Keep You Forever ✓ | AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE AS A PAPERBACK/EBOOK! [Sample]

10 | the hike pt.3

The feeling of standing here at the highest point of Juniper Hills is beyond words. Everything is visible—the houses, the lights, the cars, the stars, the trees—the world of my fantasies has never felt so real. Asher leaves me to my gaping and settles himself on a rock, clearly tired from hauling both of us over the hill. "Tired?" I ask him, and he throws me a disarming smile.

"Nope. I could do that all over again," he replies, pretending to be offended, and I give him a shy smile in return. "Come," Asher calls me, patting the space next to him. I obey, exhausted to the core. Even though I did nothing but cling to poor Asher as he did all the hard work. Sitting down next to him on the rock, I try to soothe my aching limbs by rubbing them. Judging by the mist hovering around us, it is obviously about to rain again.

"Do you like the town?" Asher mutters, gently rubbing his shoulder and neck. Those arms. That body. They should have a photo gallery to themselves.

Maybe I should lessen the fangirling.

"I adore your town," I say, and he grins. Look at us, making small talk like old friends. It's kinda pathetic, but kinda awesome too.

"If the town is fine, then what's really the problem?" Asher asks me out of the blue. I look up at his face blankly. His eyes are soft, and his expression is that one which makes me go all wiggly inside. His smile alone makes my body feel fluid.

"Problem?" I repeat, acting as if I don't know what he's talking about.

The catch here is, I know exactly what he's talking about.

"Yeah. I've noticed it—you're always so careful. There must be a reason behind it. Tell me, Lissa. What are you so afraid of?" His voice is so quiet, I almost don't hear him. My stomach somersaults. Not because I've been caught red-handed. But because he noticed. He saw, he understood.

"I just..." I begin, but this doesn't come easy to someone who isn't used to talking to people about her feelings. There's no point denying it to Asher. It's weird to be discussing me all of a sudden, and it's weirder that the person I'm having this conversation with is him. I don't know what all this even means to him. Why would he want to get to know what's going on inside my head?

I know I should try and be a little more reserved, a little more private. I shouldn't give in to him so easy, but I do. Maybe this really is a new start, a new me.

For once in my life, I give up my walls.

"It's stupid, but I feel like whatever I do, whatever I say, it doesn't matter. I'll always remain the spoiled rich cousin from the big city," I blurt, choking up on the inside, and Asher closes his eyes like he's thinking. I stare at him, dumfounded, as he pulls his legs to his chest and balances his chin on one elbow.

Asher glances at a twig and brushes his tongue gently against his lower lip. Just when I'm sure he isn't going to reply, he whispers, "It's not your fault what people choose to think about you."