Chapter 15 #4
I would have figured that once the threat of Elijah was gone, Asher wouldn’t be able to get away fast enough. But he stays behind me, arm wrapped around my waist, still swaying to the obnoxiously loud music. His breath moves my hair and tickles my neck, and suddenly I no longer know how to react.
Is this all just some sort of game?
And if it is, who’s winning?
His hands drift downward, his fingertips dancing over the bare skin of my thighs, and my breath catches.
It’s definitely not me.
I step back into him, and my ass presses against his crotch.
I feel like I’m overheating. Like I can’t breathe. Everywhere he touches me ignites like sparks on kindling.
I lean my head back against his shoulder, my hips sway to the beat of the song blasting across the dance floor, and his hips chase mine in response.
I let my hands slowly drift down his arms, and he pulls me tighter against him, his fingers digging into my thighs before I intertwine my fingers with his.
Asher’s strong hands turn me in his arms. We’re breathing the same air, and my arms wrap around his neck, hesitant at first, but I let my fingers brush through his hair the longer we face each other. His forest green eyes dart back and forth from my eyes to my lips.
He leans his forehead against mine and closes his eyes before a pained groan escapes his throat. The sound is nearly impossible to hear above the pounding music.
Kiss me, I want to say. Pretend like none of it matters and kiss me.
But I also don’t want to break whatever spell we’re under.
Elijah has long since disappeared, and it feels like Asher and I are the only two people on the dance floor. A small, selfish part of me never wants this moment to end. But I also know that anyone from the university could see us. Anyone from the program could see us.
It would take one well-timed photo to kick me out of the program and get Asher fired. One photo to ruin everything we’ve both worked so hard for.
But right now, I don’t care.
Everything fades away. The music, the lights, the people. It’s just Asher. The dark green of his eyes, the soft pink of his lips, the faint freckle near his mouth that I’d never noticed before—couldn’t have noticed without being this close to him.
His lips just barely brush mine, and I feel like I’m about to burst into flames.
It takes every ounce of my self-control to yank myself out of his arms and away from him.
I clear my throat, refusing to meet the intensity burning in his eyes.
“Look, I should get home,” I say, pushing the hair out of my face and behind my ear.
“I have to drive across the state tomorrow to get to my mother’s house for a few days.
If I show up hungover, she’ll never let me hear the end of it. ”
He swallows, and I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs. “Let me at least walk you to your car,” he offers. “Make sure you get there safely.”
I know that I should say no. But it’s dark, and I enjoy talking to him, so instead I say, “Okay, that would be nice. I’m just in a parking garage a few blocks away.”
Asher stands back as I grab my jacket from Sam and let him know I’m heading home. “Will you be okay grabbing an Uber?” I ask.
Sam waves away my concerns. “We’ll be fine.” His gaze brightens when he catches sight of Asher standing near the exit, waiting for me. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take your car for the night?” Sam pleads, giving me a suggestive grin.
I roll my eyes. “He’s just walking me to my car so that I’m not alone in the dark.”
“Oh, we love a knight in shining armor,” Derek says, practically swooning.
“All right, goodnight,” I say, giving both of them a hug goodbye. I turn, pushing my way through the crowd and back toward Asher.
“Ready?” Asher asks as I approach him. I nod, and he holds the door open for me. We walk out into the cold night, and I pull my jacket tighter around me. The night is darker than usual, the moon shrouded by thick, foreboding clouds. We both start to pick up our pace at the threat of rain.
“Are you parked near here?” I question, breaking the silence.
“No,” he responds. “I didn’t drive because I live nearby.”
“Nice area,” I muse.
“Nice enough.”
We fall into comfortable silence again. The only sounds are the click of my heels and cars zooming past us.
Asher stuffs his hands in his pockets as we continue toward the parking garage.
The city lights catch his eyes, making them appear the bright green of fresh-cut grass.
His head tilts and his lips purse in thought before he glances over at me.
I quickly look away, but I know he caught me staring.
As we’re walking, Asher suddenly thrusts his phone toward me. “Put your number in here so that I can make sure you get home safely after this.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Is that really necessary?”
“It’s late, and anyone who is still out on the streets has been drinking, including yourself. Please, just indulge me.”
“I’m not drunk,” I protest.
“I know, but it would make me feel better to know when you get home. So put your number in here, and I’ll text you to make sure you made it home safe.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his overprotective nature, but I decide that putting my number in his phone isn’t going to hurt anything.
“Couldn’t you just pull it from the class roster information?
” I tease, mostly just to piss him off. He glares at me but says nothing as he waits for me to put my number in his phone.
He can get it off the class roster; if he had wanted it for any other reason, he’d already have it by now.
I type my number in and hand it back to him with a sweet smile.
He shakes his head at me but grins, at least a little amused.
A cold splash of water lands on my cheek, and I look up, startled. I love Seattle rain. Everyone likes to complain about it, but I’ve always found it so soothing. I’m not necessarily dressed to get caught in the rain.
As more raindrops fall, I feel something warm brush along my cheek. Asher’s large hand cups my face, and his thumb gently wipes the first drop away.
He looks ready to say something, but then the sky opens up and begins to pour.