I Love You, Always Read Online Free

eyes, this thing she’s hiding, I have from the moment I first met her. The hurt and pain she used to wear every day has faded though. Now, she laughs and smiles so much, and it makes me so fucking happy every time she does. It makes me love her even more. Makes me want to know every single thing about her, no matter how bad she thinks it might be.
    For some reason, we’re spared the interrogation over dinner. I get plenty of smiles from the guys as we walk out though. Jared winks at me and I try to ignore them, but I can’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. I feel like a weight has somehow been lifted off me, like everything is lighter because Asha now knows how I feel about her. I keep her close to me though, just in case one of them feels like opening their big mouth. There’s no way I’m subjecting her to that unless I can be there to look out for her. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do for her.
    After dinner we all head out to the deck with some drinks. The night sky is amazingly clear, completely filled with stars. The only sounds are the distant crash of waves, the low music Pete has put on and the quiet conversations around us. I sink into one of the couches, pulling Ash into my lap and wrapping my arms around her.
    I know it’s going to happen any minute now; it has to. I can’t actually believe they managed to hold back over dinner and I can almost see the wheels turning as they try to decide how to start. Of course it’s Ben who does it. “So ah, you guys must have got stuck in the bathroom this afternoon then?”
    I shake my head at him as Ash curls up in my lap, resting her head on my shoulder and half burying her face in my neck. When it’s obvious I’m not saying anything, Ben continues. “I mean did the door get jammed or something?”
    I can’t help but smile as I think back to exactly what did happen in the bathroom. I’m not going into details for these guys, but it doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to think about it.
    “Luke, Ash?” he asks, a big cheesy grin on his face because he thinks he knows and he’s loving the fact that we’ve been busted.
    I look down at Ash and see she’s smiling, maybe like she’s thinking about it too. I’m relieved that their teasing doesn’t seem to bother her too much. I hope she knows it comes from a good place. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ben,” Ash eventually says.
    “Yeah right,” Jared chimes in. “Look at the fucking smiles on both of their faces.”
    I squeeze my arms around Ash and pull her closer, ignoring all of them as I press my lips against her hair. Luckily Mia is nice enough to change the subject. I smile at my sister, grateful that she’s rescued us from the inevitable interrogation, at least for now anyway.
    “You okay?” I whisper to Ash when the focus is finally off us.
    “More than okay,” she says back to me.
    “Don’t let them get to you, they’re just teasing and it’s all directed at me, but it’s not meant to be mean.”
    She pulls back to look at me, her fingers running down my cheek as she looks me right in the eye and says, “I know, Luke, it’s okay. I think your friends are amazing.”
    I smile back at her, thinking no, it’s you who’s amazing . “They’re your friends too, Ash.” She just smiles at me before leaning in to press a soft kiss to my lips, one that is too short, but a tempting taste of what’s to come.
    We both settle back on the couch, joining in on the conversation about tomorrow’s plans with the others. But I’m only half listening, still distracted by thoughts of earlier, by who’s sitting in my lap right now. I can’t stop touching her, kissing her. I don’t know what it is about being out here, but everything feels so different, so intense.
    Or maybe it really is all because of those three little words I said earlier. They’ve undone something in me and I can’t hold back any of the things I feel for her anymore. It’s almost like saying it isn’t