Page 54 of Bleeding Hearts

“Thank you, Henry.” Asher takes the room keys from his hand.

“Thanks, Henry.” I smile, following Asher to the elevators.

We take the elevator to the fifth floor, finding our room at the end of the hallway on the left. I grab a key card from Asher, holding it up to the sensor and unlocking the door. I push it open and step inside, holding it open for him to follow with the luggage.

The room is overall what you expect from a standard hotel room. A small vanity and sink area with a separate door for the toilet and shower, a closet, a dresser, a desk, a TV, mini-fridge and chair in the corner. And then a single king-size bed in the center.

“Don’t worry, I’ll sleep on the floor,” Asher says, and I look over to where he’s dropping the luggage down next to the chair.

“Don’t be ridiculous. The bed is huge. We can both fit with plenty of space,” I squeak out, my voice a pitch higher than I intend it to be.

“Are you sure?” he asks, skeptical.

“Absolutely,” I lie through my teeth.

It’s going to be a long fucking weekend.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

Asher

I won’t lie and say the idea of sleeping next to Demi doesn’t excite me. I offered to sleep on the floor, but every part of me was hoping that she’d tell me not to.

And then she did.

I felt a sense of relief wash over me first, and then excitement, and then nervousness.

I’ve never been nervous to sleep next to a woman, but Demi is different.

She’s not just any woman. She’sthewoman.

Even if it’s something I never thought I wanted, I can’t deny that I want her.

Not anymore.

After we settle in the room, Demi changes and fixes herself—her words, not mine—to go downstairs and check in for the convention. I offer to go with her since I figure she’ll be standing in line for a while, but she shoos me off, so I tell her to text me when she’s done.

She leaves the room in a hurry after that and I follow shortly after, opting to explore the hotel while I wait.

I walk around the hotel, checking out the two restaurants, the bar, and the outdoor garden area that leads to the waterfront.

It’s fancy and extremely nice, but I expected no less than that for what I paid. Not that I’d be telling Demi the price.

I don’t mind spending the money, especially when it’s for her.

It’s weird being here with Demi, and by here, I mean Portland.

Demi and I haven’t discussed our pasts much, or at all, really, so unless she’s asked Kade, which I doubt she has, she doesn’t know I grew up here.

My family still lives here, and I visit when I can, although I don’t always look forward to it. That’s a whole other dumpster fire.

I didn’t tell my parents I was going to be here this weekend for a couple of reasons.

The first, because they’d latch on to the idea of me and Demi so hard, I don’t think the strongest person alive would be able to rip it from their hands. Second, they’d insist we stay with them, even though it’s easier to be in the hotel where the convention is.

A full weekend with my parents. That would be a hard no.

And third, I honestly just don’t think I’m up for the level of exhaustion it would bring to deal with them. I love them both, but they’re a lot.

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