Page 45 of Asher's Assignment

Esther grasped his hand to steady him as he got to his feet. His right foot shot out, throwing him off balance again. Her smaller stature—and the fact that she was on skates—was no match for his heavier mass.

With a shriek, she went down, landing with her face buried in his lower abdomen, and her hand in the apex of his right thigh.

A sharp wolf-whistle came from behind them.

“You go, girl!”

Esther glanced up in time to see Liv skate past, a wide smile on her face.

Asher laughed.

“It’s not funny.” She pushed back, her hand brushing his crotch.

His laughter died, and his brown eyes turned molten. Esther paused, ensnared in his gaze.

“You guys need help?”

Esther blinked and looked back. A roller rink employee had skated up to them and now stared down at them with a concerned frown on his pimply face.

She cleared her throat and moved away from Asher, but didn’t get up yet. “No, we’re fine. Just lost our balance.”

The teenager gave her a thumbs up and skated away.

Esther closed her eyes and took a breath, trying to corral her wayward hormones. They wanted to find out more about that bulge she’d inadvertently touched. Now wasn’t the time or place for that. She wasn’t sure there was one, but it sure as hell wasn’t now.

Getting a foot under herself, she pushed to her feet, then spun around and offered Asher a hand. “Don’t pull me down this time.”

He took it, changing the way he situated his feet to give himself a better foundation. “I’ll try not to.”

She tipped her ankles inward, creating a wedge shape to help stabilize them, and held on as he hauled himself up.

Almost upright, his left foot rolled. Esther grabbed his shirt and pulled him close. He put a hand on her hip, steadying them both.

Her nose landed in the crook of his neck and shoulder. She couldn’t help herself and took a deep breath. His spicy male scent filled her senses. Heat suffused her face and pricked her scalp. She bit her lip so she wouldn’t bite the tendon millimeters from her mouth.

His low, strangled growl rumbled through her chest, not helping her situation.

“These things have a mind of their own.”

“They sure do,” she muttered. Her hormones were certainly screaming loudly in her head.

“I’m glad I didn’t get rollerblades like you.”

Esther blinked. Rollerblades? Some of the fog cleared from her mind. He’d been talking about the skates. Not that his hormones had a mind of their own.

More heat flooded her cheeks, but for a different reason this time. What was she thinking? Asher was just trying to learn to skate. He didn’t need her sniffing him and wondering what it would be like to stroke the wicked devil in his pants.

She pushed back, breaking out of his hold. “Me too. I’m not sure we’d ever get you off the floor.” Skating backwards, she beckoned him forward. “Come on. Get your sea legs under you again.” She very much wanted to just skate away, but it wasn’t an option. He’d just follow her. So, she figured it was best to distract them both.

“Teach me how to do that.”

“What? Skate backwards?”

“Yes.”

Smirking, Esther skated further away, executing a quick spin. “I’m not sure you’re ready. You did just crash trying to go around a bend.”

“Because I was going too fast. I can handle slow.” Asher pushed off, coming after her.

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