by Alex Grayson
His hands pull my body closer and he grins down at me. “You like my hair?” he asks, amused.
I nod and twirl my finger around the short strands. “I do. It always looks so sexy and messy. It makes me want to run my fingers through it. I’ve actually fantasized about it before.”
I hear his low groan and smile to myself.
“Lady, you’re skating on thin ice here,” he growls, and bends to nip at my lips. “Don’t think I won’t take you to a dark corner and fuck you raw.”
I shiver and gaze at him with lustful eyes. I’m so damn tempted to ask him to do just that, but my quota for sexual public displays today has been reached and exceeded.
Instead, I lie my head against his firm chest and snuggle closer. His arms tighten around me and he dips his hands until they rest against my butt. I feel them squeeze before letting up. His hard cock rests against my pubic bone, and I grow damp between my legs.
Once the slow song is over, a fast one starts. I can tell by the lineup of dancers surrounding us it’s another line dance. I step back from Asher, not quite ready to chance this type of dance, but he snakes his arm around my waist, pulling me back to him. When I look at him, he has a mischievous smile on his lips.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
“I don’t know this dance,” I say, looking around and seeing more dancers line the floor.
“I can teach you.” That shocks the shit out of me. I whip my head around and find he’s serious.
“You know how to line dance?” I ask in disbelief. There’s no way this man knows how to line dance.
He nods and smiles cheekily. “I do. Something else my mom made me do. I can tango, do the cha-cha, line dance, and damn near do any dance you can think of.”
“Oh, wow! That’s amazing.”
He chuckles and leads me to the outside of one of the lines. I pull on his arm to stop him.
“I’m still not sure I’m ready for this,” I mutter, shifting on my booted feet and looking around again nervously. The song’s already started, and people are moving in sync with each other. It doesn’t look too complicated.
“Trust me?” he asks, bringing my attention back to him. He asked me the same thing earlier, and my response is the same. I nod and step up beside him.
We’re just outside the line of dancers, so when I take a misstep, which I do a lot, I don’t mess up the flow of the other dancers. Asher is a patient teacher and explains each step. Once he teaches me the moves, I try hard to keep up with him. He looks so at ease. His actions are lazy, not in a bad way, but in a way that it comes naturally to him. He doesn’t need to think about the moves, his feet just guide him. I mess up, a lot, but we both just laugh and he shows me again.
By the time the dance is over, I’ve finally gotten them down enough to where I don’t look like a complete amateur. Another fast song starts and we decide to stay and try another. This one goes easier for me because I have the basics down. We’re lined up with the rest of the dancers, laughing and having a good time.
I’m out of breath, my feet are hurting, and my throat is dry when we walk off the dance floor. We go to the bar, where Asher orders us both another beer. I guzzle this one, and it actually tastes good going down my parched throat. I slam it down on the bar like I’ve seen so many others do in the movies.
“You’re supposed to do that with shot glasses,” he says mirthfully.
I shrug and smile.
“You ready to go?” He cages me in with his arms and starts nuzzling my neck.
I moan and barely get out a nod. His warm breath against my neck sends goosebumps over my skin. I turn in my seat, ready to jump down when his lips land on mine. The kiss is lazy and soft, but no less hot. I fist his shirt at his sides, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath. My center aches, and I want nothing more than to have Asher take me over and over again. He promised me a night full of love making, and I’m going to hold him to it. After tonight, we only have one and a half more days before we go back home to reality. I don’t know what happens when we get back, so for now, I want as much of him as I can get.
He pulls his head back, his lips glistening from kissing me, eyes blazing an emerald green. I liquefy in his intense gaze, my legs going weak.
He grabs my hand and stalks us across the bar, out the door, and practically throws me inside the back of the car. He barks for the driver to make it a quick drive. We buckle up, but his hands and mouth are all over me. Our clothes stay in place, but that doesn’t mean we don’t feel each other up underneath them. I’m panting, nearly out of breath, and I know the silk panties I have on are soaked with my arousal.
