“When did you buy that very fancy espresso machine that is sitting on your beautiful kitchen counter?”
“I don’t know, like four or five days ago maybe? I put it on the list I gave the concierge.” She looks a little baffled, so I reach out and snag her hand, pulling her in between my legs.
“Here’s the thing, Juliette. I want to be with you as much as I can. I know you have a house of your own and a big career and a whole life you have built, and we are going to have to figure out how to fit our lives together in a way that works for both of us. I want to do all that work with you, and I don’t want to skip any steps when it comes to you and me. I thought a good place to start was making sure I had everything in my house you needed to be comfortable when you’re here. Which, selfishly, I hope is a lot because I love you a lot and I want to be wherever you are.”
She kisses my cheek and grins. “I would have loved it here no matter what, but I love it even more with Diet Pepsi in the fountain, a drawer full of my favorite candy, and a fancy coffee machine I have no clue how to use on the counter.”
I drop a kiss on her nose. “I’m sure it comes with instructions. I’ll read them and give you the highlights.”
I hope off the counter and swing an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, we have a couple hours before dinner at your parents, and I still have to show you the most important room in the house.”
She smirks at me. “Let me guess. Your bedroom?”
“You know it baby. I have a huge bed and the best mattress money can buy, and I can’t wait to get my hands all over you.”
Julie drops her voice an octave and whispers in my ear. “Well then you better run, Hot Shot. I don’t know if a couple of hours will be enough for all the things I want to do to you. And all the things I want you to do to me.”
All the blood in my body immediately rushes to my dick, which thickens behind the zipper of my jeans. Without another word, I scoop her up and run for the stairs, with her laughing hysterically all the way.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Julie
“Julie Parker, you come here and hug me right this second.”
The second Asher and I walk in the door of my parents’ house, my mom bustles into the foyer, arms wide open. I go to hug her and am immediately surrounded by the floral scent that meansmomto me more than anything else does. I cling to her for a second, tightening my arms around her, suddenly a little overwhelmed. She pulls away and frames my face with her hands.
“You okay, my girl?”
Rachel Parker misses nothing. And the truth is, I am okay. Better than okay, probably. But I feel like it’s possible I’m an entirely different person than I was when I left with Asher two weeks ago, and I don’t know how to distill that into an answer that will satisfy my mom. I take a deep breath to pull it together and try.
“I really am, Mom. I’m happy to be home. I missed you.” It’s the truth, albeit a less complex version of it.
Still holding my face in both hands, she studies me closelybefore nodding. “I really think you are. Now, it seems I have someone very important to meet.”
She all but shoves me aside to get to Asher, and when she tosses her arms around him, I snort out a laugh. Good thing Asher is used to chaotic family members because my mom never disappoints. He hugs her right back, winking at me over her shoulder. When she pulls away, she takes both of his hands.
“Asher Hansley, it is a pleasure to meet you. Steven’s on his way home, so he’ll be about half an hour.”
Asher grins at my mom. “No problem and, Mrs. Parker, the pleasure is all mine, seriously.”
I smile inwardly, knowing exactly what’s coming next. “None of that Mrs. Parker bullshit. Mrs. Parker was Steven’s mom. She was a stone-cold bitch who never liked me, and I hated her right back. You call me Rachel.”
Asher’s grin grows. “Rachel, I think you might be my favorite person after Juliette.”
My mom slides her gaze to me and then back to Asher, a grin spreading across on her face. “Juliette, huh? Well now, what exactly is ourJulietteto you?”
“For fuck’s sake mom,” I mutter.
Asher just shrugs a shoulder. “It’s a reasonable question, Juliette.”
He turns back to my mom. “She’s everything to me. I love her.”
Literally nothing stuns my mom silent, but Asher’s frank statement seems to have done the job. She just stands there, staring at him, until finally her eyes fill with tears that immediately spill over, and she wraps Asher up in another hug. I roll my eyes at her drama, while on the inside, I’m all lit up at Asher’s love declaration in front of one of the most important people in my life.
“Mom, Jesus. No need to cry all over the man.”
“Julie Anne Parker you be quiet. When a man comes into my house and tells me he loves my daughter and that she’s everything to him, I’m entitled to a few tears.”
