Page 10 of Midnight Moon
I was quick to set him straight. “Oh, no.” I shook my head. “You’ve got it all wrong.”
A dark brow lifted. “Is that so?”
I mimicked his expression, lifting my own eyebrow. “Yes, that is so.”
My reply earned another smile. Again, it did funny things to me.
The silence between us hung heavy, and I found myself unable to let it settle.
“Chase is talking to my best friend.” I motioned to the couple. My fresh glass of beer sat in front of Chase, completely forgotten. “Now it’s going to be even longer before I can get out of here.”
“You want to leave?”
I told myself I imagined the hint of disappointment in his voice.
“Yes,” I answered, but I felt an unusual compulsion to explain, “I’m leaving town tomorrow and want to get a good night’s sleep before my flight.”
“Where are you going?”
“Montana.” I didn’t consider feeding him another lie. I couldn’t see the harm in sharing that small truth.
“Ah.” A knowing gleam flickered across his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “What’s in Montana?”
“Work.”
“What kind of work?”
“The work kind of work.”
Asher rocked back on his heels. “All right, I get it. It’s none of my business.”
“I’m just a private person,” I offered, hoping to lessen the sting of my response. Now that Asher wasn’t acting like an ass, I wasn’t eager to come off as rude.
“No worries,” Asher reassured me. “It’s smart not to share personal information with strangers.” He gave me another one of his affecting smiles.
“What have you done with the Asher who was here five minutes ago?” Honestly, the change in his demeanor was almost alarming.
His laugh was loud and deep. If I thought his smiles were disarming, his laugh was devastating.
I crossed my arms, fighting the urge to lift my lips as well. “What’s so funny?”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.” Chase returned with Stephanie in tow. He held out a beer. “Sorry I took so long. I got distracted.” He shot Stephanie a flirtatious grin which my friend absolutely devoured.
She gently nudged me with her hip. “Blair, why were you keeping this stud all to yourself?”
It took everything within me not to roll my eyes. “If I remember correctly, you were a little preoccupied.”
“I’m never too preoccupied to meet new friends,” she said with a laugh, swinging her attention between Chase and Asher before her eyes locked on the latter. Her jaw fell open. “Whoa. You’re gorgeous.”
Mother Moon…
Kill me now.
“Stephanie,” I stepped forward, hoping to move us past my friend’s complete lack of verbal filter. “This is Asher. He and Chase are visiting from out of town.”
“Oh?” My friend donned her most enticing smile, batting her thick lashes. Chase was completely forgotten. “Where are you from?”
“Alaska,” he answered in a clipped tone. The easygoing Asher from moments ago had disappeared. In his place was the surly man I first met.
