Something Unexpected
Remi’s POV
The night air was cool against my skin as I stared at the endless stretch of stars above us.
I hadn’t thought about them in a long time.
My parents.
My aunt.
Even Jules.
I exhaled, hugging my knees tighter. “I wonder how they are now.”
Asher turned to me, his brow furrowing slightly. “Who?”
I swallowed, staring ahead. “My aunt and uncle. My parents. Jules.”
His expression darkened at the mention of my aunt and uncle, but he didn’t say anything.
I let out a hollow laugh. “I still take care of Jules, you know.”
He blinked. “What?”
I nodded. “Secretly. A ‘benefactor’ pays for her education. Her medical bills. Her living expenses. She doesn’t know it’s me. They don’t, either.”
Asher stared at me. “You’re still supporting them? After everything?”
I shrugged. “Jules isn’t them. She was just a kid. She didn’t deserve to suffer for their mistakes.”
“And them?” His voice was quiet.
I exhaled slowly. “I don’t ever want them to know. Ever. I don’t want them to have a single way to reach me. As far as I’m concerned, they lost that right a long time ago.”
Asher nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving mine.
Then, without warning—
He leaned in.
And before I could react, before I could even process it he pulled back, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips.
"Relax, Remi," he said, his voice low, playful. "Just wanted to see if you’d flinch."
I rolled my eyes, but my pulse was unsteady, a contradiction to my reaction. "You're an idiot."
"And yet, here you are. Sitting on the grass with me."
His motorcycle was parked a few feet away, the metallic sheen catching the soft glow of the moon. But my attention was on him. The way his gaze lingered, searching, like he wanted to say something but was still weighing the risk of it.
I forced a breath, shaking my head. “You always do that.”
His lips twitched. “Do what?”
“Get too close. Make me overthink.”
Asher didn’t deny it. Instead, he stretched out his legs, leaning back on his elbows, eyes drifting toward the sky. “Maybe you just think too much.”
I scoffed, but my gaze followed his. The stars were brighter out here, unhindered by the city lights. It made everything feel distant and quiet, like we existed in a separate world, untouched by the past.
After a while, Asher spoke again. “Ever wonder what it’d be like to start over?”
I glanced at him. “Like, completely?”
He nodded. “New city. New name. No one knowing who you are or what you’ve done.”
I hesitated. “I used to.”
His head tilted slightly. “And now?”
Now, I wasn’t so sure. There was a time I wanted to disappear, to erase every trace of the life I’d lived before. But even after everything, I was still here. Still choosing to stay.
I inhaled, letting the cool night air settle in my lungs. “Starting over sounds nice in theory, but… I don’t think I’d want to forget everything.”
Asher hummed, thoughtful. “Not even the bad parts?”
I shrugged. “The bad parts made me who I am. If I forgot them, I wouldn’t be me.”
He didn’t respond right away, just stared at the stars. Then he let out a slow breath and laid back completely, arms resting behind his head. “You always were stubborn.”
I smirked, shifting to lie beside him, the grass cool beneath me. “Takes one to know one.”
Silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just the quiet of two people who understood each other too well.
Then Asher broke it. “Ever think about where you’ll be in five years?”
I turned my head toward him. “You’re really in a deep-thinking mood tonight, huh?”
“Humor me.”
I considered it, my fingers idly tracing patterns in the grass. “I don’t know. I used to think I had it figured out, but now…” I sighed. “I think I just want to be okay with my kids.”
His brows pulled together slightly, but he didn’t push. “Okay is a good place to start.”
I gave a small laugh. “What about you? Where do you see yourself in five years?”
He exhaled, thinking. “Hopefully not still getting on your nerves.”
I nudged him with my elbow. “That’s a given.”
He laughed, and something in my chest shifted, warm and unfamiliar. I turned my gaze back to the sky, counting the stars like they were a map leading somewhere unknown.
Minutes passed. Maybe longer. Then Asher shifted, and I felt it—the slight brush of his fingers against mine.
My breath hitched, but I didn’t pull away.
Neither did he.
It was tentative, hesitant, like he was giving me time to move if I wanted to. But I stayed still, my pulse steady but my mind racing.
A challenge flickered in his eyes. “Do you want me to let go?”
I swallowed, but my throat felt dry. “You’re not even holding anything.”
His smirk deepened, but he didn’t press. He just let our hands stay like that—barely touching, but enough to feel the warmth of his skin.
It was infuriating.
And intoxicating.
I glanced at him, my voice quieter this time. “Asher…”
He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Just held my gaze.
And I knew.
I knew if I tilted my head just slightly—if I leaned in even a little—he’d meet me halfway.
The thought sent a sharp, thrilling ache through my chest.
But before either of us could act on it, Asher suddenly exhaled, shaking his head. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. “We should probably head back.”
I blinked, startled by the abrupt change. “Right. Yeah.”
He pushed himself up and held out a hand. I hesitated, then took it, letting him pull me to my feet. But even when I was standing, he didn’t let go right away. His thumb brushed lightly against my knuckles—just once, fleeting and soft—before he finally released me.
My skin tingled where he’d touched.
Asher’s jaw tightened like he was waging a war inside his head. But before I could figure out what was going through his mind, he stopped.
I wanted to ask what was wrong when he suddenly turned.
Moving quickly without hesitation.
He turned toward me, his hand finding the side of my face, fingers threading into my hair. And then—
His mouth was on mine.
It wasn’t slow or careful. It wasn’t the kind of kiss meant to test the waters or wait for permission. It was raw, charged, like something that had been building for too long and finally reached its breaking point.
I inhaled sharply, my fingers twitching at my sides, my heart slamming against my ribs.
But I didn’t close my eyes.
I couldn’t.
Because for the first time, I wanted to see him. To memorize every shift in his expression, the way his brows pulled together slightly, the way his fingers curled tighter in my hair, like he hadn’t meant to do this but now that he had, he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
Then—
He pulled back.
His chest rose and fell, his breathing uneven. His hand lingered on my face for a second longer before it dropped away.
His gaze flickered, something conflicted flashing through it. "I shouldn't have done that."
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I didn’t even know what I wanted to say.
Asher shook his head, running a hand down his face. Then, softer this time, like he wasn’t just saying it for me but for himself—
He whispered, “You deserve to be happy too, Remi.”
I couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
I just stood there.
Completely stunned.
My lips parted, my heart pounding so loud I could barely hear myself think.
“You…you kissed me.” My voice barely came out.
Asher didn’t look away. Didn’t even flinch.
“Yeah.” His voice was steady.
Certain. “I did.”
I let out a breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “Why?”
He exhaled, leaning back slightly, but his eyes never left mine.
“Because I’ve wanted to for a long time.”
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