His strong, polished fingers begin working over the soles of my feet, and I let go of a moan, closing my eyes in relief.
“You’re really good at that.”
“Haven’t you learned by now, I’m good at everything.”
I lift one eyelid and cock my brow. “Cocky ass.”
He just smirks, switching feet to start on the other.
He is so, so good.
“How’s your patient?” he asks.
“She’s going to be all right for now, at least physically anyway.Emotionally?That’s a whole other issue.”
“And you?”
“Exhausted.”
He frowns, pressing his thumbs against the pads of my feet. I close my eyes once more, lost in his relaxing touch when I feel his hand drifting up my calf. My body stirs with desire but I’m too tired to even move right now.
I open my eyes. “Would you be upset if I told you I didn’t want to have sex tonight?”
He doesn’t even look the least bit disappointed when he says, “Whatever you need, baby. All I want to do is take care of you.”
He pats my leg before moving my feet off his lap to stand up. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed and I’ll lock up.”
I do as he says, going into my bedroom to put on my pajamas and wash my face. A few minutes later, Asher comes back into the room, pulling his shirt over his head and taking off his jeans, leaving his briefs in place. I will never get over how magnificent his body is. Not a single ounce of skin is left without definition and nearly every inch of him is covered in ink, and that lion, always savage and cruel, nothing like the man before me.
I catch a glimpse of his pink fingernails again and smile, walking into the bathroom to retrieve a bottle of fingernail polish remover and a few cotton balls. I pause, glancing around the space, spotting his Irish Spring body wash in the shower and his razor lying on the counter. I smile to myself, loving that he’s invaded my life so effortlessly.
He climbs in bed, positioning himself so his back is resting against the headboard, stuffing a few pillows behind him.
I swallow thickly.
“What is it?”
I climb up on the bed next to him. “I like you in my bed, that’s all,” I say, sitting cross-legged before bringing his hand to my lap to remove the hot pink polish. “You’re a good sport for letting her do this.”
Asher chuckles. “She can be very persistent.”
I smile, moving on to the other hand. “What else did you two do today?”
“Took her to the gym to meet my friend Danny and let her play on the new ninja course. She loved it. Says she wants to become a ninja warrior. You know, when she’s not being queen of the world.”
I laugh but Asher’s face turns serious.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he says. “After I picked up Lyla from daycare, we went for ice cream. We got to talking and I asked her what she and her dad like to do for fun. She told me that he takes her to a lot of toy stores and buys her whatever she wants, but she has to keep it a secret from you.”
My blood boils with anger. “What?” I know Steven is manipulative and conniving but I never thought he would stoop this low. “I can’t believe he’s having her keep secrets from me. Then again, this is Steven we’re talking about. I don’t think anything is off limits for him.”
“I want to meet him,” Asher demands.
I shake my head, putting the cap back on the remover and setting it on the bedside table. “We’ve talked about this.”
I walk into the bathroom to throw away the cotton balls.
Asher continues speaking, “I know, and I’m trying to be respectful here, but I also need him to know that we’re together, and if he fucks with you in any way, he’s going to be dealing with me. That means his threats and shit stop,” he says as I walk back into the bedroom. “I also want him to know that I’m not trying to take his place as Lyla’s father, but as your man, it’s my job to protect her, too.”
