“And you don’t get along with her?” I asked, feeling nosy.
“No, we do.” He stretched his legs out. “It’s just… Her place is small. And with her three kids, I don’t want to add to the… noise.” I smiled. I understood more than he could imagine.
“Where did you drive or fly in from?” I asked.
“Los Angeles.”
“Nice,” I whispered as my mind ran down the logistics. He lived at the very least eight hours away.Figures.I almost wanted to laugh at myself. Just as I was about to let myself believe in Rosie’s manifestation of me finding someone on this little getaway, he lived way too far for it to be anything more than…
“Why don’t you stay here?” I asked, weirdly calm and sure of the offer.
“What?” His brows bunched.
“I’m here. Alone. And as you know, since the place is yours, there is more than enough space. And you’re already here. Plus, it’s probably way too dangerous to drive right now.” I glanced out the window, and my eyes widened.
I set my mug back on the table and pointed out into the darkness. Snow had been falling hard when I drove in, butholy crap! I hadn’t expected to see both of our cars completely covered.
“Look.” I pointed. He scooted over, turning his body so we could both look out at his driveway. We were both half-kneeling on the couch, so close our shoulders brushed against one another. I couldn’t ignore the way my body seemed to hum around him. Like everything about me was weirdly attuned to everything about him. From how he felt to how he smelled. The heat of his body.
“Our cars,” he murmured. “They’re covered— Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “I should get out of here. I couldn’t impose on your vacation.” He shifted and stood.
I couldn’t deny the way I missed his body next to mine. I shook the thought away and joined him. When I stood next to him, the size difference between us was more evident. He was huge. Tall and strong. Somehow imposing without being intimidating. Not to me. Something about that made me reach for him, and I felt his eyes connect with mine when I curled my fingers around his.
“Stay,” I urged. “I’d hate for you to drive out in this and something happens. Plus… maybe the company wouldn’t be such a terrible idea?” I shrugged, forcing myself to let go of his hand and stepping away. “What do you think?”
“I think…” He swallowed, and my eyes traced the line of his neck and the way his prominent Adam’s apple rose and fell. Something about it made me want to stand on the tips of my toes and lick it before I dropped on my knees and licked something else.Get on my knees and lick…I shook the dirty thoughts away as our eyes locked.His eyes are beautiful.
“I think that—“ His voice sounded lower than it was a moment earlier. “That if you don’t mind, I’d love to stay.”
“Good.” I smiled and crossed my arms over my chest. “Do you want to call your nephew or sister? I’m going to go…” Myeyes peeked at the kitchen. “Go get dinner—“ His hand took mine and carefully pulled me in closer to him. So far that my hand landed on his chest. Not exactly to push him away but to steady myself on him. I’d figured he was strong, but what I hadn’t been ready for was to feel just how hard his chest was.
“Don’t cook.” He shook his head. “I’ll do it.”
“But—“
“I mean, I picked up a lot of food from the diner. More than enough to feed an army. Eat with me. I don’t want to put you out any more than I already have. And I’ll make sure that whatever you paid for the rental will be refunded to you.”
“Don’t do that,” I said softly. “I know…” I chewed on my bottom lip.
“What? What is it you’re not sure you should say?” My eyes widened, not sure how the hell he could read me that clearly.
“Well… I wasn’t eavesdropping…”
“Sweetheart, I had the phone on speaker.” He smirked. Usually, I didn’t like anyone calling me that, but coming from him, it was different. A lot was different when it came to Asher.
“Your nephew did a bad thing, but he had a good reason for it. I don’t think you should take money from him that’s going to go to a good cause. Even if you were planning on paying for his tuition.” I shrugged. “I remember being a college student. Extra money is never a bad thing.” He watched me carefully, his gaze softening with every word I said.
“You’re right. But I’ll deposit the money directly from me to you, not Dane.”
“You don’t have to do that, either.”
“We’ll figure it out.” He winked and gave me a smile I was almost positive had gotten him what he wanted countless times throughout his life.
“Okay,” I found myself agreeing.
“Let me call my sister and nephew, and then I am all yours.”
“All mine, huh?” I smiled and didn’t miss the way his eyes dropped to my mouth before returning to meet my gaze, this time with a darker look in his stare.
