Tip Seven; pleasure yourself and then you'll know how to tell your partner to do it.

The smell of pizza wafts up from the kitchen and my stomach grumbles. Pausing Bridgerton, I slip from my bed and pad over to the door, listening to the sounds of the boys downstairs.

Theres at least a few of them and for a second I debate if I even want to go down there.

But I straighten my spine and open the door, sneaking down like the dignified lady I am not.

I peak my head into the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief when I find it empty and quickly walk to the pizza, grabbing two slices and a drink before rushing back to my room, breathing another sigh of relief when I hear no sound of approach or anyone following.

I slip back into my room, my stolen goods clutched in my hand before coming to a sudden stop, staring at the boy in my bed.

Asher looks up at the sound of my door shutting, his cheeks flushed rosy and a glazed look in his eyes.

He pushes from the bed, the act clumsy and pulling a smile from me that I quickly wipe off.

"Are you drunk?"

He mumbles something before straitening and stumbling forward, "come to bed."

I blink when he grabs my elbow and moves me towards the bed like he owns it.

"Asher." I almost drop the pizza as he manoeuvres me, climbing onto the mattress while I place the food and drink on the bedside. "What are you doing here?"

"I wish to sleep, Ivy"

"Sleep in your own bed." I hiss.

"No," he mumbles, pulling me forward until I'm falling into his chest, my hands fisted and resting against warm skin.

"What has gotten into you?" I mutter, but Asher only curls his arms tighter around me, twisting us until I'm laid on the mattress beside him, though he doesn't give up his boa constrictor hold.

"Sleep." He mumbles against my temple, hot breath skimming my ear and causing a shiver to erupt across my skin.

I stare up at the ceiling as his breathing evens out and stare at the television, paused with Colin Bridgerton's face in the carriage.

And it was just getting to the good part.

I twist in his hold, leaning over his body to reach the remote, flicking the tv off but when I go to move back to my spot, his arms tighten and trap me.

I glare down at the man, finding him still asleep.

"Asher."

Voices erupt outside my bedroom and I quiet my voice, slapping a hand over Asher's mouth when he lets out a groan.

I stare at the face beneath mine, tracing Asher's peaceful features, from the few freckles that flicker along his skin to the faint scar below his right eyebrow and the way his brows wrinkle in at whatever is plaguing him in sleep.

My gaze moves lower, staring at the strong jawline, another scar along the sharp angle, the faint touch of a five o'clock shadow marring his skin.

Then I look lower again, tracing his collarbones with my eyes, the peak of muscle I can see on his pecs and the strength in his arms as he hugs me to him.

I move my hand from his mouth slowly, readying to flip back onto my side even if the whole bed is mine but he shifts under me and I fall forward, almost head butting his chin.

I grind my teeth but stop when he shift again and my eyes move to the way his lips part, the cupids bow, my attention stuck on the slight pout.

It's unfair, to be so pretty.

He shifts and I blink, pushing up and almost straddling him. But then my eyes widen, feeling what lay beneath me, what part of Asher lay beneath me.

I don't think I've ever moved off someone so fast.

I plop beside him, chest rising and falling with my breaths, ignoring the man beside me and stare up at the ceiling.

Eventually sleep must find me because the next thing I know I'm waking up, alone in my bed with the spot beside me empty and cold.

I worry my lips between my teeth as I stare at the spot before huffing and pushing myself from the mattress, readying myself for the day.

• • •

A hand winds itself around mine and my heart nearly plummets straight to the ground, wide eyes staring around at the people nearby before I turn to stare at the hand holder.

And relax, eyes sweeping over Charlie's face.

"You okay?" She stops, pulling me to a stop beside her. "You seem out of it."

"Just tired." I say quickly, beginning to walk again while she hums at the answer.

"Are you coming to the game?" Charlie asks me and it takes me a second to blink back into this existence, still reeling from the fact that Asher spent the night in my bed but was gone in the morning. And he had avoided me since. I think.

I wouldn't actually know since I seemed to also be avoiding him so if he wasn't avoiding me, it's not like I gave him the chance to approach.

"Game?"

She looks at me with wide eyes. "Yeah, you know the game your brother is playing? That game?"

"Against Cornwall?"

