Page 151 of Outside The Wire

“Or going out in a snowstorm to find your girlfriend because you’re worried she’s stuck on the side of the road.”

“I get it, Holly,” I chuckled.

“And picking up Chinese food when your girlfriend is having a terrible day. Or kicking the ass of the man who tried to carjack her. Taking care of her when she kicked you out of the house.”

“I left,” I pointed out.

“Lining up her medication and then coming back in the middle of the night just to make sure she was okay.” She wrinkled her nose at me. “Are you starting to get the picture yet?”

I grunted in amusement. “I’m getting there.”

“Good. I couldn’t stand it if you thought you weren’t good enough, Asher.”

“As long asyouthink I’m good enough. That’s all I care about,” I said, sliding my hand into her hair at the nape of her neck. “I love you, Holly Bear.”

Her smile warmed me inside and out. “I love you, too, Asher Thrasher.”

I was about to kiss her, but pulled back. “Huh?”

“No good?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “I’m not even sure what to do with that.”

She shrugged. “Oh well. One of these days, I’ll come up with a nickname for you, and it’ll be really good.”

“Just don’t make it a sissy name.”

“Asher masher.”

“No.”

“Asher crasher.”

“It doesn’t have to rhyme.”

“Asher the disaster.”

“Seriously?”

“Asher lasher.”

“You can stop now,” I mumbled, going in to kiss her.

I sealed my lips over hers, but she continued to come up with names.

“Asher Bear.”

“You can’t steal mine,” I murmured, then kissed her hard and made her forget about making up a name for me.

37

HOLLY

“You’re buying a home together,but he hasn’t proposed yet? Don’t you think that’s a little odd?” my mother sighed as we prepared dinner.

“No, I don’t think it’s odd at all. We’ve discussed this multiple times. When he’s ready to propose, he will. He’s already told me he’s going to marry me. I’m not going to take the fun out of it by bugging him about his timing.”

“But the house?—”

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