He nods, but he doesn’t break our eye contact.
“Are there usually a lot of fires to fight on the Fourth?”Apparently, I’m interviewing him for the local news.
“Always at least one daredevil lighting something on fire with a homemade bottle rocket,” he offers.
“Sounds like a pain.”
“Just part of the job.” Asher takes another sip and his eyes study me as I look out to the yard.
He sighs as he sets his beer down, casually resting one big, inked hand against the counter. He points between us, giving me an upward nod. “What is this, Liv?”
“What do you mean?” I ask, my voice cracking at the end of the sentence.Perfect.
He watches me for a beat before slowly moving closer. There goes my damn heart rate again. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so nervous around a man in my life. But then again, every single thing in my life, especially when it comes to him, feels completely and utterly out of my control.
“We’re not gonna let what happened between us make things awkward.” His deep rasp settles the blood pounding through my veins to a slower pace. “Understand?”
“Y-yeah,” I say, looking up at him as his hand darts out to grab my cup, setting it down on the table, before he brings both to rest on my shoulders.
“We said we were friends, and that’s what we are.” His thumb grazes my bare arm just enough for my skin to begin to sizzle under it. “I’m not having any of this nervous Liv every time you’re around me.”
I watch his plush lips as he speaks, remembering what it feels like when they’re pressed to mine. How his beard felt as it tickled my face.
“You good?” he asks, cutting into the memory.
My eyes flit back to his. “Right. Yes.”
God, I am a total flake right now.
Asher’s broad palms slide the rest of the way down my arms, and he takes my hands in his.
“I don’t regret it,” he offers honestly. “Me neither,” I say, a heavy feeling settling in my womb, as if my body is screaming at me to tell him the truth.
“From now on, when we see each other, it’ll be just like it was before the wedding. Nothing’s changed.”
Everything has changed.
I can tell he senses my nervousness, and maybe he’d understand if I could just get the balls to blurt out why, but instead …
“I like to have a plan, always … and I didn’t plan that night,” I mutter.
“Aye, but sometimes life forces you to just live in the moment.”
I scoff. “I don’t live in the moment well.”
“But you are capable of it, Liv.”
“How do you know?” I ask, searching for any reassurance.
He leans in slightly and his delicious smell, how close he is to me, it all makes me temporarily dumb.
“Because I’ve seen you come, and there was no plan there.” His eyes search mine. “I’ve never seen you look so fucking pretty.”
I instantly blush with the idea of him watching me so intently that night.
“Friendsare honest.” His lips curve up as he fixes his still backward hat on his head. His arms flex as he backs up, and it’s so damn sexy.
I’m pregnant!
