He held out a hand to me.
Happiness pinged through me. He still wanted me.
Ash tugged me so I was next to him, my head on his shoulder and one leg threaded through his. He took a moment to arrange the sheets over us.
“Is this too much?” I whispered when we were all tucked in.
“It’s perfect.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’ll get the light.”
He clicked off the light, plunging the room into darkness.
“I set the alarm for seven. Is that enough time for you?” He rubbed one hand up and down my spine.
“It’s good.”
Tomorrow was Friday. We both had morning classes. Then Ash had a late one while I was off at eleven.
“Want me to stick around tomorrow?” I nuzzled into his chest.
“Until my class is over?”
“Yeah. I mean. I don’t have to. If you have plans. Of course you have plans. I mean, it’s Friday. Duh. Forget I—"
“Jules.”
I snapped my mouth shut.
“You take the keys after we park. Then you can pick me up when I’m done. No point in you sticking around campus for hours unless you want to.” He kissed the top of my head.
Fuck. I loved that. It was sweet and soothing and so damn intimate.
“That’s true.” I bit my lip. Should I push my luck? “Do you have plans tomorrow night?”
“Tripp’s having a party. Not like that’s anything new.”
“Can I ask a weird question?”
“Shoot.”
“Why is his name Tripp? Is that his actual name, or is he klutzy or something?”
“It’s a nickname. Tripp stands for triple.”
“What?”
“His full name is Haywood Davenport the third. Triple, third. Tripp.”
“Haywood Davenport? Rich people really do hate their kids.”
“You’re talking to a kid named Asher.” I could hear his eye roll. “I’ve been called Ashley for years.”
“It’s not like Julian is much better. I got Julia, Julie, Jewel, pussy.”
He stiffened against me. “I’m sorry.”
“Why? You were one of the few people who didn’t rag on me for being gay.”
It was true. Ash had been friends with my tormentors because of course my super popular stepbro would have seamlessly become one of the cool kids after transferring to my high school in the middle of sophomore year. But he’d never once said anything derogatory about my sexuality. Not to my face at least.