Ashton tapped me on the nose—not once, but twice. “Can’t you just, I don’t know, play dumb for once?”

I shook my head firmly. “No way. Stop dodging and tell me the truth.”

Before I could shake my head off my shoulders, he cupped my face, steadying me. “Stop. You’re going to make yourself dizzy.”

“Then stop stalling and give me the real reason,” I shot back, locking eyes with him.

Here’s the thing about Ashton: when ...