We stumble out of the car once we reach the hotel. He has a hold of my hand and takes determined strides toward the elevator. Once we step inside, he has me against the wall with my legs wrapped around his hips. The hardness of his erection grinds against me, and I feel pleasure in every part of my body. I arch my body against his hardness and fist his thick, soft hair. He groans against my lips.
The elevator dings and the door slides open. Asher walks forward, just outside the elevator, before my back is slammed against the nearest wall.
“Taking you right here, right now,” he grunts, and slips his hand between us. My panties are ripped apart, his pants are undone, and then he’s blissfully slamming into me.
“Ahhh!” I cry out, throwing my head back. It bumps against the hard wall, but I barely notice. He buries his head into my neck and grunts with each powerful thrust. My back slides up and down the wall as he slides my pussy up and down his cock. His tongue dips out and licks along my neck before latching onto my skin. He sucks, bringing blood to the surface, and I know a mark will be left behind.
My grip around his neck strengthens as his thrusts do the same. Asher is branding me with his fucking, and I’m only too happy to take it. Releasing my hold around his neck, I bring my hands to his shirt and try to work the buttons free. I want to feel his skin, to run my nails down his back, mark him the same way he’s marking me. When I become frustrated, Asher releases one of his hands from my butt and yanks at the material. Several buttons pop loose and ping to the floor. Next, my shirt is pulled over my head and my bra is torn off.
“Touch me,” he growls and lifts my breast to his waiting mouth, his hips meticulously still pounding forward.
My hands go to his pecs, where I rake one fingernail over his nipple.
“Fuck,” he hisses against my nipple.
His pubic bone nails my clit each time he pushes forward, sending shards of pleasure billowing through my body. What we’re doing is definitely not making love, but I love it just the same. This is raw and passionate, and so damn good.
I feel myself getting closer to the edge, knowing Asher is as well. I bring my head down to his shoulder and bite down to stifle the scream I feel building up. Asher curses and bucks his hips harder, hitting that perfect spot inside me that has my pussy clenching his cock hard and emptying me of all the strength I have left.
I sag against his shoulders as he relentlessly powers into me over and over again. Mini spasms rack my body. My heart pounds inside my chest and my breaths come out in rough pants. Asher groans in my ear, and I feel the jerk of his cock as he empties himself inside me. He leans his weight on me against the wall, like his own strength has waned. Moments later, we both slide to the floor with my legs still around him and him still inside me. We’re both slick with sweat as we sit there in silence as we try to catch our breaths.
“This is what you do to me. You make me lose all reason,” he says, his forehead leaning against mine, looking longingly into my eyes.
“You do the same to me,” I say, meaning every word. I never knew it could be like this. It seems so simple with Asher. Loving him will be one of the easiest things I ever do.
My eyes flicker open to the light shining through the big window in Asher’s room. A smile breaks across my face when I think about yesterday. I’ve never had so much fun in my life. My life, up until I start
ed working for Asher has been… for lack of a better word, boring. I was happy and content, but I didn’t realize how staid it was until I met Liv and she showed me how much of life I was missing. But the last two days with Asher have been breathtaking and exhilarating. I never knew he could be so open and carefree. There are so many facets to him I never knew existed. He’s not the same man as the one at the office. I just hope that he stays this Asher once we make it back. He wasn’t mean before, he was just quiet and withdrawn, opting to stay silently in the background. I want the funny and open Asher to stick around.
I reach over to his pillow and feel the cool indent of where his head laid last night. Once we finally made it to his room, we followed up the wall sex with more wall sex, except in the shower. Then another two rounds in bed. The last time, he made sweet, passionate love to me, taking his time and thoroughly exploring every part of my body, never removing his eyes from me. I was a quivering mess, begging him to take me, when he slowly sank inside my body. It was one of the most tender moments of my life. One that I will always remember and cherish.
