Page 44 of The Influencer

I take a step, but he moves to block me.

I look up at him, expecting something awkward to come spilling forth from his sexy mouth but he actually doesn’t say anything.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“I, um…”

I fold my arms over my chest and lean against the wall while gazing up at him with impatient expectation.

“Olivia’s here.”

I lift a brow. This just got interesting. “You’re terrible at following advice,” I say. “Does anyone ever tell you that?”

“Everyone. Yes.”

“Do I get to meet her?” I ask.

“Do you want to?”

Grinning, I say, “It would make my night.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m curious to know how she forged the iron chain you seem to be wearing around your neck.”

“Hilarious.”

I shrug.

“You’re gonna make this weird, aren’t you?” he asks.

He earns a smirk for that. “I’m going to make it fun.”

“Fun for me?”

“Oh, I couldn’t care less about you, I’m here to enjoy myself.”

He narrows his amber gaze at me. “Mmhm.”

I love it. Those deep sounds he makes. They give me chills, I swear. I look up at him, trying not to seem too attracted, and I almost think he’s about to lean in, but he clears his throat instead.

Fine. “Well, hurry up,” I tell him. “Let’s go meet the prison guard.”

He shoves me out of the way, but it’s more playful than rough, and then slams the door behind him. I wait, and while I do, I pull a ponytail holder out of one of my many pockets and tie my hair back to show off the remains of his hickey.

I don’t even care how my hair looks, and if that’s not a first, I don’t know what is.

Asher startles when he finds me still in the hallway waiting for him but then takes a deep breath and gets moving again. I match his stride, and we head out the back door. “You must really trust me,” I say.

“How do you figure?” he asks.

“You haven’t once made me swear not to say anything about the other night.”

“I believe in fate and free will.”

“Huh. Fascinating.”

“I like your hair like that, by the way,” he says.

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