Page 27 of Freeze Frame

Asher, on the other hand, had no such rules about privacy, personal space, or curiosity. It was day three or four that I’d spent hiding at Lukas’s that Asher finally came and broke the silence.

I was pretending to work on a scene, one without Jax, thank you very much, when Asher came into the office and flopped down onto the couch. He draped himself dramatically over the furniture, one arm flung up over his head, one leg bent with his foot flat on the floor. The other leg was stretched out on the couch.

“What’s up?” he asked. Asher was Lukas’s assistant and one of Jax’s two boyfriends. He’d also recently started an on-screen career of his own, opposite Jax and Blue—their other boyfriend.

I glanced over at him and tried to decide if Jax had told him or not. Did he know what was up and he was just trying to fish for information? I slid my gaze back to the computer. “Nothing. Just busy.”

“Bullshit,” Asher scoffed. “Lukas is worried, which means I’m worried. And if I’m worried, I’ll get all tangled up about it and make everyone miserable when it drives me to do stupid shit. So, for the good of… well, everyone, you should definitely tell me what’s going on.”

A sigh slipped out, and I leaned back in the computer chair. “What makes Lukas think there’s anything to be worried about?”

“Dude.” Asher sat up and stared at me, his expression sayingare you for fucking real? “You’ve barely left this room in days. You go home, sleep, hopefully eat, and then you’re back here the next day. Lukas said the rate you usually work at, there shouldn’t be anything left to edit.”

“Maybe I’m a perfectionist.”

“Maybe you’re hiding,” Asher countered.

“Maybe I’m trying to perfect new editing techniques.”

“Maybe you’re stalling.” Asher patted the spot on the couch next to him. “Come here, River.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why?”

“Just do it, you stubborn fool. I won’t bite. I promise.”

Relenting, only because my eyes were burning from staring at the computer screen for so long, I got up and crossed the room. Asher shuffled down so he was sitting at the far edge of the couch. When I got close enough, he pulled me down and tugged me close, encouraging me to snuggle into his side.

“What are you doing?” Amusement colored my voice.

“Cuddling. Blue swears by it.” Asher then proceeded to pet me, stroking his fingers through my hair. “Talking helps, you know.”

I sat there for a few minutes trying to think of how I got into this mess and what I planned to do about it. I liked David. A lot. The other morning had been so perfect. Peaceful in a way I’d never felt before. There’d been this soft, thrilling kind of domesticity that had wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Great sex. A good sleep. A morning spent staring at David, barely able to restrain myself from reaching for him.

I got up to let the dogs out, decided to cook breakfast, and then everything went sideways after that and I was still spinning out.

“I did something… not on purpose.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be fine. I can help you hide a body if you need me too. I don’t have much in savings, but I could get you bailed out if you needed it.”

Asher continued to hold me and pet me, and I found myself letting out a breath that made my shoulders relax for the first time in days.

“The other day, I went out with this guy. I met him not long ago, and we’ve really hit it off. I told him that I edit films, but I neglected to mention what kind of films or that I star in them sometimes.”

“Oh, God. And he found out? Well… fuck him if he doesn’t like your career choice.”

“That’s not it. At all actually. I don’t think.”

“Elaborate, ‘cause I’m kind of lost now.”

“Well, we went out the other night, and it was great. Holy shit, dinner was fabulous, he took me to the botanical gardens, and then we went back to his place. And our dogs love each other. So I woke up the next morning, and I let the dogs out, and I decided hey, while I’m up, I’ll cook us breakfast. So there I am, in a pair of borrowed pajama pants, frying his bacon when he gets up. And he’s all kissing me and shit… and then his son walks in.”

“Oh shit.” Asher’s voice was a whisper.

“That’s not even the worst part.”

“It gets worse than being walked in on by someone’s kid?”

He sounded incredulous, and I was glad that I wasn’t facing him when I said the next part.