Page 107 of Forbidden Hearts
It has to be.
twenty-seven
ASHER
Ihear a loud scream from the living room and drop my towel, not caring that I have just my underwear on. I swipe my gun out of the safe, ready to kill anything in this house. However, I don’t find an intruder, I find Olivia and Phoebe jumping up and down, that stupid dance medal still around Phoebe’s neck.
Olivia catches sight of me first, and her eyes widen.
Then I hear Phoebe try to stifle a giggle.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask, still looking around.
“What?”
“You screamed!”
She pulls her lips between her teeth. “I got into Vanderbilt.”
I start to walk forward, but then Liv points to where my pants should be. Shit. I raise my hand and go back to my room to get dressed.
As I pull my clothes on, I have a million things in my head. She seemed excited, but she fell in love with Texas when we were there. She keeps saying how she isn’t sure, but I could see how her eyes lit up when she walked around.
However, Vanderbilt is closer than Texas. If she goes there, we could . . .
What the fuck am I thinking? We? There is no we. I will do nothing but support her decisions.
We’re not a couple, and I won’t be anything like the piece of shit who used her and manipulated her to get what he wanted.
I exit my room, wanting to hear everything I can about what she’s going to do, and she’s on the phone with someone.
“No, it’s all good. I mean, Vanderbilt was my top choice when I was applying to Iowa.” She pauses. “Yeah, I know, and they offered me a really nice scholarship, Em! This is amazing. I have options, and . . .” I turn the corner and find her on the couch, legs tucked under her. “It’s also closer to Sugarloaf.” She’s quiet, probably listening to her friend. “He’s different. It’s different. I . . . can’t talk about it now, but it’s a factor in this decision. I just need another week before I decide.”
What is? God, the asshole in me wants it to be me. For her to factor me in because if it’s her choice, then it can’t be manipulation.
How this girl has my head spinning, I don’t know, but she does. I want her to be with me, to kiss me in the ice cream store or hold my hand as we walk into Sugarlips for lunch. I want her in my bed every night and to wake up beside her.
The thing of it is that I will never ask it of her. After she told me about her fantasy with us, I was ready to kiss her there on the dance floor, but then she ended it by saying she can’t have what she wants.
So, for me to have kissed her, it would have been selfish. She’s had enough men hurt her, and I will never be another in that category. She wanted to spend her life helping people, and that would disappear if I asked her to stay.
I take two steps back into the hallway, resting my head on the wall. “Phoebe?” I call out before walking back into the living room.
She gets to her feet, a smile on her beautiful face and her hand up, silencing me. “Em, I gotta go. Thank you, and I’ll let you know what I decide.” She hangs up and walks to me. “Sorry. That was Emmeline. I was so excited I had to tell her.”
I go to brush her hair back behind her ear, but I stop myself. “I’m happy for you.”
Her long lashes flutter. “I wish I could kiss you.”
“I wish the same.”
She glances up the stairs to where Liv’s room is. I shake my head. “We can’t.”
“No,” she says quickly. “No, I know. I would never risk Liv. I just . . . I thought maybe I could just hug you?”
“Friends hug,” I say, more to myself than anything. “I see nothing inappropriate with hugging. Plus, we danced, and that wasn’t scandalous.”
Phoebe laughs and takes one step. “Good. I mean, employers can hug employees, right?”
