“Smooth,” Ryder remarks, dropping his head into his hand.
“What?” Skid looks genuinely confused.
Ashton shifts his feet uncomfortably as I bite back a smile.
“Well, now that this moron put it so bluntly, you guys up for some fun?” Ryder flashes us a smile, his lip ring glistening under the ceiling lights.
Ashton’s entire demeanor suddenly shifts, his deep amber eyes pinning Ryder with a death glare. His nostrils are flared, lips flat. He lets out a low, throaty chuckle, tucking his chin to his chest before he looks back up, his smile completely gone. I’ve only ever seen this side of him once—when Craig was threatening me. He takes a single step forward, just enough to get into Ryder’s space.
“I don’t share.”
Ryder runs his tongue along his lip ring, completely unfazed. “No? That’s too bad.”
I hear Skid cackling in the background, but I don’t pay much attention to it. I’m too livid at the conversation taking placebefore me. The one in which two men are talking about me like I’m not even here.
“Hey Ryder,” I say sweetly. “Is there a more private area around here?” Ashton’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. He probably thinks I want to go through with the threesome, or maybe even hook up with Ryder alone, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“It seems I need to teach my man here a little lesson,” I add in a condescending tone. He wants to assert ownership? I’ll embarrass his ass right back. Skid’s mouth hangs open, Adam looks completely uninterested, and his girlfriend gives me a knowing smile. I can tell she’s seen a thing or two hanging out with these guys. Skid nearly trips over his feet in my periphery as he rushes over to Ryder, who tips his lips up into a grin.
“Of course,” he says. He starts to lead me out, and Skid tries to follow, but Ryder slaps his hand out to hold him back. I put my mine on Ashton’s back, gently guiding him forward, and to my surprise, he lets me. We follow Ryder to another door further down the hall that’s marked “Dressing Area.” There’s a paper taped to it with his name scribbled on the front. He unlocks it and motions for us to go in.
“I’ll leave you to it,” he says, placing the key on the counter. Probably to assure us we will be alone. He might stand outside and listen, but I don’t really care. “Bring me the key when you’re done,” he says, biting his lip ring again, and then he’s gone.
“Allie,” Ashton starts, but I hold up my finger.
“Do toys talk?”
30
ASHTON
“Do toys talk?”she asks, hands on her hips, authority dripping down her body.
Oh, she wants to play this game now? Really? Well, she’s going to have a brat on her hands because I’m fucking pissed. I know the concert was my idea, but then she had to go and flirt with the lead singer, almost get herself killed in a mosh pit, and to top it all off, get us invited to a threesome? Okay, so maybe none of those things were her fault and I’m being completely irrational.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I was cool about finding her half-naked in her underwear hanging out with Nate the other day. Then again, Nate isn’t a famous rock star and is also practically her brother.
“I asked you a question.” Allie’s stern voice rings throughout the room.
“I’m not your toy, Allie,” I snap.
“No? Then what are you?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“Well, let me make something clear for you. Just because I like when you pull that possessive crap during sex doesn’t meanI want to be spoken about like I’m not even there. Just because I like being humiliated in private doesn’t mean I want you to discuss ‘sharing’ me like I’m a pack of Skittles. You said you want us to be exclusive, and I’ve done nothing but respect that. I haven’t gone on any dates, I haven’t kissed or fucked anyone since you touched me. So don’t act all jealous when you know I’ve held up my end.” She walks backward, placing her hands on an old-fashioned vanity and crossing her legs out in front of her.
“You mean since the softball game,” I correct her. “You haven’t done anything with anyone since we had the exclusive conversation.”
“No, Ashton. I mean I haven’t been with another man sinceyou touched me.” She emphasizes each word.
“What do you?—”
“Since the fucking bonfire, Ashton.”
What?She said it had been a while when we first had sex without a condom, but I didn’t think…
“I was faithful to you before I even had a reason to be,” she admits. “And no, I don’t want to get into what that means or how crazy I am for it.”
