All the Truths (Lies & Truths 2)

“Then don’t talk to him.”

“I won’t let him walk all over me or force me into hiding. I did nothing wrong, Ash.”

He sighs with resignation. He’s started to do that every time I call him Ash now. I’m obviously not going to change the way I address him, so he has no choice but to cope with it.

“You have to be careful, for fuck’s sake.” He runs a hand through his jet-black hair. “You keep attracting danger like a magnet. I don’t even know what the fuck to do with you anymore.”

The urge I’ve been resisting since the morning overwhelms me now. I can’t stop it, even if I want to.

My nails dig into his leather jacket and I pull him down as I rise up on my tiptoes. My lips meet his and I plant the kiss I’ve wanted to give him since this morning.

It’s a comforting one, thankful, and everything in between. The fact that he’s worried about me makes me fly out of my skin. It’s like being high on a dopamine rush with no intention of ever coming down.

Asher groans as his strong hand wraps around the small of my back and he slams me against his pelvis.

My soft, slow kiss comes to a halt, and it’s Asher’s turn to claim me, devour me, almost like he did in the middle of the night when he woke me up to have sex.

I love it when he kisses me like he’s been starving for me, like he can’t survive without kissing me.

Asher and I should have been kissing for years.

Why did we take so long to do something so natural?

The clearing of a throat makes me jerk back from his mouth. Asher doesn’t let me go, though, his arm remaining like a cage around my waist.

I forgot we were outside and that Alex could see us. Shit. Just because he’s been keeping quiet about the fact that Asher and I live together doesn’t mean I should give him any ideas.

The one who interrupted us isn’t Alex, though. Jason stands beside his truck, appearing a bit awkward.

I place both palms on Asher’s shoulders and whisper so only he can hear me. “Let me go.”

“Why?” That intense possessive look returns. “You’re my fiancée, remember?”

“Ash.”

“Stop acting like you’re not mine or I’ll prove it right here, right now.”

I gasp, staring at him with incredulity. If I think that’s an empty threat then I’m only fooling myself. He’s crazy enough to do it, damn him.

“Fine, I won’t.” I lower my voice. “Let me go and I’ll do something to prove it.”

He narrows his eyes as if not believing me.

“Trust me.”

I don’t expect him to, since he’s never shown a sign of ever doing that, but he slowly lets me go. For a moment, I’m stunned into silence. Does that mean he does trust me?

No, no, brain. Don’t you dare have any high hopes.

As soon as Asher’s arm falls from my back, I slip my hand into his, threading our fingers together.

He stares at my expression then at our linked hands with slight awe on his face.

“I guess I never did this before either?” I ask.

“You did.” He appears nostalgic as he strokes the back of my hand with his thumb. “When we were thirteen.”

“But not after?”