Princess: Oh, I’m well aware.
Asher: Are you? How can you be so sure?
Princess: Remember? I’m stalking you.
She seems freer in text, sassy even, and I’m so fucking obsessed.
Asher sends a laughing emoji and heart.
Asher: It’s an honor.
Now I feel left out.
Princess: Don’t. It applies to both of you. ;)
Good. Just the way we like it.
She doesn’t say anything for a moment, and when I look up from my phone, I find the rest of the table, aside from Asher, staring at me with bated breath.
“It’s her,” I murmur, and I swear the group breaks into cheers and applause, like I just scored the game-winning goal.
“Told you,” Griffin mutters, and I roll my eyes. “You buying or what? Since I was right.”
“Like you need to save the money,” I scoff. “But, yeah, today’s on me, boys.”
I needed this so fucking bad. Not just lunch and company, but to hear from her. It’s like the clouds have parted in my mind.
“Thank you, sir. You’re so kind, sir.” Malik mocks me, his palms together in a prayer.
“You sound like Gollum.” I laugh, handing the waitress my card when she comes back over.
Lunch can’t end soon enough, and when we finally leave, I’m champing at the bit to get home, jump into bed, and text her for the rest of the day, kicking my feet in the air like a schoolboy.
As long as she keeps responding to us or just me, I’ll be okay. I laugh to myself at the thought.
Ash and I haven’t discussed in depth the boundaries and rules with this relationship dynamic, but for the most part, it’s fallen into place on its own.
We both want her, he and I are best friends, and now we get to share her in every way. I don’t know; there’s something so special and intimate about having the same girl which I never even imagined was possible.
I’ve never felt closer to Asher, which has been a blessing with everything going on with our family. And now we both have this person who is important to us that we get to shower with affection and attention. It’s really cool and far less weird than I anticipated when this all started.
Giving us her phone number is the most access to her she’s ever given, and it’s still not enough. I need more. To hold her, kiss her, wrap my arms around her, and sleep these sorrowful, weighted feelings away.
When Asher and I pull into the wide gate at the entrance of the estate, we wave at Roy as we zoom by.
I’m racing to the front of the house to park my bike, Asher right behind me.
“Has she said anything else?” he asks me as I hop off my bike.
I immediately check my phone, hanging my helmet on the handle.
“Nope. Nothing,” I groan, shoving my phone in my pocket and striding up the thousand steps to the front door.
“Dammit,” Ash curses, catching up at my side, his leftovers in his hand. “Should we text her again?”
“There’s that patience of yours.” I laugh. “Give her space. We don’t want to scare her off right away. Shejustgave us her number.”
He sighs obnoxiously, walking in the front door with me. “I know. I know. It just feels like a cruel joke that she can be so close yet so far.”
