Nothing Left to Lose (Guarded Hearts 1)

She pursed her lips, obviously thinking back. But then she shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe, but I don’t usually dream of Jack unless it’s a nightmare,” she winced.

I sighed and pulled her back down next to me. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest. If she didn’t usually dream of Jack, then was she talking to me last night? Deep down I knew that she may have heard me say it and subconsciously thought I was Jack. I’d probably never know so I should stop stewing over it before it drove me crazy. “You didn’t have a nightmare, Baby Girl. I just thought I heard you say Jack, that’s all.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t remember dreaming anything.”

I smiled. That answer was good enough for me.

“I’m gonna go make you some breakfast. Do you want scrambled eggs or something? I’m in the mood for something hot.” She climbed out of the bed and pulled on my boxer shorts and shirt that I’d worn the previous night.

A lump formed in my throat. She looked seriously hot in my clothes. I laughed at my excited body, and she looked at me weirdly. “I think that is the sexiest outfit I’ve ever seen you wear,” I explained, raking my eyes over her slowly, taking in every delicious inch of her.

She looked down at herself and laughed incredulously. “Yeah, okay, Ashton.” She shook her head dismissively, blowing me a kiss at the door as usual and heading to the kitchen.

Once I was alone, I looked down at my crotch and sighed heavily. Another cold shower was needed. They were becoming pretty normal for me in the last two months. As much as I loved waking up next to the girl of my dreams, a wood that wouldn’t go away and aching balls really wasn’t something that I enjoyed very much.

After an extremely quick shower, I dressed and then headed out of my bedroom, stopping in the kitchen doorway. I leant on the door frame watching Anna make breakfast in my oversized clothes. I’d never seen anything so sexy in my life – and Nate obviously thought that too because he was leaning over the counter, watching her legs while she cooked with her back to him.

“So, do you have a sister you could hook me up with?” he asked her.

“Nope, and even if I did, I wouldn’t let you hook up with her,” Anna replied, laughing.

“Hey, why the hell not?” he cried, sounding a little hurt.

“Because you’re a player, and players break girls’ hearts,” she answered, shrugging, totally oblivious to him checking her out.

“Well Ashton’s a player too, and you’re dating him,” he countered. I got a little uneasy at that statement. I’d changed; there was no way I was going back to that life again. I wanted her and only her.

“Well, Ashton’s special,” she answered. I smiled at that.

“Special, huh? You love him?” Nate asked.

Her back stiffened as her hand stilled on the eggs she was stirring on the stove. “Do you want two slices of toast?” she asked, totally avoiding the question.

Please say yes, please say yes! My head was screaming, begging her to answer the question.

“Don’t change the subject; do you love my best friend? I need to know what your intentions are, young lady,” Nate teased, using a father figure tone of voice.

She shrugged. “We’ve been going out for two months. That’s not long enough to fall in love with someone.” Her tone was uncomfortable and tight.

“He loves you,” Nate stated.

Fuck! What did you say that for? Shut the hell up, big mouth! That was the second time he’d told her I was in love with her this weekend.

She shook her head, moving three plates onto the counter next to her as she started to butter the toast. “No he doesn’t, he just thinks he does. He doesn’t know what a bitch I am; when he finds out, he’ll leave me. They all do. I’m cursed,” she joked, laughing.

“Well, if he does, you give me a call,” Nate replied, looking over her legs again.

As I stood there, dumbfounded, I slowly processed what she’d said. Clearly she still thought I was going to leave her. Maybe if I showed her I wasn’t going to, then she’d finally open up to me.

Clearing my throat, I stepped into the room, forcing a smile. She grinned at me, her eyes twinkling with that little spark that she’d had all weekend. As I got to Nate’s side, I slapped him on the back of the head. “Stop staring, it’s rude.”

He groaned and rubbed the back of his head, wincing. “Shit, Taylor, when the hell are you leaving? I’m gonna come out of this weekend covered in bruises!” he whined.

I grinned and sat on the stool next to his. “About four,” I answered, pouring myself a glass of milk.

Anna smiled as she set a steaming pile of eggs in front of me. My stomach growled and my mouth watered as the smell wafted up. As we all dug in, Anna sat next to me. “What are we doing today?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever you want. We need to pack though and leave for the airport about four, but we’ll have a few hours here at least.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “We don’t need the car for the next hour or so, do we?”

“I guess not,” I answered, confused as to where this was going.

Anna grinned and closed her hand over the keys to the rental car, sliding them across the counter towards Nate. “Go on then, Nate, knock yourself out,” she chirped.

He gasped. His eyes widened in shock. “You’re kidding me. Seriously?” he asked, grinning and jumping off his stool, abandoning his half eaten breakfast.