I sit up in bed, holding the sheet to my naked chest, and spy Asher sitting in a chair that’s in the corner. He’s back in his jeans from last night, button undone, legs spread wide out in front, barefoot and no shirt. He looks incredibly sexy sitting there with both his arms resting on the armrest; one hand lifted and a thumb rubbing across his bottom lip. I just don’t understand why he’s over there and not in bed with me. The sheets are cool on his side, indicating he’s been there for a while.
My brows dip down in confusion. “Why are you…” I stop when something draws my attention to the right. I look over and freeze. There, on the cherry wood nightstand, sitting next to the lamp and my phone is a big vase that has to have at least two dozen sterling silver roses. I try to gulp down the lump in my throat, but it lodges itself there and won’t move. I feel like I can’t breathe. My heart is pounding so hard I feel it all the way to my toes.
Did Sterling find out where we’re staying? Why would he send me flowers here? Especially after the text he sent me the night before last. Is this his way of saying he’s not letting me go?
Forcing my gaze from the vase, I move them back to Asher. He hasn’t moved from his spot, and he’s still watching me intently. His eyes bore into mine, making me nervous. Is he mad at me for Sterling sending my weekly flowers here? I certainly wouldn’t blame him. I wasn’t at work the day I normally get them. I’m surprised it didn’t cross my mind, but then again, I was preoccupied getting things ready for this trip.
I stop breathing, not sure what to say to him. From his comment the other night, he obviously knows I get the flowers every week. I had no way of knowing Sterling would find out where we are and still send them.
A look to my left shows another vase full of roses, then another on the dresser, and another on the desk. Looking around, I see them everywhere. How could I have missed them when I first sat up.
An ache forms in my chest. I’ve decided to tell Sterling I can’t be with him, but seeing all these flowers has my heart hurting. Why does this have to happen now? Why do two good men have to come into my life at the same time?
I turn sad eyes back to Asher, ready to explain. “Asher…” my words stop in my throat when he lifts his phone from where it was sitting on his leg and starts typing out a message.
I’m confused again. Why does he choose now to fiddle with his phone?
My phone pings from the nightstand. Now isn’t the time to be playing with my phone, so I leave it there. When it pings again a second later, Asher lifts his head and looks at me. His eyes flicker over to my phone, and understanding dawns. He sent me a message. Wearily, and with shaking hands, I grab it.
My stomach bottoms out when I see the name displayed on the phone.
Sterling: To make up for missing my normal delivery.
And then another message.
Sterling: A
I glance up and find Asher’s penetrating green eyes on me. Without looking down, his finger presses down on his phone, right before my phone pings again.
I get a sick feeling in stomach as I look down.
Sterling: S
Another ping.
Sterling: H
And another.
Sterling: E
Sterling: R
Sterling: K
ASHERK
Asher Knight
AESRKH
Oh. My. God!
Sterling, my mystery man, is none other than Asher Knight—my boss! The man I’ve been sleeping with.
With my heart in my throat and my breaths coming out in pants, I look back up at Asher, who looks like he’s preparing to spring from the chair and come after me. His hands are gripping the arms so tight, it wouldn’t surprise me if they splintered apart. His jaw ticks and his eyes are blazing with fire.
How could I have been so stupid? How could I have not known it was him? All the signs were there. The flowers started a couple months after I started working for him. Now that I look back, he’s always had his eyes on me, although I didn’t realize it at the time. Sterling claiming I would know who he was by next week. This extended weekend trip. Asher’s strange behavior lately.
Hurt, betrayal, and remorse slam into my chest, stealing every last bit of air I have in my lungs. Tears spring to my eyes, and I roughly wipe them away.
“How could you?” I whisper low, but I know Asher hears me when he winces. I ignore the pain I see flashing in his eyes. He has no right to feel pain. He was the one that tricked me, made me look like a desperate fool.
God! I’m such an idiot!
“Poppy—”
“No!” I yell, holding my hand up when he stands and takes a step toward me. “Don’t you fucking dare come near me!”
