Read Online Settling Ashes: A New Adult/College Romance (The Ashes Series Book 2) by Diana Gardin - Free Book Online

falling across her eye like it always did. Only now, she brushed it back behind her ear without a hint of self-consciousness. She caught me eyeing her, and quirked an eyebrow in question.
    “You used to like to hide the scar from the fire,” I mused. “What changed?”
    I took her hand as we strolled down the sidewalk toward the parking lot.
    “I guess I did,” she said, biting her bottom lip.  “Now that I have you, I have no reason to feel a lack of confidence. It’s weird. But I like the feeling.”
    “Me too,” I said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.
    I opened her car door and hoisted her up in her seat, letting my hands cup her cute little backside in the process. Shaking my head to clear it of my inappropriate thoughts, I then walked around to my side of the car. As I got in and started the engine, she reached over and clasped my hand tightly in hers.
    “Don’t be nervous,” I said, smiling at her. “My parents are going to love you. And they have more pressing issues to worry about right now, anyway. Let’s go talk about my defense.”
    She twisted her hands in her lap the entire ride. I kept one hand on her leg to keep her calm, and she kept glancing over at me to shoot me an anxious smile.
    When we pulled up to the Marriott, where my parents were staying, I cut the engine and turned to face her.
    “What exactly are you so worried about?” I asked gently.
    “Why didn’t you tell the investigators about me?” she asked. “I just don’t want to be blindsided with information in front of your parents.”
    I winced. I’d forgotten about the information I was holding back from her. Should I tell her? The last thing I wanted her to do was worry. I also didn’t want her to become overly committed to telling the whole truth, either. Paige was nothing if she wasn’t honest, and I needed to protect her.
    “If I tell you, will you promise not to freak out?” I asked her cautiously. “I’m going to protect you. Do you trust me?”
    “I promise not to freak out, and I trust you implicitly,” she said. She looked steadily into my eyes, and as I stared into hers I believed her.
    “Okay,” I said with a deep breath. “I never told them anything about you because I didn’t want them to look for you and start asking you questions about that night. Because we were both the last people to see Hannah alive.”
    Paige’s wheels were turning; this wasn’t new information to her. She nodded, so I continued.
    “The police found a hair in the house that didn’t belong to Hannah. A female hair.”
    She sucked in a breath, and I gripped her hand tightly in mine.
    “I don’t want you to worry,” I said quickly.
    “Is it my hair?” Her voice was almost inaudible.
    “Not sure. Doesn’t matter. They don’t know whose it is, because the person’s DNA isn’t on record. We’re keeping you out of this. I’m going to let you meet my parents, but I haven’t told my lawyer anything about you. I don’t want him getting any funny ideas.”
    She took a deep, trembling breath. Then she narrowed her eyes on me. I barely stifled a sigh, because that determined look was entirely too familiar.
    “Okay. We’ll play this your way for now. I’m not freaking out. But if there is a chance that you’re going to land in prison for this, I’m telling them that I was there, too. I’ll tell them what I know.”
    “Ain’t gonna happen,” I said confidently. “Ready to go inside?”
    “Yes,” she said.
    I hurried around the car and opened the door for her, lifting her down to stand in front of me. I let my hands settle on her hips and stared down into her bejeweled eyes.
    “I missed you so much,” I whispered, letting my fingers trail down her cheekbone. It wasn’t lost on me that just a few hours ago she was still gone from my life. Having her standing in front of me like this was a freaking miracle.
    She leaned up on her tiptoes to press her lips against mine. I let her warmth envelope me. There were nights