Page 93 of Forbidden Hearts
Why is she with Brynlee? That doesn’t make any sense because Asher is off. It’s why I picked this weekend to come to Texas.
That sounds fun! Where is your dad?
Speak of the devil . . . his name pops on my phone.
Asher
Where are you?
Uhhh, he knows where I am.
In Austin, you know, touring the school . . . more important question is, where are you?
Asher
Don’t worry about me. Where exactly are you?
Why?
Asher
Because I was thinking of you.
Marshmallow.
Asher
Say that to my face and see what happens.
I have every intention of that.
You don’t scare me. I have a few days for you to forget it anyway.
He doesn’t reply, and again, I’m curious where he is.
Olivia
Dad went to visit his friend because Aunt Brynn said he is grumpy.
A part of me hopes he’s grumpy because he misses me. Stupid, I know, considering we are nothing, but I miss him. I called him last night, but he couldn’t talk, and since then, I’ve been eager to hear his voice.
As I’m walking up to my hotel, someone grabs my arm. “Excuse me, miss?”
My heart rate picks up, and I spin, but when I see who is there, I can’t breathe. Asher is here. Asher is standing in front of me . . . in Texas. How? This can’t be real. “Asher?”
He grins as his hands move to my face, holding me tenderly. “I missed you. God, I missed you, and I needed to see you.”
His admission makes me want to weep. “I can’t believe you’re here. I don’t understand how?”
“Brynn took Olivia, and suddenly, I had a free weekend. I don’t know...I just found myself on a plane.” Asher rubs his thumb across my cheek. “To be with the only person I wanted to see.”
I bite my lower lip, my heart doing flips as my brain tries to catch up. “Me?”
He lowers his face so we’re a mere breath apart. “You. We don’t have to pretend here, Phoebe. I get to do this.” His lips touch mine, and I melt into his embrace. “I can kiss you on the street. I can pull you into my arms, and I get to pretend, for a few days, that you’re mine.”
Oh, Asher, I think I became yours weeks ago, but this just made you mine.
I lift up on my toes and kiss him this time. When I drop back down, I take his hand. “Then let’s not waste time standing out here. Let’s go upstairs, and you can seal it with a kiss.”
