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Asher considered that, finishing off chewing the handful of fries he’d eaten, and then he chuckled, shaking his head. “I went four years without you even acknowledging I was back in town.” He side-eyed her. “But just because I can endure the distance doesn’t mean I like it. I thought we were giving being friends a chance?”
“I’m sorry,” she said, shifting against her seat, feeling like a world-class asshole. “It’s just my go-to self-defensive move.”
“Never used to be,” he countered, grabbing a napkin from the bag and wiping his face. Then he turned his head and stared at her intently. “You don’t need to run and hide. I’m not going to trap you and demand that you be mine.”
Her heart tripped at the way he said mine. Her body shivered at the look in his eye.
The side of his mouth curved. “I told you already, I’m here for you. That’s all that’s going on here. I think we both know that a real relationship isn’t in the cards for us. But friends with benefits…”
Her muscles went weak and she gave a long exhale. “And you’re honestly okay with us just…friends with benefits?”
He grinned. “I’m okay with whatever you feel comfortable with.” He leaned across the armrest, bringing his mouth close to hers. Suddenly, she was hyperaware of his every move, every little masculine thing about him. “I just want you, Remy, however I can have you.”
God, he was sweet and hot. So damn hot….and those lips, they drew her forward without thought. Heat enveloped her, her nerve endings lighting up like Christmas morning, and right as she began leaning into him, his cell phone rang.
“Never fails.” He snorted, reaching for his phone in the console.
Remy grabbed her soda and took three big gulps. She had no willpower. None. She might consider it pathetic, if she didn’t really, really want to kiss him again. She wasn’t exactly sure what that said about her, but she discovered she didn’t care either. So much pain. So much heartbreak. They had their boundaries. They knew the rules. No hearts on the line. Wasn’t it time for her to take all the good she could get out of life, including having the best mindboggling sex?
Asher answered on the second ring and put the phone on speaker. “You’re on speaker. Remy’s here,” he said, keeping those smoldering eyes on her. “What did you find out?”
“This guy is bad news,” Rhett reported. “He’s from Los Angeles and is connected to some organized crime in Whitby Falls. He’s got a rap sheet a mile long.” Rhett hesitated, then clearly chose his words carefully. “He’s got violence in his past that concerns me.”
Remy’s chest tightened. She was seriously debating running to hide back under her blanket.
Asher’s warm, strong hand slid across her thigh. “It’s gonna be all right,” he said to her.
She opened her eyes, not realizing she’d shut them, and nodded, wanting to believe him. Yet she felt tense, everything moving unbelievably fast.
“Are there any ties to Fanning?” Asher asked.
It suddenly occurred to Remy that unless Asher was talking with her, he didn’t call Damon…well, Damon…and she guessed that made sense since it wasn’t his name. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to call the guy that she’d almost married anything but the name she knew him by.
“No ties that I can see after a quick look,” Rhett answered Asher’s question. “But it’s going to take some time and some phone calls. I need to look into this more.”
“Can’t thank you enough,” Asher said.
“It’s not a problem.” Rhett gave a long pause, then rare emotion filled his voice. “Are you all right, Remy?”
Rhett wasn’t an emotional kind of guy, but every so often, he’d show his heart. No matter what, she could never forget how lucky she was to have the friends she did. “A little freaked out about it all, but I’m okay,” she told him.
“Understandable,” Rhett said. “Hang in there. We’ll get this sorted out soon enough.” Static came through the phone line as Rhett was obviously shifting through papers or something. “Asher, how much do you want me to dig here?”
Something changed in Asher’s expression then. His gaze became alert. “Dig as deep as you can. No mistakes
. No taking chances.”
And in all that, she heard what he wasn’t saying. Protect Remy.
“Listen, gotta go. Call if you learn more,” Asher said, hitting end on the call. He turned on his car, his back straightening, looking alert.
“Well, that was rude,” Remy stated. “Do you always hang up on people like that?”
Asher’s mouth twitched and he gestured out the window. “The man of the hour has arrived.”
By the time she looked out the window, Asher was already inching his car onto the road, following behind Lars.
Chapter 10
