Page 35 of Ash
Moving me back to my original position around his waist, Ash starts to slowly head back to the dock. I pull from his chest and stare at him, water rolling off his black wetsuit.
“What is it, Sunshine?” he asks, tucking a hair behind my ear while the other is firmly and protectively holding my ass.
Whatisit? I don’t know. Maybe it’s just all the emotions and everything he’s given me today. Talking to Wade so that he came back to me, taking my kid on this board as many times as he asked, or now, somehow knowing that despite my apprehension, this here was the free feeling I needed.
“I… I think I like you.” His entire demeanor changes and by the look on his face, you would think I told him that I’m pregnant. All of his color washes from his face and I feel him go rigid.You have got to be kidding me.I smack his chest, “Relax, Charming, as a friend,” I lie, wishing to God this man would drop me and just let me drown. “I just never thought we would get past what we were before, and it’s nice.” He relaxes. Please, just kill me now.
He gives me a soft smile and nods, “I’m happy we did too, Sunshine.”
* * *
“Oh my God!”Janie gasps when she, Ren, and Stevie appear on the screen of my iPad that Indy and I sit in front of.
“What?” I ask, looking around. “You can’t even—”
“You had sex!” she says, pointing a finger at her screen. I blanche, and my mouth falls open.
“No, I haven’t!” Indy sputters before realizing Janie isn’t talking about her. She looks at me and gasps. “Oh my God! With mybrother?”
I turn to the girl. “I’m sorry, it just hap–are you really gagging?” I deadpan, and Indy looks at me before busting out laughing.
“Thank God! If I had to listen to him pine for you any longer, I was going to scream.” I blush and look at my friends.
“It was just a one-time thing.” Janie snorts and Ren rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, sure,” Ren smirks. “Us too.” She gestures to Janie, who is looking off camera at something and smirking.
“Janie!” I yell, causing her to jump.
“Sorry, here I’ll show you all what I’m dealing with.” She flips the camera and h-holy shit. Atlas, Derek, and Fox are shirtless in the back of the shop.
“What are they doing?” I ask as Atlas seems to make a jump rope appear out of thin air.
“Jump rope competition,” Janie chuckles. “Don’t ask why they have to be shirtless.”
“I’m not complaining,” Ren mutters as she cocks her head to one side.
Indy sighs, “I would lick the literal sweat off Derek’s chest,” She says under her breath, and we all stare at her in shock. “What? I feel like I’ve made itveryobvious I like him.”
“So…” Stevie raises a brow. “Why not act on it? I mean…” She cocks her head, motioning to Derek jumping rope, and Indy very literally let out a whimper.
“Have you met my brother?” Indy huffs. “He wants me to die with cobwebs on my vagina.” Her voice trails off and she gets a lost, sad look on her soft features. “Plus, he wouldn’t want someone like me.”
“Someone like you?” I ask, and she shrugs, but I see the sheen in her eyes. Janie flips the camera back around to face her and wrinkles her brows.
“Because you’re sick,” she states bluntly and Indy nods.
“I hate to be the one to tell you this, Indy. But we are all sick,” Ren says and Janie nods.
“I know.” Indy shifts uncomfortably. “It’s just, I don’t want to put my illness on someone. It’s a personal choice. Derek is active, fit and I would hate for him to have to spend his days worrying if I’m able to move or if I’m getting an infection that will require hospitalization. I see my brother having to deal with me every day, watching my heart monitor, pills, mobility exercises, and then every time I end up in the hospital, I see him age by years. I would give anything to have that stress taken from him, and I just don’t feel comfortable having someone else share in that.” We are all quiet for a moment, allowing Indy’s words to sink in. It’s a valid point, and one that most of us have thought about at one point or another.
Indy smiles brightly, pulling us out of the heavy silence. “But just because I can’t have him, doesn’t mean I won’t look.”
Chapter14
Ash
“Sunday seems lovely.” Mom beams as she and I sit in the small cafe nestled away near the spa of the resort.
