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Or adrift.
When was the last time I opened up and let anyone into my life?
It doesn’t take long to comb through my memories and arrive at an answer.
Not since I was a kid and the world crumbled around me. Suddenly, I was on my own, fending for myself, tackling adult problems. Ever since then, I’ve been careful to build a fortress around myself, never wanting to feel that kind of heartache again.
And yet, here Asher is, attempting to scale my walls.
Uncertainty swirls through my brain. I have no idea what any of this means.
Probably nothing.
What I’ve discovered is that while he is a flirt, girls literally throw themselves at his feet, begging for his attention. For some reason, I assumed he was the instigator, seeking out the limelight, encouraging it so he could lap it up with a spoon. Only now do I realize that isn’t necessarily the case. I watched him firsthand with the hostess. She would have crawled over the podium that separated them had he given her an ounce of encouragement. Even when he expressed polite disinterest, she still continued to hover.
I blink out of those thoughts when he swings the Escalade into the parking lot and pulls up to Mom’s faded blue Buick LaCrosse that has seen better days.
More like years.
Maybe even decades.
He releases my fingers and shifts the gear into park, allowing the truck to idle before turning toward me and holding out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
I quirk a brow. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t have your number, and we need to rectify that situation pronto.”
“Do we?” I narrow my eyes and pretend to contemplate the request. “Do we really?”
He snorts as his lips quirk. “Absolutely.”
I grumble under my breath before digging around in my bag for my phone, unlocking the home screen, and reluctantly handing it over. He quickly pulls up the messaging app and inputs his number before hitting send. There’s a corresponding ding from his pocket before he returns the slim device.
“Now you can call anytime, even if it has nothing to do with tutoring.” His voice dips. “Like if you just want to talk about what’s going on. That’s cool.”
I stare at the cell in my palm, because it’s so much easier than meeting his searching gaze. I blink away the emotion attempting to gather in my eyes. My guess is that it has more to do with the news my father sprung on me than Asher’s unexpected offer of friendship.
At least, I hope it does.
I’m jolted out of those thoughts when his fingers settle beneath my chin. He raises it until I don’t have any other choice but to meet the steadiness of his gaze in the darkness that swamps us.
“I mean it. Call if you need anything. There’s no reason for you to go through this alone.”
Doubt swirls through me, and it takes effort to summon my voice. “You’re not the person I thought you were.”
He cocks his head as if giving serious consideration to the statement. “Is that such a bad thing?”
“I’m not sure yet.” His actions tonight have thrown me off balance. “It was so much easier to dislike you when I thought you were nothing more than an entitled athlete strutting around campus with an overinflated ego.”
Instead of laughing, he says, “Maybe I didn’t realize I was more until I saw myself through your eyes.”
Any lightness filling the truck vanishes as a strange tension takes hold.
“You are, Asher. You’re so much more.” The words escape from my mouth before I can stuff them back inside where they can’t do any damage.
I almost wince, afraid of giving away too much or trusting the wrong person and making a mistake. The last thing I can afford is to get burned.
When he draws closer, my heart beats a crazy rhythm against my ribcage. For just a moment, I consider putting the kibosh on whatever is happening between us before realizing that I don’t want to. Maybe I just need to forget everything that weighs me down, pinning me to the earth. Even if it’s for a few minutes.
As soon as the softness of his lips sweeps across mine, I open under their firm pressure and wait for the onslaught. Instead of delving in and taking what I’m so freely offering, his mouth drifts across mine with gentle strokes that leave me impatient for more.
Once.
Twice.
Three times his mouth grazes mine. A whimper escapes from me when he nips at my lower lip, tugging it with sharp teeth.
Oh god…
Arousal bursts to life in the pit of my belly before sinking lower as he presses kisses against the corners of my mouth. Just as a potent concoction of need and frustration bubbles up, his tongue dips inside to mingle with my own. There’s nothing rushed about the movement. It’s like we have all the time in the world to explore one another.
