Page 65 of Bleeding Hearts

I let out a sigh of relief as they begin to close, but it’s short-lived when I see a hand shove through the opening, halting the doors.

The doors reopen and I see Asher standing there, a pissed-off look on his face. I turn away from him as he steps into the elevator.

“Did you get my text?” he asks, as the doors close behind him, leaving the two of us alone.

“Yup,” I say, not offering him anything else.

“Then why the fuck are you running away from me, Demi? Can we just talk, please?” he begs.

“You looked busy with your friend in the lobby. You know, the blonde one who you were practically carrying?” My voice is cold.

Maybe I’m being petty, or maybe I’m making assumptions, but seeing him with another woman triggered something in me. When I saw her hands on him, I felt jealous, which isn’t a feeling I’m accustomed to feeling. It isn’t a feeling a man has ever made me feel. I fucking hate it.

“The drunk blonde who practically fell on top of me, that I had to walk over to the concierge just so she could get back to her room?” he seethes.

“Oh,” I say, suddenly feeling stupid for my reaction. All the anger I felt just seconds ago fades away, realizing I jumped to a conclusion that isn’t anywhere near the truth.

“Yeah, oh,” he mimics. “God, you are fucking impossible. You know that?” He runs his hand through his mussed-up hair.

“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling defeated.

Suddenly, all I want to do is just talk to him. To clear the air and figure out what’s next for us. If there is an us.

“No, I’m sorry.” He sighs. He pulls a red lollipop out of the bag, handing it to me and I can’t help the smile that immediately finds my face. “Can we talk?”

“Yeah.” I nod just as the elevator doors open.

I follow him out of the elevator, both of us walking in silence toward the room. My heart pounds in my chest as I anticipate what’s to come. I know that this is the moment. This is where we’re finally honest with each other about what’s going on.

I don’t know that I’m ready for it, but still, it’s here and I can’t avoid it anymore.

He opens the door to the room for me, and I barely step inside before I turn to face him. The door slams closed behind him, and he opens his mouth to speak, but I start before he can.

“Listen, about earlier. I’m just confused, okay? You can lie to me all you want, but I know you feel what’s happening here. Things are changing.”

“Demi,” he tries to interrupt me, but I keep going.

“No, just let me finish. I’ll be the one to admit it, okay? To say what we both already know. I like you, Asher. ‘More than a friend’ like you. Like a lot. And half of the time, I’m pretty sure you feel the same, but then you do things like you did earlier and I don’t kn—”

His lips crush against mine. I freeze for only a second before I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him back like it’s what I’ve been waiting for all my life.

His lips are soft but demanding against my own, and I feel myself falling further into him with every gentle touch.

Fireworks explode behind my eyes as he slips his tongue over the seam of my lips. A moan crawls its way up my throat, my lips opening slightly and allowing him inside.

My body molds to his as I press myself into him, desperate to get closer. Desperate for more.

Asher kisses me like nobody else ever has. With just his lips against my own, he makes me feel worshiped.

When I was younger, I used to love princess movies. Every shooting star I saw, I’d wish for my prince to come find me. I’d wish for true love’s kiss.

I grew up and realized fairy tales aren’t real life, but a part of me still always believed my prince was out there. I kissed boys who turned out to be frogs in disguise, but never anyone who proved that a kiss could be more than something physical.

This kiss, right here with Asher, is more.

It’s physical, emotional, otherworldly. It’s everything I imagined being kissed by a prince would be. It’s everything I wished for as a little girl.

It’s more than I wished for.

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