Page 33 of Fractured Mind

The guys stay close to us for the remainder of the day, never straying too far or out of sight. As the sun is setting, the breeze picks up, making the boat rock.

“I’m heading out for some fresh air,” I tell the group. Ruby smiles at me and goes back to her conversation with Roman.

Outside, I head to the rail and stare at the water. The party has quietened down, with only a few boats remaining. Levi mentioned there was a house party in town, and that’s where everyone went.

Loud moaning draws my attention to a smaller boat close by. I think my eyes are playing tricks on me, but sure enough, there are two people having sex on the back of the boat. My body freezes as I stare at them, unable to tear my eyes away. Her ass is in the air, and he’s dominating her from behind. The position is primal and raw, and I’m mesmerized by the wild passion between the two. My breath becomes shallow when he grabs her waist, thrusting hard, and her moans and cries get louder. I bite my lip as heat floods my core.

I jolt in surprise when I see Ashton beside me. My heart thumps and my cheeks turn crimson. He searches my eyes as if he’s trying to figure out what’s wrong with me, but then the woman cries out again. His eyes search where the sound came from and then his body stiffens beside me. We watch on.

“Do you like that position?” he asks, his voice deeper than before, and everything low inside me squeezes tight.

Lost for words, I simply shake my head. “I haven’t tried it.” I’m a virgin.

When I muster the courage to glance at him, his mouth is partially open. His eyes flick from mine to my lips and back again. A thought in the back of my head is saying,Move away from him. But need drowns out that thought. My tongue snakes out and I lick my lips, eager to feel his on mine.

Ashton draws closer to me. The electricity between us intensifying. “Even if you had a boyfriend,” he murmurs in a low, husky voice, “it wouldn’t have lasted long with you being here with me.”

A shiver that has nothing to do with the cold works its way down my spine. His head inches toward mine, and I find my head rising to meet his. My breathing is erratic as my lips part.

“What’s going on over here?” Ruby asks.

I take a step back from Ashton. When she gasps, I know she sees the couple in the boat. I can’t look at them. My focus is on Ashton. Longing surges through me. My hands ache to touch him, my lips crave his kiss, but when the screams stop, Ruby comes over to stand next to us.

“How hot was that?” she says.

Words have abandoned me. I can’t speak.

She puts her arm across my shoulders, unaware of what was going on between Ashton and me. She giggles. “I think I’m still blushing,” she says as she feels her cheek with her other hand. At least I’m not the only one who is.

“Do you know when we’re leaving?” I ask her.

“We’re going now. It’s been a massive day.”

When we walk back into the cabin, I avoid making eye contact with Ashton and keep my gaze on the ground. We were caught up in the heat of the moment, watching two people have sex. But it looked like he was physically in pain, like it hurt him not to touch me. He overwhelms me, and the world fades away when I’m with him... It’s like nothing else exists apart from us.

“Are you okay?” Ruby asks when we arrive at the shore. I don’t answer her, so she speaks again. “You’ve gone quiet.”

“I’m fine, just tired.” And crazy confused.

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

MIA

There’sa faint knock on my bedroom door, but I’m too comfortable, so I pretend I’m still asleep and ignore it. The bed dips, and I groan at Ruby. When I hear a deep chuckle, I immediately know it isn’t her.

My eyes fly open, and I sit up against the headboard and pull the comforter up past my chest. My eyes are adjusting to the light, and I squint at Ashton. “What are you doing here?” I ask in a sleepy voice.

His lips twist into a wolfish grin. “We’re going for a run.”

I pause. “We?”

He nods. “Yep.”

I give him a dirty look, but he laughs and grabs the edge of the comforter. I inhale sharply as I hold on to it, but he’s too strong and yanks it off, sending it to the floor. The chill of cold air meets my skin, and I attempt to cover myself. His grin grows wider; he’s amused at my current dilemma.

I grumble as I get off the bed and grab some workout clothes. When I turn, he’s leaning against the wall, watching me, so I clear my throat. “Can you give me some privacy?”

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