Page 76 of Ashley & the A-Listers

“Thank god I’m leaving, then,” Dylan muttered. “I heard enough of you two last night.”

Cam’s cheeks heated, and he felt suddenly shy that Dylan overheard them. “Sorry. I forgot how thin the walls can be here.”

Dylan stared at him a moment too long and waved a hand. “Don’t be embarrassed. I put my headphones in and didn’t really hear that much. I was just giving you a hard time.”

River grinned evilly. “Which is what I’ll be giving you, too, in just a?—“

“Okay, I’m going,” Dylan drawled. “At least wait until I’m out the door.”

“Waiting,” River sang, and Cam couldn’t help but chuckle as Dylan made his way to the door and slipped out. The lock rattled as he checked it, and then the security system beeped as it was armed.

“As annoying as he can be, I like him,” River said, all teasing gone from his voice.

“I think I do, too,” Cam said slowly.

As much as Cam enjoyed annoying the alpha, Dylan would still do everything he could to protect them, and Cam didn’t think it was just because of the paycheck he was getting.

It was… nice, knowing Dylan was there.

Before Cam could look too far into that, River kissed his neck, and drew his attention back to the present moment.

“Ready for bed?” River asked.

Cam nodded. “With you? Always.”

17. NERVOUS

DYLAN

Dylan wiped his hands against his pants and cursed his sweaty palms once more.

He didn’t even know why he was so nervous. This was Ashley.

The door opened before him and he grinned sheepishly at her mom. “Hey, Ms. Lorie.”

“Dylan, come on in. She’s almost ready,” she said, and stepped back, pulling the door open. “And as always, stop calling me that. It’s been years.”

He shrugged. “Hard habit to break.”

Her eyes rolled affectionately and she reminded him so much of Ashley in that moment it made his chest hurt.

“Want anything to drink?” She eyed him. “She’s been talking about this concert nonstop since you got her the tickets. She’s so excited.”

“Me, too,” he said honestly. “We’ve both liked this band for a few years. It’s about time we got a chance to see them.”

She glanced up the stairs before motioning for him to follow her to the kitchen, where she got him a bottle of water despitehis protests. As she handed it to him, she slipped a crisp bill into his hand.

His face flushed, and his stomach dropped. “Ah, Ms. Lorie, I’ve actually been picking up a few extra shifts at the mall, so I don’t?—”

“Just in case of an emergency,” she said. “If you want to give it back when you drop her off later, you can. Otherwise, consider it yours.”

Lorie was a single mom, so he knew this extra cash wasn’t any easier for her to come by than his own. “I can’t just?—”

“Dylan,” she said softly, and caught his gaze. “You’re taking my baby across state lines. Take it.”

It pained him to stuff the bill in his pocket, but he did. “Fine. Expect it back later tonight, then.”

“Fine,” she echoed, and squeezed his arm.

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