Page 119 of Fall Into Me

Cass groaned.

“What?” Ash asked teasingly, almost like he knew all the inappropriate places Cass’s mind was going.

And god, how Cass wanted to actually tell him. He should. After all, Ash had to have known exactly what he’d been doing to Cass when he’d sent those selfies last night.

“Can we video call?” he blurted out before he could stop himself. “I want to see you.”

It was stupid and irresponsible, and he knew there were much, much more important things he needed to talk to Ash about. At minimum, he should be opening up about how anxious he’d been feeling earlier with regard to needing to talk to his parents about money and time. He should probably also be sharing how worried he was about the two of them not being together on Christmas, and they should also be planning how and when they’d see each other next, even if it was going to be a long ways off.

Besides, what did he expect? They’d switch to a video call and Ash would put on a show for him? Bring the Santa hat out, shift the camera lower, skim his hands down his chest and stomach until—

“You want . . . to see me?” Ash’s voice faltered, though he didn’t sound particularly confused.

And although his response gave Cass the perfect opportunity to walk it back, he did exactly the opposite. He doubled down.

“Like last night,” he said, the words coming out low and deep and almost rough. He heard Ash take in a sharp breath, and more guilt crept in. He shook his head. “Never mind. That was a dumb idea, I—”

“We can,” Ash interrupted.

And god, he sounded eager.

The thought made Cass’s heart stutter and sent another rush of want through him. He shifted his free hand down to his stomach, fighting the urge to let it slip lower. “Are you sure?”

Ash huffed a soft laugh, and Cass could almost picture him, a shy smile on his lips as he ducked his chin and ran a nervous hand through his hair. It didn’t help calm Cass’s desire. At all.

“I’m sure,” Ash said. “Just, um, give me a minute.”

It was a long, agonizing minute that gave Cass’s imagination plenty of time to make several turns it really shouldn’t. By the time Ash returned and the notification to switch to a video call popped up on his phone screen, Cass’s heart was nearly racing with anticipation. He hit the button, only belatedly realizing that meant Ash would be able to see him, too, and he stifled a groan as he turned the phone upward toward the ceiling for a second while he pushed himself up to half sit, propping his pillows up against the headboard.

“Hey now, this is supposed to go both ways,” Ash teased.

Cass’s stomach swooped, and he let out a quiet laugh as more heat rushed to his cheeks. “Yeah, I know. I just wasn’t thinking. Uh . . .”

He turned the phone back to himself and immediately sucked in a breath as Ash’s gorgeous smile showed up on the screen. Ash was reclined on his couch in the same position he’d been in the night before—sans the Santa hat—though he wore a plain white T-shirt. Cass blinked and took in a long, slow breath.

“Hey.”

Ash’s smile brightened even more. “Hey.”

A few seconds of an awkward silence filled the space between them, until Ash laughed lightly and ran a hand up through his hair. Cass followed the action with his eyes, holding his breath as he watched the sleeve of Ash’s T-shirt ride up to show off Ash’s lean, strong upper arm. When he tore his gaze away, Ash’s smile had turned into what had to be a playful smirk.

Was he enjoying this teasing?

Cass’s heart skipped several beats, and he slid his hand an inch or so lower on his stomach until his fingers just skimmed the waistband of his boxers. He cleared his throat. “Last night, you weren’t wearing a shirt,” he said carefully.

“You’re right, I wasn’t.” Ash’s smirk deepened, and he seemed to settle more into the couch cushions. “You’d prefer if I took this one off?”

Without waiting for an answer, Ash angled the phone’s camera downward, and Cass swallowed hard as he watched Ash’s free hand slip under the hem of his shirt, lifting the shirt to expose the smooth, pale skin of his stomach. Cass groaned, and he heard Ash chuckle.

“Guess that’s a yes,” Ash said.

Cass’s throat was too dry to respond. So instead, he continued watching as Ash’s fingers inched up higher, the camera pulling back to give him a better view.

And god, what a view it was.

Well-defined abs and a thin trail of dark hair disappeared at the lower edge of the camera’s view, and higher up, Ash’s shirt lifted more, exposing a growing expanse of skin and lean muscle. Ash paused long enough to adjust his position and then let his hand slip back down, out from under his shirt. With an audible sigh that sent Cass’s heart racing even more, Ash flattened his palm and ran his hand down until his fingers barely teased the waistband of his sweatpants.

Cass nearly whined when Ash started back up again, higher this time until the T-shirt lifted enough to give Cass a perfect view of Ash’s chest. He stared, mesmerized by the darker skin around Ash’s nipples, the way the buds looked stiff and taut.