Page 91 of Restrictions

I hate how conflicted she appears, her lips quivering, and her eyes refuse to meet mine.

I reach one hand up from the dresser and sweep it across her face. “What’s going on?” Is there someone else? Does she want to date? Explore more dick? What the hell is going on?

I watch her elegant throat stretch tight as she lifts her eyes to meet mine, and that’s when I notice they’re glossy from tears that haven’t fallen.

My heartrate slows as I stare into her eyes, begging her to tell me what’s wrong. Also pleading with her not to because I don’t want to know.

“What’s. Wrong?” My voice is forceful because I can’t take it anymore.

Her voice is shaky, almost unrecognizable as she looks past me, notdirectly in the eyes. “I’m in love with you.”

What?

What the fuck did she just say?

I marinate on that simple sentence for what seems like an eternity as her watery eyes meet mine, and I feel like I'm dying. “You’re what?”

Her gaze stays trained on me now, her voice more confident. “I’m in love with you.”

I shake my head, taking a step back, releasing her from my cage and trying to inflate my lungs again. “No. You’re not.”

Her back remains against her solid dresser. “Yes. I am.”

Where the hell did this come from? We were doing fine. I study her and then a sick realization hits me. “My family.”

But which member of my family. Not really Linc’s style. He really only loved to fuck with Penelope. My mother doesn’t really pry.

My throat is dry as I answer my own question in a croak, “Lola.”

Her quick flinch tells me I guessed appropriately. “Asher...”

“No. Look, I don’t know what the fuck she said, but you do not love me.”

“I do.” She looks as broken as I feel because that’s it, and we both know it. If she thinks she loves me, it’s over.

I take a step back toward her, getting into her face, smelling her minty breath “No.”

“Asher...” It’s another gasp from between her pretty pink lips.

“Stop saying my name,” I growl, unable to take it.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t lying when we first...” Her eyes wander toward the bed and then back to me. “I really thought I could handle it.”

“And I told you, you couldn’t.” My voice is harsh along with my words, but I'm seeing red, knowing everything is fucked.

“I know.” I watch her chest rise with a deep breath, and I hate how weak and vulnerable her voice sounds. “I think you fell for me too.”

I swallow what tastes like bile, knowing I'm going to hurt her. “No. It’s not real. I told you this would get confusing. Fucking. Talking.” My eyes darken. “You kept insisting on talking.”

“We’re friends.”

“Exactly. We’re friends, but you and your fucking chick brain...” Fuck! I want to scream, but I don’t want to wake Baz. I point to mychest keeping my voice low. “You see a broken boy. One who you’re dying to fix. You think that you can offer your body to me and eventually lend an ear after we fuck, and then eventually, you’ll heal me.”

I see the pain I'm causing her, but I can’t allow myself to get sucked into this fantasy. “I think we could work.”

I shake my head, and I have to remind myself not to be too cruel. “Okay, Viv.” Her head tilts to the side, waiting for me to laugh or tell her it’s never going to happen, but instead I cup her jaw in my large hand, letting my thumb brush over her bottom lip. “Say we try this thing. A real relationship, commitment, love—the whole fucking thing.”

Her eyes watch mine, just waiting for the cruel reality because she’s not stupid. “I’m twenty, but sure, you want me to tell you I'm ready to settle down and commit to one woman for the rest of my life.”

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