a woman? She referred to him as “that Jimmy,” preferring to accept him as an inconvenient existence rather than a human being. Even I had more respect for him than that.
“Are you okay, Ashton?” Muriel was at my side, eyes heavy with regret. “I’m so sorry for that. I didn’t know she was coming. She called this morning, asking if you requested dinner today and what time. I asked if she was coming, but her answer was her cook was preparing food for her today.”
I nodded, dismissing her. I didn’t want Muriel bearing the burden of my grandmother’s sneaky control. “We’re done in here.”
“Of course,” she gasped. “I’ll start clearing the table.”
When she left the dining room, I sucked in a fortifying breath and finally mustered the balls to look Tori’s way in what felt like an eternity. “So…” Her long-face expression lifted from her lap. “You up for a change of scenery?”
Her eyes squinted in confusion. “Where to?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” My mouth twisted and shoulder lifted. “Somewhere in the fuckin’ mountains for a few days, maybe?” The visual came as soon as the words left my mouth.
I wanted out of here.
Now.
Tori angled her head, not declining. “You sure?”
“Very.” I stood from the table. “Let’s go pack up.”
The Jacuzzi water was nice and toasty, and the skyline from the deck of the cabin took my breath away.
Shit…
I giggled into my free hand, the other held a champagne glass. I actually said that take my breath away shit in my head. Since when? Was I turning BSU or what? That’s what happened when spending way too much time with Ashton Spencer. He was a reader, something I’d learned during this Christmas break. It made sense: Ashton was hella smart. Not only did he like Black porn—another discovery made since being here, in upstate New York—but he spent lots of time quiet and reading.
It was close to midnight on New Year’s Eve, and we were due to leave in the morning for school. This village was gorgeous. It wasn’t packed with people at every turn, and I didn’t see many Blacks like at BSU. As crazy as it sounded, I could only see Ashton hanging out in places where only Blacks could be found. We spent the past few days working out, eating at different restaurants, and even exploring rum. There were two small distilleries up here and we toured their facilities, learning how it’s made. We sampled so many flavors and learned how to make cocktails using it. That was mad fun! We weren’t even carded. I couldn’t believe it.
Yesterday, after days of convincing, Ashton helped me suit up for skiing, but couldn’t get me out on the slopes. I froze up in the scariest way. After a while, he went without me and I was content waiting on him in the warm, safe lounge. They served the best hot cocoa. And tonight, after dinner at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant—my first experience—we’d been inside the outdoor Jacuzzi in, about, twenty-degree wintery temps, reading Tyler Thomas’ latest book. Actually, Ashton read to me. He’d already read the whole thing and was reading highlights to me about institutional racism. He got a call, and took it inside the cabin.
I pulled the champagne glass to my mouth and nothing came out. Shocked, I glanced down and found it was empty. Another giggle burst through my lips. I was blissfully tipsy. Champagne was good. Too good. Of course, I wanted more. I didn’t feel like getting out of the heated water for more, though. Even if I wasn’t butt-ass naked, I wouldn’t break the insulated comfort I was in. The nude soaking thing was Ashton’s idea again. I had no clue as to why he liked it, but like with so many other firsts lately, I didn’t mind doing it…with him.
Humming, I admired the view of the beautiful city below. Stars, white lights, and foggy skies. The deck was warmed just a little by heating lamps Ashton lit. There were lounge chairs, tables, and even a fire pit made from a concrete bowl. We made smores on it our second night here.
Another first…
The door slid open, and out came Ashton. Dick swinging against his thigh, he took long lunges toward the Jacuzzi holding a bottle of champagne and his phone. He placed the Blackberry on the floor, near a lounger, then made a dash for the Jacuzzi. Water sloshed all around, but he managed to safely deliver the bubbly, pouring it into my glass