“I’m scared, Ally,” I admit, and I know I can because she is my best friend. Was. Is? My girlfriend? No. Wait, that’s crazy. What is happening?
She slowly nods. “Me too.”
Oh, well, that makes me feel better. Kinda. Not really. I let out a shaky breath. “There is this line and I want to cross it, but I’m terrified to lose you.”
“I know. It’s the same for me.”
“But I also can’t resist you.”
Her eyes snap back up at me, and I hold my breath. She turns up her lips as she asks, “No?”
“Fuck no,” I mutter before I pull her close and press my lips to hers through the net. It’s awkward and probably not sanitary, but I can’t think straight.
I don’t care.
I just want to kiss her.
Chapter Eighteen
Ally
Oh. Oh my.
Before the kiss deepens, Asher draws back and lifts the net to pull me closer to him. I’ll admit, I never thought of being kissed through a volleyball net. But now that I have been, I have to say, it was pretty damn romantic and belongs in all the movies and books. Asher snakes his arm around my waist before tugging me against him; his eye searches mine, and I swallow hard.
“So, we’re doing this?”
“I want to,” I say, dragging my hand up his neck.
“You sure you want to cross that line?”
I stroke my hand along his jaw and then my thumb along his bottom lip. His intake of breath could bring me to my knees if he weren’t holding me up. There is no other option; I want to cross that line and dance on the other side. With him. “I do. What about you?”
He doesn’t even answer, but I can see the battle in his eye. A noise rumbles in his throat before he captures my mouth once more, and holy shit, that’s hot. He holds me close with one hand as his other slides down over my ass to the hem of my shorts. He slides his fingers along the inside of the back of my thigh, and I groan in his mouth.
He pulls away and shakes his head. “You better stop that,” he says against my mouth, running his tongue along my bottom lip. “I have spent years acting as if I didn’t want you, Ally T. Unless you want me to take you to the nearest flat surface and have my way with you, I suggest you stop.”
I move my tongue along his, my eyes burning into his. “I want that.”
He looks scared. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, wanting you has kept me up many nights.”
He lets out a whistle. “Holy shit, we’re playing with fire, Ally T.”
I move my lips over his. I know we are. I know all this can go up in flames, but that’s a risk I have to take. I need to take. Nothing can hold me back anymore. I want him, and I want him desperately. The best part is I don’t have to wait. I don’t have to get to know him. I know him, I know his faults, and I’m about to learn the rest of him. His eye is so dark, and what the patch means turns me on even more. His fingers bite into my skin as he fights back his desire to drag me to the nearest flat surface. I’ve only seen sweet Asher, kind Asher, and geeky Asher. Never have I experienced sexy, hot, want to take me to bed Asher.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle him, but I am excited to try.
I feel myself trembling as I move my lips to his. Against them, I whisper, “Burn me, Ash B.”
He takes in a deep breath and then lifts me in his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he holds me by my ass. I’m not sure what he is about to do, but the thrill is overwhelming. His hands are trembling, and suddenly, the mos
t beautiful grin comes over his face. “I’m shaking.”
I grin against his lips. “Me too.”
“I can hardly see you.”