Too rough too soon kills the moment.
Start slow. Increase only when their body asks for it.
Asher
She's here.
And I should move. I shouldn't linger here, behind her.
Watching her watch him.
But Harlow's voice cuts through the noise before I can leave.
"Hurry up, Ash."
I turn, already irritated, already wound tight. And then she turns and her hazel eyes are on me and what she said earlier today comes flooding back.
Put my tips into practice. With a stranger.
Then her eyes flick from me to Dylan.
And fuck.
Of course it's him. Of course he's here.
My jaw tightens before I can stop it.
I step into the room. Her eyes meet mine for half a second - startled, uncertain then drop away.
I don't say anything, slipping past her so I don't do something stupid like pull her down the hallway and -
My fists clench.
I move closer, slip into the circle without acknowledging anyone. I feel it immediately - the tension, the looks, the expectation. I don't care. My focus is locked on Ivy and the way she's standing too straight, hands twisting together in her lap.
I'm so focused on her I don't even know what stupid game Harlow has conjured up for us to play tonight.
Not until Dylan is asking if Ivy wants to play.
She looks at Dylan again.
Something ugly curls in my chest.
"I'm sure she has friends she can go-"
My mouth opens. "C'mon, Ivy, you can sit next to me."
She freezes. Then deflates and I watch her shoulders drop. She makes her way over before Harlow intentionally bumps her over to Dylan and takes her seat. My fists tighten in my lap.
The bottle spins.
I don't look at it.
Harlow leaves my side and I breathe a sigh of relief, but my eyes still won't leave Ivy.
She's nervous. I can tell by the way she holds her breath, by the way her eyes keep darting to the door like she's calculating escape routes. She shouldn't be here. Not like this. Not with people who don't know her.
Not with him. Dylan leans over, whispering something that makes Ivy smile. I narrow my eyes.
