Page 68 of Thorns and Ashes
“Did someone replace my door?”
“That’s what it looks like,” I say dryly, like we’re back to how it was, short and dismissive, when we first met.
“Do you know who?” she grinds out slowly, her patience growing thin with me as she crosses her arms. “Do I owe someone money, or at the very least a thank you?”
When I don’t answer, she inhales loudly. “Wow, great talk,” she snaps sarcastically, and for some screwed-up reason, I find myself trying not to smile.
The handle jiggles, but after a moment, she still doesn’t go inside. I turn to see her staring at it.
“Any idea if they left a key?” She waves her hand around toward the door like that will somehow open in.
With a smirk, I reach into my pocket and hold the key out for her.
“Why do you have my key?” She frowns.
I hold her gaze. “Because I bought it.”
I watch as her expression goes from confusion to surprise, and finally lands on understanding.
“You did all this?” she asks, surprise still laced in her tone. “Why?”
I take another sip and let the whiskey burn, clicking my tongue against my teeth as I turn my head away, leaving her question hanging in the air.
I can feel her eyes burning into the back of my head, but I ignore her.
“Thank you,” she finally says before disappearing into the house.
Right on time, a little over an hour later, Rory pulls up with Ainsley in the passenger seat.
“Hey there, big fella.” She beams, excitement written all over her face.
I look her up and down, which doesn’t take long, and narrow my eyes as my lips twitch up. “Isn’t everyone sort of a big fella to you?”
She mocks being insulted. Her pink curls bounce as she throws her head back. “How rude,” she says with a laugh before trying to open Tris’s door. “But also, yes.”
I watch as she struggles and finally realizes it’s not the same door as before.
“Did you do this?”
“Why would you assume that?” I ask, surprised by what can only be her educated guess, and continue to drink.
She raises her brow at me and smirks right as the door opens. Tris steps onto the porch, and it’s like someone’s pulled the air straight from my lungs. Heat shoots through me from the back of my neck and straight to my groin. She’s wearing a deep navy blueshortdress with, as requested, glitter shimmering throughout it. I feel it low in my stomach as I take her in, the way the fabric traces her curves and follows the lines of her body like a slow, patient caress. This dress doesn’t hide her, it confesses her, with every soft defiance of gravity. The dress may be touching her, but it feels like it’s touching me.
“You’re staring,” she says softly.
My mouth has gone dry, so I throw back what’s left of my whiskey, grateful that I have another bottle inside.
“You’re,” I stammer, at a loss. Pulling myself together, I clear my throat and reach for the anger I felt earlier, anything to stifle the desire that is roaring through me wilder than any fire I’ve ever faced. “You’re going to give someone a heart attack.”
Finally, I take notice of what Rory’s wearing and, like flipping a switch, can feel every ounce of brotherly over-protectiveness seep through me as my eyes widen. She’s wearing a dress that looks more like it falls into the category of a shirt.
“My God.” I pinch the space between my brows, suddenly feeling a need to lock them both inside for two completely different reasons. “If either of you bends over, the whole room will see your underwear. You two realize that, right?” Ainsley’s laugh reaches me from the car.
Tris chuckles before a wicked spark flickers through her icy blue eyes, full of trouble. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m not wearing any then, huh?”
My mouth falls open, and I’m rendered speechless. The girls giggle and head to the car while my mind is still trying to reboot and sounding like the old modem’s dial-up tone from the 90’s. Tris is already closing the car door when my shock finally wears off.
“Wait, are you serious? Get back here. Go put clothes on!” I shout, half panicked.
