“Okay then. What do you want to talk about?”
A giddy grin lights up my face. I have so many questions. He narrows his eyes when he sees it, but I dive in before he can back out.
“How old are you?” I ask, and his eyes widen.
“Oh, so we’re doing that are we? Right.” Asher straightens in his seat, pushing his shoulders back like he has to brace himself for the “get to know each other” conversation. “I’m twenty-eight.”
I try not to balk, but he doesn’t look twenty-eight. I didn’t realize he was so much older than me. I would have guessed he was only a couple years older, something around twenty-five, maybe twenty-six at most.
“Oh, cool," I say, cringing at how lame that sounds. “And your parents?”
At this, his face closes. I can practically feel the wall as it slams down between us, shutting him away from me. I frown at the reaction; I didn’t think that was a particularly invasive question. Vampires can live decades longer than humans, and I was curious if his parents were older than mine, what time period they might have grown up in, that kind of thing.
“Never mind, I don’t actually care how old they are," I say,waving my hand to clear the air and quickly trying to backpedal.
“What do you do for fun?”
Asher clears his throat, visibly trying to reconnect, and I soften at the effort he’s putting into being present and engaged.
“I like to run," he says, and I snort a laugh. “Why is that funny?”
“It’s just, I mean. Run like a human, or run like you did at the hotel? Because that can hardly be classified as running.”
He smirks at this, another layer of the wall between us crumbling.
“I like to run like a human,” he gives me a pointed look, “on human running trails. Though I do also like the occasional vampire-speed run. I’ve been enjoying Forest Park lately, northwest of the city. Have you been?” he asks.
“Oh, yeah! Only a couple times, but it has some really pretty trails. I didn’t take you for the outdoorsy type.”
“What type did you take me for?” he asks, and I bite my lip in response. He notices, and he leans into my space for a brief moment before sitting back again, that predatory look flitting in and out of his eyes.
I will my heart to calm. It’s truly ridiculous how he can wind me up in a matter of moments. The pilot announces we’ll be arriving in Portland soon, and that snaps me back into reality.
“So.” I stop, looking down at my hands as I twist my fingers together, wondering if he’s thought about what this is between us, especially considering we’re coworkers.
Asher reaches over and takes one of my hands, threading his fingers through mine, and I freeze at the gesture. We’ve been incredibly intimate, but this feels different. This feels intimate in a new way. A close, affectionate way.
My eyes dart up to hisserious face.
“So?” he says, prompting me to continue.
“Um,” I look back down at our entwined fingers. “What are we going to do about us? When we get back.”
“I already looked into PNCG policies. I’d like to talk to HR, see if we can fill out the forms that indicate we’re seeing each other, if you’d be open to that.”
I flash a grin and my skin tingles. “I like that idea.”
“Me too.” His lips quirk at the corners again, seemingly unable to resist answering whenever I smile at him.
“Sooooo.” I look down at my lap again, tapping my fingers against the back of his. “Does this mean we’re together then?”
Asher doesn’t answer until I meet his gaze.
“Yes, if you’ll have me," he says. “Raya, can I take you out on a real date?”
A smile whips across my face as I nod in agreement. I tuck one arm around his biceps and lean my head against his shoulder, snuggling in and biting my lip when he softly kisses the top of my forehead. I close my eyes, content now that I have a real life daydream to focus on for the rest of the flight.
21
