Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter 18

The diner was bustling when we sat down at a booth. Ashton, Ender and I had biked to The Grill for dinner.

Ender had begged to sit next to Ashton at the table even though I had planned for it to be the other way around, but I let him anyways. Before they got seated Ash had whispered in my ear that we would make up for lost time later.

I tried not to think to much into it while we ordered our drinks and finally had to start asking any question I could think of to keep my mind occupied with other thoughts.

"So how are the boys?" I asked as I sipped my water.

"Good! They wanted me to say hi for them." Ashton replied.

"So Ashton what do you want to do first tomorrow? We can skateboard or we can go to the park or we can play video games..." Ender began embarking on a long list of activities.

"Slow down mate." Ashton laughed. "It's all up to your sister."

I held my hands up defeated. "We have the entire weekend free so it's all up to you guys. But we have to be at Ari's tomorrow night for dinner."

Ender grinned. "Do I get to go?"

"Nope! Sorry bro this is just for the adults. You're spending the night at the Riley's." I told him and he frowned.

"But they smell like old people." He mumbled and I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to fight with him.

Ashton chuckled at our sibling exchange and then changed the subject to tell us a funny story about Michael butt dialling him.

After we ate and paid the bill we resumed our positions on the bikes and rode back to the house.

Inside Ashton asked where to put his things and I told him to put it by the sofa where we would make him a makeshift bed.

He had slept on the sofa many times before so I wasn't too concerned about that but I knew I wasn't ready to have him sleep in my room yet.

Yes we had fallen asleep together on the sofa before but in the bed was different. I wasn't scared of anything sexual happening but I didn't want to take this too far too soon.

Ash and I were very clear on the standing of our physical relationship and he understood how I felt about that side of everything and not going there yet. We were perfect where we were now.

When deciding where he would stay I had explored the option of him staying in my parents room but no one had slept in there since they had passed and I wasn't ready to open that up to him.

I let Ender and Ashton have some guy time and play outside while I changed clothes and made the bed in the lounge room. The television played some random sitcom that I payed minimal attention to and the windows were open so I could hear their laughter.

By 9:00 I knew that Ashton would be tired and Ender needed to go to bed so I called them inside.

"Okay I want you showered and in bed by 9:30." I patted Ender's head and sent him upstairs.

The moment I heard the bathroom door close a pair of lips landed on my cheek, surprising me.

"I missed kissing these cheeks." Ashton's sultry voice floated around me and I blushed.

"I missed you kissing these cheeks." I toyed back.

He turned me around in his embrace so that we were face to face. Glancing up into his eyes he bit his lip before showing me his brilliant smile.

My hands found their way to his shoulders and his to my hips. I noted that his freckles were very visible today and there was a little scruff on his neck.