“Baby girl, you think I finally find you, my other half, my woman, my princess, and I’m not going to move heaven and earth to keep you in my life? We will figure it out,” he added and kept rocking my world with the genuineness in his voice as he kept talking. “Trust me, I don’t mind hard work. I wouldn’tbe where I am in life if I did. And if I got that far with just my career, what do you think I’ll accomplish when it’s something that actually matters, princess? Because you, Ember Thomas, matter more to me than life itself.”
“I love you, daddy,” I said, unsure of why I’d called him that in this moment other than the fact it fit him. His lips quirked up, and he pressed his mouth to mine before pulling away.
“And I love you, princess, with everything I am.” He stepped forward. I stepped back until I felt the tiles press against my back. Asher’s body caged mine. “I’m going to show you just how much.”
“I thought you said I needed a break.”
“You do,” he growled as his lips moved to the crook of my neck, “but daddy’s going to show you how much he loves you with some special kisses.”
“Oh.” My breath hitched, and true to his word, he showed me how much he cared and just how much he loved me.
Over and over again until long after the water turned cold, but by that time, I was burning up just for him, so it felt wonderful against my sensitized skin.
Epilogue
Asher
“Three. Two—“ I kissed her, swallowing theoneas we proverbially stepped into the new year. We were naked and in bed, much like we had been the last couple of days.
“Happy New Year.” She sighed happily, and I brushed my nose against hers.
“Happy New Year, baby girl,” I whispered back. “I love you.” I’d never meant anything more.
“I love you, too,” she answered, settling into my side.
We’d just made love, the last quickie of the year, and I was ready for the first of many for the new year. Deciding to come home for the holiday was the best thing I had ever done. Falling fast and furious for Ember had never been on the forecast, but then again, the blizzard that had brought us together hadn’t been, either.
“You sure about me going to LA with you?”
“Of course, I am. Why would have I asked you if I wasn’t?” We’d be leaving in a couple of hours and staying there until the end of her vacation.
At which point I planned on coming right back with her.
She just didn’t know it yet.
She had no idea of everything I had already put in motion. I would be working remotely from my place in Sugarloaf and making the commute to her place for a while because, as crazy fast as this thing had started, I had a feeling Ember wouldn’t be too keen on having me move right in come the fifth of January.
“I don’t know… I just…”
“Do you trust me?” I asked, and she didn’t even blink.
“You know I do.”
“You and I, baby? We’re forever.”
“But how—“ She blinked and tilted her head to the side for a little bit before she sat up and straddled me. “You’re up to something.” My lips twitched. “What…” I could tell she was trying to put the pieces together, and because I was her daddy and never wanted to see her struggle, I shared.
Told her about how I would be promoting my assistant and had talked to my partner about me working remotely. The only times I would head back to the office per se would be if and when she could come with me.
“So… you’re going to live… here? Only an hour away?” I could see the hope about to bust out from her, and fuck me, it only made me fall harder and deeper in love with her. I knew I hadn’t chosen wrong.
“Yep.” I nodded. “That okay with you?”
“Yes!” she shouted, joyfully wrapping her arms around me. I pulled away and took a deep breath.
“Now, I know an hour is still a little bit of a distance, especially in the winter on these mountain roads, but if you don’t mind me spending a lot of nights at your place and then you spending some here, I don’t see why we should spend another night away from each other.”
“I don’t mind at all. You could move in with me if you wanted.” She giggled, and fuck me, everything inside of me wanted to jump in and agree.
