Strange.
I flipped open one of the side latches where the camera had slots for different kinds of SD cards. It must have come loose during Asher's covert transgression. Or, that was my initial thought, except after looking closely, I couldn't see an SD card at all. No regular one, no micro, nothing.
Apparently secretly masturbating to pictures of myself and my husband in his guest home was more complicated than I planned. I scurried back to the closet, returned to the camera case, and searched for the missing piece. There were more SD cards in small plastic cases in there, too, but...
Some of those were missing, as well. Which was very odd. I furrowed my brow, trying to figure this out. Asher wouldn't take them out of here, would he? I didn't think so, but we hadn't exactly talked specifically about it. I just sort of took it for granted that he always kept everything here, because that's what he did and that's what he said. He never specifically said he would always keep everything here forever, though.
The thought worried me. I didn't think it was very safe to leave sensitive material like this somewhere else. The guest home was fine, locked up in its own right, but doubly locked up behind the fence and gates of the Landseer estate, too. Maybe a bank box somewhere would be safer, but all things considered it should be relatively secure here. The only people who had access were Asher's housestaff, and the only people who came here on a somewhat regular basis besides us were Jeremy and the cleaning woman.
It was probably nothing. Some weird circumstances that I would never have known about. Except, of course, I knew now because of the weird thing I'd planned on doing. Jeremy was still waiting for me, too. I'd just ask Asher later. He'd know what was wrong and why some of the SD cards weren't here. Maybe they were somewhere else in the house; in the guest bedroom or in the library basement. That made sense.
Jeremy yelled upstairs to me. He didn't yell anything particular, just some muffled, garbled question about my return.
"I'm coming! Hold on!" I shouted back.
Fetching the camera from the bed and turning it off, I put it back neatly in the camera case and zipped everything up. I closed the closet door, then went to rejoin Jeremy downstairs. The explosive movie, my friend, and my burger and potato wedges awaited me.
***
The movie ended with a lot of explosions. Having finished my meal, I watched on, plate gripped in my hand, as basically everything within a five mile radius surrounding the current main characters exploded. I was entirely unsure how they avoided being hit by the blasts, but in a series of slow motion scenes, they narrowly dodged pieces of shrapnel and fire and all manner of other explosive things.
A quick glance to my side showed Jeremy leaning forward on his end of the couch, eyes unblinking, jaw clenched, staring at the projector screen with rapt interest. I wanted to laugh, but I didn't want to ruin his enjoyment of the movie, especially at the end. Instead, I leaned back and satisfied myself with a bombardment of smoke and flames.
And that was that. I couldn't quite tell what happened. I supposed everything was fine and good now? The good guys won and the bad men lost. The good guys were apparently the musclebound ones with grease and athletic shirts covering their torsos. The camera zoomed closer to one particular muscle man, who started walking off into the sunset after the explosive violence surrounding him had stopped. One of the busty woman appeared from off to the side and he spared a glance towards her, but nothing more.
She approached him. He stopped and stared into the horizon. She came closer, touched his arm, and then he swung to the side, grabbed her hips, and swept her up into a steamy kiss. This didn't last long and then they were walking, hand in hand, passing the last of the carnage around them and moving towards the setting sun.
I was fairly certain this was meant to be romantic in some way. The muscle man and the busty woman seemed happy with their arrangement, at any rate. The walking, joining, kiss, more walking, hand holding.
I honestly didn't know how any of it happened, though. Did I miss something? They didn't seem romantically involved for most of the rest of the movie, nor did they talk a lot. I didn't even know his name, and I think her name was foreign and Russian, maybe. Ivona? Natalia? Something like that...
Jeremy applauded. I looked over at him, dumbstruck. He looked at me with a similar expression.
"What are you doing?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Aren't you amazed? That's one of the most touching scenes in the history of movies. After everything they've done and everything they've been through, almost dying to a million huge explosions, they're still able to find love. It's a really good movie."
I blinked, then smiled and nodded. Just smile and nod, I told myself. Keep it up.
