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"I just don’t like being close to people like that" I tousle e area in the corner

He slides his hand across the table and interlaces our fingers "But you don’t seem to mind when I touch you In fact, I have this idea init here--that you like uess you could say that… Youon e’re doing"

"Calht?"

"A very good thing" I smile and his eyes zero in on my lips

"You have a beautiful sue "And beautiful lips They taste really good too"

My heart knocks insideserious" He reaches over with his free hand and caresses my botto soft… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since I kissed you"

I’enuinely sweet "Thanks, I guess"

He laughs, amused, and then pulls away as the waitress interrupts us with our food "Here ya go, honey" She slides Asher’s food in front of him, and then drops ainst the table "If you need anything, letfor you," I say, dipping a fry into the ranch

Asher looks like he’s about to laugh "You think?"

"I do" I pick the onions off my chicken sandwich "Why’s that so funny?"

He pours ketchup on his burger "Because you’re probably right, but she doesn’t stand a chance She’s not really lances at the disposed onions on my plate "You don’t like onions?"

"You said that like I just admitted I hate chocolate, and onions and chocolate are on two very different levels"

"Yeah, onions are much better"

"You can eat them if you want" I motion at my plate "What’s mine is yours"

He picks up the onion, tips his head back, and spirals it into histo hold you to that a little bit later" His eyes darken with desire

A tingling sensation coils inside, betweena bite of my chicken sandwich to distract myself "So, you like the band Frolances down at his shirt "Yeah, I got this shirt at one of their concerts They’re pretty good Have you heard them play?"

"Not in person" I pop a fry into s downloaded"

He bites into his hae to lean over and suck it off his lip surfaces again as he deliberately licks it off, watching

We stare at each other with sweltering heat in our eyes and desire pulsating in our bodies It’s so I don’t quite understand, because I barely know hi to ever leave

"So what is there to do around here?" Asher’s voice sounds high and he clears his throat "Besides hanging out at bars"

"You’re asking the wrong person," I tell hi I do is follow Raven to her parties"

"Yeah, what’s up with that?" He picks a flake of lettuce off his ha type Or the following type?"

"I’m not, but--"

"But Raven is, and she’s the boss," he finishes for me

"She’s not the boss… Okay, well maybe she is, but it’s just her personality"

He chews slowly and I’m fascinated by the way his mouth moves "I had this friend back in New York as a little bit bossy, so finally one day I told him to shove it You knohat, we still stayed friends"

"I’m sure you didn’t tell him to shove it," I remark "You seem way too nice for that"

A smile plays at his lips as he reaches over and steals another onion off my plate "Do I?"

I take a sip ofto tell me that you’re secretly uess But it doesn’t come out a lot"

"I think everyone has sides of them that rarely come out" I stir the straw in my drink

He nods "So what’s yours?"

Crazy "I don’t know…"

"You don’t have to share it with me if you don’t want to" He takes a sip of his water "I won’tyou don’t want to"