I pull down the bill, securing it more over my forehead. “It’snot, but you won’t tell me where we’re going so I didn’t know how much I had to hide.”
Asher scoffs, pulling out of my rounded driveway. “You don’t have to hide at all.”
“I’d really rather not have my business aired out all over the internet by being out with you.” I slump back in the seat, mumbling under my breath. “More than it already has.”
“Lucky for you we’re in Denver, not LA, so you really don’t have to worry about paparazzi around here.”
“No, but everyone has a cell phone and it just takes one picture to create a whole narrative, no matter how untrue it is.”
“Right, can’t have your perfect image being damaged by being seen with me, right?” He looks over with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Why would that matter?” I question.
He shrugs with his arm that isn’t in the sling, and he still hasn’t answered me as to why he has that on.
“I’m just not one of the golden Wheeler twins, or some other celebrity a girl like you would prefer to be seen with.”
I narrow my eyes at the man in the driver’s seat. We may have never been close, and haven’t seen each other in so long, but it annoys me that he thinks he knows me. He’s assuming a lot of things about me that he has no idea about. And in my head all I can think of is that fucking article talking about my clean image, and howboringI am.
I don’t want to be boring.
Not anymore.
I don’t want to be predictable, or for people to make assumptions about who I should be seen with because of it.
Fuck that.
Song lyrics are already starting to flow into my mind like they do when I’m inspired. I want to take my phone out to write them down, but I try to hold onto them to remember for now.
“You know what, you’re right, you’re none of those things.” I take the cap off my head, and pull my hair down, letting it flowaround my shoulders. “So are you going to tell me why your arm is in a sling?”
“Maybe after a drink or two,” he counters.
“You’re not drinking and driving,” I gasp.
“I meant for you.” He winks and I shake my head.
“Don’t think you’re going to get me drunk and take advantage of me,” I tease.
He turns to me with a smirk. “Trust me, I wouldn’t need to get your drunk to take advantage of you.”
I roll my eyes. “Good to know you’re completely full of yourself.”
He chuckles. “Unless you don’t want to piss off your boyfriend.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “Don’t have a boyfriend.” Even though it’s technically true, it doesn’t feel completely right to deny.
Grayson and I just kissed, we didn’t commit to more than that. He wouldn’t even touch me more than that kiss. He claims he doesn’t sleep around when he’s on the road, but he could.
We aren’t together, he’s free to do whatever he wants, and so am I.
Not that I’m going to do anything with Asher. I look over at him again, even shrouded in mostly darkness, and I see the way his strong arm strains the fabric of the long sleeve shirt he’s wearing.
His brown hair looking darker right now is already a little longer than the last time I saw him, a piece on top falling onto his forehead. I clench my fist to stop myself from pushing it back. His eyes are focused on the road, and I take in the sharp lines of his face. He’s intense, all sharp lines and angles.
I can’t help but think about how different Grayson is, his face is softer, eyes less intense behind his glasses. Both of them are beautiful in their own way. I’d be blind not to notice. Asher swings his head over to look at me again.
“Are you going to keep staring at me the rest of the night?”
