“Haven’t you ever hugged someone before?” I say. “You’re supposed to put your arms around me.”
Asher clears his throat, then slowly circles his arms around my back.
“Now squeeze a little," I prompt, trying not to laugh at the weirdness of having to give instructions on how to hug.
When I pull my face back to look up at him though, my smile drops and my stomach falls to my feet. His face is stone, completely blank and unreadable in a way I’ve never seen before.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I stumble a little as I pull back, and his hand darts out to catch my arm, steadying me. “I didn’t mean, if you don’t like to be touched, I should have asked?—”
“It’s fine," he says.
My hands twist in the hem of my shirt as my eyes dart around the room, looking at anything but him.
“Right, well. Um, thank you. For the tips, they worked. Obviously. So uh, I’ll just finish getting ready then.”
I ignore the tingles as I grab my clothes and sprint into the bathroom.
After work,I buy some tacos and horchata on my walk back to the hotel. Asher isn’t around, so I settle into the sole chair at the desk-turned-table. I send him a quick “where are you” text before unwrapping a potato taco and taking a deliciously massive bite.
I groan at the flavors exploding on my tongue.
“Should I give you a moment alone with your taco?”
I catapult out of the seat as I splutter bits of potato and cheese onto the desk.
“Stars, what is wrong with you?” I shriek. “Why do you always have to sneak up on me like that?”
His chuckle is infuriating, yet it somehow melts the irritationstraight out of me until I feel like a soft puddle of goo, waiting to be squished.
It doesn’t take him long.
“Seriously, you should really get your ears checked. I’ve never met a shifter so oblivious to the world around them," he says, and there goes the sweet, melty feeling. Anger surges back in until fire is burning behind my eyes. There’s plenty wrong with me, I already know I’m the most messed up shifter in the universe—he doesn’t have to point it out.
“You’re a jerk.” I turn my back on him and grab a handful of napkins from the to-go bag. My movements are jerky as I wipe down the table and pick up pieces of half-chewed tortilla from the floor.
“Hey,” he says, a trashcan moving into view as he places it closer. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be a jerk.”
I huff. I consistently remind myself he’s not a good guy, and despite that, I still nearly forgot. He’s been getting under my skin lately, and I don’t want him there.
Liar.
“Honestly.” He reaches a hand toward me, but stops before making contact. “I’m not sure what about that upset you, but I didn’t mean anything by it. I was joking.”
“Well, it wasn’t funny," I say.
“I can see that now. I won’t say it again.”
I narrow my eyes as I turn to look at him, searching for any hint of a lie, but he seems earnest.
“Okay.” I slump back into the chair. “You want a taco? I’ve got potato and shrimp.”
“I’m good, but we should practice again when you’re done," he says, then settles onto the floor in his blanket nest, scrolling through his phone while I finish my meal.
I can’t stop my eyes from flickering over him. He’s got this intense aura that pulls my attention, and the more I try to ignore it, the harder it gets to do so. Finally, I ball up mywrappers and toss them into the trash, then stand and take the two steps necessary to get to our make-shift practice area still set up from this morning.
“Start with breathing,” he says, “then we can try some muscle relaxation.”
I follow his lead again, first breathing together, then tensing and relaxing various muscles throughout my body. I feel more relaxed than I have in ages afterwards, but it’s too early to reasonably go to bed yet.
