Page 88 of The Switch: A Friends To Lovers Romance

“Yeah.”

“We’re dating.”

“That’s generally how this works.”

“Shut up.” She swatted his arm.

He let his hand drape her waist. “I saw your article in my feed this morning. It hurt to read those words. I kept imagining that guy hitting you and it made me angry.” His fingers danced over the bruise on her jaw. “Is it still tender?”

“You ask that after you kiss me?”

Luke didn’t smile at her joke. Instead, he got serious, almost pensive. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Relax.” She pressed another quick kiss to his lips. “See? It’s all good.”

His shoulders released their tension and he pushed her back into a barstool. Luke leaned over, caging her in with either hand gripping the counter behind her. “Now that you’re officially mine, we’re going to need some rules.”

“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow.

“First, no more running off investigating dangerous drug dealers without some help. If you can’t wait till I’m done at the store, take Tara or that receptionist guy.”

“Byron?” Ashanti laughed.

“Take someone. Don’t go by yourself.”

Ashanti was slightly distracted by how handsome Luke looked bearing over her like that. Her voice was husky as she said, “What’s number two?”

“Don’t avoid the store when you’re mad at me. I like seeing you everyday. Even if we don’t speak.”

Tingles slid through her middle. Oh, that’s it. She had to kiss him.

Her fingers curled into his shirt and she tugged him closer. “Anything else?”

“That.” He nudged her nose with his own. “Don’t look at any other man the way you’re looking at me right now.”

“Deal.” She pulled him in for another kiss and another.

Luke and Ashanti spent much of that first hour wrapped in the euphoria of a realized love, exchanging kisses and talking about their day. It was a bit of their old relationship mixed with the new and she soaked in every minute of it.

When they came up for air again, Ashanti addressed the elephant in the room. “Have you talked to your parents lately?”

Luke groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

“What?”

He ran a hand over his jaw and rested his arm on the counter. “I haven’t spoken to my mom since last week when she basically told me to jump off a bridge.”

Ashanti gasped. “She didn’t.”

“Not in those words, but that was the gist. Mom is standing down now that Yeye’s involved, but she’s not happy about it.”

“I’m supposed to meet Nai Nai this Saturday to go shopping at the market. Maybe she’ll show up and we can bond.”

“I don’t think so…” Luke said gently.

Ashanti lost her false cheer and hung her head. “Me either.”

“Ash,” he took her hand and gently ran his thumb along the back of it, “there’s a real possibility that my mother won’t ever accept us.”

---