Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
But I’ve already met my quota of rash decisions today, and sex isn’t going to fix the issues between us. It won’t fix my sudden unemployment status either.
Me: The timing is wrong, Ash. I know you don’t want to admit it, but this changes things.
Ashton: We aren’t just friends anymore. That changed too, or do I need to remind you how hard you came on my tongue last night?
Fuck, like I need that reminder. I’m cursing him for fighting dirty when the rapid thumping coming from Mandy’s bedroom grows louder. She cries out, and I feel my face heat. Even worse, I can’t ignore the tingling warm pressure between my thighs. Listening to her moments of ecstasy is only reminding me of the ones I shared with Ash last night. His messages blur before my eyes, but these are tears of frustration rather than hurt. I want to give in. Now that we’ve crossed all sorts of lines, I can’t imagine not touching him.
I want the line of our friendship to stay crossed because the other side is damn cold without him.
But I can’t. If I let my guard down, and he decides to be with the mother of his child, I’m not sure I could survive that kind of emotional wreckage. He’s already stolen so much of me as it is—little pieces I’ll never get back. Maybe he’s been doing it all along, for years and years, only I wasn’t paying attention. I thought by ignoring how I felt about him it would eventually go away, become obsolete, and his habit of parading women in front of me helped to shove my feelings for him onto the back burner.
So what made me think crawling under that table was a smart move? I was so fucking stupid. Deep down, I knew going in that this would happen, but I did it anyway. God, I wanted him then and I want him now.
Ashton: You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?
I hear his smug tone in my head. What does he expect? Of course I’m thinking about it. No woman with a pulse could forget riding Ashton Levine’s face.
The banging stops on the other side of the wall, and a squeak of the mattress, followed by footsteps, tells me this is definitely in the camp of a quickie. I send Ash one last text.
Me: I’m thinking about a lot of things, which is why I need some space.
If he replies, I don’t read it. I drop my phone back into my bag, and that’s when Mandy and her lunchtime special exit her bedroom.
“Sadie?” The draw of her brows betrays her concern, and I know my rough morning is written all over my face. When it comes to Mandy, my expression is usually an open book. It’s a miracle she hasn’t picked up on what’s been going on between Ash and me.
“You’re back early,” she says. “Is everything okay?”
“I quit my job.”
“Oh wow.” Mandy glances at the blond guy at her side. “Best friend duty calls.” Rising on her tiptoes, she kisses him. “Text me later?”
“Sure will.” He kisses her cheek then greets me with a nod on his way out the door.
“That must be the new flavor of the month?” I ask.
“Yep.” She crosses into the kitchen and pulls out a pint of rocky road ice cream from the freezer. “You look like you could use this.” Settling next to me on the couch, two spoons in her hand, she grins. “I think I can too. Never a better time to splurge than after a horizontal workout.”
I laugh. “Who needs a gym, right?”
She pulls the lid off the pint and spoons out a bite. “Exactly.”
“You’ve been into this guy for a while,” I say, scooping up a spoonful of creamy chocolate goodness. “Is it serious this time?”
“Maybe.” Her noncommittal shrug doesn’t bode well for the guy. “He’s good to me, and even better in bed.” She points her spoon in my direction. “Enough about my sex life. What’s going on with you?”
Shit, where do I start? You’d think we’d be more involved in each other’s lives, but we’ve both been too busy lately to have real downtime—not since the night I got drunk and decided going down on her brother was a good idea.
“Well, I already told you how the dinner at my parents’ house ended.”
“Ugh. I can’t believe your father tried cornering you into an engagement. That’s low, even for him. Good thing Ash was there, huh?”
Warmth spreads across my cheeks. I pray to God she doesn’t notice. “My dad’s still pressuring me about Jake. That’s why I quit today. I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“You stuck it out way longer than I would have. You’re practically a damn saint when it comes to your father.”
“I think it’s safe to say my sainthood is over.”