Page 48 of All That Glitters
There wasn’t another text. Did I give him the wrong answer? Was he expecting me to tell Hale every little detail?
I was confused and there was a part of me that wanted to tell Ashton I changed my mind, that I wouldn’t be going along with whatever convoluted thing he’d concocted.
But that part of me was smaller than the part of me that wanted to help him, that wanted to believe that I could, that wanted to give into the feelings and desires I had for him.
I really should’ve known better.
What if I told you I was outside your window?
I’d say you’re lying.
Maybe you should check, just to make sure.
I stared at the words for several minutes. He wouldn’t be outside. He wouldn’t risk that with Hale here, would he?
Before the wreck, he’d have knocked on the front door with Brax in tow and the four of us would’ve sat up talking and playing video games until dawn.
I sighed, flipped the covers off, and dropped my feet to the floor. When I pulled the curtain back to peer down below, I didn’t see anything, or anyone. I didn’t see any trace of Ashton.
You’re not here.
I didn’t know how I felt about being duped. I didn’t know how I felt about the fact that I’d hoped for it the second he sent the message. That was a dangerous thing to feel when it came to Ashton Glitterati.
Feeling anything at all for the man was dangerous.
He wouldn’t be able to return it and he wasn’t interested in any of it.
He had one goal in mind and feeling even half of what I felt was not part of it.
Check again.
I was already halfway back to the bed. I wasn’t going to turn around.
No.
The plink of something hitting the glass stopped me from crawling between the sheets again. I hesitated, but another plink followed quickly by yet another had me back at the window. He was there. Standing beneath my window.
Come down.
No. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow.
No.
I looked back down and shook my head. He grinned up at me and made for the front door. He knew there was always a key hidden in the false bottom of a flower pot. Most of the time I forgot the key was there. Apparently Ashton hadn’t.
Turn the security system off.
Go home, Ash.
Turn the system off or I’ll end up waking Hale.
You’re such a bastard.
But I did it anyway and I hoped like hell that Hale was in his room or in some other part of the house, involved in something, maybe focused on sim racing. I just needed him to never know that I’d had a late-night guest, wanted or unwanted. I wasn’t sure which at the moment.
Ashton was at my bedroom door before I could form any other thoughts. I hadn’t snuck a boy inside the house in years and the last time it hadn’t ended well for me or the boy. I was grounded for three months and he was told never to speak to me or look my way again.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered. “If Hale catches you…”
