Page 80 of The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

“I’m sorry,” Asher’s voice punctuated the air. “I didn’t mean… shit, Mya, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I thought we could have lunch with my mom and everything would be okay. But he’s always there, standing over my shoulder, pushing me toward the future he wants for me.”

“It’s okay.” I reached across the table and held out my hand. Asher slid his palm against mine, exhaling a shaky breath, his eyes shuttering.

“I should let you go.?

? He might as well have reached inside me and grabbed my heart. “I shouldn’t drag you into this shit with my dad. It’s only going to get worse.” Asher’s eyes flicked to the door his mom had disappeared through.

“I’m right here,” I said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Mya, I said I should let you go, not that I will. I’m too selfish to give this thing up. I need you.”

I need you.

Three little words I’d heard before. Three little words that, in the end, weren’t enough. This time was different though. I had to believe this time was different. That those three little words were enough.

That I was enough.

That how we felt about each other would be enough.

Asher’s room looked different in daylight. It was as big as I remembered, but now I could take a proper look at his space, while he made himself comfortable on the bed.

“I’m over here and you’re all the way over there.” Asher stuck his lip out, pouting dramatically.

“I want to know you.”

“You can learn everything you need to know about me over here.” His brow waggled suggestively as he patted the space beside him. I ignored him, running my fingers over a shelf full of football trophies and awards.

“Football really is at the heart of Rixon, isn’t it?” Picking up a small bronze statue, I brought it closer to inspect the engraving plate.

“MVP for my Pee-Wee team. I was twelve.” His warm breath danced over my skin, making me shiver.

“I thought you were staying over there?” My gaze went to the bed.

“Why would I be over there, when you’re over here?” Asher kissed the sliver of bare skin along my shoulder. “Football is my past; I think I’ve finally accepted that.” He took the statue from me. “I’m going to play one last time with my team and then I’m going to focus on other things. Like you.” Leaning around me, he placed the trophy back in its rightful place before turning me in his arms.

“But you love football,” I said. “Maybe there’s a compromise? Maybe you can have both. Football and—”

His brows knitted as he scrubbed his jaw. “For someone who didn’t like football a few weeks back, you sure sound disappointed that your boyfriend might never play again.”

“I can’t deny there was something appealing about those tight white pants.” My hands ran down his arms, loving how his muscles contracted under my touch.

“I’ll keep a pair just for you.” He winked, but I saw the lingering sadness in his eyes.

“Is your mom likely to come upstairs?”

“Nah, I think we’re safe.”

“Good.” I brushed the hair away from his face, inching closer.

“Oh yeah?” Asher’s eyes lit up. “Is that your attempt at seducing me, Hernandez?”

“Is it working?”

He leaned in, until our noses were touching. “You don’t need to seduce me, Mya. I’m already yours.”

His words sank into me, softening my hard, jagged edges.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” I asked, not really wanting to be that girl. The girl unsure about everything, who constantly needed reassurance from her boyfriend. But after Jermaine; after all the broken promises and lies, it was hard to trust so easily.