Page 74 of Don't Let Me Fall (Don't Let Me 1)

“I’m not mad at you, Ash.”

She bites her lower lip, not moving as she watches me, trying to read my thoughts, but I don’t let her.

With a firm pat against her thigh, I say, “Go get dressed, and we’ll study for the test.”

“You sure?”

“Of course.”

“Okay.” With a soft, vulnerable smile, Ash presses a quick kiss to my cheek. “Thank you.”

But as she goes to climb off my lap, I grab her wrist and keep her in place. “One more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t mind complicated. Not if it’s for something I want.”

Her soft gaze searches mine, a hint of vulnerability slipping past her post-orgasmic haze. “What do you want?”

I want you, I almost say but stay quiet and smirk back at her, knowing she isn’t ready for the truth. Not yet. Because she’s right. She just got out of a serious, long-term relationship. She needs time to wrap her head around anything different. And I don’t plan on going anywhere.

“I want you to stop overthinking what we did and go get dressed.” I let her go, and she stands up, glancing over her shoulder toward where I’m sitting on the couch one more time as she disappears down the hall in search of clothes.

32

ASHLYN

We spend the rest of the day studying, and I’m reminded of how smart Colt really is. So smart, in fact, as he slips his textbook into his bag, I point out, “You’re smart.”

He pauses and looks at me. “Thank you?”

“No, like really smart.”

“And it’s surprising?” he counters with a dry laugh, though he almost looks shy. Humble. Like the compliment is off-putting somehow.

“I mean…” I puff out my cheeks. “I guess I thought…”

“What?”

“I guess I assumed you flunked out of your other school, which is why your mom had to call the dean and everything.”

With a shrug, he finishes packing his backpack, zips it up, and slings it over his shoulder. “It’s one of the reasons.”

“But you’re smart,” I repeat.

“I wasn’t failing because I didn’t know the material, Sunshine.”

“So, why were you failing?”

“Same reason I initially quit hockey.”

“And that is…?”

He shrugs again, but I can tell I’m close to touching on a dangerous topic, and if I’m not careful, he’ll close the door, locking away himself and the real Colt Thorne I’m dying to know. But I’m too curious to stop myself.

“Tell me,” I beg.

“It’s not a big deal.”

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