Page 147 of Down & Dirty: Rage

“I think my mom wants us over for dinner.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Will let Rooster know I ain’t gonna be around for closin’, too. Gonna spend the whole day with my woman.”

“Your parents plan on being there, too,” she added.

This would be the first time all of them were sitting down together since she’d moved in with Ash.

He didn’t say anything for the longest time. Finally, he curled an arm around her and released a relaxed sigh. “Baby.”

“Hmm?”

“Been thinkin’ ‘bout a question your pop asked me a few weeks ago.”

“What’s that?”

“Whether I loved you.”

“Oh.”

“Never gave him an answer.”

She clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip to keep from demanding that answer.

“‘Cause I didn’t want him to hear it before you did.”

Butterflies began to flutter around in her chest like they were drunk.

He grabbed her hand, spread open her fingers, and brushed his lips across her palm. “Figured you already knew the answer.”

She did?

“But wanted to make sure it was clear.”

Holy shit.“Ashton.”

“Yeah, baby?”

“You’re killing me here.”

“Why?”

She lightly pounded on his chest. “Because I want to know.”

His eyebrows stitched together. “Know what?”

Was he being serious right now? She bugged her eyes out at him.

“Ain’t gonna be somethin’ I say a lot, but it needs to be said.”

“Forget me dying, I’m going to choke the shit out of you instead.”

His whole body shook underneath her when he chuckled. “You can try. I don’t think you can wrap those tiny hands of yours ‘round my throat.”

“Who said I’m going to use my hands?”