Page 107 of Should Our Stars Collide

Ash’s throat bobs. “Can I hug you?”

Kieran’s brows flick up. He sweeps his gaze around, low-key expecting to find a hidden camera.

“Okay?” he says, not sure why he’s agreeing. Technically, he doesn’t really have a reason to refuse. “But fair warning, I’ve been walking around for half a day, so I must be pretty ri— Oof.”

His face gets squished against Ash’s neck. Ash’s arms around him are justthisside of too tight—not enough to cut off his air supply, but firm enough that wriggling out would be a challenge, if he wanted to do that.

Interestingly, he doesn’t.

Ash doesn’t hug him like someone who said ‘see you later’ just this morning. He hugs him like they’ve been separated by a war for years, unsure if they’d ever see each other again.

“Damn. Who knew you’d be the clingy type.”

“Only with you,” Ash replies softly. The raw honesty in that confession makes it impossible to formulate a snarky comeback.

Something clicks inside him, a push he can’t ignore. His hands rise almost on instinct, settling in the middle of Ash’s back. Reluctant, uncertain. But Ash responds like he’s been waiting for it all along. His arms tighten around Kieran, not forcefully, but with a quiet insistence, as if asking for more.

Kieran exhales, letting go of his last ounce of restraint. His arms slide around Ash’s waist, returning the hug for real. There’s a subtle shift, the faint pressure of Ash leaning into him.

Huh. Maybe I’m not the only one with abandonment issues.

To Kieran’s surprise, Ash is the first to let go. There’s a faint flush to his cheeks, as if he’s embarrassed for showing the human side of him, not just the impenetrable, unshakable persona he presents to theworld.

His fingers run over Kieran’s cheekbone, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. “How was your day?”

Kieran swallows, his skin burning where Ash touched it. “You could say it was mind-opening.”

“You went to see Gabe?” Ash correctly guesses.

“He says I’m a natural.”

“Of course you are.”

“Hey!”

“I’m not teasing,” Ash promises. “You are way smarter and more capable than you give yourself credit for.”

It’s Kieran’s turn to blush. He’s been doing that a lot lately, and he’s not loving it.

Ash grins, like he knows what the praise does to him. Of course he does. “You wanna test it out with me?”

‘No, thanks’ should be the immediate reply. There’s been enough poking around his…well, everything for one day. But how else is he supposed to know that what he learned is good enough to withstand Ash’s probing?

“Fine, but go easy on me. It was my first time.”

“I’ll be gentle,” Ash says, eyes gleaming in the way that suggests the opposite. “Ready?”

Once the forcefield is up and running, Kieran nods, bringing up the image of his apartment building. Since it’s fresh in his mind, it should be easy to hold.

Ash’s irises shift, his gaze boring into Kieran’s.

Kieran’s heartrate spikes, nerves making him squirm, but he stands his ground. He even manages to reinforce the barrier when he feels a push. It’s weird, like someone passing by and briefly brushing against him. Again, he finds himself thinking that it feels nowhere near as invasive as when Gabe did it.

“How did I do?” he asks once Ash’s irises are back to their normal color.

“Couldn’t see anything.” Ash’s smile is proud, and he rufflesKieran’s hair. “Smart cookie.”

Kieran scowls at being petted like a dog, but doesn’t move away. It’s not too terrible of a feeling anyway. “Do I get a treat?”