Page 109 of Should Our Stars Collide

Fuck.Why now of all times?!

“Um…I’m good now, we can stop.”

Ash’s grip tightness when Kieran attempts to pull away. “Do we have to?”

An excuse at the ready, Kieran’s mouthseals shut. That innocent expression on Ash’s face is extremely suspicious. Then his lips twitch, and Kieran knows for sure.

“You were doing that on purpose!” He kicks his feet until Ash has no choice but to let go.

“Busted.”

But clearly not apologetic at all. Dirty pervert.

“I didn’t even know that could happen,” Kieran comments, miffed by his own body’s reactions. Since when are feet his erogenous zone? Not that he ever paid them much attention.

“I told you, I know you,” Ash brags. His sneaky, grabby hands find Kieran’s foot again, resuming the massage. “I know all of you. I know what you like.”

“Idon’tlikebragging,” Kieran retorts. “It’s not fair. You have an advantage here. A two-year long one.” It bothers him that Ash might know him better than he knows himself.

“I’m happy to even out the score if you want to know more about me,” Ash offers. How generous of him.

“I’m good, thanks. Plus, I bet you’re up for anything.” Probably tried every single thing from the Kamasutra too.

“Not anything. But Iampretty open-minded.”

“Figures,” Kieran deadpans. “Let go. I need a minute.” Unfortunately, the boner refuses to die. Maybe if Ash stopped touching him for one goddamned minute!

“Want me to take care of it?”

Kieran makes avery dignified,very manlysound. “No, thanks.”

“I’d be gentle,” Ash repeats his promise from before, adding a wink. “Since it’s your first time.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Kieran says calmly. Screams internally. Why the fuck is he getting harder?!

“Why?”

“Just can’t imagine you that way.” Are they seriously having this conversation? And why is Ash massaging around his calf now?!

“Can you imagine me another way?” He sounds genuinely curious, not at all teasing, but Kieran doesn’t even get a chance to answer. “Although, there’s no need for you to imagine.”

If it were anyone else, Kieran would be bracing for impact, preparing to fight back, to defend himself. Most people, sensing the hesitation, would take advantage. Consider the absence of no to be equivalent to agreement.

But not Ash. For all his bragging and relentless flirting, he never pushes past the line. He just waits, hand warm against his leg, steady, patient. Giving Kieran plenty of space to refuse, to pull away.

It has Kieran wondering if Ash is just playing a well-calculated game of chess, because it’s the freedom to say no without consequences that makes him want to say yes.

“Don’t do anything weird, okay? Or I’ll fucking kill you,” he says through clenched teeth, not wanting to appear too eager. Because he’s not. Eager, that is. He’s…mildly curious. Also, Ash is annoyingly persistent, so maybe after this, he’ll leave him alone. That’s all.

Ash goes still, either from surprise, or because he’s wondering if Kieran’s murderous glare and harsh words actually count as consent.

He must arrive at a conclusion, because he smiles as if Christmas came early.

“Duly noted.”

Kieran braces himself, fully expecting Ash to pounce on him now that he’s been given a green light.

He doesn’t.