"It's much better than any Nicholas Sparks movie, at least," Jeremy said.
Oh! Oh no! I managed to put my plate on the coffee table before I accidentally dropped it on the ground, then I was up in arms. "I really don't think so!"
"Alright, I admit that some of his movies have explosions in them," Jeremy said. "Dear John was alright, and The Notebook had a couple war scenes, but that's about it."
"You probably fell asleep during the boring parts because you're dumb," I said. Perhaps not my best insult ever, but I didn't care.
Jeremy laughed. "Yeah, you're right. I probably did. So I got a nice hour and a half nap out of it, I guess?"
"You're terrible."
"I can't believe you didn't even clap. You didn't look excited at all. How can you not be excited when there's so many explosions?"
"To be honest, I don't even know why anything was exploding. Why did they kiss? Do they even have names? The whole movie didn't make any sense."
"The evil looking guys were evil and the good looking ones were good. What else do you need to know besides that? The two at the end were the strongest good guy and the most attractive woman who was also a good guy, so of course they're going to get together."
"By most attractive, you mean she had the largest breasts?" I asked.
"Hey," Jeremy said, sounding affronted. "That's not the only thing. Yeah, so she had large breasts, but she looked great in those latex pants. What an ass. Those hips and everything, too. I mean, really now. She had a lot of everything if you ask me."
I rolled my eyes at him, then turned to look away. I ended up glancing towards the open kitchen and seeing the clock on the wall.
"Oh God," I said.
"What?" Jeremy asked. "What's wrong?"
"The time! The clock. Oh God. It's late. I need to go. I was supposed to—"
I was supposed to meet Asher. In our bedroom. For some important business meeting discussions. And he'd said, I reminded myself, to wear appropriate attire. Which basically amounted to nothing or some sexy lingerie. Yes, we were trying to have a child together, but that didn't mean we couldn't enjoy it, right?
Except he'd be here any minute and I was in the guest house. He hadn't contacted Jeremy, though. That didn't mean a whole lot, since Asher could have found another way home. Lucent was still in the office, and they drove together sometimes. Or a taxi. The subway, then a ten minute walk here. Asher did a lot of things and came home in a lot of ways, but none of those negated the fact that he expected me to be somewhere and I kind of wanted to be there, too.
But I wasn't.
"I have to go," I said again suddenly.
Jeremy just stared at me like I was a nut. "Alright? So, go?"
"I'm going! Can you clean up, please? It's just a plate, but do you mind?"
"I got it," he said. "Don't worry. I know how to clean a plate."
"Thanks," I said. "The movie wasn't that bad, either. I didn't understand half of it, but the explosions were neat." I didn't understand one half of it, but I also didn't understand the other half, either. I decided not to say that, though.
"There's a sequel," Jeremy said, picking up my plate and laying it atop his. "We should watch that one next time. It's good."
"Sure!" I said. I didn't have time to think of a way out of that.
Scrambling to the front door of the guest house, I opened it and ran out into the open air. I wasn't that far from the main house, but that didn't change the fact that I was still late for Asher's plans, and... well, yes, we had some beautiful sex in his private meeting room today, but the day wasn't over and there was a lot of time for more beautiful sex. Sort of.
The celebration tonight. Asher's sweet gesture of offering to do a quick vow renewal where my father could walk me down the aisle. Nothing huge, no, but enough. Some of my friends and family, and his, too, together. It was really nice, and I loved that he'd done that for me. It was for him, too, but I think he knew that it was important to me in its own way.
And I would repay him. With really hot sex. I mean, I'd enjoy the sex, too, of course. This wasn't an "either/or" situation here. I just wanted it to be really hot. Sexy! Enticing, alluring, and seductive. I needed time to set all of that up, though, and I didn't know if I had any time at all. What if Asher was waiting for me in our bedroom already? I couldn't just ask him to hold off while I set us up for something steamy and sensual. That seemed kind of counter-intuitive to the whole process.
