Page 39 of The Love Penalty
I turn back to study him, doing my best to keep my eyes on his face and not the shape of his muscular pecs and torso.
Inching farther around the couch, I find a spot by the coffee table and rush out what I rehearsed on the way over. “I just wanted to pop by and smooth things over and tell you that I enjoyed talking books with you the other day and the coffee was great and conversation with you ignites me, too, and it might have been a tad rude of me to take off so fast.”
I think I managed to get all of that out in about ten seconds flat, and it takes him a little minute to register everything before a wide grin splits his lips. “At least you didn’t slap me this time.”
He winks, and there goes my mushy heart again.
I let out a soft snicker, looking away from him and finding safety in the wall hangings.
“Gretzky.” I point at the framed hockey shirt. “I’ve heard of him.”
“Only the greatest hockey player of all time.” Asher stands, proudly pointing out the signature. “My uncle got me this for Christmas my first year at Nolan U.”
“It must be worth a pretty penny.”
“Oh yeah.” He raises his eyebrows, looking all stoked.
“So, a prized possession?”
“It’s right up there.”
I point my thumb over my shoulder. “I think mine would be that collection of hardbacks over there.” I spin and walk over to the bookshelf, studying the spines.
“Yeah, I’ve been collecting those since I was about sixteen, maybe?”
“It’s so impressive,” I murmur, wanting to touch and pull them off the shelf, but also wanting to preserve their perfection. “Have you read any of them?”
He scoffs. “Only the e-books.”
I grin. “Never crack the spine, right?”
“It’s probably stupid.” He shrugs. “I just like them to be in mint condition. If I really want to read the paperback, I’ll get it out of the library. Might as well keep my collection pristine, you know?”
“I totally know.” I’m sure I’m blushing as I turn to look at him. I kind of love the way he’s so particular. It makes me feel less like a neat freak. Or that being a neat freak is totally normal and acceptable. “I like this room. I like the way you keep it.”
“Yeah, well, it’s my only space in the house that isn’t overrun by slobs, so I’m probably a little anal about it. I think if the whole house was mine and the tidy scale was a little higher, I wouldn’t be quite so… precious… about this room.”
“I get it. I live with Caroline.” I bulge my eyes at him. “I don’t think that girl would put away a single item of clothing if she didn’t room with me.”
Asher tips back his head with a groan. “Can you imagine the chaos in their house if Caroline and Casey ever live together?”
I snort and laugh, shaking my head as I picture it. You’d have to be prepared to run the gauntlet every time you stepped in the front door.
“There’s just something about a made bed that makes me feel better about life, you know?”
“I do.” I nod, and we share a smile that buzzes with this connection I can’t keep denying myself.
My throat gets thick, my tongue all clammy as I wrestle my heart back into place.
“Actually, I’ve got something in my room I think you might like.” He points to the door off the man cave. “Do you wanna see?”
I swallow, my brain jumping to images of rumpled sheets and naked bodies.
My lady parts start to tingle as this excited anticipation fights for position against the frenzied nerves that are begging me to run out the door.
It takes a second for me to realize that the look on his face is pure innocence and he’s not asking me into his room so we can strip each other naked and have hot, passionate sex.
He just wants to show me something.