Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(70)

I snuggle closer to him and wonder if he feels that warmth. The same warmth that I feel when I’m with him.

Taking his hand in mine, I link our fingers and close my eyes.

“Sweet dreams, Ash. Love you.”

***

Something taps my nose. I flap my hand about to get rid of it.

Again with the nose. I growl and put my head under the pillow. It smells like lemon and berries under here.

Nice.

“Asherrrr.” Nat. She says this in a sing-song voice, and I know I have to look up at her.

When I lift my face, I rub the sleep out of my eyes and freeze.

There she is, standing at the door wearing only my shirt and panties. Sexy as sin and cute as hell all rolled into one.

Then I’m doused in water.

In defense mode, I snatch her pillow and hold it up while I roll off the bed army-style. I hear her pump the damn water pistol and she yells out, “Fair’s fair,” then she throws something on the bed.

Her footsteps running away from the bedroom fill my ears. When I think it’s safe, I lift my head and look on the bed. I smirk.

Picking up my own huge water pistol, I pump it as far as it’ll let me. I check the water level. It’s full. My lips pull down, raise my brows and tilt my head. The little minx didn’t stiff me.

Respect.

Oh, now she’s gone and done it.

Stealth mode takes over and I crawl around the bed til I get to the bedroom door, dragging my legs behind me. I stick my head out from the bottom of the door, and I see a tiny mouse head slipper sticking out from behind the kitchen counter. I smirk.

It’s on.

I crouch and creep towards the kitchen, being careful not to make a sound. Can’t nobody be quieter than the Ghost. When I reach the opposite side of the counter, I mentally count to three, then jump out with a war cry, guns blazing and spraying the shit out of her.

Only, there’s no one there. Just a damn slipper.

My back is suddenly saturated.

I turn and my front becomes drenched too. Cutting my losses, I toss the gun and take two steps toward Nat. She looks beautiful. Flushed cheeks, bright-eyed and laughing her ass off at me. When I think of her, I’m going to see her exactly as I see her now. She really is my pretty girl.

Narrowing my eyes with a cruel smile, she stills a moment. When she realizes what I’m doing, she squeaks, drops her gun, turns on her heel and runs. I yell out, “Run, Forrest, Run!”

C’mon! Even I know Forrest Gump.

There are only three possible places in this apartment she can run to, and she just ran out of the kitchen, leaving her bedroom and the bathroom as her only options. I walk to her bedroom and throw open the door. It looks empty but…

Something falls in the closet and I chuckle to myself.

The closet? She can’t get anywhere from in there! Too cute.

I approach the closet door smiling like a damn fool, take the knob and throw it open. I scrunch my face as water splashes me in the eyes. The little shit has two small pistols in her hands. She’s laughing so hard she’s crying. I snatch the pistols, throw them behind me and pick her up and over my shoulder. She doesn’t bother fighting. I don’t think she could if she wanted to. Her body is weak from laughter.

This is what I like about this girl. She doesn’t treat me like I’m damaged. I know last night must have been hard to hear, but she took it well. Masked her emotions like a pro. The only thing giving her away was her clenching jaw and the way she fisted the covers.

This girl. She’s my girl.

She’s not perfect. Neither am I. But she’s perfect for me, and I’ll do anything I can to keep her.

Walking across the room with her, I throw her onto the bed. She looks up at me with those pink cheeks and smiling eyes…and I’m home. No place I’d rather be than here with my girl just goofin’ around.

Maybe Sheriff was right. Maybe this is love.

If it isn’t, it’s pretty damn close.

I push her legs apart and lay on her, my head on her chest. I listen to her heart race and smile, knowing I have that effect on her. My chest expands and I feel like claiming her. So I do.

I wrap my arms around her small waist and say gruffly in caveman speak, “You woman. My woman.”

She laughs and I listen through her chest, the vibrations tickling my cheek. Stroking my hair, she replies softly, “Yeah. I’m yours, babe.”

The thought of her with someone else makes me irrationally angry. My gut twists and I spit out, “And I do not share. Not with any f*cker.”

Gripping the longer hair at the top of my head tight, she pulls my head up to look into my eyes and replies in complete seriousness, “Me too. So tell Tasha you’re not seeing her anymore.”

Even though my scalp aches like a bitch, I smile, “Already did, girl.”

Smiling back, she says softly, “Good. Would’ve been a shame for me to kick her ass. She seemed nice.”

She loosens her grip of my hair and I lay my head back in the valley between her breasts. It’s so warm and comfortable there. I close my eyes and mumble, “It’s different with you. What is it about you, girl?”

She stills a moment before she resumes stroking my hair. She says quietly, “I don’t know, Ash. But I love you. A lot.”

I want to return the sentiment. I really do. But I’m not there yet. Not quite. I feel strongly for her. Stronger than I’ve ever felt for anyone in my life and knowing she’s mine makes me feel like I can do anything. Overcome anything. She took away the one hold my father had on me. Now I don’t even think about him anymore. I feel lighter and happier than ever and it’s all because of her.