I tried running to the front door of the mansion, but heels aren't the most conducive shoes for running. I managed to hobble and hop my way there a little faster than if I was walking, but probably not by much. I should work on that. Maybe they offered classes on how to run in heels somewhere. It seemed like a useful skill.
Fuck. I'd forgotten my purse! I didn't have my keys. And I'd just said fuck. I didn't actually say fuck, I told myself, I thought it. I can be as crass as I want in my thoughts, because no one can see them. Which means I could think of doing dirty and naughty things with Asher, right? Yes, and...
Fuck!
I knocked on the door, distracting myself from moments soon to come. Then I remembered we had a keypad for times like this, so I stepped to the side and flipped up the keypad cover. The code was... something. I knew the code, I did! It took me a moment before I remembered it, typed it in fast, but before I could hit enter and unlock the door someone answered it for me.
I started to thank them profusely and went to move inside, except then I realized it was Asher. He stood there, eyes dark and glaring, with a forced smile on his face.
"Oh," I said. "Um... Asher. Hi."
"Hey," Asher said. "How are you, Jessika?"
"I'm good. I was watching a movie with Jeremy in the guest house. We picked up burgers."
"Did you?" he asked, still with that dark, ominous gaze and that fake, happy smile.
"Uh... yes. Did you want one, too? I didn't think of it, because I knew you wouldn't be home until later, but I could go back and—" I paused when I saw a flicker of something dangerous in Asher's eyes. "I mean, I could text him! I can text him to see if he'll get you something and..."
No more. Enough! Asher hauled me inside our home, lifted me across his shoulder, and carried me away.
"Oh!" I said, because I didn't know what else to say. "Um, Asher?"
"What?" he asked.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." His tone was playfully malicious. "I believe we have some important arrangements to discuss, do we not?"
"Yes, but you aren't going to the stairs. This isn't anywhere near the bedroom."
"Too far," Asher said, curt and to the point. "We don't have time."
Slightly disoriented because I was facing one way and moving another, I couldn't tell exactly where we were headed, but it looked like... "Um, are we going to the ballroom?"
"Yes," he said.
"For our important business?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Asher! We can't go there! It's... it's open. There's windows."
"You realize there's windows in every room in the house?"
"That's not what I meant. What if someone comes in, too? Aren't there people in there setting up for tonight, anyways?"
"They're about to take a break. A long break. I think they deserve it, don't you?"
I didn't know what to think. Or say. My mouth hung open, useless, and my tongue felt much the same. My mind whirred with a million little thoughts, none of which was appropriate for casual conversation. The ballroom? There was a piano. On the piano? And they were decorating. Bringing in tables. Chairs. The carpet off to the side was nice, but there was smooth floor throughout most of the room which could also maybe be nice.
As much as Asher and I had fooled around in the guest home, teasing and playing with each other in every conceivable room on, perhaps, every possible surface, we'd mainly stuck to our bedroom and bathroom when in the main house. We'd certainly never done anything explicit in a room as large as the ballroom. It was the biggest room here!
Suddenly, I heard a sharp slamming sound that distracted me from worrying about where we were going and what we were about to do there. Jerking my head to the side, I saw the doors to the ballroom flung wide open. Asher stood in the entryway, surveying his surroundings.
It took me a moment to realize what had happened, but... he'd turned the doorknob to open the doors slightly, and he'd kicked it open! Really? What sort of madness was this and what had gotten into him.
I kind of liked it in an embarrassing sort of way. It felt wrong, yet exciting. Flung across Asher's back, kidnapped and carried away, forced into a room not meant for anything even remotely illicit. And then the next part, of course, which was:
"Excuse me," Asher shouted with supreme authority. "Jessika and I wish to consider some private options in regards to tonight's celebration. We'll need a moment alone to go over a few things. You all may take a break for the next hour."
"An hour?" I asked, stunned.
"An hour," Asher repeated, though quieter and just for me. "Do you have any problems with that?"
"I..." I thought I must, but I didn't know how to say them.
