I burst out laughing. “Hey, I’ll cook some nights,” I protested.

She scrunched her nose up in distaste. “Tuna melt baked potatoes can get boring pretty quick.” I smiled because she’d obviously listened to me carefully before; she seemed to remember everything I told her, no matter how insignificant it was.

“Tell me about it. Come on then, I’ll call Dean and let him know we’re going for a walk,” I agreed, pulling out my cell and dialling his number.

“Tell him we’re going for a drink after too.”

I raised one eyebrow. College clearly had an effect on her – or maybe it was the freedom of being away from her parents. Whatever it was, she was smiling and it made my insides tingle with happiness.

Chapter Fourteen

~ Anna ~

After about an hour of wandering around picking up menus for the local takeout places, I decided we had enough. I really needed a drink. My eyes landed on a bar across the street, and I guided Ashton in that direction. I ignored the peeling paint on the sign and the broken glass panel on one side. They served alcohol, and that was all I cared about. I looked up at Ashton hopefully.

He frowned, his eyes flicking between me and the crappy bar. “You wanna go in here?” he asked, looking at it distastefully.

I laughed at his expression. “Snob.”

“Anna, this doesn’t look like a nice bar,” he protested, narrowing his eyes at the door.

“Please?” I whined, pouting.

He sighed in defeat and pulled out his cell phone, calling Dean to tell him because he was standing at the end of the street, waiting for us. “Come on then, but stay with me, no bathroom breaks,” he said sternly.

I nodded excitedly. I hadn’t been to a bar for ages. I went through a stage when I first got away from Carter of sneaking out and going to bars and getting drunk, but that had been well over two years ago now. Lately, I’d pretty much been a recluse.

The bar was an absolute dive, but the drinks were cheap. There was a load of people that looked like students, so they were probably from my college because the campus was only a couple of minutes’ walk from here. The owner obviously didn’t think twice about serving underage people.

“So, what do you drink?” Ashton asked, dragging me to the bar.

“Whatever’s on offer.”

“Orange juice?” he suggested.

I laughed and shook my head. “I want a real drink.”

A disapproving frown settled on his forehead. “You’re not old enough,” he whispered, tracing his hand down my back. “I could get into trouble for buying you alcohol.”

I pouted, begging him with my eyes. “Please? I have a fake ID. I always drink. Please?”

He rolled his eyes. “One drink,” he conceded. “Want wine or something?”

I smiled and shrugged, but when the barman came over, I ordered two double Jack Daniels and cokes. Ashton looked at me shocked and then ordered an orange juice too. “Who’s the orange juice for?” I asked, pushing one of the drinks towards him.

“For me. I can’t drink while I’m on duty, so it looks like I’m t-total for the next few months,” he replied, shrugging and pushing the drink back towards me.

I gasped. That wasn’t fair at all. “Aww, come on, you can drink. Nothing’s gonna happen. This whole freaking guard idea is just stupid anyway!” I ranted, feeling like a spoiled brat.

He looked a little pained about something before he rearranged his expression. “No, Anna, you need guards so you don’t get expelled,” he joked, chinking his glass against mine, grinning. “Cheers.” I sighed and downed one of the drinks straight away; I didn’t want to be carrying two glasses around with me. “Oh man, you’re not one of those drinkers, are you?” he asked, looking a little horrified.

“One of what drinkers?” I grimaced from the alcohol after-burn.

He grinned, winking at me. “The ones that really can’t handle their drink and throw up over their boyfriends when they carry them home.”

I chuckled at his joke. “You never know, there’s a first time for everything. Oh and, by the way, if you see anyone you like and want to go for a quickie in the bathroom then let me know first so I’m not wandering around looking for you,” I said seriously, downing my next drink. We definitely needed to make that rule clear before it happened, because I didn’t want to be looking for him all night long. His mouth dropped open, making a pop sound as he looked at me, stunned. I frowned. The two drinks in quick succession were already making me feel slightly tipsy. “Jeez Ashton, I won’t throw up on you, I promise,” I vowed, laughing.

“I wasn’t thinking about that,” he retorted, frowning at me, looking annoyed about something.

“Well, what then, Pretty Boy?” I asked, waving to get the barman’s attention again as I ordered two more doubles and slid a twenty dollar bill across the bar.

Ashton shook his head in annoyance. “Anna, I’m not gonna leave you to go have sex with some girl at a bar! Is that what you really think of me?” he asked, looking a little hurt.

I raised an eyebrow. Honestly? Yes. He’d slept with me after three days and, technically, I was his boss, my guess was that he’d sleep with a girl he met in a bar – or wherever the hell else he met her.

“Oh come on, Ashton, we both know that you’re a player. You’re too damn pretty not to sleep around,” I teased. “I mean, damn, you got me into bed after three days, and I can’t even give out a handshake without flinching. You must be kick-ass at the art of seduction.” I giggled and downed my next drink.