Page 73 of With Us (Next Generation 2)

Meadow

IT HAD BEEN ALMOSTa week since that dreadful night with Sunny and Shade. It started out well, with homemade supper and desserts but then that talk happened. I closed up completely. Sunny became even grumpier. And Shade tried being the best referee he could be. But it did nothing. So I said bye to them both, left, and hadn’t seen them since.

I did get text messages every morning and every night since. They wished me a good morning and told me to sleep well when I crawled into bed. I was beginning to crave their texts and looked forward to them. But a part of me wondered if they were getting too close.

“Hey, babe.”

My head popped up from the book I was trying to read when Ashton sat down beside me. He was so close, his thigh touched mine and I could smell the mint on his breath.

The hairs on the back of my neck tingled. I looked around us, half expecting Sunny to jump out of the bushes, beat his chest, and yell in broken sentences that I belonged to them. That never happened, but I wished it had, and that left a sour taste on my tongue.

I swallowed a sigh, glancing back down at my book. It was a classic fairy tale that Luna had picked up. She lent it to me that morning, knowing I needed some distracting. I wasn’t much of a reader but right now, I was desperate to get these men off my mind.

“What’s wrong?” Ashton wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer.

“Nothing.” The scent of his cologne wafted into my nose. It sent a flutter racing through me but not because he smelled good. No. Instead, it was…odd. I couldn’t put a finger on it, but it didn’t make me feel how it used to. It hadn’t been that long since I let him touch me, but I almost felt…guilty.

“Hey.” Ashton brushed his nose along the shell of my ear. “You’re tense. I can help make you feel better.”

A shiver raced down my spine. I pushed away from him and jumped from the bench. “We can’t do this. It’s over. You broke it off.”

“We can still be friends.” Ashton’s brows narrowed in the center. “It’s that guy. Sunny.”

“And Shade,” I mumbled.

“So, you really did find two men.” Ashton ran two fingers along his mouth. “Interesting.”

“Don’t look at me like that.” I pointed at him. “You’ve had sex with more than one woman at the same time, many times. Don’t judge me.”

He shrugged. “That’s different. It’s who I am.” He leaned forward. “But it’s not you.”

“Are you saying it’s not me because I’m a woman?”

His frown deepened. “That is not what I fucking said.”

“No, but it’s what you implied, Ashton. Listen.” I lifted my hand when he went to speak. “I like them. They treat me well. And besides, this is my first time…” I scowled. “Why the hell am I explaining this to you?” I went to storm into the house when a gentle but firm hand caught mine. “Just let me storm away.”

“I’m sorry.” He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, snuggling his face into the crook of my neck. “I know I ended things, but I never actually expected it to be over. It’s lame. I know. But I liked what we had.”

“I wasn’t the only one you were fucking, Ashton.” I looked up at him then. “And I don’t give a shit that I wasn’t, but you can’t expect me to wait for you. I like Sunny and Shade. I really do. They treat me well, even though I haven’t known them for that long.” Less than a month but Ashton didn’t need to know that.

He cupped my shoulders, spinning me toward him. “If something happens where you’re finished with them or…” He smirked. “I’ll be here.”

I sighed, stood on my tiptoes, and placed a soft peck on his mouth. “Go find a woman to satisfy you, Ashton. But that’s no longer me.”

He groaned. “I wish it was. You give the best head I’ve ever received.”

“Right.” I patted his chest. “I’m sure you tell that to all the women you’ve been with.”

“Nah.” He kissed my cheek. “I don’t lie when it comes to blow jobs. The suction on those pretty lips of yours will be something I’ll never forget. So, thank you for that, Meadow.” He released me and headed into the house.

I blew out a slow breath, not really sure what the hell just happened but thankful that Ashton finally got the hint. Hopefully anyway.

As the night wore on, the backyard filled with people. Most of them I had seen in passing but I was always a few years younger than everyone, so I never really paid any attention.

“Meadow.”

I turned at the sound of a deep voice, finding Vincent Junior coming toward me. He was Luna’s younger brother. Barely nineteen and hot as hell if you asked me. With both Italian and Japanese lineage, he got the tanned skin from his father and the deep chocolate brown eyes from his mother. My sister was a lucky lady. Although, she didn’t even know it yet.

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