Page 66 of Bleeding Hearts

With one last soft press of his lips against mine, Asher slowly pulls away, resting his forehead against mine. Neither of us says anything, just holding each other close and embracing the moment.

“In case it wasn’t obvious, I like you too. ‘More than a friend’ like you. Like a lot.” He repeats my earlier words back to me and I smile up at him. “I had a whole speech planned. I was going to apologize, tell you how I really feel, tell you that I want to be with you. I decorated this whole fucking room, which you haven’t even noticed yet because as soon as we walked in, you started talking. And I was trying to tell you, but you wouldn’t let me so I just…”

“You just kissed me,” I say, and he nods. “Do you regret it?” I ask.

“Fuck no.” His response is immediate. “Never.”

“Me either.” I smile up at him softly. “Wait, you decorated the room?” I pull away from him as the words process in my head.

I turn away from him, walking farther into the room and stop dead in my tracks as I see what I missed when I first came in.

Pink rose petals are spread across the bed, a vase of the same flowers is on the nightstand next to it. A second vase sits on the opposite nightstand, but this one is filled with the red lollipops I love so much.

“I know I want to be with you, Demi. I’ve known longer than I care to admit to myself. I just wanted that moment when we decided that together to be special.”

“This is probably the kindest thing a man has ever done for me.” A small laugh falls from my lips as tears fill my eyes. “I’ve never needed special though, Ash. I just need you.”

“Well, you’ve got me. In fact, you’re stuck with me.” He walks up to me where I’m standing in front of the bed. He turns me to face him, wrapping his arms around my lower back and pulling me into him. “You’re mine now, Demi Rhodes.”

“Promise?” I smile up at him. I lift onto my tippy-toes, bringing my lips within an inch of his.

“Promise,” he whispers just before his lips press against mine.

CHAPTERTWENTY

Asher

Her lips move in tandem with mine, soft and slow. We take our time exploring each other in a way that we never have.

Her mouth tastes like cherries, probably from all the lollipops she’s always sucking on, and her taste explodes on my tongue.

I knew from the second I kissed her that I’d never want to kiss another person again. I honestly knew it before I kissed her, but the way her mouth molded to mine and her body melted into me just confirmed it.

I have a past, and it’s not a secret that I’ve been with a lot of women. Yet a thousand nights with other women couldn’t compare to a single kiss with Demi.

She’s fucking perfect.

I wrap my arms under her thighs, lifting her without ever breaking my lips from hers.

I bring us down onto the bed, pulling her on top of me. She lets me, straddling me as she continues kissing me. We stay that way for a long time. Neither of us rushes for anything more, just kissing each other until I’m sure both our lips have turned red and puffy.

Then she moves. Just a small shift of her hips, rubbing right over where my cock is straining to get out of my jeans. She freezes as she feels it, pausing on top of me and pulling her lips away from mine.

“Dem, we don’t have to do anything that you’re not ready for,” I say, reassuring her that I’m just happy kissing her. That I don’t need anything more. “We can take this slow.”

“I know,” she says, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip as she looks down at me. “I want to do more. I mean, I really want to. It’s just…” Her words trail off.

“Just what?” I reach up, cradling her face in my hand.

“I’m not very good at it.” She looks away from me, a red blush crawling up her chest and cheeks.

“Not very good at what exactly?” I look up at her, confused.

“Sex,” she mumbles. Her eyes move back to meet mine, scared, vulnerable, but underneath it all, still full of desire.

Her response is the last thing I expected, and it makes me hate whoever put that idea in her head. Part of me wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but I also want to respect her feelings since it’s obviously something that’s bothering her.

“Demi, baby, I can assure you that’s not possible.” I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “Why would you think that?”

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