Page 70 of The Backup

Our ragged breaths mingle in the quiet room, the tension that had bound us so tightly finally giving way to something softer, lazier, as we slump together onto the couch. His chest rises and falls against my back, our bodies still tangled, completely spent.

Minutes pass—maybe ten, maybe more—as we bask in the warm, languid aftermath, neither of us moving. The world outside doesn’t exist anymore; it’s just us, our heartbeats still thundering in sync.

Eventually, I feel him stir. His arm wraps around me, pulling me closer, and his fingers trace gentle circles along my shoulder before moving to stroke my hair.

“So…” he whispers, his voice low and teasing, “again?”

I laugh softly, my head tilting back against his chest. “Is this real life?”

His chuckle vibrates through me, warm and reassuring, and I can’t help but smile as the moment lingers, feeling impossibly content and completely unsure of what comes next.

“Why can’t you just enjoy a good thing once in a while, Sloane?” Asher mutters as he wraps me up in a kiss, and drags a finger down my side.

twenty-one

. . .

Asher

I’m not usuallyone to linger after sex. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it—I mean, obviously—but the whole sticking around and getting cozy thing? Not my style. Or at least, it wasn’t.

But with Sloane? Everything feels different. I’m obsessed with her. It’s not just her body—though that’s enough to drive any man insane—but her mind. The way she talks, the way she challenges me without even trying, the way she’s got this razor-sharp wit that leaves me scrambling to keep up. It’s sexy as hell.

Everything about this woman has me hooked.

She shifts slightly, murmuring something incoherent as she tucks herself closer against me. My arm tightens around her automatically, like my body’s decided on its own that letting her go isn’t an option right now. Even asleep, she’s fascinating—like she’s dreaming up some brilliant comeback she’ll hit me with later.

I’m not sure when I started craving more than just her touch. Maybe it was the way she called me out the first time we met, completely unafraid. Or maybe it’s the way she looks at me, like she sees through the walls I’ve spent years perfecting. Whateverit is, it’s messing me up in ways I didn’t think were possible. And for once, I’m okay with it.

I glance down at her, and damn, she’s beautiful. Not just in thehot girl at a party who knows she’s hotway, though she’s definitely that. No, there’s something else—something about the way her lips curve even when she’s half-asleep, or the way her hair falls in wild waves around her face. It’s…unsettling, if I’m honest.

Because I like it. I like her.

And that’s dangerous.

I drag a hand down my face, careful not to disturb her, and stare up at the ceiling. What the hell am I doing? This wasn’t supposed to be athing.She’s not supposed to be athing.She’s Jacklyn’s best friend. She’s supposed to be a quick, dirty secret—a fun distraction, nothing more.

But the way she looked at me tonight? Like I was the only guy in the world?

Yeah. I’m screwed.

My phone buzzes on the coffee table, breaking the silence, and I carefully maneuver out from under her. She stirs, frowning slightly, but doesn’t wake up as I grab the phone and step into the kitchen.

It’s a text from Brian. Of course it is.

Brian: Thanks for letting me crash your night. Feel like an idiot, but you were right. Gonna talk to Jacklyn in the morning.

I stare at the screen, my jaw tightening. Brian’s a good guy, but the dude is clearly overthinking everything. What’s more frustrating is how much of a spotlight he’s put on me and Sloane without even realizing it.

Brian might not be suspicious now, but if he keeps this up? If he starts noticing the way I look at her, or how she’s been sneaking out of Jacklyn’s place at odd hours?

Yeah, I don’t even want to think about what happens then.

Another message comes through, this one from Joe DeRollo, the backup quarterback.

Joe: Coach wants a pre-flight check-in tomorrow morning. You good for 8?

Right. The Texas game. The reason I’m supposed to be staying out of trouble, staying focused. But trouble is literally sleeping on my couch right now, wearing my hoodie, and looking like the best damn decision I’ve made in months.

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