Page 63 of Exactly What I Needed
“Probably a good solid forty-five minutes.” He smiled and stopped beside the piano bench. “What were you playing?”
“Nothing.” I quickly tried to shove the papers beneath my butt.
“Uh huh.” He lifted a brow, and I shook my head. Reaching forward, he wiggled his fingers. “Let me see.”
“Really, it was nothing. Just something…”
“In your head?” he finished for me, and I nodded. He wiggled his outstretched fingers again, and I slowly slid the papers out. His eyes scanned them, running over the notes while I quietly waited.
Then, without lifting his gaze from the sheets of music, he plopped himself down on the bench beside me. I slid over a little as he propped the papers up on the piano and began slowly plucking one hand of notes.
He played in beautiful silence. Cautiously, I reached forward, adding the supporting melody and joining in. We did not speak a word, yet there was so much whispering through the air. I took a chance and glanced at him, his amber eyes intently studying the music.
Slowly, his gaze slid to mine, pain blatantly tightened upon his face. “Why?” he finally whispered.
We stopped playing, and I looked away, tears sliding down my cheeks.
“I just need to know why I’m not enough for you, and then I can let you go,” he quietly added.
I shook my head, the tears falling faster. “That’s not it at all.”
“Then what is it? Why couldn’t you have just not said it in the first place?” His voice cracked, and I looked back at him. “You were so concerned the entire time that I was using you, and yet, all this time that’s what you were doing to me.”
“You can’t be more wrong.” I choked through the tears.
“I don’t believe you.” Creases etched deeply upon his face.
“I tried to stop the elevator. I tried to find a way back up to your room that night. I even called you, but you didn’t answer,” I began to explain. He merely watched me. “It took me a second to realize why I’d upset you so much. Why you’d gotten so angry with me, and when I did, it was too late. I didn’t say what I did to make you feel like I used you, Asher. I’ve literally only ever slept with you and Danny. That’s it. Nobody else. I don’t just sleep around.”
His brows furrowed, and he tipped his head. But said nothing. Simply waiting and processing.
“I’m terrified,” I whispered.
He stared at me.
But his gaze began to soften; slowly the tension slipped away.
“And I’m sorry,” I quietly added.
Asher lifted a hand and placed his palm gently against my cheek. Wiping away one side of my tears before raising his other and doing the same on the opposite side. A tender smile spread across his lips.
“What are you saying?” he softly asked.
“That I can’t lose you. That I need you.”
He slowly leaned forward. “Anything else?”
I shook my head with a small smile.
Gently, he tilted his head slightly to the side, and his lips met mine. Soft and tender. Quiet and simple. And I felt light. All the heavy burdens that had been weighing on my shoulders took flight, drifting away with one single kiss. I knew there was still so much uncertainty to come. But the one thing I did know was that I could handle them with him.
He pulled away, hovering above my mouth.
“Nobody can know,” I said. “Well, other than the guys, I guess.” His lips lifted into a smile.
“So, this is you finally agreeing to date me?”
I kept my eyes closed and shook my head. But I was grinning. “What do you think, dummy?”
