Chapter 3
Chapter 3:
She picked up the bottle of water sitting on the table. “This afternoon, maybe,” she answered, twisting the cap open. I watched as she raised the bottle to her lips.
Clear liquid streamed into her mouth, and briefly, I found myself wishing I were either the bottle or the water flowing between her lips.
She stopped drinking, and I quickly snapped my eyes away from her mouth to avoid being caught staring. I forced myself to focus on anything else in the room—the sofa, the TV, the jaguar statue standing by the dining area. Anything that wouldn’t betray my gut-wrenching feelings.
And then I remembered. Oh, fuck me! Sandra would have baked me alive if I had forgotten about our plan.
“Uhm, since your birthday isn’t over yet, Isla, I still have one more surprise for you p>
“And that is?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Come on, Isla. You’re not supposed to know. That’s why it’s called a surprise p>
“Well then,” she nudged closer to me, “show me p>
I swallowed, her scent overwhelming my senses once again. Her eyes fell to my lips, and briefly, I thought I was dreaming when they lingered a little longer than they should. It took everything in me not to grab her and kiss her right there and then.
“I can’t show you if you keep staring at me like that p>
“Like how, exactly?” Her voice came out low and soft, and if I hadn’t known Isla Monroe so well and for so long, I would have sworn she was flirting with me. One of her knees pressed between my thighs, grazing over my hidden arousal, and God, I was fighting hard not to groan.
“Just get off me,” I managed to breathe out, poking her ribs with my fingers. It was the only reflex I knew she was vulnerable to, and I used it to stop her from tempting me into surrendering to my most sinful desires.
She jerked away and fell back onto the sofa, laughing and pleading for me to stop. Of course, I didn’t want to stop—not when she was laughing like that.
“Asher, please stop! I can’t… I can’t breathe.” She gasped between laughter and shaky breaths.
I finally stopped. “Serves you right, Isla p>
“I heard that,” she retorted, still trying to catch her breath.
“But seriously, Asher, you know surprises make me nervous p>
“Trust me on this one, Isla. It’s not a big bang surprise, but I assure you that you’ll love it p>
She nodded. “Alright then. So when am I seeing this surprise p>
I stood up and offered her my hand, which she took. I helped her to her feet. My eyes longed to meet hers, searching for something that might give me the courage to finally say or do something about my feelings. But I forced myself to look away. I couldn’t lose control in the icy depths of her blue gaze.
Ch@pter updat3s at
I couldn’t risk losing my best friend over something that might mean nothing to her.
“The surprise is a place,” I croaked, clearing my throat for what felt like the hundredth time today. “But I’ll give you a hint: ladies wear bikinis there, so I’d advise you to tuck one into your bag before coming with me p>
She snorted. “You’re taking me to a beach p>
“Well,” I shrugged, “we’ll see about that p>