Page 96 of The Backup

We sway to the music, and for the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe. She fits against me like she was made to, her warmth easing something raw inside me.

Then she leans up, her breath tickling my ear. “I don’t care who knows anymore.”

I pull back, staring at her in disbelief. “What?”

“I don’t care,” she says again, louder this time.

Before I can even process it, she’s pulling me down into a kiss, right there in front of everyone. Her lips are soft and insistent, and for a second, the world just…stops.

There’s a murmur of surprise around us, but I don’t care. Let them watch. Let Joe glare. None of it matters.

When we finally pull apart, her cheeks are flushed, her eyes shining.

“Let’s go upstairs,” she whispers, her voice breathless. “Please.”

I feel a grin spread across my face, my heart racing. “I thought you’d never ask.”

In front of the whole damn frat—and everyone else at the party, I take her hand and lead her to my room.

thirty-one

. . .

Asher

The door shuts behind us,muffling the sounds of the party downstairs. Sloane’s hand is still in mine, her grip firm but her touch soft. The second we’re alone, she steps closer, tilting her face up, and my lips crash into hers like I’ve been starving for her all night.

Her fingers thread through my hair, tugging just enough to make me groan against her mouth. Every nerve in my body is firing, but before things can go any further, I pull back, resting my forehead against hers.

“Wait,” I murmur, my breath uneven. “I want to talk about some things first.”

Her brows knit together, her lips still parted and swollen from our kiss. “Now?”

“Yeah. Now.” I take a step back, rubbing the back of my neck as I try to organize my thoughts. “Look, I’ve been thinking about us—about this—for weeks. And I just…I don’t want to mess it up.”

She blinks, clearly not expecting that. “Mess it up? Asher, what are you talking about?”

I gesture between us, my words tumbling out before I can second-guess them. “I mean this. You and me. Whatever we’re doing. I don’t want it to just be sneaking around or hookups or…I don’t know. I want more than that. I want you to be my girl. I want to parade you in front of the fucking campus, Sloane. Girlfriend. And honestly? I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. But…let’s just say I really like you, Sloane.”

Her mouth opens, then closes, like she’s searching for the right response.

“I know you’ve got grad school coming up,” I continue, my voice softer now. “And I know you’re scared about what’s next. But that’s next year’s problem, right? Why can’t we just…” I trail off, shaking my head. “Why can’t we just enjoy what we have now?”

Her gaze drops to the floor, and for a moment, she’s quiet. When she finally looks up, there’s a vulnerability in her eyes I’ve only seen once or twice before.

“I guess I’m scared,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. “Scared of getting too close and then losing it all when we have to go our separate ways.”

“Who says we have to go our separate ways?” I counter, stepping closer and taking her hands in mine. “You think I care about football? About any of this frat stuff? Sloane, I’m here for you. Not for all of that. In the scheme of things, I know where my priorities lie.”

She lets out a shaky laugh, her fingers tightening around mine. “You make it sound so simple.”

“Because it is,” I say, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I like you, Sloane. A lot. And I don’t care about all the other noise. I just want to be with you.”

She bites her lip, her gaze searching mine. “But what if?—”

“No ‘what ifs,’” I interrupt gently. “We figure it out as we go. Together.”

Her lips curve into a faint smile, and she takes a deep breath. “Okay.”

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