“Ally, it’s been three weeks.”
And I’ve been in love with you for years.
I press my lips together and sigh heavily. “You’re right.”
He reaches out, taking my wrist in his hand. “I do love you.”
I shake my head because he doesn’t mean it the way I want him to mean it. “In the best friend kind of way, like we’ve always had. That’s not the problem or even why I am saying what I am.” Our eyes meet, and I can see the apprehension swirling in his gray depths. “Ash, I know I mean so much to you. But when I say that I’m past that, up on the next level, I mean I’m open for anything because I want you. Us. I feel like you’re stuck where we’ve been, and I need you to join me.”
He seems surprised. “I didn’t realize I was behind.”
I bite the inside of my bottom lip, lacing my fingers with his. “Which is why I’ve brought it up.”
He reaches out, cupping my face in his hand. He runs his thumb along my lip, and slowly his lips curve. “I’ll get there.”
“Sooner rather than later?” I ask with a small smile, but he doesn’t smile. It’s almost like I’m talking about one of those articles in a psychology journal that make him mind-numbingly bored. “I think as soon as you unlock all these feelings, you’ll find you’re already there.”
He brings me close to him. “The thought of losing you freaks me the fuck out, Ally.”
“You won’t, Ash. No matter what, I’ll always be there for you. I’ll always be your best friend.” I run my thumb along his jaw. “But I want to be more, so much more. Just hand over your heart and let me show you.”
His eyes drift shut as he presses his nose beside mine. Our lips are right there, but neither of us moves. We take in deep breaths, and I love the closeness. I almost think he’s fallen asleep, but his eyes blink back open and he whispers, “I’m really trying, Ally. I am. I’m just terrified, and you’re the one person I would ever admit that to.”
“You don’t have to be,” I promise, my eyes meeting his. “I won’t hurt you. I’d never hurt you.”
His lips capture mine, and with each kiss, we get hungrier and hungrier. It’s just so easy, as if we fit together. Just as all the bulbs on the jumbotron make a picture, we could make a future. I only wish he could see past what we’ve already had and see what we could become.
I pull back, breathless, my gaze meeting his. “Could I hurt you? Yes, we fight about the stupidest shit, Asher. But I would never break you. Have I before?”
He searches my face with his eyes, his gaze falling onto my lips before meeting my eyes again. “No.”
“Then trust that. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, Ally.”
Doesn’t he realize that means he can love me? Never in my life have I wanted so badly for a man to love me like I do with him. I see the love in his eyes; I feel it. I just need him to feel it and acknowledge his feelings. His wants. Before I can say anything, though, he captures my mouth and I melt back into him. As I undress him, I’m not sure how Fallon would feel about Asher and me doing it in front of her fireplace. But just like the marshmallow I got on the brick in front of us, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Asher
I press Ally into the door, just as I have many times since our relationship started, and I capture her mouth. She’s supposed to be on her way to class and I’m supposed to be cleaning the scoreboard, but tasting her lips is way more important. It’s been almost a month since we started this, and somehow, someway, it still feels so damn right. I feel her in my hands and on my lips when she isn’t there. I crave not only her body, but her laugh. I’ve always thought she was funny, but she has this sexy, playful way about her that I never allowed myself to enjoy before. I love it. Sometimes, I am so hot and ready to hump her leg, but then she has me in stitches, laughing over the silliest shit.
Like now, she’s grinning against my lips. And I don’t even know why, but I’m excited to find out.
“What?” I ask, grinning too as I run my fingers along her collarbone. Her collarbone is by far the sexiest thing on her. I know—really, Asher? A collarbone? But hers, fuck, it’s hot. I love touching it, licking it, kissing it. But I like doing all those things to every single part of her.
Her sweet green eyes meet mine, and she runs her finger along where I swear I have a permanent dent in my face from the pirate patch I wore for so long. “I still miss the patch.”
I give her a dry look. “Are you telling me you aren’t attracted to me unless I’m a pirate?”
She nods, stone-faced. “It might be an issue. I went into this with a pirate, and now I’ve got this jacked-up, super-sexy man meat, and I’m unsure how to handle all that. I mean, Asher, you’re so fucking hot—”
“Okay, smartass.”
She beams up at me, stroking her fingers along my cheek. “I miss it.”
“I don’t. Now I get to see all of you with both eyes.”