Chapter 17
Clara stood in the kitchen. She felt as if someone had given her world a violent shake. One minute she was feeling self-conscious, worried about how to keep the slightly too-large pants on all night, and the next minute wanting them gone. The fire had been a nice way to ease the burden of the winter’s night and the shower helped warm her even more, but the heat radiating off Asher was enough to stoke the fire at her very core, chasing away any lingering chill she might have had. If the unaccepted kiss had been a shock, watching him flee out the door was even more so. Hand flat on the cool butcher’s block counter, she steadied herself, still somewhat weak in the knees, and pressed her other hand to her chest. Her heart raced.
When had any guy made her feel so alive with the sim
