A minute passes and reality settles in. “I hate to say this, but if we don’t move soon, we might ruin the couch.”
“You can afford a new one,” she teases me, leaning down to place a quick kiss on my lips.
“I can and I will if that’s what you want,” I admit.
“Oh really?” she asks me, her tone teasing but her eyes are watching me carefully like they are trying to catch the bullshit.
I pull her closer to me again so that our chests are touching, “Really, Hendrix. Whatever you want, I’m in.”
She doesn’t speak, but we spend the next few hours fucking on any surface we can find in my apartment, which I take as good sign. I hold her while we sleep and she’s even there in the morning. She might not have admitted she’s mine again, but I take it as a step in the right direction that she didn’t run.
Chapter Nineteen
~HENDRIX~
Ikeep hearing the words he said to me last night over and over in my head.
“Are you mine again?”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer him, because, frankly, I have no idea. I never could bring myself to remind him that his father is not going to let him be with someone like me. And that I will have to hide him from my brother. He will definitely try and kill him.
My friends have picked up on the change in me. It’s what has them knocking on my door tonight.
“Hey! Did I miss that we were all hanging out tonight?” I ask Mac, Cassie and Amelia, who are all standing at my front door. Behind them I can see that Danny and Jase are waiting off to the side. “What is going on?”
Mac grins at me. “We haven’t had a girl’s night in a long time. Thought maybe it was time. And since Ash is staying with you, I thought maybe that he could hang out with the guys and we would get some time with you.”
I look over my shoulder and see Ash sitting on the couch, scowling. “Sure, we can do that. Maybe she’ll tell you why she’s being such an idiot.”
“Stop it,” I snap at him. “Don’t think I won’t put you out in the street.”
“Oh please, I could afford to put myself up at a hotel. Leaving this place will not make me leave Tampa,” he reminds me.
“What is going on?” Cassie asks, looking from me to Ash, her brows furrowed in concern.
“Oh, Hendrix is leaving while I’m out visiting friends and isn’t returning until the morning. Apparently she’s an adult now and doesn’t need to tell me where she’s been. Even though I think I know.” Ash comes to the door and flashes a tight smile to my friends. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Are you leaving or what?”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go get some beers,” he says more to Danny and Jase than me.
I nod and move to the side so that he can pass and the girls can enter.
“What is he talking about?” Amelia asks me as she trudges into my apartment.
Cassie and Mac stare at me intently, clearly the same thing is on their minds.
“We can talk about it after he leaves,” I tell them.
“Oh, are you sure? Maybe I should hang out to make sure that you are tellingeveryonethe truth,” he challenges.
“Just get the fuck out of here,” I tell him, trying to keep my tone level, and failing.
“Don’t bite my head off. I’m not the one who is keeping secrets,” he reminds me before turning to Jase and Danny. “Where to, boys?”
Thankfully, without another word, Ash follows the guys into the parking lot.
I consider what I have in the house for drinks. I am hoping that I have something stronger than iced tea to drink because I’ll definitely need alcohol in order to get through whatever it is Idecide to share. I make my way into the kitchen, and I can feel them all hot on my heels. Opening the cabinet where I keep my wine, I grab a bottle and show it to them. Cassie nods and takes it, moving to get my opener.
