Page 124 of Chasing Your Ghost

“That soon?” she asked, her eyes moving over the bandages covering his arms and the bruised and scabbed skin of his knuckles.

He shrugged. “All they needed to do was give me some blood and a few stitches. They’re amazed I didn’t get an infection.” His eyes lowered to her cheek, the muscle in his jaw jumping as he ground his teeth together. “I still can’t believe that bastard punched you.”

Riley rolled her eyes. “Yes, well, I’m more concerned over the fact that he kidnapped you, put you in a stasis spell—whatever the hell that is—cut you, and used your blood to replenish said spell. Punching me was the least of his sins.”

Asher’s lips pressed together. “Agree to disagree.”

She bit back another grin. “You’re very protective,” she informed him. In case it wasn’t entirely obvious.

“Is that a problem?” he asked, the corners of his eyes creasing with amusement.

“No,” she replied with a shake of her head. “In fact, I rather like it.”

“Good,” he said before lifting his hand, placing it at the back of her neck, and guiding her down until there was almost nothing separating them.

Riley closed the rest of the distance, brushing her lips over his and immediately feeling a jolt of pleasure running down her spine and all the way to her toes. Kissing Asher when he’d been unanchored from his body had nearly driven her mad with want, but it didn’t hold a candle to this. Everything, from the pressure of his lips to the way his fingers threaded through her hair and pressed her harder against him, felt more intense, more alive.

Warmth bloomed in her belly when his mouth grew more insistent. He parted her lips so his tongue could slip into her mouth and stroke against her own. Riley felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the sensations he was bringing to her body, and the way he groaned and clung to her tighter made her think he was no less affected.

Asher’s mouth consumed her, branded her. It left her heated and breathless, and she never wanted it to end.

So, of course, Chris and Ella chose that moment to return from the hospital cafeteria, their arms laden with food and drinks.

“Look, Ella, we’re getting dinner and a show,” Chris said, his voice entirely unwelcome.

Riley pulled away from Asher, hoping the warmth in her cheeks was taken as a sign of embarrassment and not as an extension of the heat that had bloomed in her core.

Chris grinned. “Didn’t mean to interrupt. We can leave if you want.”

“That would be great,” Asher replied.

Riley would have slapped his shoulder if he wasn’t covered in bandages. She settled on narrowing her eyes at him.

“What did you manage to scrounge up?” he asked his friends.

Chris approached the bed and let the food in his arms fall next to Asher’s legs. “The cafeteria was closed, so we raided the vending machines. We got your favorites. Cheese Doritos, Dr Pepper, and Skittles.”

Asher frowned. “You better mean M&M’s.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We got you M&M’s. The skittles are for me since they’re obviously the superior choice.”

“Riley, back me up here,” Asher said, already opening a bag of the multicolored candy-coated chocolates.

She smiled, thinking of the game of questions they had played while lying in Ella’s parents’ bed. “It’s true. M&M’s are better.”

“Heathens,” Chris said with a disgusted shake of his head.

“What about you, Ella?” Riley asked, noting the girl was quieter than usual and had retreated to the corner of the room after depositing her share of the loot on the other side of Asher’s legs.

“M&M’s, for sure,” she replied, but the smile she sent their way lacked any real shine.

Riley left Asher’s bedside and sidled up next to her. “You okay?” she asked in a whisper.

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Me too,” Riley admitted. She’d barely gotten any sleep the night before, and though it was only eight o’clock, she was more than ready for bed.

“Hey, you,” Asher called out, pointing at Riley. His smile was contagious. “Come get some food. You haven’t eaten in hours.”

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