Page 8 of Cruel Love

“Come over, Aspen,” he coaxed, his deep voice intense. “Help me celebrate.”

I was surprised by how much I wanted to. “I’ve got a paper due tomorrow, and I haven’t started on it yet.”

“It’s lonely here. I could use the company. Please, Aspen. Bring your homework. I don’t care if you have to spend some time working on it.”

I shouldn’t let his words sway me, and I knew it. “Okay, I’m leaving now.” I wanted to see him too. God help me.

CHAPTER FIVE

PHOENIX

Just thinking about Aspen made me hard. I had a few hot nurses, but they didn’t do it for me. Ever since we talked about losing my virginity, fucking her was all I could think about. My body was ready whenever she entered my thoughts or we were in the same room.

I barely stopped myself from groaning. The bed was inclined so I could sit up, and my sheet was bunched around my waist, which was a good thing because knowing she would be there soon had made me rock hard. I would have given almost anything to have her climb on top of me. I just wasn’t ballsy enough to ask, and the last thing I wanted to do was scare her away.

And man, my body was fucking huge. Even my dick was way bigger than I remembered. If I had any privacy, I would have taken care of things. But I was directly across from the nurses’ station, and the nurse on duty was a hard-on antidote.

Strawberries and vanilla drifted into my room before Aspen walked in. She smelled so good and was just as hot as I remembered. Then I saw her. So beautiful. A flash of her golden skin and a pink bikini filled my mind’s eye. She was standing next to a rusty car with a pink-and-silver surfboard strapped on top.

Pain sliced through my head, and the image disappeared just as quickly as it’d come. I breathed through the residual pain and held out my hand. The smile I gave her was shaky but genuine.

There was something about her that was worth any amount of head trauma. I wanted to be near her. “Come here. I want a hug.”

She blushed, and it was so goddammed cute. Then she was in my arms, and jolts of awareness zinged between us. Her body was so firm yet soft, and her scent invaded my senses like a drug I never wanted to quit.

Holding her was better than anything I’d ever experienced. Not that I could remember much, but that was how it felt. I released her when she pulled back, but not without reluctance. She sat in the chair next to me, and I wished she would climb onto the bed so we were touching, but at least I could see her.

I was going to try to get information my family was withholding. I wanted to start slowly so she would be more relaxed and maybe tell me what I needed to know.

“I know this is weird”—I laughed—“because it definitely is for me. Thinking I’m fourteen, remembering the championship game, and the next five years are just… gone. But I want to know what I’m like. Am I different?”

“Than now?” She pursed her lips. “I-I don’t know you well enough to answer that.”

“My mom said we were friends.”

“Yeah, but new friends.”

“Were we at a party at the cove together?”

She cleared her throat. “Yes.”

“When was the party?”

She looked around nervously. “It was in July.”

I backed off from the personal angle. “Did you watch me in a game?”

She grinned, and her sky-blue eyes sparkled. “You’re incredible. I was never a football fan, but I’m a fan after watching you play.”

“I want to get drafted by the NFL. I’m guessing nothing’s changed there.”

“I believe you could do it. It’s… crazy watching you play. The fans are intense. I got to sit with Riley, Sky, and Cass, and they had these amazing seats because of Cole and Damon. My sister and her boyfriend came too. You’ve got a great group with your cousins and their girlfriends.”

I’d met Riley and Skylar. Cole and Damon came as often as they could, and usually, so did the girls. They were cool. I was glad they were in our tight-knit group too. “You didn’t mention Shane. Is he an asshole to you?” My brother could be a tool.

“Shane and I haven’t spent time together. I’ve run into him here and there.” She shrugged. “Something is going on with him, but I don’t know what it is.”

“Before the accident?”

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