He pauses at the movement, but then clenches his jaw as he strides up the steps out of the pool. Throwing a “see you in the room” back at me, he slips his feet into sandals and wraps a towel around his waist as he leaves.
I wait a few minutes, then slowly glide to the steps, feeling like I’m following a ghost when I take the same path he did. Itowel off and pull on the robe, my mind spinning and unable to make sense of what just happened between us as I head back to the room.
12
BREATHING IS HARDER THAN IT SOUNDS
RAYA
Asher isin the shower when I sneak into the room a few minutes later, and I breathe a sigh of relief at not having to confront him right away. I turn on the TV so I don’t have to hear him showering and think about how he’s naked in there, especially now that I know what he looks like with glistening skin.
“Oh my stars, get it together," I mutter to myself, then pull out my silky pajamas.
Thankfully, my phone has a message from Zuri to distract me.
Zuri: How’s it going? You doing okay?
I cringe when I think about telling her that not only did things not go to plan, and that I’m not avoiding Asher at all, but in fact I’m sharing a room with him. Pretty much the opposite of the intended plan to keep my distance and not be alone with him. I decide to keep it vague in the interest of avoiding a lecture.
Me: It’s going, no issues so far. How’s everything at home?
Zuri: All good over here, somebody really misses you tho
Me: I know, we haven’t been apart much. Tell her I miss her and let her play with your hair to make up for it
Zuri: Great, thanks for that. She was reading over my shoulder so I can’t even get out of it now.
I grin when I imagine their corresponding faces of horror (Zuri) and delight (Reverie) at that request.
Me: Have a great night!
Zuri: MISS U LUV U COME BACK SOON
Me:
Obviously, that last one was Reverie. Zuri must have given in to her pleading puppy-dog eyes, or maybe traded sending a message to get out of having her hair done. I’m smiling when I hear the bathroom doorknob click as Asher turns the handle.
I avoid eye contact and slip past him into the bathroom as soon as he exits, taking my turn for a shower and some extra space to mentally prepare myself for coming face to face with him again. What I do not intend is for my mind to wander back to his lips and what they might feel like on mine. I have to constantly redirect my thoughts and end up taking twice as long as I normally would to shampoo and soap the chlorine from my skin.
He is a questionable, immoral vampire from an evil, corruptfamily.Internally scolding myself, I turn the water off and steel my spine for what I hope is not the most awkward encounter of my entire life.
When I open the bathroom door, he’s lounging in the desk chair watching TV. Legs sprawled out in front of him with a worn t-shirt hugging all the right places, he dominates the space, and I feel tiny in his presence.
He looks over at me as I walk toward the bed and doesn’t even try to hide the appreciation in his eyes. I ignore it as I complete my bedtime routine, then perch on the edge of the mattress near the foot where his blankets are piled from the previous night.
Before the words register in my brain, I’m speaking.
“Do you want to share the bed? We can make a pillow wall.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I clap a hand over it, eyes flaring wide.
Have I completely lost my wits?! Then again…
I drop my hand and school my face into what I hope is a neutral, unaffected expression. He searches my eyes as he stands, his flitting back and forth between mine, before one corner of his lips barely turns up, and he slowly shakes his head. I scan his face, but can’t decipher the look on it. It’s one I haven’t seen before, and I don’t know what to make of it or his rejection.
He sits down on his pile of blankets at the foot of the bed, same place as the night before, and looks up at me perched above him.
“Thank you, but not this time," Asher says, and a tiny ember flares to life in my chest.
I remember to drop some CBD oil under my tongue so I don’t answer the moon’s call in my sleep, and before I know it, I’m outlike a light.
