Page 118 of Starcrossed Colorado

“But we don’t give out information on our guests. No exceptions. I don’t care who you are.”

“I’m the guy who’s about to start shouting her name and disturbing all your guests unless?—”

“Ashford.” I hurried across the lobby. “I’m right here.”

But Uncle Aiden put out an arm to bar my way. “Are you sure about this guy, Emma? If he’s harassing you, I will remove him from the premises.”

“Aiden, stop,” Jessi muttered.

Ashford pushed Aiden’s arm out of the way. And then his arms were around me, lifting me up until my toes left the ground. I held on to him just as tightly.

“How did you find me?”

“A friend. Would’ve been easier if you’d told me where you were.”

He set me down and I brought my hands to either side of his face. We had a lot to talk about. But I was just so glad to see him and feel him. So relieved that he was here.

Then I realized we had a growing audience. Two of my uncle’s scary ex-military buddies, Trace and River, had turned up and were standing over by the reception desk. Trace lookedjust as grumpy as Uncle Aiden, but River was smirking like he enjoyed the show.

“Nothing to see here,” I said loudly. Then I grabbed Ashford’s hand. “We can go to my room.”

I headed toward the stairwell, but Ashford pulled me into a short hallway as we were about to pass it. The elevator. He pushed the button.

“What floor are you on?”

“Three.”

The moment the door opened, he pulled me inside the elevator car and crowded me against one wall. “I know I agreed to give you three days, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I asked Sheriff Douglas for help finding you. Took some convincing, but he agreed. Even called ahead here to vouch for me. But your uncle was being a stubborn asshole. He still wouldn’t let me see you.”

“They’re serious about security here. Aiden thought he was protecting me.”

“And I respect that. But protecting you should bemyjob. If you’ll let me.”

I stroked my hand down his bearded cheek. “I left because I didn’t want you worrying about me.”

“If you had any idea how I feel about you, then you would realize that statement makes absolutely no sense. Since you left, it was hard to think about anythingbutyou.”

The scent of him surrounded me. In the soft light of the elevator, the amber flecks in his eyes glowed gold. The shadows beneath suggested he hadn’t slept, and his hair was messier than I’d ever seen it, but he was so beautiful to me.

“I couldn’t think of anything except you either. You and Maisie both.”

“Doesn’t that tell you where it is you belong?” Ashford’s lips brushed over mine, his tongue stroking at the seam. The kiss wassweet. Aching with longing. I held on to his strong shoulders, feeling like I would slide right to the ground otherwise.

I had missed this. Just two days away from him, yet it felt like ages. Like his kiss was breathing life back into me. Ashford’s lips moved to my jaw, then my neck. His teeth dragged lightly over the skin there. It felt like he was staking a claim.

He pulled back to look into my eyes again. “Emma, I love you. I’ve been in love with you for a while. But I was the idiot who didn’t see it, and once I realized it, I didn’t tell you. I’m not saying this isn’t complicated. I’m just asking for a chance to win you over.”

“That won’t be necessary.” My breath pushed out of my lungs. “I love you too. I was already packing my things to go back to Silver Ridge.”

He exhaled a curse. “That was easier than I’d expected.”

When we kissed again, we were both smiling.

The elevator doors opened. We looked over to find a white-haired couple standing just outside. We hadn’t pushed any buttons, so we were still there on the ground floor.

The woman grabbed the man’s arm and said, “See? I told you there’s something in the water here.”

I snickered. We stepped back to make room for them, and Ashford hit the button for three. But he didn’t step away from me, positioning me right in front of him with my back to his chest and his arms tight around me, like he couldn’t bear to have any more separation than that between us. The elderly woman kept sneaking smiles at me until they got off on the second floor.

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