I do. But it’s not my secret to share.”

“Whatever. But I’m not just going over there for Skye. I was beat after the workout, but my anxiety was all but gone. It was amazing.”

“Huh. Maybe you should’ve started that earlier.”





A couple of weeks later, Rowan collapsed on the couch again after their workout. Sid sat down next to him, his own t-shirt soaked in sweat.

“You okay?” Sid asked.

Rowan nodded and wiped at his forehead. He flexed his arm, showing a hint of muscle. “That’s never been there before.” He gave Sid a grin.

Sid laughed. “I’m sure Skye will be impressed.”

Rowan scowled. “I’m not ready to show her yet. But we’re getting there.”

“She likes you.”

“That’s not what Aspen says.”

“Aspen just doesn’t want you to get hurt. Though, I’ll admit, Skye’s feelings are probably pretty platonic. She’s not ready to jump into anything.”

Rowan lay down and closed his eyes. “I can be patient.”

“I’m gonna go shower.”

“I think I’m going to stay here for a few minutes before I shower. Theo was an animal today. My legs are still shaking.”

Sid was surprised by how much Rowan changed in the last couple of weeks. He seemed almost relaxed when he was around them now.

Sid showered and found Aspen and Skye in the kitchen.

“Whatcha making?” he asked Skye.

“Cheesecake.” She pointed to the iPad on the counter where some YouTube chef demonstrated how to whip the cream cheese. Sid let out a breath of relief. At least it wasn’t dinner. Two days after Skye arrived, she discovered YouTube cooking videos and was hooked. She spent almost all her free time in the kitchen. She nailed desserts but everything else was disastrous. Course Rowan would scarf down anything she made, but the rest of them ran from the kitchen if she was making anything other than something sweet.

Theo walked into the kitchen with a bag slung over his shoulder.

“Oh, man, cheesecake. Save me a piece.”

“Where are you going?” Skye asked.

“Ella’s.”

Skye scowled. She didn’t like Ella, but that was probably because Ella still gave her the cold shoulder. Aspen tried to explain that everything was fine, but things were still icy between them, which was why Theo was spending the night at Ella’s instead of the other way around.

Aspen watched Skye stirring the ingredients and then looked up at Sid. He smiled at her.

“Why do you have to die?” Aspen asked out of nowhere.

Sid sat down next to her. “Where’d this come from? I thought we talked about this.”

“You promised to explain, but you didn’t. Then Skye showed up, and we haven’t really had time to talk. I tried to get her to tell me, but she wouldn’t either. This is the first time we’ve been alone enough to discuss it because Rowan is always around.”