“And now you’re, what? Dating?” Livie demands.
“No,” we both say in unison.
“I’m confused.”
“I’ll let you take this one,” Asher says smoothly, stepping behind me like I’m the official spokesperson for . . . whatever this is.
I let out a breath. “We’re friends. That’s all. New friends, if you will.”
Livie looks at us skeptically but doesn’t say anything as her husband says, “Come on, shortie. Let them be. You and I should give them some space, yeah?”
She considers him but eventually lets out a defeated breath. “Fine!” Her fingers go up to her eyes, and she mimics pointing them at Asher. “I’m keeping my eyes on you, though. Be nice to my girl.”
“Only way I know how to be,” he mentions, kissing the top of my head and making me stand straighter.
That little act of affection will be the death of me.The death of me.
“As we were saying.” I turn around and land on his chest as he sways us to whatever song is playing. “When do we stop this? Us?”
“When one of us feels like it. Either this stops serving us, or we want more than what the other person could give,” he declares. “Our relationship?—”
“Is this what this is?” I interrupt.
He pinches his nose but doesn’t stop swaying us. “It is a relationship. A relationship is a way two things are connected. Inour case, two people. We have a purpose, maintain a friendship at a distance, offer companionship, and enjoy our company once a year. One could call it a contract, if you think about it.”
“A contract. So sexy.” It comes out of my mouth playfully, but I believe in the truth behind those words wholeheartedly. Clear boundaries and guidelines are sexy. They are hot.
“Isn’t that what marriage is? A legal binding document for a relationship?” When you think about it that way, I guess it is. I nod. “Except I’m not asking to marry you. I’m asking that if the stars align and the seasons change, we keep this up for as long as it serves us both.”
This was not on my to do list, but I can’t deny myself the pleasure or how easy this fits into my current everyday life. I could stand, or dance here, I guess, overthinking every one of these words, dissecting his proposal to see if there’s a way we can perfect it even more, but really, this sounds as productive as anything else could be right now. And maybe knowing I will have his body every year will appease my brain a little more in the in-betweens. Maybe I’ll stop craving him as much as I did this year. If there’s something I’m good at, it’s controlling a situation. He’s allowing me to control all the variables here, and I like it.
“Sounds like a plan,” I agree. He twirls me around and continues dancing with me until my feet hurt, until we double over from laughing and getting to know each other little by little. In between learning his favorite color is black like his soul or that he only feels alive at sea, I’ve found I like Asher Hunter and all the parts of himself he shares. Even more than I liked getting into bed with him last year.
The shrimp drop passes, and after hugging everyone and their mother, we leave the gala with our bellies and our hearts full, our heads spinning from fizzy drinks and wine. At least mine are. I don’t remember the last time he actually drank anything other than water. We drive down the street until he’sparked at the beach parking lot. He steps out of the car, running to my side before I can open the door.
“I can open my own doors, Ash,” I all but groan. His thick, dark brows furrow as he stands there with no shoes, in just his shirt and pants. “When did you take your shoes off?”
“In the past five minutes, when we were just sitting here in the parking lot and you were busy rambling about the decline of grammar in text messages.” We both chuckle. Okay, I might be a little tipsy. “And I know youcanopen your own doors, but you should let me open them for you. You should let me do my job.”
“This is 2028 now, Asher. Fuck the patriarchy!” I shout at the top of my lungs.
“You allowing me to take care of you is not embracing the patriarchy. You can be a feminist and allow others to take care of you.”
His eyes are dark and enticing and perfect, and I want to take them home with me.
“I don’t know who fucked with your brain so much that you think if you’re not the one taking care of people all the time, it will break you.”
“I never said anything of the sort,” I fight back.
He shakes his head and chuckles. “You didn’t have to. It’s obvious, especially after everything you said today.”
“Explain.” I cross my arms over my chest as a loud hiccup escapes my lips.
Asher smiles at that. “That was cute.”
I roll my eyes and cover my mouth with my hands, as if it will do anything to contain the roar that comes out when I hiccup again. I’m a lion now, got it.
“Come on, let’s go for a walk, and I’ll tell you.”