She nods and I shrug, "I don't know-"

"You're coming," she interrupts, "I will not be there alone and besides you can sit beside me while we listen to my mum rave and cheer for Ash." Charlie rolls her eyes with a smile.

And that's how I find myself beside Jennifer and Charlie, with Jennifer - Charlie and Asher's mum roaring her loyalty towards her son on the ice.

Asher stops in the middle of the rink, lifting a hand in a wave and I lift mine back in confusion, heart pounding incessantly in my chest before I see Jennifer stand up and wave enthusiastically back.

Then I pretend I was tucking a piece of hair behind my ear the whole time while Charlie gives me a confused look.

I ignore it, because why the hell would I be thinking that Asher is waving at me when I'm sitting with his family.

I focus back on the game, though my eyes keep dragging towards the boy who seems to monopolised my thoughts.

Jennifer rests a hand on mine and Charlotte's knee when there's a break in the game, squeezing before muttering something I can't hear over the raucous crowd before disappearing down the stands.

I lift a quizzical brow to Charlie and she shrugs before mouthing 'toilet' and I nod.

It's almost as if they were watching us, waiting for an opportunity to approach because as soon as Jennifer disappears, mine and Charlie's view is blocked by two vaguely familiar boys, their faces both fixed into what I could only describe as smug stupidity.

"Hey Evie."

"Her name is Ivy, Asswipe." Charlie spits, vitriol coating her words thickly.

The asswipe ignores her, leaning down so we're face to face. "I've heard about you."

I swallow the sudden need to run and stare back at him, "have you?"

His lips lift at the comers in what I'm sure he's been told is a charmers smile but it only makes a repulsive shiver crawl up my spine.

"Dain sure has a lot to say."

My stomach drops but before I get the chance to take Charlie's outstretched hand and run, he moves closer. "But I'm a man who likes to make up my own mind." He lifts a hand as if to touch my cheek and I rear back.

"Back off." Charlotte says, scooting closer to me. "She doesn't need you slobbering all over her."

The boy straightens, flashing a glare towards Charlotte before sneering at me. "Her loss, no one wants to fuck a girl that acts like a dead fish. If I wanted that I'd go fishing-"

My face scrunches up in disgust at the mental image but he doesn't get the chance to complete his sentence because a body slams into the plexiglass behind us.

I peak behind the man's shoulder, eyes widening at the fact Asher stands there, his teeth and guard bared and stick pointed in our direction before he hits the glass again, getting the boys attention.

The boy glances over his shoulder, his friends taking a worried step back as Asher conveys something with his eyes.

"What man?!" The boys spits and I look between the two of them in worry, Charlie grabbing my hand and squeezing. "All she has to do is lie back and take it, maybe suck a little and I'll start spreading the rumour that's she not a lousy lay."

"What the fuck did you just say?" Asher hisses.

I can feel eyes turn towards the commotion and then my stomach drops further when I see Leon skating up beside Asher, glaring at the boy in front of me.

"Stay the fuck away from my sister, Samuel." Leon snaps, glaring harshly at the boy before pinning his friend with a look. "You too, Jack."

But Samual only laughs, glancing at Asher and that's when I know he really is stupid and it's not just an act. "I'm sure if you ask nicely she'll let us both fuck her-"

Leon snaps, skating to the side and vaulting over the short wall separating the onlookers and the players, Asher at his heels before they're both in front of Samuel with Leon's face a mask of absolute fury but it's Asher that throws the punch.

The crack permeates through the air, the whole stadium descending into silence.

Mortification swims through me as I feel everyone's gaze settle on me.

I slip from my seat and stand on shaky legs, Charlie automatically standing with me.

"Let's go." She says softly, pulling at my hand.

We make an escape while the silence is still hanging thick in the air, and for the millionth time in my lifetime I'm glad to have a friend like Charlie.

We take the steps quickly, rounding for the exit and I don't look back even as I hear a commotion behind us.

Jennifer rounds the corner just as we're escaping and we almost bump into her.

"Charlotte! Slow down." She huffs, looking at us with fright. "Why are you running?"

"Sorry, mum." Charlie murmurs. "Gotta go."

Charlotte side steps her mum, pulling me along with her and then I hear Jennifer let out a huff and then, "Asher, why are you out here? Is the game done? I didn't think I was in the toilet for that long."

Only then do I glance back and see Asher staring at me, trying to say something with his eyes that I can't decipher.