A Night to Remember
Jasmine wasn't sure if she should be doing this.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Asher.
She just didn't trust herself.
Because for the first time in a long time, she was doing something completely for herself.
Not for Luke.
Not for her family.
Not because she felt obligated.
Just because she wanted to.
And that? That was terrifying.
She glanced at Asher as he drove. One hand rested casually on the wheel, the other on the gear shift. His expression was unreadable, focused but relaxed.
"Are you always this quiet?" Jasmine asked, breaking the silence.
Asher's lips twitched. "Only when I have nothing important to say."
She scoffed. "So, you just listen?"
"Listening is underrated."
Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you listening for?"
He gave her a sideways glance. "Everything."
Jasmine's stomach did something strange.
Damn him.
She looked away, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past.
"So," she said after a moment, "are you ever going to tell me where we're going?"
Asher smirked. "That ruins the fun."
Jasmine sighed. "I'm starting to think you enjoy keeping people in suspense."
"Only when they're interesting enough to keep me entertained."
Jasmine blinked. Did he just—?
She turned sharply. "Was that a compliment?"
Asher chuckled. "I don't know. Was it?"
Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, you're still in my car."
She huffed but didn't argue.
Because he was right.
---
An Unexpected Destination
Twenty minutes later, Asher finally pulled into an empty parking lot.
Jasmine frowned. "You kidnapped me and brought me to… a park?"
Asher unbuckled his seatbelt. "Relax. No ransom note is coming."
Jasmine rolled her eyes but followed as he stepped out of the car.
A cool breeze brushed against her skin as she took in her surroundings. The park was quiet, almost peaceful. The city lights glowed faintly in the distance, but here? It felt like another world.
Jasmine turned to Asher. "You do this often?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes. When I need a break from everything."
Jasmine studied him. For all his confidence, there was something oddly calm about Asher. Like he carried the world on his shoulders but never let anyone see the weight.
"Do you?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Do I what?"
"Ever take a break?"
Jasmine let out a breath. "Not really."
Asher tilted his head. "Why not?"
She hesitated. Because I was always too busy chasing a man who never deserved me.
Instead, she said, "I guess I never saw the point."
Asher was quiet for a moment. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
Before she could ask what he was doing, soft music began playing.
Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Asher shrugged. "You look like you need a dance."
She laughed. "You think dancing in a deserted park is the solution to all my problems?"
"No," he said easily. "But it's a good distraction."
Jasmine rolled her eyes but… she didn't resist when Asher took her hand.
It wasn't a grand, romantic moment.
It wasn't a sweep-her-off-her-feet kind of dance.
It was just simple.
A slow sway beneath the night sky, the world fading into the background.
And for the first time in years, Jasmine felt weightless.
---
A Question That Lingers
Asher spun her lightly before pulling her back, his grip firm but unassuming.
Jasmine exhaled, shaking her head. "You're surprisingly good at this."
Asher smirked. "Surprised?"
"A little."
"I've had practice."
Jasmine arched a brow. "With who?"
Asher paused. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face before he smirked again. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Jasmine scoffed. "You're impossible."
"Yet, here we are."
She sighed, letting her head tilt back slightly, staring up at the sky.
"You ever regret it?"
Asher's voice was softer now, almost careful.
Jasmine frowned. "Regret what?"
"Giving Luke your kidney."
Jasmine stiffened.
The question should have made her angry.
But… it didn't.
Because for the first time, she actually thought about it.
Had she ever regretted it?
She looked down, focusing on the way their feet moved in sync.
"I don't regret saving his life," she said slowly. "I regret that he never valued it."
Asher studied her for a moment before nodding. "That's fair."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
Then, Asher smirked. "If you ever feel like making someone else feel indebted to you, I have two perfectly functioning kidneys."
Jasmine burst out laughing. "I'll keep that in mind."
The music slowed, but neither of them moved away.
And Jasmine realized something.
For the first time in a long time, she wasn't thinking about Luke.
She wasn't thinking about what she had lost.
She was just… here.
With Asher.
And that?
That felt dangerous.
---