His arms wrap around me and hold me tight as we both try to remember how to breathe.
A loud knockechoes through the apartment, jarring me out of my peaceful, post-wake-up haze. I freeze, mid-sip of my coffee, with Ash’s oversized T-shirt hanging off my shoulders, barely brushing my bare thighs.
Who the hell…?
I tiptoe toward the door, fully aware of how much I look like I’d just rolled out of bed—because, well, I did. My hair is a mess,my face is flushed from the very eventful night before, and I am definitely not prepared for company.
Another knock. Louder. More impatient.
“Alright, alright,” I mutter under my breath, yanking open the door—and I instantly regret it.
Noah. Nathan. Knox.
All three of them stand there frozen, like I just smacked them in the face with a frying pan. Their eyes widen in unison, all three gazes dropping to Ash’s shirt on me—way too big, way too obvious—before snapping back up to my face.
“Seriously, Amelia, didn't have your own clothes?” Noah laughs, his eyes comically wide.
Nathan, ever the calm one, tries to recover. “We didn’t think—uh—didn’t know you’d…”
Granted, Nathan is the only one out of the bunch who doesn’t officially know about Ash and me.
“Well, shit,” Knox finally blurts, cutting through the awkwardness. “Ash said eight a.m. for our workout. Is… is he here by any chance? And a text to say, ‘Hey, don’t come’ would have been great.”
I blink at them—my mind is blank, and my hand is still gripping the doorknob like it might save me from this living nightmare. My heart pounds so hard I am sure they can hear it.
Before I can answer—or die from embarrassment—the sound of boots hitting the pavement fills the air.
“Morning, boys,” Ash’s voice calls casually as he comes up the stairs, a bag of takeout in one hand and two coffees in the other. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees the scene in front of him—me, wide-eyed at the door, and his three teammates looking like they just walked in on the world’s worst-kept secret.
There is a beat of silence.
Then Ash grins. Smug bastard.
“Damn, you guys are early.” He laughs, completely unbothered, as he strides up and brushes past me like this is nothing. He holds up the bag. “Got breakfast.”
I remain frozen, my hand stuck to the doorknob, my eyes wide as saucers as I glance sideways at Nathan, who still appears to be choking on air.
“You brought breakfast?” I hiss under my breath.
Ash shoots me a cocky grin, leaning in just enough so only I can hear. “Figured you’d need something after last night.”
He smiles, completely unfazed. “You look good in my clothes.”
“Ash!”
He shrugs. “Not my fault you're irresistible.”
I groan, hiding my face in my hands as Noah finally bursts out laughing. Nathan just shakes his head. And Knox—well, he is just watching the whole thing like the cat who ate the canary.
“Eight a.m., man,” Knox repeats, waving his hands. “Eight!”
Ash just shrugs. “Guess I lost track of time.”
I am never living this down.
The door clicks shut behind Amelia, leaving a heavy, amused silence in its wake. I can still smell her perfume in the air, sweet, mixing with the faint scent of coffee and the leftovers from breakfast.
“Well,” Noah drawls, breaking the silence as he shoves the last bite of his breakfast sandwich into his mouth. “That was… entertaining.”
