Page 52 of Wish You Were Mine

I felt a twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry.”

I’d been bitter at the time. Still hurting.

“It’s fine. I understood. But after that day, you didn’t seem to want anything to do with me, and anytime we talked, we ended up arguing.” He cupped my jaw with his strong, warm hands. “I’m tired of fighting with you.”

I gazed up into that face I’d admired so many times before. Rawness and vulnerability were carved into every line of his expression. “Then let’s not fight.”

“I’d like that.” His lips curved ever so slightly. “After tonight, there is absolutely no doubt left in my mind that I will never, ever see you as a surrogate sister again. I’m sorry for hurting you all those years ago. I wish I could take it back. I never meant to cause you pain.”

“You couldn’t know that your perspective would change,” I said, even though the voice in the back of my head was shouting that I’d spent endless stretches of time reliving that awful night and shouldn’t accept his apology. “The truth is, I thought I was an adult then, but I was still a teenager, and you were in your twenties. I understand why you reacted the way you did.”

He released a shuddering breath. “I’ll never forget how devastated you looked.”

I tilted my face toward him. “Perhaps not, but you can make new memories instead.”

Asher dipped his head toward me. His lips hovered, millimeters above mine, for what felt like an eternity before I stretched onto my toes and closed the distance between us. I rested my palms on his chest and shut my eyes, savoring the sensation of his soft mouth against mine.

He exhaled and took hold of my hips. I breathed in his air, giddy from the knowledge that something which had been inside him seconds ago was now inside me. There was an intimacy to exchanging breath that nothing else could rival.

Or so I thought until he groaned and pulled me flush against his body. My nerve endings danced everywhere we touched, and I could barely think straight as he tilted his head to access my mouth more fully.

A floorboard squeaked behind us, and I leapt out of Asher’s arms, scooting backward until we were at least six feet apart. I froze, expecting the door handle to turn any second, but it didn’t.

Across from me, Asher was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He didn’t pay any attention to the noise outside though. He was completely focused on me.

“Summer—”

“Hold on,” I said. “I need to check to make sure no one is listening.”

I couldn’t deal with someone overhearing our conversation, and I was eighty percent sure someone was lingering just beyond the door. I crossed the room, opened the door and slowly pushed it outward, careful so as not to ram it into anyone who might be on the other side.

The hallway was empty. I looked left and right, and for some ridiculous reason, even glanced up at the roof, but no one was there.

“Weird. I was so sure…” I trailed off.

“Are you okay?” he asked from directly behind me.

I flinched, startled by his proximity. “Fine. I just thought I heard something.”

“So did I. But whoever it was is gone. Come back inside. We need to finish this conversation.”

I returned to the office and shut the door. I walked as far from the door as possible, hoping to prevent anyone from listening in.

“What is this?” I asked, gesturing between us. “Are you going to say that kiss was a mistake?”

“No.” He rushed over and took my hand. “I would never say that. You could never be a mistake.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted it badly. But I also knew that he could easily change his mind with a little time to think, so by going along with him now, I’d be opening myself up for a world of hurt.

I chose my words carefully. “I’d love for there to be something between us, but you’ve been very hot and cold with me lately. I need to be sure you’re serious before we go any further.”

25

ASHER

My phone buzzed with an incoming message just as I returned from my last callout of the day. My shift was officially over as of ten minutes ago and I was looking forward to getting home and relaxing. I drew my phone out of my pocket and read the text awaiting me.

Summer: Can you come to the clinic as soon as you get off work? It’s important.

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