Men and women from the decoration team in charge of setting up for the celebration began dispersing from the room. They eyed Asher with peculiar interest before leaving, which struck me as odd at first, until I realized I was still on his back.
"Asher, let me down," I whined, squirming in his grip.
He held me all the tighter. "No."
One man, the head of the group involved in decorations, approached. "I hope you and Mrs. Landseer will find everything to your satisfaction," he said. "We still have some of the trim work to do, but the main stage has been prepared. Some of the settings along the center wall are removable, so we can maintain the concept of vow renewal beforehand, pull them out before the corporate celebration, and replace them with more a more suitable arrangement afterwards."
"It's great," Asher said. "Looks nice."
I turned to look at the head decorator man, who appeared to be trying his best to treat us with an outward show of respect instead of awkward concern or disdain.
"I'm sure it's wonderful," I reassured him. "Asher and I will make sure to inspect it thoroughly, but I bet it's really nice."
"...Thank you," the man said slowly. "If there's anything wrong, please let me know immediately. We'll work fast to assure it's all done up before anyone arrives, you have my word."
"Good," Asher said. He was a caveman now, only capable of speaking in choppy sentences.
Everyone left. Everyone was leaving. They went out the door Asher and I arrived through, though. There was another door to the opposite side leading further into the house that my barbaric husband kept staring at. I sort of wondered why it held his interest.
Once everyone left, Asher stepped further into the room, closed and locked the door behind us, then carried me to a table. Rough, yet careful, he lifted me off his shoulder and draped me across the edge of the large banquet table.
"Jessika," he said. "I'm going to do things to you."
"Oh?" I asked, grinning. "Like what?"
"First, I'm going to lock the other door. I expect you to be rid of your panties by the time I get back. Nothing else. Just your panties. Understand?"
I nodded fast. Oh, yes. Yes I did. I understood rather well.
Asher strode away, heading to the presumably unlocked door. I watched him go at first while I just lay on the table, prone and helpless. Because, what was I supposed to do? Where could I escape?
Out the door, of course. If I really wanted to, at least. Just get up, run to the door he'd locked, unlock it, and run away. What fun was that, though?
Asher got to the door and looked over his shoulder. I still had my panties on. Quick, lifting my skirt to peel my underwear down my legs, I worked fast. He grinned at me, salacious, then locked the door and walked back to me. His return was slow and steady, confident and cocksure. He walked like a man who knew exactly what he was doing and all of the intricate details of how he was doing it.
I was already aroused by the time he got back. I didn't mean to be aroused, and I couldn't have said why I was, but it was apparently a good thing given the circumstances. Asher thrust his hands beneath my skirt and pried my confused legs open, then dipped two fingers into my wet slit. I gasped aloud and my body clenched against his intrusion, alarmed and pleased all at once.
"Good," he said. When I looked up at him, he was leering at me, a sly grin upon his lips. "We've got an hour, but I don't have the patience for foreplay right now. I want to fuck you."
Perhaps I wasn't even aroused before, because right about now I felt like something inside me had suddenly switched on. Again. More. I glanced at the contours of Asher's pants, spying his obvious erection making a bulge in the cloth near his crotch, and my mind grew frantic with desire.
"Yes," I whispered. "Fuck me, Asher."
He lorded over me, leaned atop me, and bent his head low, whispering into my ear. "I promise I won't hurt you," he said. "You remember our safeword, though, right?"
I nodded and tried to kiss his cheek, but he eluded me with a fast jerk to the side.
"Jessika," he growled. "Say it."
"I don't want to say it," I said, playful. "Maybe I want to see how rough you can be."
His eyes glimmered, a counter to my playfulness. One of his hands grabbed my throat, squeezing, and his other hand dipped harshly between my legs again as he coated his fingers with my slick arousal. He pulled his fingers out as if he was gathering fresh honey, then brought them to my mouth. I clenched my lips shut, refusing him, staring him straight in the eyes, but this didn't deter him.
His Absolute Arrangement: A Scandalous Billionaire Love Story (Jessika, #1) Page 8