~ Zoie's POV ~
Just exactly what are they talking about!?
As soon as the door was slammed shut, Zoie went back and had her ear pressed to it. She held her breath and listened as hard as she could. Vaguely, she began to hear her dad and Asher's voices.
"W-what is this?" Asher asked,
"The trust fund your dad has for you," Damon replied.
"My mom never said anything about a trust fund,"
"She doesn't know. This was between me and your dad. And I'm only supposed to give it to you when I think you're ready,"
Zoie's eyes widened and she pressed her ear harder against the door, but she couldn't make out what they were saying next. It was all muffled. Quickly scanning her surrounding, she saw a small glass vase on a nearby table. She swiftly grabbed the vase, flipped it around, and pressed the opened area on the door before pressing her ear on the other side. She was just starting to hear the conversation again when suddenly---
* CREAK *
The door creaked open, almost causing her to fall on her face. Meanwhile, Asher was standing in the doorway, looking down at her with those cold, hazel eyes.
"Heard anything interesting?
Zoie quickly scrambled to her feet, hiding the vase behind her back.
"H-hey! I-I was just..."
"Eavesdropping?" He cut her off.
"N-no!" Zoie scoffed hard, totally embarrassed. "I was just picking up this vase that fell!"
Zoie held up the vase in her hand and awkwardly put it back on the table nearby. Then she scooted back and said, "Anyway, I'm going to bed..."
"Hold up," Asher said suddenly. He closed the door shut and stepped forward. Standing only inches away from her, he hovered tall above her face and said, "Can we talk?"
"I... I gotta go to bed," Zoie stepped back too, avoiding eye contact.
"It's important," he pressed.
Zoie swallowed hard. Her back was against the wall and she couldn't move back anymore.
"W-what do you need to talk about?" she said.
"About us,"
"Us?"
Asher stared her down coolly. Then suddenly and without warning, he stretched his hand out and said, "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's start over. I'm Asher, it's really nice to see you again,"
Zoie was stunned. She wasn't expecting this at all. She looked at his hand for a second and thought about it. This was too suspicious, she thought. Why is he suddenly acting nice?
"Well, that makes one of us," she said as she crossed her arm, purposefully leaving him hanging.
"Not happy to see me, huh?" he smirked and put his hand away. "That's a shame. I remember you were pretty happy last night-"
"Shush!" Zoie quickly jumped and covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't ever talk about last night. Ever again!"
Her eyes were threatening him with a deadly glare. Asher raised his hands up in an act of surrender and muffled, "Alright, alright,"
Zoie gave him one last threatening look before pulling her hand away.
"Look, this isn't ideal for any of us. I get it," Asher said, still keeping his hands in the air. "You don't want me tagging along and ruining your college experience and I sure as hell don't wanna go to college. But we're in this boat together now. So, let's just suck it up and do it. Get it over with,"
"Why? So you can get your trust fund?" Zoie shot point blankly.
Asher let out a smirk.
"Come on," he pleaded with that smile hanging on his face. Fake or not, that was a pretty sweet smile. "I promise I'll stay out of your way,"
Zoie narrowed her eyes at him.
"You're gonna stay out of my way?"
"Absolutely,"
"You're not gonna rat on me to my dad?"
Asher shook his head coolly.
"I think we both know that you're a big girl and you can handle yourself," he said, still smirking that smirk.
Zoie bit her lip back in response. Touché.
"You'd really do that for me?" she pressed again.
"You heard him," he shrugged. "Uncle Damon has something I want and I gotta be on his good graces to get it. If I don't rat on you and you don't rat on me, then we're good. I'll get my trust fund in four years and you do... whatever it is you wanna do. Everyone wins,"
Zoie uncrossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. Weirdly enough, Asher was making a lot of sense. Sure, this situation was far from ideal, but if they can just get to California and stay out of everyone's way, she wouldn't have to worry about anything. She can still get the freedom she wants and Asher will just be somewhere by the sidelines. Watching.
"Alright," she sighed finally. "You can come, but you keep that promise,"
"Deal," he said as he stretched out his hand.
Zoie stared at his hand and decided not to shake it. She was afraid of any skin to skin contact with him. PTSD from last night.
"How much money are you getting from this anyway?" she said as she shoved past him.
"Ten million dollars,"
Zoie stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around and her jaw fell to the ground.
"Ten million dollars?!" she gaped.
Asher only shrugged like it wasn't a big deal.
"That's a crapload of money!" she said again.
"Depends on how you use it," he replied. "That can be a lot or little,"
"And how are you gonna use it?" she pressed.
"Get a new car and a team. And race,"
"Race?"
"Yeah. I race cars for Formula D,"
Zoie narrowed her eyes again. He's a racecar driver?
"Is that like Nascar?"
"Nascar is just pure racing," he explained. "Formula D is like racing and extreme sports combined into one,"
Zoie had never heard of Formula D before. She barely knew what Nascar was. She only knew about it because her brothers talked about sports nonstop and she'd overhear bits and pieces over time.
"I see," she nodded along like she understood what he was saying. "So, what's the D stand for?"
