“Where are you taking me?”
Asher turned around, walking backwards and it was amazing he didn’t trip on anything. The sun caught his golden hair and his eyes twinkled.
“You’ll see,” he said.
I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest. He grinned and held out a hand to me.
“Come on, I promise you’ll like it.”
I couldn’t help the smile that pulled at the corner of my lips, as I reached out to take his hand. He stopped walking and pulled me towards him, into his chest.
“You know, I lamented about having wasted so much time not kissing you, and yet I haven’t done it since…”
“Something’s wrong with you.” I said simply, teasingly.
“Honestly, it’s all I think about sometimes. It’s all I’ve thought about for a long time.” He whispered.
“You still haven’t kissed me,” I breathed.
His eyes sparkled and then his lips were on mine and just like the first time, it felt like fireworks, like sparks flying and I was giddy.
I don’t know when I started thinking of Asher in any other way, other than just my best friend. We hadn’t really talked about it. After we’d kissed that first time, it was like we kind of ignored it, but also didn’t…it was weird.
It was like, we’d regressed in some ways, but he was suddenly finding any excuse to touch me—just simple things, simple touches. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t dreamt of more. He’d been on my brain more and more and more and it was honestly starting to drive me a bit mad. This need and want for him.
I pressed myself closer to him and one of his arms tightened around my waist as the other came up to cup my jaw. I could’velived in that kiss, the feel of him, but it wasn’t long before he was pulling back. I opened my eyes to his grin and he took my hand and started walking again.
“I think I’d rather just stand around and kiss you than hike,” I said.
“While that sounds like a fantastic idea, and I definitely want to do that with you—I do have something planned and I promise Aimes, you’re going to love it.”
My whole body warmed at the nickname. Before Asher I had always been Aimee, no one—not even Orion—had given me a nickname. But Asher came barreling into my life, and decided that Aimee was too much of a mouthful, and shortened. And I loved it.
I tried to call him Ash, and he’d chased me around the rink until I couldn’t breathe because I was laughing so hard. He never told me why he didn’t like Ash, but I respected his wishes after he’d finally caught me and flung me over his shoulder.
Gripping his hand tighter, I quickened my pace so I was walking beside him, and he shortened and slowed his stride so my shorter legs could keep up. I watched as he lifted our clasped hands to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of mine.
“We wasted so much time,” I whispered.
“We have the rest of our lives,” he said, softness in his gaze.
It was another 15 minutes before we reached whatever destination Asher had planned. I sucked in a sharp breath and the frozen lake stretched out ahead of us. It wasn’t huge, but it was stunning.
“I’ve been planning this for weeks, trying to time it right. I’ve been talking to park rangers almost daily—hell, I begged Brennan for today, so I could bring you here.”
My head snapped in his direction.
“You begged Brennan?”
“Yeah, I’ll be doing speed drills for the next month, but it’s worth it to see your face right now.”
“I’ve always wanted to?—”
Asher cut me off. “Always wanted to skate on a frozen lake. I know.”
I squealed and threw myself at him, wrapping my arms and legs around him and holding him tight.
“Wait, I don’t have skates,” I said, cold realization dousing my excitement.
