Read Online Jaided by Ashley Rose - Free Book Online Page B

gentleman."
    "You're comfortable around me?"
    "Well, yeah. You’re easy to talk to, at least once I get you going. But sometimes I don't get you. I mean, Chance has looked at me like that before but I bet you didn’t threaten him."
    "He's different though. It's just different. It’s different with Grr, too. He’s gay."
    "Chance isn't gay."
    "I know, but it's just different ok? I know Chance is a good guy."
    "Well, thanks for watching out for me either way. But don’t beat guys up, please."
    "Would you believe Leith called me possessive?"
    "Nah, it was more like protective," she said with a wink before prancing over to her own bed.
    "What? But I don't ... we aren't ... I don't get it."
    "It's ok, Blaize. And thanks again for last night but you really don't need to do that."
    He frowned. "Jaide, yes I do. I don't want to invade your space but ... I don't want you to have those kinds of nightmares."
    "What kind of nightmares?"
    "The ... kind of nightmares that you have."
    She frowned. "And how would you know what my nightmares are about?"
    "Oh ... uh ... well, you know ... just bad stuff."
    "Tremaine told you, didn't he?"
    "Well ... yeah. I'm sorry."
    She frowned even more.
    "I'm really sorry, but Tremaine said he thought it would be best if I knew."
    She was biting on her bottom lip now. "Who else did he tell?"
    "No one, I don't think so anyways. And I won't tell anyone either. I promise. I would never tell your secrets."
    She took a deep breath. "Thanks, it's just that ..."
    "I know, don't worry about it. No one will find out unless you're ready to tell them yourself."
    She smiled weakly. "Thanks. That means a lot. But despite what Tremaine said, I guess there's no stopping you from getting into bed with me?"
    Blaize hesitated and looked torn. "If you really, really don't want me to, or if it makes you uncomfortable, then ... I dunno, Jaide. I hate to think that ..."
    "Ok, ok." She smiled. "I guess I should be thanking you."
    He shook his head, but too late. She had already gotten off her bed and was hugging him.
    He jerked away from the contact.
    She looked confused. "Ok, so you can cuddle with me but I can't hug you?"
    "No, it's not like that ... I ..."
    "I know.” She smiled. “I'm just giving you a hard time." She crawled into her bed. "Can you turn the lights off when you go to bed?"
    "Yeah, I'm gonna hit the sack right now."
    In the dark, Jaide sensed for the first time in years that perhaps she wasn’t afraid to dream, that the awful past would not come to haunt her. Still, it took a long time for sleep to come.

Chapter 10

    T he next morning, Jaide awoke alone in her bed without a cuddling stranger. Blaize's bed was empty but she could hear a soft hum coming from the bathroom.
    She quickly got out of bed and changed into some workout clothes. The bathroom door opened and Blaize emerged, clean-shaven.
    "Good morning." She smiled.
    He glanced at her. "Morning."
    "Do you shave every day?"
    He rubbed his freshly shaven jaw. "Yeah, I have to. It grows super-fast."
    "Is it black too, like your hair?"
    "Yeah, it sucks. It’s so noticeable. I hate having black hair."
    She reached out a hand to touch his hair. "I like it a lot, and it’s amazing with your blue eyes. And I bet you have a sexy 5 o’clock shadow. You should skip a shave one day so I can see a little scruff."
    He blushed. "I'll think about it. You’ll have to remind me, though."
    "You're so cute, Blaize. You blush all the time."
    "I can't help it. You give me compliments all the time."
    They headed downstairs together. Chance, Matt, Leith and Bhrade were already sitting at the table.
    "Morning, guys!"
    "Hey, what's up?"
    "Morning to you too, sexy."
    "Sleep well?" Chance asked.
    "Sure did." She sat beside him and Blaize sat on her other side. It wasn't until then that she noticed the tension. Blaize was glaring up a storm at Leith, who met his eyes levelly but with an unreadable expression.
    She touched Blaize's arm to get his attention but Leith beat