Chapter 205

My phone buzzed again before I had even finished reading his last message. Ashton: [If I ask properly this time—can we go public?] The screen lit up with the text, plain and cold. But somehow, I could feel him in it—tense, holding back, waiting for me to say yes. I just sat there, staring. A minute ago, I had been ranting about the event organizers and reminding him to stay the hell away from Rowan Hale. I was about to say goodnight. Then this? I reread his message. My mind stalled. My limbs felt heavy, as if I had just come in from the snow. The phone dinged again. Ashton: [Would you be okay if I tag you in my next post? As my wife?] Okay, so I definitely hadn't misinterpreted his last message. A long moment later, all I managed to come up with was: [Let me think.] Ashton: [Okay.] I tossed the phone aside, slapped my cheeks lightly, and sat up straighter. Did I want to? Yeah, I liked him. I wasn't embarrassed about it. I didn't mind people knowing we were together. But going public on