Roughing

“Yup,” Tori confirms. “I’ll be fine.”

“Promise me you will let Bash stay with you.”

“I can’t promise he won’t get on my nerves,” she counters.

Jessica purses her lips. “I’m serious.”

Tori smirks. “So am I.”

Clay scratches his jaw, the corner of his mouth opening a little bit. “Good. It’s settled.”

He shuts the conversation down with three words. Jessica doesn’t even bother to argue.

Holding out my hand to Tori, she looks up at me, her big, blue eyes slicing right through me. She takes my hand without fighting me, allowing me to help her to her feet.

Nervous energy runs through my body in waves, magnified by Tori’s touch. My skin is on fire, a sudden burst of heat traveling down my arms. It feels so good to be with her again.

Tori flicks her golden locks over her shoulder with her other hand, still holding onto me tight. I thought she’d leave after Harper’s outburst, but instead, I get the opposite reaction. Maybe she will give me time to show her how wrong she is about me.

I lean down and whisper against her ear. “Are you ready, Queenie?”

She grins up at me, despite the permanent scowl she usually wears in protest. “Yes,” she breathes. “But stop calling me that. I hate that nickname.”

“Whatever you say, Queenie.” I laugh, and she elbows me hard in my side.

I missed this. I missed Tori. And I hope she will let me stay long enough to win her back.

Chapter 5

Tori

Bash is killing me. With kindness. And I have no idea how to react to him. After all the years I have spent hating him, he’s making it hard for me not to like him all over again. Why is he so nice? I wish he’d be the jerk I know, the asshole who betrayed my trust. Except he’s different or at least trying to be a person I am starting to like.

“Sit up,” Bash says, pushing another pillow behind my head. He fluffs the stack and helps me lie back down as if I’m incapable of doing it myself.

Sitting at the edge of my bed, he leans over me

to pull the blanket up to my neck. Being this close to Bash is hard. So fucking hard. All my feelings for him come swirling back. A blush spreads from my cheeks to my chest, my nipples hardening from his proximity. He’s always had this effect on me. I lose all self-control around him.

Fighting off the urge to kiss him, I close my eyes and suck in a deep breath before blowing it out my nose. When I open my eyes, Bash’s face is so close to mine. I can feel his breath on my cheek.

“Bash,” I whisper, wanting to tell him to leave. But I won’t ask him to leave. I don’t have the willpower. Instead, I mutter a quick thank you.

He props himself up with his elbow and leans over me, pushing a strand of hair from my face. “How are you feeling?”

The fact that he doesn’t move makes his intentions clear. I try hard to suppress my emotions. But in a moment of weakness, I brush my fingers over his skin and look up at him, flicking my tongue over my lips.

“Tori,” he mutters, moving close enough that I can feel his breath on my lips. “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be,” I say. “You’re here now. I’ll be fine.”

“You mean that?” He seems surprised by my words.

“Yes, I do. I know you will take care of me.”

He sighs. “I thought you hated me and didn't trust me.”

“I do, but you feel guilty. That’s why you’re here. And I know you will help me.”