It All Began With A Letter

Chapter 26: Takes Being A Rebel To Know One

I laughed as I ran up the small hill in the meadow, Brian chasing after me.

I kept running even though with every step, I panted, wanting to take a break.

My black and white puma sneakers pounded against the green, spring meadow grass that was softly covered in dew.

As I reached the top of the hill, I turned back to see how far away Brian was. Instead, I got my answer a different way, as I came tumbling to the ground, Brian following behind and crushing me with his weight.

Brian gave a soft chuckle from above that made me laugh along, too. When he noticed he was crushing me, he quickly got up and gave me a soft smile before extending his hand out towards me.

I gladly took it, as he pulled and I jumped back up, my feet planted on the ground.

"I'll race you back home for lunch," Brian said with a smirk.

I formed a smirk on my face as well. I don't know. Maybe that's why I smirk so much. Because it reminds me of Brian. After all, he did teach me how to make the best smirk ever. And it always worked.

I looked into his clear blue eyes, something he had gotten from my mom, while I had gotten my chocolaty brown eyes from my dad.

"You're on," I told him as I took off, running back towards the house, picking up speed.

Brian was pretty fast and obviously would get there before me if he had tried, but he didn't. Instead, he let me win while he trailed about three feet behind me, staying at the same pace as me.

I was so lucky to have a brother like him.

I must've been thinking about this too much because then Brian began shaking me slightly, murmuring my name.

"Riley."

My eyes snapped open, back into reality. When I realized I had just been dreaming, I frowned, burying my face back into my pillow.

"Riley," I heard a gentle voice say.

I looked up to see Asher on his side, staring at me with a smile, his eyes twinkling.

I immediately smiled because he looked so cute like that.

Then, I regretted thinking stuff in the morning because my brain is only half functioning and when you have a guy next to you in bed, in his half naked glory, none of your brain is functioning.

"You're cute," I blurted out.

His smile turned into a smirk before then turning into a frown.

Trying to hide my blushing, I smirked.

"Cute is not a manly word," he stated, glaring at me.

"Exactly. That's why it fits you perfectly," I told him, my smirk growing wider by the second.

A look of amusement flashed over his eyes before he turned his frown back into a smirk.

"Oh really?" he asked.

"Oh no! I know that look," I said trying to back away. Then, realizing I couldn't back away without falling off the bed, I gave up.

Asher came closer to me, his hard, muscular chest now pressing up against mine.

My eyes widened before I recomposed myself and wore a smirk on my face. I had to give myself some props. I could be a pretty damn good actress when I wanted to.

"And how is this manly? It just shows me you're weak for a woman's body," I said, cocking my head to the side.

He shrugged. "Yeah but it's something men do so it is manly. Plus, you can only do this if you have the balls to."