Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
His lips are soft.
Sweet.
Then gone.
His forehead falls against mine.
"I missed you, Asher," I mumble.
"Me too, New York. You have no idea."
If you asked me about the things I never expected to see in my lifetime my answers would include the obvious, like visiting outer space, or seeing pigs fly, or Asher Montgomery sitting on my living room floor in his pajamas, or the day I would think of him as just Asher. My Asher.
Mom and Dad filter out around midnight. Ben follows soon after.
We stay downstairs for a little while longer. Asher moves from the chair to the spot next to me on the couch. I rest my legs on his knees. We talk, and once we hear the footsteps above subside we head upstairs too.
"Are you gonna show me your room?"
"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you." I look over with a laugh to find him straight faced and serious.
"You're really going to make me sleep in the guest room?"
"Yep."
No.
"We've slept together before."
I don't respond.
"What about on your floor?"
"Nice try."
"Fine. I'll hang out for a few then go."
"I know your game."
"Do you now?" he bites his lip. "And you’re ready to turn me down again? Someone whose poster has been on your wall since you were fifteen?"
"Your poster has never-"
"Don’t lie."
"No funny business."
"Elle, have I ever-" he stops himself, realizing that he has.
"Be good." I confirm, watching the spark in his eye.
"Oh, I can be so good."
"You know what I mean," I roll my eyes.
"Truth?" He pauses. "It feels like forever since I’ve been in the same room as you. I won’t lie and tell you I’m not going to kiss you, and Elle, it's getting increasingly difficult to stop at just that."
Damn him.
"Second door on your left," I mumble.
Asher props himself on my bed. Right in the middle, so I have no choice but to lay close. I shut the door and crawl next to him. We settle above the covers as a quiet calm washes over us.
"Tell me something I don’t know."
"I started making plans to come here the day after I last saw you."
I nod, keeping my face even as I feel a warm flush spread to my cheeks.
"Shit I made you blush," he smiles. "Your turn."
"The first time you came over I ran up here and tore your posters off my walls."
He lets out a low chuckle.
"You’re supposed to tell me something I don't know."
"How'd you know?" I cross my arms.
"Dude," he rolls his eyes.
"Dude," I laugh.
"You were so obvious."
"Fine," I sigh. "Next."
"I'd like to open our envelopes."
"No way," I quickly reply.
What I wrote down can still scare him off. We're still in a weird place. I can lose him so easily.
"Okay," he swallows hard. "I respect that."
"I’m not sure I believe you."
"You make nothing easy, you know that?"
"I don't like the idea of you kissing anyone else."
Fuck I should have not said that out loud.
I'm too embarrassed to look over, especially as he doesn't respond.
More silence.
Oh god.
I finally glance his way, surprised to find him... smiling.
"You really ready to lay this all out on the table?"
I shrug.
"Ask me anything, New York."
"Are you with anyone right now?"
He obnoxiously stares. I roll my eyes.
"Contractually yes. Personally no."
"When was the last time you had sex?"
"Barbados."
"You're telling me you haven't had sex in almost three months?"
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
I stare.
"Okay, I get it," he sighs. "It's probably the longest I've gone in... possibly forever, but it's the truth."
"How many partners have you had?"
"At once or the total?"
"Nevermind."
He laughs.
Why don't you want to date me?
I don't ask.
"Your last kiss?"
"You."
"Before me," I roll my eyes.
"Sabrina. A few days ago. We were photographed at dinner. I haven't kissed anyone I wasn't contractually obligated to since I kissed you."
"What about the other night when you went out with Brad?"
"Spying on me?"
"No," I defend. "I can't help it if you're shoved in my face everywhere I look."
"I had a few drinks and hung out with friends. That's all, and you can ask Brad."
"Do my questions bother you?"
"No."
"Where does that leave you... us?"
"Here."
"And what do you think about here?"
"I think there's nowhere else I'd rather be," he looks around. "You know I've thought about you thinking of me. In this bed. My pictures everywhere."
"Of course you did," I roll my eyes. "How else could you possibly get off without pictures of yourself in the mix."
"You’re mocking me."
"Just a little."
Our stare locks.
"My turn?"
"Sure," I shrug.
"So your ex is the only person you've had sex with?"
"Yes," I flinch. "Why do you have that look? Are you going to make fun of me?"
"No," he makes a face like I'm being absurd. "It's actually adorable."
"Great," I mumble.
He thinks I'm adorable, like a friend. Not hot or anything good.
"It was meant to be a compliment. You take your relationships seriously. They mean a lot to you."
"Yours don't?"
"Never have before," he shrugs. "But this is still my turn," he smiles mischievously.