“For real, or are you justtrying to get into my pants?” I asked.
I wasn't entirely sure whatanswer I wanted to hear.
“Both.” Ashley licked hislips, screwing up the wrapper and tossing it in the direction of the wastepaperbasket.
He missed by a solid threeinches.
“If I say anything aboutthat I’ll miss even worse,” I said, getting up to collect his wrapper from thefloor and toss both of them in the trash.
“I would’ve got it.” Ashleyyawned. “In the morning, maybe. I’m so tired.”
Sleep would be good for him.
“Icanread you thatbook,”I offered. “I know I don’t have the most soothing voice, but…”
“I’d like to listen to it,”Ashley interrupted. “You don’t have to read. But I’d love to fall asleeplistening to you.”
My stomach clenched. Thatmeantsomething, didn’t it?
I wasn’t brave enoughto think about what.
“You want me to start fromthe beginning?”
“Where are you up to?”
“Uh. The moors, I think.”
I sat down to dig my Kindleout of my bag.
“That’s most of the book,”Ashley pointed out. “Have you really not read it?”
“I was never much of areader until, y’know.” I gestured at my leg. “Recovery was slow and brutal andthere’s only so much daytime TV you can watch. Reading’s peaceful. Fox had anew book for me every day once we were home. We shared an apartment a while. He’dlost hearing in his left ear, so… between the two of us we could still get by.Gray came by a lot even though the doctors told him not to. We’re not good atfollowing orders, which might be ironic, I dunno, I’m not clear on how ironyworks.”
“I think it merits a raisedeyebrow,” Ashley said. “Come lie down so I can lean on you.”
I snorted. Ashley didn’t care howbroken I was. He just cared that I was here now.
I’d remember this. Whateverelse happened, I’d never forget him.
Stripping down to myunderwear and t-shirt, I climbed under the covers with him and sat up againstthe wall—headboards were for fancier motels, apparently.
Ashley snuggled against myside, body pressed against my right leg, his warmth seeping into it as herested his head on my hip. This… this was nice.
So nice.
I reached out, running myfingers through his hair. A soft hum encouraged me to keep it up as I turned myKindle on, the backlight blinding in the low light of the room.
“Lucky I didn’t need myeyesight,” I joked as I turned it down.
“If you went blind becauseof me, I’d have no choice but to be your live-in nurse who slowly falls in lovewith you and… I dunno, teaches you a life lesson, maybe.”
I snorted. “You’ve alreadytaught me a life lesson,” I said.
“That you like dick?”
“That I likeyou, at least.”
My stomach swooped as soonas the words were out. I wanted to reach out and catch them, shove them back inmy mouth. That was too sincere, and it was only going to make tomorrow harderon Ashley.
