Page 80 of Bleeding Hearts

“So I’m your first.” I smile up at him.

“Yeah, I guess you are.” He smiles back.

“Shit, you don’t think your parents heard us, right?”

“I sure as fuck hope not. But if they did, we’ll know as soon as we wake up, trust me.” He threads his fingers through my hair, pulling me further into his chest. “Get some sleep.” He places a kiss on the top of my forehead, something I’m quickly learning is one of his favorite things to do.

“Good night, Ash,” I say.

“Good night, Dem,” he whispers.

It's barely any time at all before my eyes flutter shut and I feel the exhaustion of the day take over. Sleep has never come easy for me, but with Asher next to me, it’s almost instant. It’s easier.

And I’m starting to realize that with him, just about everything is.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Asher

I wake up to my two favorite things. Demi wrapped in my arms and the smell of my mom’s homemade cinnamon rolls. Demi’s got my mom beat on cooking on every level, but those cinnamon rolls will always hold a place in my heart.

Strangely enough, they were one of the few things I could stomach during chemo. So, I took advantage of it and ate them for practically every meal. I’m surprised the oven didn’t break with how much use it got from my mom baking them.

“Morning,” Demi mumbles, stretching out next to me.

“Morning, beautiful.” I smile down at her.

“What smells so good?” she asks, sitting up next to me in bed.

She’s dressed in one of my T-shirts that fits her more like a dress, her face is free of makeup, and her hair a wild mess sticking up every which way, yet she looks fucking perfect.

Nobody is supposed to look that good when they wake up, yet she does. I can’t help but stare at her, trying to sear the picture into my brain so I’ll never forget it.

That’s how I’ve always been with her, never wanting to forget a single moment that I spend with her.

“My mom’s cinnamon rolls,” I say, sitting up next to her. “She makes them every time I’m home because they’re my favorite.”

“I thought my food was your favorite.” She pouts like a child, standing from the bed and walking over to her suitcase to get more clothes out.

“It is, baby.” I laugh. “My mom’s cinnamon rolls are a close second though.” I walk up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her into me. “You better hurry up and get dressed so we can head downstairs. If you stay dressed only in my shirt for any longer, I’m gonna end up eating myactualfavorite meal before we make it downstairs,” I whisper in her ear.

Shivers rack through her body and I laugh as I pull away, walking into the bathroom to brush my teeth. She hits me with an annoyed look for teasing her before moving back to pulling clothes from her suitcase.

We both go about getting dressed and ready, packing up our things before heading downstairs.

“Good morning, lovelies.” My mom smiles at the two of us as we walk into the kitchen from where she’s standing behind the counter.

My dad nods his good morning from the couch in the family room next to the kitchen before turning back to watch the news, coffee mug in hand.

“Good morning.” Demi smiles politely.

“Morning,” I add.

“I just finished frosting the cinnamon rolls.” She reaches out, placing a tray of a dozen cinnamon rolls in front of us. “Can I get either of you some coffee?” she asks.

“I’d love a cup, please, if you don’t mind,” Demi says.

“Of course not, sweetheart. Coming right up. Ash?” She turns to me.

---