Page 67 of Restrictions

“Viv is different.”

“Exactly.” He looks like I’ve lost my mind. “She’s different. You actually care about her, and now you’re adding in fucking.”

“Back off, Sawyer.”

He doesn’t. “I will when you admit that you’re in a relationship with your nephew’s mom.”

“I’m not.”

“You are. You’re fucking. Her. Only.”

I glance back at Viv as she watches us nervously, and then I look back to Sawyer. “For now.”

“Look man, I care about you, and that’s not easy for me to say, but you’re in too deep. I don’t want this to blow up in your face. If you’re into her and you want to be in a relationship, then great. I think that’s really fucking great, she’s a lot hotter than I realized.” I roll my eyes, and he continues, “But don’t fucking do this unless you’re ready to actually consciously commit.”

I want to believe he’s wrong and that Viv can handle this.

But deep down, I know it’s me that’s wrong on every level.

29

VIVIENNE

Baz went to sleep fairly easily tonight. Swimming usually does that to him. I sneak down the stairs in my pajamas.

I see the light in the gym on and go there first, stopping when I see Asher wearing only a pair of gym shorts and using the punching bag secured to the ceiling of the gym. His fists pummel the bag as his muscles flex with each hit.

Clearly fighting the demons he’s been saddled with that he doesn’t talk about.

“Asher.” He grips the bag and turns to look at me over his shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” I walk into the gym, cautiously guarded. He didn’t talk much after Sawyer left, saying he needed to study.

“You okay?”

He nods, walking to the table and grabbing a towel, wiping sweat from his chest. “I’m fine. Sawyer knows about us though.”

I take a seat on the edge of the treadmill and look up at him. “What? Are you sixteen? You have to tell him every time you get laid?”

“He guessed but said it’s a bad idea and that since you had me agree to only fucking you, we’re in a relationship.”

I can see the dark edge creeping out and know whatever he discussed with Sawyer today got to him. I stand and walk to him, dragging myfinger down the middle of his chest, the muscle defined and hard. “I don’t know what Sawyer said, and frankly the idea of you two talking about us having sex makes me cringe.”

“I didn’t give him details.”

I’m going to choose to believe that. “But Asher, I accepted that nothing was going to happened between us. I planned to move on to find some random guy to hook up with and give me what I need.”

He scoffs with a slight shake of his head. I hold his chin in my hand, forcing him to look me in the eyes.

“And then you kissed me. You claimed me because you didn’t want me fucking some random guy.”

“But I don’t want a relationship.”

“And neither do I.” I don’t know what I can say to get him to understand this. “I’m not in love with you, Asher. I’m not trying to manipulate you or trick you into a relationship you don’t want.” I flatten my palm over his lower stomach and feel it ripple under my touch. “This is about sex. When you kissed me...” I bite my bottom lip and watch his gaze dip to watch the action. “I was instantly wet. So completely and insanely turned on by just a kiss. I‘ve never felt that insane of an attraction in my life.” My hand dips lower over his shorts and feels his hardness, enjoying the effect I have on him. I move my body closer to his, releasing his chin, I drag my lips over his jaw. “When you were inside me, I couldn’t breathe. It felt so good and so very wrong.”

His lips slide to my neck, brushing over the sensitive skin. “That’s because it is.”

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