“Angie. He sexually assaulted her.”
“I didn’t even know about the assault until way later. I saw him put his hands on your neck, and I lost it.”
Her green eyes swim in tears as she holds my gaze. “You did?”
“Fuck yeah,” I say with a grin. “No one gets to touch you, Ally. No one.” She blinks, her expression confusing. “Come on, you know I’d fight anyone for you. I’d lose eyes, legs, fingers, and toes for you, you crazy ass.”
She doesn’t smile the way I want her to. Something flashes in her eyes, something I’ve never seen before, and her hand comes to rest on my cheek. A tear rolls down her face, and I catch it, giving her a wide smile, but still, she doesn’t smile. She searches my eye intently. The mood changes almost instantly, and I find that I’m holding my breath. It’s like hours are passing as our eyes stay locked. When she moves, I know my right eye widens as her lips come for mine, but I d
on’t stop her.
It’s like my body explodes as her lips touch mine. Her lips are tender. Soft. Plump. Everything I’ve dreamed they are—that is, when I allow myself to dream. Her other hand cups my face, and my hands come up to her hips, holding her to me. I take over the kiss, sweeping my tongue along her lips, and she sighs against my mouth in such a soft but dick-tickling way.
Sparks. Yeah, they’re burning me, they’re so bright and hot.
Her lips, her body under my hands, it feels… I can’t even describe how it feels. I’m so overwhelmed all of a sudden, but one thing is for sure—it feels right.
When a knock comes at the door, we part almost immediately before my whole family fills the room. My lips burn, as does my body, and I try to get my wits about me, which is extremely hard as Ally turns her back to us. I look at my family; they’re all yelling, but all I can hear is my heart beating in my ears. I need to get it together. Did she mean to do that? I glance at her, but she doesn’t look back at me.
Did she mean to do that?
Did she fall on me? Lips first?
Am I higher than I thought?
Wait. What just happened?
Chapter Sixteen
Ally
I can’t breathe.
Oh my God.
Holy shit.
I just did that.
I just kissed Asher Brooks. My best friend. The dude I’ve been in love with for so long I can’t even fathom why the fuck I waited so long to do that.
Oh my God. It was… It was… It was everything.
I hold my lips with my hands because I almost feel like they may fall off and die from the perfection they just felt and witnessed. I can still feel his tongue against mine. He deepened that kiss with a quickness I’ve never experienced. I can still feel his hands at my waist and the way his lashes kissed my cheeks.
I did not plan that. I wasn’t expecting to grow the balls and take what I wanted. I also wasn’t expecting to be so overwhelmed by his actions when he saw Taco grab me. Asher isn’t a fighter, but he fought for me. Me. I know that I would fight for him—shit, I’d kill for him—but that’s because I love him. With my whole heart. I never expected him to do it for me. I never really thought he’d have to, but he did.
For me. That has to mean something.
Even with the craziness of his family, I can still feel him on my lips. I hear his words, see the compassion in his eyes. When his fingers moved along my cheek, catching my tears, I didn’t care if we were only supposed to be friends. I wanted more. I wanted him. My heart is pounding, my stomach is fluttering like crazy, and holy shit, that really just happened.
And I want more. So much more.
I turn to see him hold up his hands and announce, “All of you—and I mean this—get one pirate joke a day!”
Fallon looks him over as Emery stands beside her, inspecting and holding back her laughter. “Nope. I can’t commit to only one joke a day. It’s going to be at least ten an hour,” she says as she squints at him. “Who did you get in a fight with, and why?”
Asher glares at her as he answers. “That idiot Ally was dating because he had her by her throat.”