He glances behind me into my bedroom with unmistakable suspicion. "Is Boone in here? I thought I heard something."
"That was just me having a bad dream."
Asher's attention moves back to me, analyzing my bare face in the dimness before he quirks a knowing brow.
"How bad could it have been to get you blushing this pretty?"
I cover my cheeks quickly, fighting a sudden smile because my bodyguard clearly knows what was going on in here.
Also, he kind of just called me pretty.
Reminding myself not to squeal out loud, I try to tame my smile. "It was…so bad. The worst."
Asher sighs, shaking his head. "Damn it, Shorty. No matter how much you trust them, you can't let these horny assholes sneak into your bed at night."
"I really didn't take you for a prude."
"I'm serious."
"If you just stepped out of the Middle Ages and you're worried about my precious reputation being sullied, just wait until you see what they're saying about me online," I joke.
Immediately, his gaze narrows, jaw tightening.
"Which I haven't seen for myself," I amend quickly. "Of course. Because I've been sleeping. And…blushing."
"If Boone or anyone else tries slipping in here again tonight when you're supposed to be resting, I'm going to sleep in here myself to keep them the fuck away from you all night. Fair warning."
"Don't threaten me with a good time," I tease, giving an exaggerated wink.
"You're fucking impossible. Just go back to sleep."
“Make me,” I joke.
Of all the playfully flirty things I've said to get a reaction from Asher Douglas, I really didn't think that was one of them.
But when he steps forward into my room, backing me toward my bed, I realize I’m in trouble.
His green gaze is dark with warning as the backs of my knees finally bump into my bed. I land on my butt on my mattress, my eyes wide and heart racing as he places his hands on either side of me, resting on the bed until he's ever so slightly leaning over me.
When he speaks right next to my ear, goosebumps prickle all over my heated skin.
"Stop pushing me."
I try to swallow. "I—that one wasn't?—"
"You know exactly what the fuck you're doing to me." His lips come so close to skimming my ear that I shiver, pressing my thighs together as his scent envelopes me. "I'm going to get this job done. I'm going to keep you safe. And so help me gods, I'm going to get through this without tying you to this bed and fucking your sweet cocktease body until you learn your godsdamned lesson. Got it?"
Oh my gods.
I want to lean into him so badly—close the distance between us and beg him to please do all of that before I lose my mind.
But something tells me I'm not ready for Asher's temper, and he might actually be pissed if I make this job hard for him.
So instead, I finally swallow hard and nod. “Got it.”
For the barest of seconds, I feel his lips brush against my temple before he straightens, storms out my bedroom door, and closes it soundlessly behind him, leaving me an overheated, confused mess.
28