"Oh, you know," he said with a playful wink, then he glanced down at his lower area.
Zoie's cheeks flared up redder than a lobster in boiling water.
"Oh, God. I'm almost sorry I asked!" she squeaked and turned around quickly, not wanting him to know that she was staring at him down there too.
"Relax. I'm just playin' with you," Asher let out a hearty chuckle. "The D stands for drift,"
Drift...?
"But for me, the D really stands for dream," Asher continued. He let out this smile and it was different from the smirks that he usually threw around. This was a genuine smile. "I mean, just imagine, what kind of car I can build with that amount of money!? Man, it'll be the coolest, fastest car in town. I can go wherever and no one's gonna stop me!"
The moment Asher started talking about racing, his eyes lit up like wildfire. Zoie recognized those eyes. She would get this passionate whenever she talked about Stanford too.
I guess... we both want the same kind of freedom...
Zoie now understood why Asher was being nice to her. He wanted to appease Damon just as much as she does. If they could just get past whatever happened last night, this might be a good thing for the both of them. Asher can get his dream, and so can she.
"You know what, Ash," Zoie said as she stretched out her hand. "You got yourself a deal. As long as you keep your end of the bargain, I'll keep mine,"
Asher looked at her hand and the smile on his face spread wider. He was about to shake her hand, but Zoie quickly pulled it away.
"But remember!" she said threateningly. "Last night never happened and will never happen again!"
Zoie was giving him a stern, serious look, but Asher was unfazed. He let out a scoff and cocked his head to the side.
"You sure about that?"
Zoie's mouth fell open at the audacity of this man. Did he just insinuate that what happened last night might happen again?!
"Chill. I got you," he laughed as if he could read her mind. "What happened last night won't happen again,"
Asher put his hand up, gesturing a Scout's honor. Meanwhile, Zoie didn't know what to do. She was still taken aback, so she just stood there. Suddenly, Asher's hand reached out and grabbed hers. The moment their hands touched, Zoie could almost feel electricity jolts running through her veins.
"It's a pleasure doing business with you," he said as he shook her hand firmly. "Zoie,"
Zoie swallowed hard. There was something in the way he said her name. His voice was low and husky. Her name sounded delicious coming from his mouth. Zoie almost wanted to hear it again.
Asher let out one last smirk before pulling his hand away. Zoie's hand fell to her side and it suddenly felt cold. She wanted more of his touch. But before anything else could happen, Asher already turned to his feet and walked off.
Zoie could only stand there and watch as he went away. The sound of his voice saying her name still ringing in her ear.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Zoie..."
Even as Zoie tossed and turned on her bed that night, she could still hear his voice calling out her name. And even though her eyes were closed shut, she could still see those deep hazel eyes staring right at her.
"What happened last night won't happen again,"
Zoie's mind involuntarily went back to the events of last night. Asher was standing tall in front of her, inside that dark garage and the only source of light was the moonlight coming from the window. Zoie looked up at him and she couldn't help but shudder.
Asher was looking at her like he could just devour her at any moment. It felt dangerous and scary. But on the other hand, there was a sense of safety with him. Like she had known him for a long time before this.
"Kiss me," she said after a while of silence.
His lips curved up a smile and he said, "Yes, ma'am,"
And the next thing she knew, Zoie was back lying on the cold metal of the car's hood again. He was on top of her and his hand was moving down her waist. He captured the band of her panties and linked his finger underneath it. Slowly, he peeled the underwear down and away from her, and it fell limply around her feet.
Zoie could feel the cold air hitting her sensitive area. With her lower body completely exposed, she then felt the skin of his shaft pressing against her. She felt nervous all of a sudden. Her body grew tense as he was running his tip all along her folds.
"Hey, relax," he said knowingly.
His hand gently trailed up her thigh and his fingers rested on her folds. He started rubbing against her clit and Zoie's body started heating up again. His mouth was on her lips again and his kiss was mimicking what his finger was doing down there. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and it danced circles around her tongue. In the same way, his finger slipped into her folds and danced circles around her clit. Zoie's entire being was now a puddle of mess. Her body was shaking as unintelligible moans escaped her throat.
"Fúck, you're so wet," he groaned.
Then suddenly and without warning, he slipped one finger into her. It slipped inside rather smoothly thanks to all the lubrication. And the moment he slipped that finger into her, Zoie's head was floating in space. His thumb was stroking her clit as the other finger circled her opening, pulling out, and pushing back in ever so slowly.
Damn! This feels so damn good!
Zoie was lost in the moment. Her hand instinctively reached down under the duvet and she started rubbing herself. For a moment, she was floating in pure bliss. But suddenly, she realized what she was doing and she froze up instantly.
No! I can't be fantasizing about Asher! Hell no!
Zoie quickly pulled her hand out and turned over to her side. She buried her hands under the pillow so they wouldn't go anywhere else. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she forced her eyes closed again, pushing away all thoughts of Asher and his magnetic touches.
And just as she thought she got him out of her mind, his face came back up again. With that signature smirk playing on his face, he said, "You sure about that?"
*
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- - - - - - To Be Continued - - - - - -