Chapter 147
Chapter 147
She ended up accidentally sleeping with Ashton Test night. If she didn’t calm herself, Briarwould have definitely woken up this meeting ready in righteously slap him in the face.
And she would’ve thrown in a “You pervert!” for good messUTE.
After all, Ashton had forced a kiss on her in the car last night. He took advantage of the fact that she was vulnerable this good looks and hates him gas away with it.
But compared to Ashton kissing her without permission, Briar realized that her accidentally sleeping with him was, appare ya mucis mere verlore offense. In this scenario, Ashton had suffered more than she had.
Feeling she lacked the moral high ground, Briar decided to just move on from the whole thing. She wouldn’t hold Ashton secountable for the list
anymore.
He kissed her, and she slept with him, so it could be considered even now.
Then came Frank, completely oblivious to the tension, who wouldn’t stop asking whether Ashton had bullied her, looking all ready to fight
Frank either didn’t notice the expression on Ashton’s face or assumed that with Connor back, he was safe from a beating
Briar was very aware of how Connor, the iron–blooded alpha male, operated in his protective mode. He’d give all the sweetness to Frank and all the suffering to himself.
If Frank got beaten, Connor wouldn’t just stand by. Taking hits in someone else’s place was practically a standard move for guys like
Briar saw the truth very clearly.
Among the countless times Frank had been beaten up, Connor had taken many of those hits for him.
“Briar, don’t be scared. Ashton may look a bit fierce and hit hard, but he’s actually pretty tolerant toward family, Frank said with exaggerated
confidence.
He had probably eaten too well last night and now felt invincible with Connor by his side.
He winked and nudged Briar, trying to provoke her into reacting. “So if he bullied you, just give me a wink. I totally stand up for you. Hey
Before he could finish, Connor grabbed him by the collar from behind, lifting him effortlessly and dragging him toward the house, he gave a star in warning. “If you don’t want to watch me get beaten up, then shut up.”
Frank flailed helplessly in the air. “Hey! Can you stop grabbing my collar all the time? i’m not a kid anymore. It’s so embarrassing if someone sees 1 And besides, I didn’t even say anything wrong! Why are you scolding me again?”
But Connor was unmoved. Silently, he carried Frank away, leaving Ashton and Briar with space to talk
Ashton stepped in front of Briar, who was clearly trying to sneak back home. “Briar, are you still mad at me?
Briar lowered her gaze. “No.”
Ashton asked, “Are you avoiding the because you slept holding me last night and I didn’t push you away?
Briar was annoyed. Ashton just had to bring up the most embarrassing part
Briar gave a quiet, cracked response “No”
“Then are you upset because I kissed you last night without asking? Even though Briar was dodging left and right, trying to escrow faro, Aunene may al close, pressing her with question.
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Chapter 147
He was determined to talk things out and wouldn’t give her a chance to run away.
The more he asked, the guiltier Briar felt. “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t overthink. I’m just sweaty from running and want to go home and shower.”
Ashton wasn’t going to let her off so easily. They’d only jogged 6 miles at a snail’s pace this morning. She wouldn’t be sweaty at all.
Plus, Briar had kept a solid few feet behind him the whole way, refusing to run beside him. That was clearly avoidance.
Ashton admitted that he’d acted impulsively last night by kissing her without permission. Still, even if she was mad, he didn’t regret it.
He could tell that Briar liked him. She had feelings for him. The way she clung to him in her sleep, trusting, soft, dependent. It wasn’t fake.
But once she woke up, she tried to act like nothing had happened, even looking ready to back out of the situation completely. Ashton couldn’t accept
that.
He asked, “Briar, I know… to someone like you, a man my age might seem old, right?”
When the direct approach didn’t work, he switched to playing the soft, vulnerable card. Ashton suddenly looked dejected, his voice tinged with melancholy.
Gone was the commanding, aloof presence others saw in him.
Briar hesitated, glancing at Ashton. The light in his eyes had dimmed noticeably, and her heart tightened a little.
She instinctively tried to comfort him. “It’s not that. I don’t think that. You’re great. Anyone would like you.”
Ashton’s drooping eyes and wounded expression looked so genuinely pitiful that she couldn’t bear it. Briar immediately started trying to soothe him.
Ashton’s eyes lit up. “Really? So… do you like me?”
Briar’s brow twitched. She was speechless for a moment.
“So I guess I’m not one of the people you like…” The moment his eyes began to shine, that hopeful spark started to fade again.
Briar gritted her molars. “Ashton, don’t push it. This pitiful act doesn’t work on me…”
Ashton sighed. “Alright, maybe I was overthinking. I thought that when you were hugging and holding me last night, it meant you were agreeing to be my girlfriend… It’s fine. I got ahead of myself.”
‘Seriously, have you no shame?‘ she grumbled inwardly.
Ashton knew she was feeling guilty about the whole situation and still kept steering the conversation toward it.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
He knew his domineering persona didn’t match this overly dramatic, emotionally manipulative act at all…
But Briar, no matter how stubborn she was, had to admit. This move of his always worked. Every damn time.
Because she just couldn’t bear to see him act hurt and wronged, even though she knew it was all an act.
Seeing that he was about to sigh and play the tragic card again, Briar couldn’t take it anymore. She glared at him. “I like you, alright? I like you! Satisfied now? if you keep acting, I’m going to punch you!”
Now she was mad for real.
Ashton grinned and stepped forward, closing the distance between them completely. His low, magnetic voice brushed against her ear. “So… that means you’ve agreed to be my girlfriend, right? My girlfriend.”
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He emphasized the word girlfriend with particular weight.
Briar exhaled deeply. Honestly, she was really at a disadvantage because of her age. Ashton’s ability to twist words and manipulate meaning was simply unmatched.
She wanted to deny it. But when she met his soft, affectionate gaze, she just “Whatever!” and ran off in a hurry.
couldn’t say
- no.
In the end, she shoved him away hard, muttered
Ashton stood with one hand in his pocket, watching Briar’s retreating figure with a smile that screamed mission accomplished.
Just as Briar was about to run into the house, Ashton called out behind her, “Hurry up and come eat breakfast after you shower… Honey”
The moment the words landed, Briar stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet. Thankfully, she caught herself on the doorframe. She looked back, furious, only to meet Ashton’s bright, gleaming eyes. The anger on her face fizzled out in an instant. She couldn’t stay mad at him.
イン
AD
