WANT (completed)

ch. 32 | Baby Steps

CASSANDRA'S POV

I hold my arms out, trying to grasp a hold of anything as I trip forward on my feet. A burst of giggles escapes my lips as I gasp, feeling Asa's hands land on my waist, keeping me from falling as he urges me to keep walking.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask for the thousandth time since we left his apartment. Halfway through the walk from his building, Asa somehow convinced me to let him blindfold me.

I'm thinking it's not such a good idea anymore.

Not because I'm scared. Definitely not that. I've never felt more safe before than when I'm with him. But because I keep tripping over my own toes and it feels like we've been walking for miles.

"Just a few more steps. I promise," Asa's deep voice reassures me that we're almost there. His voice sends chills down my back, even though he's wrapped me in a huge coat and a scarf.

I don't know how to explain it, but regardless of how much time we spend together, Asa continues to have the same effect on me. It's like a never ending loop of lust and want. I want him even when I know I have him; I didn't realize one could experience that.

"Fine, a few more steps, but if we're not there in two minutes, I'm falling on my ass and not getting back up," I threaten him playfully just as I feel his hands slowly trail up my body.

From my waist up to my chest, then my shoulders. His fingers brush against my neck, and every feeling is amplified because I have no sense of where I am or what he's doing apart from the way he touches me.

"Ready?" Asa whispers into my ear, and I can feel his hands cup around my shoulders, stopping me from walking forward and stilling my body as he turns me a little to the right.

My shoulders tense, and I nod nervously. His fingers go up my neck again, then tug at the blindfold that's tied at the back of my head, pulling it loose.

As soon as it falls, my eyes flash open and a gasp escapes my lips. My hand flies up, covering my mouth as stand stunned, staring straight at where's he's brought me.

There's no way.

My head jerks around as my body follows a close second later, facing him. He's grinning mischievously.

"I don't...how?" I ask him, before turning back around to face the rink. "They haven't allowed anyone to..." I trail off, realizing that I know exactly where we are and why he's brought me here.

Conservatory Water.

I remember reading somewhere that they weren't allowing open skate here this season. It made me a little sad, considering I spent half of my childhood skating around on this same rink.

"I know. I pulled a few strings, got it resurfaced, and they allowed me to use it for the night with a personal-use permit. I'm pretty convincing, you know," Asa grabs my hand, walking towards the edge of the rink.

I can't move. Literally. I feel like my legs are suddenly not part of my body, and my insides feel like jello.

That day, when he asked me about those pictures from skating, I changed the subject. He didn't ask me again. He didn't ask about the pictures or the skating, but here we are. At an ice skating rink. The ice skating rink.

Asa's turns back towards me, giving me an encouraging smile. "Come on."

I shake my head, looking past his head at the ice, before looking back at him again. "I don't even have skates."