Page 25 of Southpaw Slots

As soon as I shut off the engine and put away my helmet, I dash upstairs to my room before anyone can see me lose it. Diving into my bed, the tears fall freely as I sob. Rejected, unwanted, unloved…

In a few minutes, the sound of the doorknob turning causes my breath to halt as I twist around to see who would be coming in. To my shock, Asa pops his beautiful blond head through the door, finding me a sopping mess. Quickly, I wipe my face with the backs of my hands and try to sit up as he enters cautiously and stands near the bottom of the bed, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shorts. Of course, he’s sans shirt, like he’s proud of his ripped body. Which, let’s face it, he really should be.

“Hey,” he says softly, as if testing me out.

Sniffling, I reply, “Hey.”

“No boyfriend?”

I shake my head and look at the purple blanket, tearing my eyes away from his sculpted abs. “I think I just broke it off with him.”

He nods slowly, tilting his head down until he looks up at me through his long lashes. “Why?”

Lifting one shoulder, I sigh. “It’s complicated.”

Asa rounds the bed and plops down next to me, bringing his legs up and resting his folded arms on his knees. “You’re better than him.”

“You don’t even know him.”

“Well, you sacrificed yourself for your brother and sister-in-law…and haven’t blown up any casinos lately. So, yeah. Better.” Leaning into me, he bumps my shoulder with his. He seems convinced that Wyatt would damage the building. Maybe he would, but I’m not sure. Kline said it was Strauss. But it’s not worth arguing over.

Clearing his throat, he stiffens. “I got you something. While you were out.” He fishes in his pocket and pulls out something blue and silky. With a little shake, he presents Mama’s handkerchief that was wrapped around my bouquet.

My breath catches as I see it, and hot tears glaze my eyes. “How did you?—”

“Your brother grabbed the flowers, and I visited him today. Put those downstairs for you. But I saw this was wrapped around it and figured that’s what you wanted so badly, right? Was…was this important to you?” His blue eyes penetrate my face as I try to keep from crying. No one has ever done something like this for me. Like a hug around my heart, it beats harder for the man casually sitting next to me, looking at me like he’s waiting for approval.

Nodding, I swallow hard to prevent my voice fromcracking. “Yes. It was my mother’s.” His shoulders relax as a little smile forms on his beautiful lips. “But why? Why did you…”

“I, uh, heard you with Kline today. You calling meKing. And, um, that you aremyQueen. I liked it. Thank you for sticking up for me. So, I had the driver take me over to your brother’s, because I thought maybe you weren’t going there, though that’s what you said.”

Now my cheeks heat from embarrassment. Did he go to check on me and Wyatt? “I’m sorry, I did go to visit?—”

With a wave of his hand, he stops me. “I know. I know where you went. It’s fine. Just wanted to make sure you were okay. After last night and, well, this morning.” Staring straight ahead, he tilts his head as a warm silence fills the room.

I know what I want.

“Asa?”

Dropping his head, I think he’ll be upset with me for using his name again, but it’s what I knew him as when we were kids. I can’t change it now. Only, when he brings his eyes up to scan my face, there’s some emotion held there. “It’s what my family called me. To everyone else…I’m Ace, except to my family. And, well, now you.”

I press my lips against the warm skin of his shoulder, lifting my mouth to breathe near his ear as his fingers stretch out, as if seeking sometouch. “Asa?”

His Adam’s apple bobs before he whispers, “Yeah?”

“I’m ready.”

His eyes transform into large holes as his forehead crinkles with surprise. “Ready? For what?”

Batting my lashes, I press my mouth onto the firm muscle on the back of his arm and speak. “For you to take my virginity.”

“O-okay. Yeah, sure. I can do that.” He doesn’t move, only stares into my eyes, his bright blue ones moving across my face. In his gaze, it’s electric. Sparks fly from his skin onto mine across space and time.

“Are you going to touch me?”

Barely above a whisper, as if he forgot how to talk, he says, “Yes.” One large hand reaches across his body and threads through my hair, grasping the back of my neck with such tenderness, it almost tickles. His cut body leans into me as he lifts my head to meet him and our lips tease each other’s with a hint of a touch.

Reaching forward, my mouth suctions itself to his, and I’m raptured back to that Heaven where only we exist. Some place where his soul and mine dance with each other in light, melded as one. A choked moan escapes my throat when he tries to deepen our kiss, a hint at what his presence has done to me.