Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother novel Chapter 74

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Falling for my boyfriend’s Navy brother

Chapter 74: Asher

I don’t know what time it is. Late, probably. The fair’s finally winding down, the air cooler now, heavy with the scent of fried dough and spoi something that might be binned plastic. We’ve done everything–every gone, every ride, even the ridicolins haunted house with animatronic newly made Penny scream not loud and clutch my arte like we were under attack. She was all nerves and wide eyes and laughtet afer thai we thrill to the rest like a sparkplay that doesn’t know hose to power down.

She even convinced me to get on the Ferris wheel.

The cabin was too damn small. The girl at the both eyed me like I might sp the bar is half just by siffing down, but the bet as through, Penny ended up pressed against me side, both of us crammed in, shoulder touching, knres humping. She talked the sunle time–about how beautiful dit town looki frons above, about hose proceful it feels up here, about whether Navy gupuriet fly belicopters mil see landscapes like this. I and yes. The looked at me like ind just handed her a piece of the universe.

I didn’t want the ride to end,

But eventually, the wheel slowed, the world shrank again, and we stepped hark ento solid grund. I told her it was fin to go, and though she posted a.

ttle, she nodded

“You’re right. It’s late.”

Now we’re walking through the half–lit parking lot, her steps slower, her hand tugging slightly at the hem of her shirt, her arms tight around that idealous teddy bear I won for her hours ago. The one wearing a tutu and tiara. She’s tired, but the kind of tired that settles in soft and slow, not like collapse, sure like contentment.

Then I glance over

Her collarbones are covered in goosebumps. Her neck too. And her lips–barely–ang tinged with blue

I stop walking. “He”

She blinks up at me, eyes wide and sleepy. “Hm?”

Without a word, I pull off my hoodie. She starts to protest.

*I’m fine,” she says.

“No, you’re not. Your lips are blue,” I say, already taking the teddy from her hands. I guide her arm up gently with my hands, her breath catching, and slide the hoodie over her head. It’s mersiped on her, swallowing her framg, but the lets it happen. Doesn’t say a weed until I pull it all the way down and step buck

She stands there, blinking, her cheeks flashed. From the cold or something else, I don’t know

“Let’s go,” I say, already turning toward the car.

Behind me.

she asks, “Aren’t you freeting?”

“I don’t really get cold,” I answer.

She mutters, “Because you’re a furnace.”

I passe. “What?”

She repeats it louder. “You’re a fumace. I can always feel the heat coming off of you from like, feet away.”

I stare at her. “You didn’t know?”

She grins. “You’re like a walking radiator.”

1/3

Chapter 74: Asher

I shake my head, but I’m

In the car, she sinks into the seat, holding the teddy in her lap, a small smile on her lips, I glance over at her oner we’re back

“Thanks again,”

– she says quietly. “For everything. This was the best night I’ve hail in… I don’t even know how long.”

I keep my eyes on the road. “Glad you had fun.”

“I hope you gut something out of it look”

I glance at her again. Her voice is soft, unsure.

Yes and no

Yes, became watching her laugh and jump and spin and beam like that felt like sunlight in my chest. No, because I’m driving her back to someone else, No, because I wish this night didn’t have to end. No, because I don’t know what to do with this feeling that’s clawing deeper mery time she looks at ce

“I had a good time,” I say. It’s tree, just not the whole truth.

When we pull up to the house, she’s half–asleep: Her head slumped against the window, one hand still curled around the teddy’s tiny leg-

I don’t wake her right away.

1 sit there for a minute, watching her face in the soft glow of the dashboard. Peaceful. Her lashes long against her cheek. Her lips now Enged pink now from the beat of the car. She looks so damn young like this. Not childish. Not fragile exactly, but untouched by the world. Like no one’s broken her yet.

1 reach out and gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Then I rub circles on her shoulder lightly. “Penny.”

She blinks, propry. “Oh, sorry.”

I help her out of the car. She stumbles a hit, and I grab her elbos instinctively. Inside, the house is warm and dimly lit Tyler’s on the couch, scrolling on his phone, the TV flashing something behind him he’s not even watching.

He looks up when we walk in.

“Where were you guys?”

go to sleep.” She disappears.

Penny doesn’t answer him. She looks at him for a beat, something unreadable in her expression, and says, “I’m tired. I’m gonna go

Tyler looks at me. I sit next to hi

him

I took her to the fair,” I say.

His brows lift. “Oh. Damn. Thanks, bro, She really wanted to go. It sucked I had plans

I look at him. “Doesn’t it bother you?”

“What?”

“That I took your girlfriend to do something she wanted to do instead of you?”

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