He shook Asher’s hand firmly. Both mensmiled. “Think about it. I’ll look forward to your email.”
In a typical military-efficient walk, Ashermotioned for her to follow him out of the building, but didn’tpause until they reached the passenger door to his truck. He wasquiet, biting his lip to hide a smile as he opened her door forher, then dashed around the front of the truck and hopped in thedriver’s side. The suspense was driving her crazy.
***
“Well? What was that all about?” She demandedas she buckled her seatbelt, bouncing slightly on the spring-loadedseat.
Finally, he fired up the engine. After threetries, it cooperated. “He offered me a job. Well, sort of. I haveto formally apply and send him my resumé, then he’ll checkreferences and cover all the official bases.”
“That’s fantastic. I guess Old Chief Larsonretired, huh?”
“About three years back. Young Larson, Jonah,took his place. Good guy. Nothing like his father. He was a fewyears older than me in school. We got along well.” He put his handon the gear shifter to get them moving towards home, but he paused,considering for a moment.
Pulling his hand back, he turned to Sophie.Leaning across the truck, the chest strap of her seatbeltfollowing, she met him halfway. Cradling her face with his hands,he kissed her deeply, intensely, packed with emotion. He rested hisforehead against hers, ran his tongue over the crease of his lips,enjoying the taste of her on his lips.
Satisfied grin pasted to his face, he satback up and shifted into first gear and pulled into traffic. “Thatscared the hell out of me, knowing you were in there in the middleof all that. I don’t know what the hell is going on with me, but Iknow it has everything to do with you. This friend thing… not goingto work. I’m already way too far gone for you.”
He chuckled mirthlessly, “I’m usually a quickfuck and done sort of guy. I did promise to not have sex with you,but… it’s been rough.” He managed to keep his gaze directed steadyout the front windshield but couldn’t suppress the hungry growl inhis voice.
Pensively, Sophie studied his features,looking downright irritated. Shit, he’d explained that badly, asusual. “What’s going to happen when we do have that sex, then? Yousure you’re not going to be done with me?”
“What? Fuck no. I’m trying to say that you’reso much more to me than an easily accessible lay. Or a friend. Ican’t get you out of my head. Once is most definitely not going tobe enough.”
She smiled, reassured, and turned back to thewindow, watching the quiet afternoon of the small town. “Good. I’mnot looking for a one and done. I’ve been there, done that. Let’swait until after the wedding, so we don’t both break our promisesjust yet. Let her mull things over after she’s all honeymoon-happyand the stress of the wedding is done.”
Grinning, she turned back and this time,rotated her whole body to look him straight-on. “And, you clearlyhaven’t been with the right woman. I promise, you'll be begging formore. Again, and again.” Raising an eyebrow and smirking with afucking sexy come-hither look, Asher’s mind went straight to thegutter, as she’d clearly intended.
“Oh, before it’s done, you’ll be on yourknees begging,” he smirked back, knowing she was right. He was abreath away from begging right now.
As they left town proper, Asher added onemore addendum, “You know, it’s not because I, uh, because I sleptwith a few of her friends, way back when I was a spoiled shithead…It was more that I didn’t ever call them back.” Reaching across, hegrabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips. “That’s not going to bea problem this time.”
12
T-Minus 8 Days
Floating on the drive to the clothing shop, Ashertried to lose the smitten grin that just wasn’t going anywhere.He’d slept with Sophie pasted to him all night again. No sex, justsome good old fashioned making out.
And cuddling. Fuck, when had he ever cuddled?Even the word was scary. A little too teddy-bear. With Sophie, itwas critical; made the air fresher and the blankets warmer.
This time, they’d ensured his bedroom doorwas locked and the bathroom door unlocked. They’d wedged shoesunder both doors to ensure one stayed closed and the otheropen.
He’d managed to hide her birthday presents inhis closet and couldn’t wait to surprise her tonight. His motherhadn’t been at all surprised by the fact that it was Sophie’sbirthday.
“I know,” she’d said. “Sophie’s been dreadingthis birthday for years, knowing her aunt will come, manipulatingas she does.”
“Shouldn’t we celebrate anyway? Somethinglowkey? She’s been a trooper with all the crazy weddingbusiness.”
Denise flashed him a sly grin. “Of coursewe’re celebrating. I was going to say something sooner, in case youwanted to pick up a gift or something, but I actually haven’t seenyou without her around in a while. Just us, plus I invited Freyaand Grady to join us. Lincoln too, of course.”
Why was he surprised? Denise didn’t miss atrick. “I was at Larissa’s yesterday and ordered a few pies fortoday; thought I’d pick them up after the fittings are done. Sophiementioned she likes a seasonal fruit pie.”
With no more than a whisper of a questioningeyebrow raise, Denise quickly covered her reaction. “That was verythoughtful. I was just going to pick up a cake from the grocerystore later.”
He sighed, not quite sure what to make of herresponse. Was she surprised that he was being considerate or thathe had done something special specifically for Sophie? “I’m athoughtful guy.”
Was he a thoughtful guy? It could rarely besaid that Asher Sutherland performed acts of selflessness. Makingfor the door, he started to leave for the damn fittings, but pausedat the doorknob. Turning, he added, “Mom, I’m sorry about all theshit I put you through.”
Her expression unreadable, she managed ahalf-smile that only puzzled him more, “I won’t say you were aneasy kid. Too smart for your own good, but too foolish to doanything useful with that brain. The more your dad tried to reignyou in with structure, the more you pushed away. So, I compensatedby babying you, which didn’t help you build up much resilience, Isuppose. Somehow, despite us, you turned out pretty darn great.” Bythe time she finished, her eyes were glossy, and she bit her upperlip until it turned white.
