“Relax,” Carson said, sounding like he was enjoying himself. “I’m just here to enjoy the party, just like you. Just like Carmen. Nothing’s happening tonight.”
“Nothing is happening ever.” Asa pushed himself off the banisters and turned to face Carson. “So keep your empty threats to yourself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to spend the rest of my night with someone who doesn’t pollute the air I breathe.”
Asa descended the stairs, eyes fixated on Carmen, but slowed down in his strides when he noticed she was speaking to a guy Asa had seen around school occasionally.
Now, Asa wasn’t that batshit possessive kind of guy, but he really, really didn’t appreciate it when the other guy wasn’t even paying attention to what Carmen was saying, but was dragging his eyes over her body instead.
Asa knew firsthand that every single syllable that spilt out of Carmen’s mouth were nothing short of pure gold, and that boy over there wasn’t even focusing on anything she was saying.
Moron, Asa couldn’t help but think.
By the time Asa reached Carmen, the boy was gone.
“Hey.” Asa smiled, his hand instinctively going to rest on the small of her back as he leaned in to peck her temple.
“Hey.” She grinned, her cheeks looking flushed and her eyes bright with delight after all the dancing.
“You’re having a great night, aren’t you?” Asa couldn’t help the smile that crawled over his face at seeing her so happy and carefree.
“One of the best,” she said, and then completely shocked him by stepping closer and winding her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his chest and tilting her head back to look up at him. “I’ve been dancing away to my heart’s content.”
“And making new friends too, I’ve noticed.” Asa raised his brows, lips curving into a semi-smirk.
Carmen raised her brows at him. “I thought you didn’t get jealous, Asa,” she remarked, clearly amused.
“I’m not,” he told her truthfully. “But it doesn’t mean I have to like it when they look at you like a piece of meat. You’re more than what is underneath those clothes.”
When Carmen offered him one of those breathless smiles of hers, he felt his heart leap to his throat.
“Asa?”
“Tell me.”
“I’ve had a great time so far but can I ask you for something now?”
“Anything.” He traced the apple of her cheek with his thumb, registering for the first time the velvety texture her skin was blessed with.
“Take me away from here,” she breathed, gazing up at him with a burning intensity in her eyes. “I just want to spend the rest of tonight with you before I need to go home.”
Asa leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. “I thought you’d never ask,” he mumbled, releasing a relieved breath. “Come on. I want to get out of this place, too.”
•••
“So,” Asa exhaled loudly, once the two of them stepped out of the house and the cold November air rushed at their faces in full force. “Where do you want to go?”
Carmen rubbed her hands over her face, running her fingers down her hair and shaking it, causing the dark strands to fall around her in gentle waves. “Honestly? Anywhere,” she told him, lifting one corner of her mouth into a slanting smile. “I just want to spend the time with you.”
Asa’s breath hitched, and he prayed it didn’t show in his expression how much her words impacted him. “You keep saying things like that to me, and I’m going to lose my mind.”
“Sanity is overrated, anyway.” She shrugged, biting down on a smile.
God, he didn’t want this night to end. Asa didn’t think he could ever get enough of Carmen when she was like this.
“All right, smartass.” He rolled his eyes. “But I’m coming up empty here too. I’ve got no idea what to do.”
“Let’s just go for a walk then.”
Asa shook his head in disbelief. “You always find a way to come back to that, don’t you?” Despite his words though, he began walking across the front lawn of the house they’d just left, beckoning Carmen to follow. “You and your walks.”
“Fresh air,” she told him as she fell into step beside him. “I hear it’s healthy.”
“Really?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “I never knew.”
“Which is precisely why I just told you.”
Asa huffed, shooting her an unimpressed look from the corner of his eyes. “Always got to have the last word, don’t you?”
“Don’t blame me for being able to pull one over on you.”
“Please.” Asa scoffed, the mischief seeping back into his tone. “There are other ways I can shut you up, and they don’t involve words at all.”
That seemed to shut Carmen up, and Asa couldn’t help but shake with silent laughter as they walked down the quiet streets, the pale glow of the lampposts casting soft shadows on their skins.
“Asa? How are we going back?”
“Dad dropped me off on his way out somewhere, but my place is still pretty close by,” he replied, rubbing his palms together for warmth. “We can get my truck from there and I’ll drop you home.”
“All right,” she hummed, and stepped closer to him, their arms brushing together deliberately, but neither of them feeling uncomfortable about it.
They walked further down the streets, and even though Asa knew Carmen wasn’t familiar with these surroundings the way he was because she lived on the other side of town, he also knew she trusted him to walk her through this neighbourhood.
That meant a lot to him more than he could ever say. He didn’t know why it mattered exactly, but it was the little things when Carmen trusted him that always warmed his insides.
“Hey, what’s that?” Carmen asked after some time, pointing towards an area
