Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(57)

We spent a minute or two arguing, but he gave in, stating he was too tired to deal with my bullshit.

I win!

Once we settled in bed, which was hard because of all the extra shit I was wearing, my mouth spoke before I had a chance to stop it. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, but if you ever want to talk about what happened to you, I’m actually a good listener.”

The hand that strokes my hair stills a moment before he resumes petting me like a kitten. “It’s f*cked up. You sure you want to hear it?” he says quietly.

My eyes widen and I whisper, “Yeah. But only if you want to talk about it.”

Silence. He sighs then starts, “Dad was always careful not to burn my arms because teachers would notice.”

My body stiffens at his admission and my heart shatters to a million pieces.

This is worse than I thought. The state of his scars makes it look like he’d been in a horrific accident. Now knowing he got each of those scars over multiple occasions… My heart is broken. How can someone do that to their own child?

He doesn’t say anything for a long while, then he quietly admits, “I don’t want to talk about this right now. It might bring on a nightmare. Let’s just see if tonight goes well, then…”

He doesn’t have to say anything more. I get it. Now that I know where the nightmares stem from, I definitely don’t want to push him to say any more than he wants to.

Turning my head to the side a little, I kiss his chest. “Goodnight, Ash.”

I close my eyes and hear him whisper, “Night, babe.”

Then I pray that tomorrow will come easily for him.





Chapter Eighteen

Them stupid f*cking feels





Someone is trying to undress me. And I’m so tired that I actually don’t give a shit.

Undress me as you please, phantom boogey man.

My pants come off in one quick tug and something bulky is lifted from my shoulders. My tank is next to go and I’m pulled back into something warm and hard. Arms come around my waist and I’m startled awake when someone whispers huskily into my ear, “Wake up, pretty girl.”

My eyes open wide when, what is definitely an erection, rests between the cheeks of my ass. Then I remember. “You didn’t wake up! It’s morning!” I gasp excitedly.

Asher chuckles in my ear. “I guess you were right. You did cure me.” Palming my butt, he continues, “I’d say that’s cause to celebrate.” And in one swift movement, he slides his thick shaft into my ready-and-waiting *.

We both groan as he pulls me further into him. My back rests against his chest as he rocks into me. I roll my hips back to take him deeper. His arms tightly wrap around me and we work together, thrusting and rocking for what seems like hours. It’s not the fast and furious f*cking we normally prefer, but I make an exception. It is morning after all. Who can be bothered?

When Ash bands one arm around my chest and lowers the other to softly stroke my clit, I push myself back even deeper onto him and moan. My stomach clenches and I feel a pleasant warmth rush over me. Without warning, my orgasm comes hard and fast. My channel pulses around him and he groans into my ear. His thrusting slows and he wraps me tight as he stills. He silently jerks his release into me.

Both breathing heavily, I relax back into him and he says, “That’s what I call a f*cking good morning.”

Chuckling, I state sleepily, “So happy for you, Ash. No more nightmares. Maybe now you won’t be such an ass all the time - what with all the sleep you’ll be getting.”

His body shakes in silent laughter and I smile. This is nice. I’m feeling all warm and fluttery and it’s not the after-effects of a great morning orgasm. It’s something more.

Oh f*ck.

This is why I didn’t want to do this with Ash. It was only a matter of time before I started feeling gooey, icky shit for him. I liked him the first time we f*cked, and that’s why I cut him off. Seven months without him around was torture, but my mom always told me that sometimes you have to walk away from what you want in order to find what you deserve.

Well, I did that Mama…and I found Cole.

Maybe what I thought I wanted is actually what I deserve too. Ash is different when he’s with me. I no longer see him as the confrontational person I once did. Now I see him as an untrustworthy person with good reason. After finding out a little about what happened to him when he was younger, it makes me wonder how he came out of it without becoming a psychopathic serial killer. If any of that had happened to me, I’d be a wreck. Ash actually seems like he’s got his shit together in an I don’t trust anyone kind of way. But he confided in me. I smile. He trusts me.

“I have no idea what the f*ck you’re thinking about, but stop. Now.”

Smiling harder, I reply, “Got lost in my head for a second and, by the way, you can’t order me to stop thinking.”

Still wrapped up in him, his softening cock starts to slip from me. He nuzzles the side of my neck, breathing me in and says matter-of-factly, “Sure I can. I always get what I want.”

Without any good reason at all, this irritates me. It sounds as if he’s playing a game with me and my feelings. I know he isn’t, but the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I pull away from him, and buck naked, stand at the edge of the bed and point to the door. I bark, “Get out.”