Page 64 of Penalized Love

“You didn’t have to do this. I would’ve been fine on my own.”

“That’s not the point. What matters is that you don’t need to be alone. I’m able to be here for you, and more importantly, I want to be here for you.”

Silence passes between us as I try to figure out the words to say. He’s almost stunned me into silence, and it takes a second for my brain to catch up.“Thanks. Again. I normally wouldn’t admit this, but it means a lot that you’re here.” Damn, these hormones are making me more emotional than usual.

Asher’s facial expression relaxes.“Anytime, sunshine. You know that.”

This time, I can’t take it anymore. The question slips past my lips before I can stop it.“Why are you calling me sunshine again?”

“I guess old habits die hard.”

I shake my head.“Bullshit.”

“Prove it.”

I narrow my eyes at Asher, trying to read between the lines of his cryptic response.“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying calling me sunshine is more than just an old habit?”

Asher leans back in the chair, studying me with an inscrutable expression.“I’m saying that you need to prove thatthis isn’t more than me being stuck in a loop of calling you that name. Then again, maybe some things never really went away, even if we both tried to pretend they did.”

I look down and play with the handle of the mug in my hands as I try to process Asher’s words. Is he implying what I think he is? That his feelings for me never went away, despite everything that’s happened between us?

The thought both thrills and terrifies me. I’ve worked so hard to move on, to convince myself that Asher and I are better off being acquaintances since I came to Crestwood. But if I’m honest with myself, my feelings for him never disappeared. I’ve only buried them because of the pain he inflicted on me.

Speaking of pain, I slam my eyes shut as another cramp rolls through my stomach. When the pain dulls, I hold my arm out, and Asher takes the mug.

“This sucks,”I mutter, more to myself than to Asher.“Having a uterus is the worst sometimes.”

To my surprise, Asher chuckles.“I can only imagine. Is it always this bad?”

I shrug one shoulder.“Not always, but often enough. A few weeks ago, my doctor diagnosed me with PCOS. It varies by person, but it can make everything worse.”

Asher’s eyes narrow, confusion filling his expression.“PCOS? What’s that?”

“Oh, um. It stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome,”I explain, shifting to sit up a bit more.“Basically, my hormones are all out of whack, which causes a bunch of lovely symptoms and can cause super painful periods, weight gain, acne, excess hair growth... the list goes on. It’s a real treat.”

“Shit, that sounds rough. I’m sorry you have to deal with all of that.”He rubs a hand across his face.“Is there anything that helps manage the symptoms?”

A snort leaves my lips.“Birth control pills, for one. It’s ironic since PCOS can also make it harder to get pregnant. Not that I’m thinking about that anytime soon,”I add quickly.

Why did I have to bring up pregnancy, of all things? That’s awkward as hell. When Asher doesn’t react, I’m intrigued and thankful. I clear my throat and continue.“Anyway, yeah, the pill helps regulate hormones. Losing weight can make a difference in some people, as can cutting back on sugar and carbs. Easier said than done when all you want is Skittles and chocolate, though.”

“Speaking of...”Asher reaches for the things he unpacked from the grocery bag. He picks up the huge chocolate bar he bought.“For medicinal purposes, of course.”

I can’t help but laugh.“Oh, of course. Totally legit.”I make grabby hands for the chocolate, and he hands it over with a grin.

As I tear into the wrapper, Asher speaks again.“For real, though, if there’s ever anything I can do to help, even if it’s just bringing you emergency candy, I’m here.”

I glance up from the chocolate bar.“I... Thank you. That means a lot.”I break off a piece of chocolate and pop it in my mouth, letting the sweetness melt on my tongue before I speak again.“I’m not used to having someone around who wants to take care of me like this. Outside of my parents and Selene. It’s nice. Strange, but nice.”

I don’t bring up the fact that he did his best to take care of me when we were dating. It’s pointless because we both know he seems to be slipping into that role again.

“Happy to be of service. You deserve it, Isla. More than you realize.”

His words make my heart clench because, deep down, I know he’s right. I take another bite of the chocolate as I wonder if I should switch it out for the Skittles that are next to Asher. Once I’m done with the piece of candy I’m eating, I say,“If you bringthose Skittles over here, I’ll let you stay and watch a movie with me.”

Asher’s eyes widen before a smirk appears on his face. He grabs the bag and stands up.“Sounds like a lot of work, but I think I can manage it.”

He walks over and sits down on my bed. He’s careful to maintain a bit of space between us. It is difficult, given how big he is and how small my bed is, but we figure it out. I grab my laptop and pull up Netflix. “Do you have any preferences?”

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