“Yes, yes. I just meant, you’re easy to be around. I don’t know when I’ve laughed so much with anyone.”
“Well, thank you. I feel the same. You’re not stuffy at all.” And because I couldn’t let it get so serious, I added, “I barely noticed when you had to take your teeth out at dinner.”
Luke stared a moment, then dropped his head back. “Ah, you little shit.”
“Yes, I’m that too.”
“Is that what will end this? Am I too old for you?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know I’m only playin’. I’d honestly forgotten we weren’t the same age. Or close enough, anyway.”
His smile remained for only a second longer before it slowly fell. “Ashley, we can’t … I can’t.”
“Is it because of your momma and what she wants?” I could suggest we be friends instead since it was clear we’d both had a great time, but that would mean I’d forever be Ashley to him. And to be honest with myself, I didn’t want to be his platonic friend.
He groaned. “God, if it were only that.”
I took a step away, which he didn’t like and stepped closer. “I don’t want to force you to say something you clearly don’t want to. So how about I take the high road”—and save myself the horror of coming clean—“and tell you this was really fun. Thank you for making this one of the best nights I’ve ever had, but I don’t think we should—”
Luke grabbed the back of my head and crashed his lips against mine, cutting off the remainder of the easy way out I was prepared to give. Shock raced down my spine, tensing my muscles, but when Luke wrapped his arm around my back and hauled me closer, I broke out of the daze and shoved him away.
We split apart, panting and staring at each other. I’d been half-hard and worried about my tight dress for most of the night, but with him surrounding me like that, he was sure tofeelhow much I liked it.
“Fuck. I’m so sorry,” he said, stepping closer, a hand raised to ease or soothe, but I stepped back. He dropped it immediately. “Shit. Fuck. I should’ve asked. God, I’m sorry. I thought … Jesus, I’m an idiot. I have no idea what I thought.”
“Luke, stop.”
He grabbed his hair and pulled, messing it up in a way that made him more adorable and made this so much harder. He was beating himself up for something he truly didn’t deserve.
“I swear I don’t … You’re so delightful, and … I’m not … You’re just …”
Hating how much he was dragging himself through the mud, I forced a snicker. “Come on, now. We practically got engaged earlier. I’d say we’re past the awkward conversation stage.”
He froze, short breaths puffing in front of his nose, then huffed. “How do you do that?” At my stare, he said, “I’m freaking out, acting like an idiot, and you just … make me feel better about it.”
I shrugged. “Talent.”
He nodded once, then reschooled his features into something too serious for this situation. “That was completely disrespectful of me, Ashley. I apologize for my behavior.”
That name.
Ashley.
Fuck.
It was the final stroke at midnight for me, and this Cinderella started to melt in a swirl of glitter that stuck to all the wrong places. Hell yeah, I rocked this Ashley shit, but I didn’t want to be Ashley. I didn’t want tobea girl. This had to end. Now.
I straightened my shoulders and hips and lifted my chin, taking on what I hoped was a very unladylike posture. Not that I’d been anything but myself this whole night, but I pushed as muchmachoas I could. Even lowered my voice with my next words.
“Stop, Luke. Before you try to say whatever it is, I need to tell you somethin’ I should’ve said hours ago.”God, don’t hit me or hate me, butreallydon’t hit me. “I’m a guy. My name’s Asher, not Ashley.”
He blinked.
“That’s why I pushed you away. You weren’t kissin’ who you thought.”
He lowered his brows and scanned over me once more, probably for the last time. Before he could say anything, I unclasped the choker, hoping he could see my Adam’s apple. Then I went another step and roughly tugged the dress and corset lower.
“No tits.”
