“You know why I really like him?”
She lets out a long breath and looks over at me, serious now. “Why?”
“Because I lost a girl a few years ago when I started reading this series. I always thought they sounded stupid, sorta supernatural, and sappy. But Odd Thomas had that girl, what was her name?”
“Stormy.”
“Yeah, great name. Stormy. Odd had Stormy and the ending on that first book had a twist that made me—well, feel bad for him, frankly. It was a new thing for me. I’ve never really identified with a character before. I read them for the plot. I like thrillers because they hide secrets and you have to figure them out along the way. But I never saw that ending coming in the first Odd book.”
“What was her name?”
I know who Ash is talking about even though it’s a vague question. “Mardee. Ronin stole her from me. She got involved in drugs, overdosed in his family’s studio building. In fact, it was the anniversary of her death last month. Four years.”
Ash is silent and I wonder what she makes of this.
“I didn’t love her. I know that now. I mean, I might’ve thought I loved her back then. I wanted her. Ronin used her. He liked her well enough for business deals, and they even did some modeling contracts together. But he wasn’t into her. I miss her, I liked her, I spent a lot of time with her. But she was never going to be with a guy like me.”
“What’s that mean? What kind of guy are you?”
“The kind who likes to call the shots.” I grin over at her. “Now pick a book and enough stalling.”
Ash looks back down at the reader. “It’s all boring. I mean what is this? The Count of Monte Cristo? Seriously?”
“I love that book. It’s about delayed gratification. Something I wholeheartedly believe in.”
She snorts and pushes the tabs on the front of the reader, scrolling for books. “You proved my point. Delayed gratification. You just want me to suffer, constantly wanting your hot body but only ever offering me a small sample of it.”
I shake my head. Fucking Ashleigh.
She falls silent as she searches for a book, then huffs out a sigh. “I’m never gonna find—whoa, whoa, whoa! What is this little gem? Spelunk Me? You have Spelunk Me on your eReader? Bahahahaha. Oh my God, I might die, that’s how funny this is.”
“I’ve never heard of that book, perhaps it’s a promotional freebie?” I bought that book for Rook, back when she was modeling nude for Spencer’s body art painting and needed a distraction. But I’m not about to admit that to Ashleigh. If she’s not allowed to talk about Tony then it’s only fair I leave Rook behind as well.
“Ashley—the little tart has my name! Which, by the way, is spelled wrong. Ashley, the only virgin in her freshman dorm, is desperate to be deflowered by long-time crush Eaton Fuller. But that’s before hot and dangerous Rowdy Breaker saves her from a spelunking adventure gone wrong. Oh, my f**king God—”
“I’m gonna spank you for that.”
“What? What’d I do?”
She’s got the most bewildered innocent look on her face and it takes a monumental effort on my part not to give in and laugh. “Unladylike behavior?” I say seriously.
“When?”
“Ashleigh.”
She smirks at me. “Fine, I’ll take it because this is too f**king funny and we are totally reading this book right the f**k now.”
“That’s three new ones.”
“OK, hold on. Just let me be unladylike for one moment, can I?”
I squint at her. “Ten seconds.”
“I’d like to request a fun spanking and I promise to follow all your other orders especially when it comes to pleasing you in ways I’ve only dreamed of .” She smiles. “Deal?”
“No deal. I get that no matter what.”
“Yeah, because I agreed. But I’ll do more than agree. I’ll be”—she stops to lick her lips and I almost swerve off the road—“enthusiastic.” And then she waggles her eyebrows at me.
I could love this girl.
I could love her and look forward to all her silly antics every single day. I just need to be strong and tell her no. But I’m competing with her ex right now. So I do the unthinkable. I give in. “Maybe I’ll give you one fun spanking for every two meaningful ones. How’s that?”
“Mmmmmm.” She hums as her eyes go to half-mast like she’s picturing it in her head. I almost want to pull the Bronco over and f**k her on the side of the road. “I totally agree, Ford. I’m all yours if you do the fun ones.”
“Read.”
“The freshman dorm was nothing like I imagined. It was hot, and not because of the heat, even though it was August. It was hot because it was co-ed and the boy across from me was standing in his room, with the door open, wearing nothing but a smile.
“I smiled back.
“And that was when I knew. Rowdy Breaker was dangerous.
“Just then a girl’s face peeked out from behind the door. She stepped out in full view, wearing nothing but a scowl, and slammed it closed.
“So much for a free peep show. But I had that boy’s body burned into my brain and I would use that image to satisfy myself later. She is a tart.”
“Hold the commentary, it ruins the mood.”
Ash busts out a laugh. “The mood?”
“Yes, and when you speak in Rowdy’s voice, make it deeper, you know, like the professional narrators they have doing the audiobooks.”