Page 107 of April

“That’s sweet, Linden,” she said.

“If you want me to go, though, I will. I know we both have a long day tomorrow, and it’s been a longer week with everything that’s happened. I don’t–”

“Stay, Linden,” she said, interrupting her.

“Yeah?”

Asher nodded.

“There’s one problem.”

“What?”

“Well, I wore the extra clothes I keep here last night.”

Asher shook her head and said, “I guess you’ll have to sleep naked, then.”

“Are you sleeping naked, too?” Linden asked, looking very interested in the answer to this question.

“No, Ihaveclothes here,” she replied, laughing as she unlocked the front door.

“Do youwantme to sleep naked?” Linden asked her as they walked inside.

“This feels like a weighted question,” Asher noted.

Linden closed and locked the door behind them.

“It’s not.”

“No?” she asked.

“Okay. Maybe a little,” Linden admitted.

“Go on,” she said, kicking off her shoes and watching Linden do the same.

“Well, I just meant that… You mentioned you thought I was… sexy, I guess, but I–” Linden stopped. “I don’t know what I’m saying.” She laughed nervously.

“Linden?”

When Linden looked at her, Asher said, “Yes, I want to see you naked. No, I don’t think it should be tonight. Not for the first time, when we both have to get up early and go to work.”

“But you want that? The us being naked together part?”

Asher laughed and asked, “Is this how you get women to sleep with you? I’d assumed you turn on that sexy charm, but when you get them alone, do you go all shy and adorable? Is that what does it?”

Linden’s face fell, and she said, “I’m not doing that anymore, Ash. And no, I’m only this way with you. I told you: you matter.”

Asher nodded seriously and replied, “Yes. I very much want to make love with you, Linden.” She cupped Linden’s cheek. “Because that’s what it would be between us, right? It wouldn’t just be sex.”

Linden shook her head before she turned into Asher’s palm and kissed it.

“So, let me find you some of my clothes to wear, and we can go to bed and snuggle.”

Linden took Asher’s hand and said, “Lead the way.”

Minutes later, Asher handed Linden some clothes to sleep in and went into the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror and took her hair out of its clip, shaking it out before carefully brushing it. Normally, she’d take a shower now so that she wouldn’t have to wake up so early tomorrow, but she was too tired to stand for much longer anyway and knew the shower would help her wake up tomorrow. When she was ready, she opened the door and walked into her bedroom, seeing Linden sitting on the side of the bed.

“Hey,” Linden spoke.

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