Page 245 of Hot Mess
“I’m Ashley,” I told her, since Danica kinda forgot that part. “Taylor, right?”
“Yes, I’m Taylor,” she said, throwing Danica an amused look. “And she’s drunk already.”
Danica laughed. “You guys are the best.” She hugged me again and kissed me, and while Haz and Taylor shook hands, I managed to steer the birthday girl behind the tables, up against the back wall, where I pinned her and kissed her for a while.
“Your best friend’s pretty,” I told her.
“Pervert.” She grinned. “And yes, she’s gorgeous.”
“Don’t let Xander fuck with her.”
She frowned.
“He’s on his way here,” I said.
“Okay…”
“I brought you a gift. But it’s in my pocket, so you’ll have to dig for it.”
She grinned again. “Sucha pervert.” Then she pretend-frowned. “And you promised no gifts.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll like this one.”
She sighed dramatically. “Fine.”
Then she reached around and started digging in one of the back pockets of my jeans like she was being clever.
I gave her a nasty smile. “Front pocket.”
She rolled her eyes and grinned bigger, delving her hands into my front pockets—both of them at once.
“Sorry it’s not wrapped…”
“Whatever. This is more fun.” She dug around, slowly and thoroughly. Unnecessarily, since I was pretty sure she found what was in there right away. But she took her time, feeling up the goods until my dick was rigid.
“Better a pervert than a tease,” I told her.
She kissed my neck and pulled the check out of my pocket, unfolding it. I adjusted my dick, trying to get comfortable as she studied the check, reading it carefully. It was a personal check, signed by me and written out for four thousand dollars. It wasn’t made out to her, though, or to anyone.
She looked up at me. “What is this?”
“It’s donation money. For whatever charity or cause or whatever makes you happy. You make it out to whoever and send it off. I thought it would make you feel good, since you don’t seem to like gifts for yourself.”
“Wow.”
“Feel good?”
“Uh, you could say that. It’s just… it’s a lot of money, Ashley…”
“I had the ring you gave me appraised,” I informed her. “Since I’m keeping it, this makes us about even. If you want, you can write the check out to yourself.”
Her mouth dropped open.
Then she looked down at my hands, on her waist… where I wore the antique platinum ring she gave me, with the onyx in it, on my left middle finger.
“Ashley…” Her eyes found mine again and she blinked too fast, like she was holding back tears.
“Hard to pick a gift for the girl who doesn’t want gifts,” I said.
