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“Shit,” Asher mumbles under his breath He stands and pulls his shirt over his head, lifting his undershirt in the process and exposing the hard lines of his stoeous His fair skin pops against the contrast of his black skinny jeans Hard lines exasperate the six-pack he’s worked hard to build the past few years Every inch of him pulls me in, and those are just the parts of his body I can see

Asher has always been attractive, drawing the eyes of anyone who dared to look I’o from boyish cute to ‘make my heart race handsome’?

“Put this on,” he insists, tossing the white button-down at me

I catch the fabric and hold it in uidance because I’ of Skittles That was a ain She’s trying to co the school knows It’s not working He’s too far into the red zone to see clearly

“Lainey is fine!” Liam yells

I am not fine

I’ the coh Lia at ht that we are just friends I shouldn't have to worry about hi lunch with Asher He eats at our table all the time Why is today any different? And why does he care if I put on Asher’s shirt? Besides, if Lia to cover up with!

I slip h the holes and pull the button down over uy but his shirt ssh ent and beach musk I like it I don’t want to, but I do

The corner of Asher’s mouth lifts into a delicious smile that makes my heart flutter I bite my bottom lip and look froht now, let alone why All I know is Lia at ust and a little bit of desire

“Coet out of here” Asher rounds the table and puts his arm over my shoulders

Liarabs me by my elbow before we can take more than a step and spins me to face him He is the only person to ever hold me the way Asher is and it has never been in public Oureyes

“Lainey, what the hell is wrong with you? You hate Asher”

I don’t hate Asher, but that doesn’ton between the two of us either I know I should say so to let Liam know that Asher and I are just friends, and that is a stretch, but I don’t want to feel like this anys on Lialances Maggie was right all along; I deserve to be more than someone’s dirty little secret

“Why does it matter? You and I are only friends Remember?”

“I know that” Liah for you”