A pillow hits my head. A hammer?Thor!
“Wake up, Venom.”
I groan, swatting blindly at the air. My brain is still stuck somewhere between Asgard and a very specific fantasy involving lightning and abs that could grate cheese. “Five more minutes.”
“You've been moaning for the last ten.” The mattress dips. “Should I be concerned, or jealous?”
My eyes snap open.
Asher is sliding under my sheets like he owns them. Like he ownsme. His hair is damp, curling at the ends, and he smells like cedar and something expensive. Fresh from the shower. In my bed.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Waking you up.” He settles against my headboard, arms crossed behind his head. Those pale blue eyes find mine in the dim morning light. “You were saying someone's name. Couldn't quite catch it.”
Heat floods my cheeks. “I wasn't—”
“Thor.” He says it flat. Dead. “You were moaningThor.”
“I wasnot.”
“You absolutely were.” His jaw ticks. Just once. “The Marvel one or the mythology one? Because I need to know if I'm competing with Chris Hemsworth or a literal god.”
“You're not competing with anyone.” I yank the covers higher, suddenly aware I'm wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt and underwear. “Because there's no competition. There's noanything.”
“Mm.” He doesn't sound convinced. “You always get this defensive about your dreams?”
“You always break into women's bedrooms at—” I squint at the clock. “Six in the fucking morning?”
“Only yours.”
I hate the way that lands. Hate the little flutter in my chest that I immediately murder with extreme prejudice.
“Get out.”
“No.”
“Asher.”
“Ivanya.”
I grab the pillow he assaulted me with and shove it over my face. Maybe if I suffocate myself, I won't have to deal with whatever this is. “Why are you like this? Why are youhere? Why are you in such a disgustingly good mood at dawn?”
The pillow gets tugged away. He's closer now, propped on one elbow, studying me like I'm a puzzle he's almost solved.
“Don't have to see my family.”
I blink. “What?”
“Thought I had to fly out this weekend.” He shrugs, but something flickers behind those ice-chip eyes. Something he's trying very hard to bury. “Plans changed.”
“That's… good?”
“Very good.” His smile doesn't reach his eyes. “Means I get to stay here and annoy you instead.”
There's more. I can feel it sitting between us, heavy and unspoken. The way his shoulders are just slightly too rigid. The way his jaw keeps flexing like he's grinding his teeth.
“Asher.”
