“The better question is why she didn’t have this information before…”
“So,the groompaid you for this one?”
“Miss Elizabeth,” I said, glancing at my watch, “as much as I’d love to stand here and spar with you, I have someplace to be, so feel free to talk to the walls for as long as you like.”
I walked to the door and opened it, but she rushed over and moved in front of it—blocking me.
“You’re going to let me finish talking to you, Asher.”
“By ‘finish,’ do you mean I’ll never have to put up with another line from you if we run into each other again?”
“Who hurt you?” She puffed out her chest. “Like, who ruined love for you so badly that you have to inflict your pain on other people?”
I let her question hang in the air unanswered.
“By now, I’m sure you’ve made enough money off this hurtful venture.”
Not even close…
“And—” she said, continuing, “it’s time for you to quit before I find ways to hurt you.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve pulled up some public records on you, and they aren’t pretty at all.”
I arched a brow.
“Two bankruptcies exactly seven years apart,” she said. “Three cars that got repossessed because you stopped paying, and a string of broken leases from apartments you abandoned. How does it feel for someone to dig that up and throw it in your face?”
“Good.” I gritted my teeth. “Maybe this someone will understand why I’m not quitting.”
“No, this someone is committed to fucking ruining you if she or anyone on her staff ever sees you within five hundred feet of any event from here on out.”
“Well, since you want to play the research game, is it my turn?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s time for me to leave.”
“Your left hand is still bare as fuck because your terrible boyfriend hasn’t locked you down yet.” I slammed my hand against the door, preventing her from leaving. “You work eighty to a hundred hours a week, not because you love weddings, but because you don’t have a life outside of planning them.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You buy new romance books every week to fall in love with strangers and go to bed fingering yourself to fucking fictional characters…” I paused as her cheeks reddened. “Is that not true?”
“None of what you said is true.” The look in her eyes said differently. “But good to know you’ve spent time coming up with insults. Clearly you think about me far more than I’ve ever thought about you.”
“Says the woman who searched for all my public records,” I said. “Too bad your sexual records aren’t public…Then again, I’m sure there’d be nothing but ghosts there.”
“Fuck you, Asher.”
“Whenever you’d like to.” I crashed my mouth against hers, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
I pinned her against the door with my hips, controlling her lips with mine.
“I hate you…” She moaned as I darted my tongue against her mouth, silently demanding that she open wider for me.
She gave in, and I grabbed a fistful of her hair as I kissed her harder.
I slid my hand under her dress, slow enough for her to feel every inch of it coming.
