Asher (Ashes & Embers 6)

“I’m sorry.” Shame drops her shoulders. “I should have just been honest with you.”

“I understand why you didn’t tell me and why you wanted to change. Why you needed to.” I touch her hair, sifting it through my fingers. The shine and silkiness of it is almost impossible not to touch. Blinking, I gently brush it behind her shoulder. “I do understand.”

She nods, still staring at me with those huge eyes of hers, and I’m getting lost in them, like I always do. I’m not sure why I’m talking when all I really want to do is push her against the wall and kiss her.

I clear my throat. “After I left the apartment, I went and bought a pack of cigarettes and chain-smoked in an alley. I talked to Tor and watched a rat crawl around a dumpster. I don’t know what the fuck I was doing, Em. I was pissed and upset. I felt betrayed. I was mad at you and even madder at myself. I was just so fucking done with feeling confused.”

I take a breath and bring my voice down a notch. “I saw you in the club. I didn’t know it was you, but I felt something. It rattled me, ‘cuz you’re the only woman on the planet I’ve ever felt drawn to. I felt scared and guilty. Intrigued. I wanted it to be you. I only ever, always, want it to be you. Turns out it was. You’re it for me, baby. No matter what, my heart, my body, and my soul always gravitate back to you.”

Her lip curves up in a smile hearing that.

“I feel the same. I wanted to see and hear you on stage without you knowing I was there. I felt the connection to you too. Even with all those people in the club, I felt like it was only me and you.”

I trail my fingers up and down her arm as we stare at each other.

“It’s always been like that between us.”

Her chest rises with a deep breath. The silhouette of her breasts is visible beneath the thin white T-shirt. My cock throbs against the soft cotton towel wrapped around me.

“I called and texted you.” Her voice pitches. “I stayed awake all night. Hoping—” She looks down at the floor and doesn’t finish. When she raises her eyes to my face again, her forehead is creased, her lips pursed.

The disappointment in her eyes guts me. “I’m sorry. My battery died. I didn’t have any of my stuff.” I decide not to tell her about the mugger. It’ll only upset her. “I needed some time to think, Em. To clear my head. I hate that you were so upset and alone all night. But I was afraid if I went back too soon, we’d fight again, and I just couldn’t. I didn’t want to make things worse.”

“Where were you all night?”

Getting wacked in the head and doling out relationship advice to someone named Lucky who’s afraid to be in love with his wife. And I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Not for a second.

“I ran into someone else having a shitty night. We went and had a drink and talked all night. We slept in his car, and then he drove me home.”

Her eyes dilate in disbelief.

“Seriously?” she says. “You slept in a car?”

“It’s true. I never shoulda left the apartment, Em. Everything about it was perfect.” I let my eyes drift over the curves of her body, then back to her face. “Everything about you is perfect. Your hair, your eyes, your nose, your lips.” I move closer to her. Close enough to smell her perfume—the scent I love on her that smells like vanilla, lavender, and memories. “Your body, the tattoos.” Our eyes lock again. “You. You’re beautiful and perfect inside and out, and I adore every single thing about you.”

Her eyes drop to my mouth, her lips parting slightly.

Subtle hints of desire spark between us, weaving in and out of the uncertainty lingering from last night. Moving my hand to cup the back of her neck, I pull her to me, covering her mouth with mine. My mind twists slightly as my lips touch hers—softer, fuller—different, but still Ember.

Pulling away slightly, I stare down into her eyes, needing to see it’s really her.

“Asher…” She gently tugs me back to her, pressing her lips softly to mine. “I love you,” she whispers. “I’ve been waiting to say that to you. I needed to believe it was real first.”

My breath hitches, and my heart leaps around like a baby goat. “Is it? Real?”

A shy smile curves her lips. “It is. I’m sure it is.”

“Em…” I breathe, pulling her closer, until there’s no space between us. “I’ve been waiting so long to hear you say that.” I hold her face in my hands. “I love you too.” Leaning down, I kiss the tip of her nose. “So much.”