I had once struck a deal with a blind date, charging fees for holding hands, hugging, and even kissing.

Ashton mentioning a kiss now made it clear he knew about that incident. It seemed there was more to the story than I'd realized. He must have scared off that guy by beating him, though he'd never said a word about it. Ashton really knew how to leave me speechless.

But instead of kissing me, he grabbed my hand and bolted through the crowd.

It was ...