Page 132 of Ashley & the A-Listers

“Well, he’s going to be guarding his client until at least after the movie is shot. That’s still a few months away.”

Jordan cocked her head at her as the beta passed the joint back with manicured fingernails. “You didn’t think that far ahead, did you, babes?”

“He’s not going to leave again, for sure,” Ashley said. “That’s what the bonding thing was about. So I suppose that means he’llbe staying here. Or something,” she tried, but Kenzie leveled her with a stare. “Okay, fine! No, of course I didn’t think that far ahead! I was caught up in the moment—there was no time for logic, only feeling! Fuck!”

Ashley dropped her head into her hands.

“Aww, no, don’t stress. Don’t. It’s fine,” Kenzie tried, and she heard anoofbefore Jordan joined in.

“Yeah, you’re bonded, so the relationship is, uh, solid, if anything. It’s just a matter of where it will be solid! Which is an easy fix. Just a conversation that needs to happen. No biggie.”

“Right,” Ashley drawled, and picked her head up.

The sun was mostly set by now. The automatic bulbs Ashley had put in would click on at any time.

“So just to clarify, you’re reallyjustall about the bodyguard?” Kenzie asked.

“Listen, there’s history with Dylan! And it’s not like there isn’t—“ Ashley stopped, realizing what she was about to admit aloud. Something she hadn’t even allowed herself to dwell on.

In unison, they both sat up, like sharks smelling blood in the water.

“Isn’t what?” Kenzie asked. “You sly dog. Did you fuck an A-lister?”

Ashley held out both hands, cheeks red. “There’s been no fucking! And don’t reduce him to that.”

“Oh, why? Is he so much more?” Jamie asked.

Ashley crossed her arms and slumped back into her chair, because actually, yes. Cam was so much more than just some movie star.

Ashley thought back to that day on the mat, when she and Cam had been in perfect sync, the adrenaline and flow and proximity. The way he’d tried to impress her for dinner and hadn’t wanted her to spend her birthday alone. The way he andRiver traded turns to sit beside her on the couch. The way her hindbrain lit up around him.

“I haven’t let myself think about it,” she said, shrugging.

“Liar,” Kenzie hissed, and planted her palms on the table. “Tell meeee,” she demanded, in a weird gossip-goblin voice. Ashley couldn’t help but laugh.

“Okay, okay! Well… what if he was?” she hedged, picking a thread on her jeans. “So much morethan just some A-lister.”

Jordan looked faint. “If you end up mated to some hot Hollywood star on the red carpet, I will just die.”

“You can bury us next to each other,” Kenzie said.

“Aw, babe. That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Jordan said, laying a hand against her chest. A hand with two fingers manicuredmuchshorter than the other three.

“I literally spent the last few weeks with you at your brother’s bedside, but okay,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Ashley’s lips curled, and affection for her friends swelled in her chest. She narrowed her gaze as she watched the two of them interact. She loved them, always looking out for her even when she was being dramatic. And something was different.

“I’ve been waiting for this. Spill. What’s going on?” Kenzie drawled, successfully distracting her.

Ashley chuckled, delighted with Kenzie’s reaction because… because she wanted to squeal too, okay? Cameron was amovie star,after all.

Which is exactly where her problem lay.

“If I were to admit that maybe I felt a type of way about this client… he’s a celebrity. He’s myclient.”

They both stared at her, waiting, and Ashley huffed.

“Even if I did pursue him, court him?—”

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