“Me too,” I teased, and he chuckled, flashing me a white, toothy smile. “So, we’ll fly to my home in Southampton tomorrow and begin work when we arrive. I’ll introduce you to my team.”
“Oh, I thought we were staying here through the weekend, but that’s fine. I’m happy to get started. Is the shoot happening at your house?”
I nodded and took another sip of champagne from the glass that the waiter had refilled. Asa hadn’t drunk much of the alcohol, and I had a feeling it either wasn’t his kind of beverage or he wasn’t much of a drinker. “I’m a bit of a micromanager, if I’m honest. Because this is the introduction of my line, I want to be there to see it come together, and I have a beautiful estate for the photoshoot.”
“I don’t blame you. I’ve seen fashion lines go into the trash from a horrible launch,” he said, eyeing his champagne glass.
“Do you not like the drink? You can order something else.”
His right eye twitched and he licked his lips. “I’m more of a soda or beer guy.”
“Then ask for something else. I’m sure they have a range.” I raised my brows.
“I might do that.” He stood leisurely, like a man trying to impress the person he was flirting with, and he gave me a look under lowered eyelashes. Was he trying to get my attention? He didn’t attempt to ward me off like he had the photographer. “And I might use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”
I watched him until he’d left the room completely. I took the time to stand as well and leave out the door that led into the parking lot. There was nothing amazing about this lodge, but I was spending enough money on making sure everything was perfect that they acted like a five-star resort.
Outside, the air was cool, a refreshing breeze that had me taking a moment to breathe it in, before I stalked toward the small cabin nearby I’d seen the photographer slither into before we went to dinner. He’d scowled at me the entire way, and I’d had the pleasure of giving him a wink before he’d disappeared through the door.
Now I wanted to give him a message he wouldn’t forget.
I knocked on the pale brown door with the number twelve on the front, and as soon as he opened it, I shouldered my way in. He screamed, far too high pitched for my ears to tolerate, and I slammed the door shut, spinning toward him. He stood in front of me, topless with only a pair of loose blue pajama pants on, and he wasn’t very impressive. A man didn’t need to have abs to attract me, but he did have to be well-taken care of, and this photographer was not. He hadn’t even trimmed the hair on his chest, and it was blond and unruly, and I disliked it.
I towered over him, and he stared at me with wide eyes, his bottom lip shaking. What a coward.
“I.... You’re.... What are you doing in here?” he asked, voice wavering. I fucking loved the fear that lit up his gaze and how he stumbled backward. It was easier to send men to hurt people who owed me money, and Smith, all those months ago, had been the first time in a long while that I’d gone out to get my hands dirty, but that didn’t pan out to be any action.
Now would be a different story.
I grabbed the photographer around the neck, squeezing my fingers into his windpipe, and he gasped, his hands going to my wrist and fingernails scratching my skin.
I shoved him backward and slammed him against the wall near the bed, and he yelped out a strangled sound as I shoved my knee straight into his crotch, making him double over. “Let me give you some advice, from one man to another.”
He grappled at where my hand was squeezing his windpipe and choked out, “Please.”
“When someone is clearly not interested in you, don’t try to push them into it.” I dug my fingers in deeper. He had no strength compared to me and my height was an advantage. “Think about me next time you try to manipulate a model into your bed, andnevercontact Augustine Hart again, am I clear?”
His eyes widened and panic set in as he lost air to his lungs.
“And if you go back to his agency and report this happened, or lie about him, I will come for you and I will kill you.” I leaned in closer to whisper into his ear. “I have hitmen on speed dial. You won’t even know death is coming.”
I finally let him go, and he collapsed onto the floor in a shaking heap, heaving in fast breaths. He curled inward, letting out a sob that made me roll my eyes.
I pulled at the thighs of my dark purple pants and crouched in front of him. With a snort, I patted him on the head. “We won’t have a problem if you keep it in your pants. Got it?”
He nodded, and I grunted out a sound of amusement.
“Fucking coward,” I grumbled, standing again. I kept an eye on him as I backed out of the room because men like him sometimes gathered some courage when their enemy’s back was turned, but no, he didn’t budge. I left him there to snivel and headed toward the lodge, making it back just in time to see Asa return to the table again. Dessert already filled the space between our seats, and Asa was taking his time to consider the choices before he glanced up at me.
“Oh. I thought you might’ve left.” His entire face flushed, from his forehead to his chin, and it was the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. “I was disappointed.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” I winked, and he chuckled, giving me a silly grin as I fell into my seat across from him. “Sorry, I had to step out and take a call.”
“You seem like a dedicated man,” he said, eyeing me carefully. His gaze switched between me and the ice cream in a chilled container, and I couldn’t help but appreciate his priorities. If it was a competition between me and ice cream, I wasn’t going to win. And if I wanted to see him suck on the dessert, who could blame me?
I waved at the dish. “Don’t hold back on my account.”
He licked his lips and grabbed a clean spoon, then filled up a bowl with strawberry ice cream. He did the same for me, too, which surprised me. I couldn’t remember the last time someone served me without trying to impress me because of who I was. Asa seemed so innocent, as if everything he did was out of sheer joy and care, and it was new to me.