He stops in his tracks, but I can tell he’s barely restraining himself. His entire body is rigid and his hands are fisted at his sides. I clutch the sheet tighter to my chest and try to breathe through the suffocating pain in my chest.
“Beautiful, please let me—”
“No!” I say sharply. “You don’t ever get to call me that again, you son of a bitch! Ever!” My voice breaks, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
When I open them again, Asher’s closer to the bed. He holds out a hand, looking at me pleadingly. His eyes look desperate and the pain in them, so raw and bare, has my heart aching more. I’ve never seen him look so undone. He’s normally so strong and self-assured. The man in front of me is anything but. Still, I can’t let it get to me. He betrayed and played me.
I scramble back against the headboard, seeking a way to escape. I can’t let him touch me. He puts a knee to the bed, stopping my movements with his knee on the sheet. There’s no way I’m climbing from this bed naked. He’s seen enough of me already. Why in the hell do I have to sleep naked?
I close my eyes in mortification when I remember what I did with Sterling—Asher—at the window.
I tug, desperately trying to pull the sheet away, but it’s no use. His solid weight is there, and from the determined look in his eyes, he knows he’s trapped me and will take advantage of it.
“I never wanted to hurt you, Poppy,” he says, his voice hoarse with emotion. “That was never my plan.”
I shake my head and start pulling on the blanket frantically. I don’t want to hear this. I just want to get away from him. There’s no excuse for what he did. I thought we had something special, something real, but it wasn’t. I don’t know what it was to him, but it definitely wasn’t real. You don’t hurt someone you care about.
“The first time I saw you, you were at Maverick Holdings, waiting for an interview in the waiting area,” he explains, ignoring my attempts to get the sheet free. He doesn’t move closer, but doesn’t let me go, either. I’m stuck, and sure enough, he uses it.
“You were in a tight black skirt, light purple blouse, and fuck-me black heels. From the very second I saw you, you had me utterly enthralled with your beauty. I couldn’t look away. It was
like I was seeing the other half of my soul. For the first time in my life, Poppy, my knees actually grew weak, and I felt flutters in my stomach. Me, a man, felt a thousand fucking butterflies in my stomach. Men don’t feel that kind of shit, Poppy.”
He smiles wryly at me, but I hold my glare. There’s no way I can let him get to me.
“I told Colt not to hire you and to send you to my office. There was no way I was letting you go once I found you. From that moment forward, you were mine. I just couldn’t claim you yet.” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I followed you that day back to your house and sat and watched you for over an hour.”
I gasp in shocked outrage, but he talks over it.
“You captivated my mind and took over my life. Every second of my day seemed to be consumed by you. You were all I thought about, dreamed about, and all I wanted. It drove me crazy the couple of days it took for you to call for an interview—completely fucking crazy. You were in here.” He taps the side of his head. “And in here.” He taps his chest, right over his heart. “I know that sounds mental, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.”
“Stop!” I yell, throwing my hands over my ears and squeezing my eyes shut. I draw my knees up closer to my chest.
I can’t do this anymore. I can’t listen to him talk like this. I want him to leave so I can lick my wounds in private; so I can cry out my grief and try to pick up the tattered pieces of my heart. I don’t know what to do with his words because they seem so sincere. His eyes plead with me to believe him, and I do. I’m just not sure I like what he’s saying. On one hand, it seems creepy that he’s been so obsessed with me. But on the other, it makes my treacherous heart beat faster with the need to go to him
When Asher touches my legs, my eyes snap open, and I jerk them back further. He stops for a moment, contemplating on whether or not to push, then makes his decision by quickly reaching forward again. Before I know what’s happening, I’m flat on my back with him hovering over me, the sheet thankfully still between us.
“What in the hell are you doing? Get off me!” I scream, pushing against his hard chest, digging my nails in. Satisfaction rushes through me when I see him wince. His jaw turns hard and he grabs my wrists and pins them over my head. I’m sure my glare is glacial.