He relaxes, and a soft smile touches his lips. His eyes warm. “Are you usually this emotional when you’re happy? I’d like to prepare for the future.”
The future.Ourfuture, together. I cry harder.
“No.” I hiccup. “But I haven’t slept, eaten, or been myself in weeks.”
Asher’s brows slam down. “You can’t do that,” he chides. “I’m not worth that much suffering.”
“Shut—up.” I slap his chest. “You’re worth that and so, so much more, you fucking idiot. But I need food, more sex, alcohol, and sleep.”
“Alcohol’s already here. Food can be here in a matter of minutes. Sex can follow shortly after, and then, we can sleep.” He pauses. “For a while. Until I get too worked up and have to be inside you again.” A frown mars his features again. “Sleep might actually need to be delayed.”
I swallow hard. “Asher?”
“Hmm?”
“I’d like you to kiss me now.”
He smiles again. “Anytime, sweetheart.Allthe time, for the rest of my life if I have anything to say about it.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Victoria
We don’t get much rest that night, but it’s made up by sleeping in. When we wake up, it’s to a drowsy morning, room service eaten in bed, and a quiet, unspoken sense of companionship that means more than any grand gesture.
Waking up with Asher feels like the most natural thing in the world. I want to do it forever, and it’s startling to realize that I might get to.
“Shit,” Asher says, glaring down at his phone.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’re being summoned.” He glances up at me. “Ilya wants to see us at the paddock, together. Apparently, so do Soren, Declan, and Frank Sterling.” He winces. “I probably should’ve talked to management before doing what I did at the press conference yesterday.”
At another time, I’d be panicking over this revelation and assuming I’ll get fired. But Asher and I arebothvaluable players on the team. I don’t think Gaston can affordto fire either one of us—because then, the other would leave.
“Let me call Delilah,” I say. “She’ll have our backs…”
“My god, you two are sickeningly in love.” Delilah’s greeting to us in the hotel lobby is nothing short of disgusted. She looks at Asher’s arm, which is wrapped around my waist with delightful possessiveness. “It might be wise to detach from each other. You know, in case you’re about to get in deep shit for fraternizing.”
A touch of worry wrinkles my good mood, but nowhere near as much as it once would’ve been. “You said we’re not breaking any rules in the employee handbook.”
“That just means that if team management punishes you, you can sue. Which would be an expensive, years-long process, where you’ll probably lose more in legal fees than what you’ll recover.”
“Don’t underestimate how much money I’d throw at a spiteful endeavor,” Asher says calmly.
“Can the attitude, hotshot. Let’s see what these old men want.”
“First of all, my congratulations on your success yesterday,” Soren says. “The upgrade package was clearlywell-placed, as was your use of your algorithm.” He gazes at me.
“Thanks,” Asher says tightly from beside me.
Soren’s paddock office is spacious enough to fit everyone who saw fit to attend this meeting. Declan and Ilya idle on either side of the desk, standing, and Sterling leans against the floor-to-ceiling window behind Soren’s desk, observing silently. Asher, Delilah and I sit in three folding chairs across the desk from Soren. I think everyone in the room is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“You’re welcome. Now, naturally, the press conference could’ve been handled better. A heads up on your intentions would’ve been nice—”
“My clients had no burden to inform you of anything,” Delilah cuts in neatly. “If you’d refer to the code of conduct the team operates by, section twelve, clause—”
“Why are you here?” Declan interrupts, frowning. “This isn’t a courtroom.”
