All the Lies (Lies & Truths Duet #1)(41)

Wait, Jason was wearing a T-shirt—how come he?s now…naked?

I open my eyes, and all words catch in my throat. The eyes looking down at me aren’t Jason’s brown ones; they’re deep green. Like an ocean, they pull me in and push me out.

For a moment, I?m glad my heart is actually trapped by a ribcage and won’t jump out of my chest.

A tremor rushes through my limbs, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the adrenaline wave or the feel of Asher’s arms around my waist.

He caught me.

I search for Jason. He stands by the side, rubbing the back of his neck and appearing uncomfortable.

Did Asher push him out of the way or something?

“You can go, Jason.” Asher is speaking to him, but his entire attention remains on me.

Like he doesn’t want to look away.

Or can’t.

“No.” I’m surprised my tone is level. “Jason and I are practicing.”

“You?re practicing with me now.”

“Pass.” I try to push off Asher, but his grip tightens around my waist until it?s almost painful.

Whenever I used to talk back to Asher, he’d give me looks of suspicion or even surprise. Those have completely disappeared lately. Now, he just watches me with all these dark, heated stares that flip my stomach upside down.

“I?ll just go,” Jason offers, shooting an undecipherable glance at Asher before he rounds the corner.

“Put me down,” I mutter, gritting my teeth.

Surprisingly, he does set me on my feet, but he doesn?t remove his hand from around my waist. He?s too close, my breasts colliding with his chest…his hard, naked chest that’s glistening with sweat.

My senses fill with his sandalwood and citrus scent, like a warm, sunny day. The place where his hand touches me erupts with heat even though my top serves as a barrier.

My pulse picks up pace the more his attention swallows me whole. It?s like he can reach inside me and flip a switch to bring me back to life.

Refusing to get sucked into his orbit, I glare full on. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He motions at the trampoline. “You said you want to practice. I?ll catch you.”

“I was doing that just fine with Jason.”

His grip tightens until I wince and his voice comes low. “Is this a new game?”

“What?s the game in practicing with Jason?”

“The fact that you never hung out with him before, or that you never called him a friend.”

“Well, I do now.”

“What changed?”

“Me. I changed, Ash. I?m not the same Reina you used to know.”

“Asher.” His jaw ticks as if he’s searching for patience. “The name is Asher.”

“That’s one more thing that’s changed. I like Ash better.”

He pauses for a second too long. I made him speechless, and my insides dance at the thought. It’s so rare to make Asher Carson speechless.

His free hand trails up to my cheek and winds around my throat, but he’s not squeezing. He’s merely running his fingers along my skin, as if re-learning it.

Heat invades me and goosebumps form on the skin he touches.

“You’ve changed,” he says slowly.

Finally.

“You’re even blushing.”

“I?m not,” I yell, but even I can feel the pits of fire on my cheeks.

He runs the pad of his calloused thumb over my cheek as if to prove a point, to lure me into his trap like a predator would do to its prey.

“Is that so, Reina?”

“Stop it,” I hiss, looking around. We?re in view of the staff’s entrance. Anyone could come out and see us.

“I wonder what I’ll find if I check.”

“Check what?” I breathe.

“If I reach under those little shorts, pull your panties to the side, and thrust two fingers into your pussy, what will I find?”

It’s as if someone doused me with fuel, igniting a fire.

If I was blushing before then his dirty words have me all crimson now. The bottom of my stomach contracts with wicked anticipation.

Logically, I know I need to stop him, but I can’t fight the need to know more, to dig more.

Just more.

“So? What will I find, Reina?”

The whisper of my name out of his mouth isn’t just a name. It’s a promise. A damnation. A sinister journey that pulls me closer, refusing to let me go.

Who knew my damn name could have this effect?

His hand slides from my waist to the space where my shorts meet my thighs. I suck in a breath through my teeth at the feel of his fingers disappearing under the fabric.

His thumb and forefinger grip my chin as he murmurs, “Will I find you wet?”

I bite my lower lip to stop the voice that’s trying to escape.

And yes, I’m totally wet. My thighs have been slick with arousal since the moment he caught me against his half-naked body.

“I guess I have to find out on my own.” His hand stops between my thighs. I might have parted them, hoping for more friction or something.

Anything.

“I’m not stupid enough to think you’ve been saving yourself for me, but I want to know.” His voice drops to a dangerous range that feeds the goosebumps on my arms.