“You constantly walk around without a shirt on, so I’ll wiggle my ass. Payback is a bitch.”

She shot me a smug look before turning back to the sizzling bacon and focusing on finishing breakfast. I pulled out a stool, sat at the breakfast bar, and unlocked my phone. Last night, as Ash and I were watching mindless television, Ky and Eden called to tell us that Ky had finally manned up, grown a set of balls, and proposed. After that, Ashlyn disappeared into her bedroom with an excited shriek to talk all things weddings with Eden, and I took that as my cue to go to bed. During our four-way conversation, I was somehow roped into helping out with the engagement party that they decided to have sooner rather than later, and now that I had agreed to be Eden’s slave boy, the text messages were starting. As I scrolled through Facebook, my phone chimed and Eden’s name appeared. Christ, it was barely eight A.M., and she had already started.

Can I start calling you my brother yet? I’m going to email you a list of what we need to do. Are you bringing a date to the party? I can find a gorgeous girl for you. Oh, can I play matchmaker?

I groaned loudly. Matchmaker Eden was out in full force, and I know she wouldn’t let up any time soon unless I snuffed her out.

I tapped out my response after shooting a quick look at Ashlyn, who had started humming again.

I’m bringing someone.

Immediately, I saw that she was responding when the grey bubble appeared on the phone. This would make her crazy, and I found that highly amusing. Fuck, Ky was going to hate me for doing this, because I knew Eden would drive him crazy until she found out.

WHO ARE YOU BRINGING? Joshua, tell me. Do I know her? ARE YOU DATING? Why hasn’t Ky told me this? He is in so much trouble.

Eden’s mind would be racing with different scenarios, and I loved it. I was such a prick, and I enjoyed razzing her . . . maybe a little too much.

“What color dress are you wearing to the engagement party?”

Ashlyn looked up from the plates she had been loading up with bacon, and shot me an inquisitive glance. “Um, I’m thinking it will probably be my light blue one.”

“Okay, sounds good.” I dropped my gaze back to my phone and began scrolling through my emails to see what kind of day I was facing. The feeling of being watched hit me, and I glanced up to meet Ashlyn’s amused gaze.

She shook her head as laughter spilled from her. “Why in the world would you want to know what color my dress is going to be?”

“I need to make sure that my outfit doesn’t clash with yours. My date works in fashion. I can’t fuck that up.”

“Your date?” She laughed. “Seriously, have you been drinking?”

“It’s eight A.M.”

“And the point is?”

I burst out laughing, and she soon joined me. When she laughed like that, her whole face changed. Her eyes crinkled, her cheeks flushed, and a dimple would pop in her cheek. It was a content, completely-at-ease laugh, and knowing I could bring that out of her unleashed the beast within me. The beast that wanted to make sure I was the only one that brought it out of her.

“So, Ashlyn Hart, will you be my date to the engagement party? Will your blue dress accompany my charcoal suit? Will you be the Lyn to my Jos, and become Joslyn for the night?” I laid it on thick. Fuck, maybe I could be romantic when the moment called for it. A Josh Crawford kind of romance.

“Oh . . . my . . . god . . .” She laughed, snorted, and chuckled all in one go.

Okay, I said I loved the laugh before, but this laugh was even fucking better. I rested my chin in my open palm and watched as she tried to control herself.

“You said Joslyn!” And that caused her to laugh even louder.

“Fuck, Team Kyden, its all about Team Joslyn. That shit needs to be on a shirt, or something.”

Lachlan: When are you going to come back to me?

Lachlan: You know we suit each other. We can give each other what we want. I want your pussy and you want my cock.

Lachlan: Match made in heaven. Who gives a fuck about love?

Lachlan: You’ve got daddy issues anyway. I can’t deal with that shit.

Lachlan: I hear you’re staying with Josh. You think he will give you what you want? He will use your pussy and you’ll be thrown away like the rest of them.

Lachlan: Ignoring me will not make me go away.

That was how my day was spent.

Lachlan refused to give up, and I refused to get embroiled in his nasty texts. What should have been a productive day ended up revolving around panic attacks and stupid tears that I wished I could have stopped. I loathed that he brought out my weakness, and I hated that I allowed him to. He detonated a bomb where he knew it would cause the most damage.

My heart.

The fact that he had brought Josh into it pissed me off. How the hell did he know I was staying here? Was Josh in contact with him behind my back? Paranoia reared its ugly head, irrational scenarios engulfed my mind, and they distracted me all day. I found myself staring into blank space, and twisting my hair around my finger as I begged my head to shut off. I could have easily answered his text, but even though I was on the brink of emotional collapse, I still had the fire and stubbornness to refuse to give him what he wanted. My attention.

“Ashy?” Josh’s voice floated through the apartment and pulled me away from my increasingly-surreal thoughts.

I, in my crazy state, had just come up with the scenario that Josh and Lachlan were secretly best friends, who had connections to my parents, and the four of them were all conspiring with one another to break me down. Seriously, I was on a one way trip to insane.

“In the guestroom,” I replied loudly, hoping that my voice covered the unnerving feeling that was sitting low in my stomach. Get ahold of yourself, Ashlyn.

Seconds later, Josh appeared in the doorway. My eyes longingly roamed over his body and drank in the perfectly-cut suit that sent my pulse racing. His shirt was opened at the neck and, with his tie undone, I was allowed a brief glimpse of his firm chest. Dark gray slacks clung to his hips, covered his thick thighs, and complimented the white shirt. Give me a man in a suit any day, but combine it with the spray of stubble that covered his jaw and I was about ready to rip off my panties, spin them around my finger, and fling them at him.

“How’s your day been?” he asked softly, leaning against the frame and shooting me a questioning look. “I thought you’d be out in the living room working?”

Now that he had spoken, I couldn’t look at him. He had the ability to read every emotion I felt, and I couldn’t risk giving him the opportunity to start reading me now. My gaze fell to my suitcase that was propped up in the corner, and I focused on the stitching and zipper. “I decided to take a break.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, and the atmosphere changed as he stepped into the room.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking up at him, and I felt my façade being stolen by his concerned look. “Nothing is wrong. I just wanted a break.” I closed the laptop I hadn’t used in hours, and stood from the bed to meet his stance. My hands rested on my hips, and my teeth chewed the inside of my lip. Seriously, could I be any more obvious?

His eyes narrowed. “You’re a terrible liar, Ashlyn.”

“I’m going to the living room,” I muttered, not bothering to acknowledge his accusation. I crossed the room, desperate to escape Josh’s inquisitive gaze and avoid the comments teetering on the tip of his tongue. There was no way in hell I wouldn’t fall for his concern and blurt out everything that was on my mind if I didn’t leave. Josh took a step to his right and blocked the doorway, ultimately halting my escape. I groaned loudly and pushed on his chest with as much force as I could muster, but he didn’t budge.