“May I?” he asks, eyes darting to the slice over my ribs.
I nod, and he cleans it with the paper towel before going down on one knee next to me. He ducks under my arm, and my hand curls into his hair as his circle my waist, holding me to him. Asher wets his lips, then looks up at me before swiping his tongue out and gently licking my wound. He closes his eyes and his eyebrows pinch, and I’m reminded of what he told me before. That the strength of his power is only partly due to his bloodline, more important is the conviction and intent behind the action.
As with the other time he healed me, my skin begins to knit together immediately. Asher’s eyes are glued to the cut, and when it doesn’t close all the way, he glares at the puffy, red skin before licking it again with a soft growl.
I smile and my ribs jump when I hold in a laugh. My poor, cranky, perfectionistic vampire, not happy with a ninety percent healed wound.
His narrowed gaze darts to mine when he feels the laugh I hold in, and I pinch my lips together, doing my best impression of an innocent doe as I beam a bright smile down at him.
He huffs and turns his attention back to my ribs, swiping a gentle finger over the healed area and only seeming satisfied when I giggle at the ticklish sensation.
Asher snags his shirt from a hook on the door and holds it out for me to slip my arms through. My heart swells with gratitude as I thread my arms through the sleeves.
“I have a spare change of clothes in my desk drawer. I left my phone up there, but if you have yours, could you text Alex and maybe they can bring them down?”
Asher nods and pulls his phone out, then holds it up to his ear. I roll my eyes. Of course he’d rather call than text.
Alex is knocking on the door moments later, and Asher cracks it open enough to snatch my clothes from their hands before slamming it shut again.
“You could be a little nicer,” I say, trying to hold in a laugh when Alex yells “You’re welcome!” through the door.
Asher glares at it like the door somehow offended him before turning to me with a scowl still on his face.
“You should go home,” he says.
I laugh, and he draws back, blinking at me.
“Oh, were you serious?”
“Yes, I was serious. You were just injured, threatened, assaulted. You could have been killed?—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. First off, I was barely injured, and I’m already healed, thanks to you. Second, I wasn’t threatened or assaulted. I’m pretty sure he was coming after you, and my animal sensed it. Before I knew what was happening, I was leaping, claws first. So if anyone was assaulted, it was him, not me.”
I pause my tirade for a glare, and he narrows his eyes in return.
“Third,” I draw out the word, and his gaze turns wary. “If anyone tries to separate me frommy materight now, I won’t be held accountable for the destruction I leave in my wake when I do anything I can to get back to him.”
Asher’s eyes widen and his lips part.
“What? You thought I didn’t hear that? Or did you think I wouldn’t agree?” I smirk, and his lips attack me. He folds me in his arms and I melt against his chest, breathing his air and slicking my tongue against his fangs.
“My mate,” he whispers against my lips, his voice reverent. “My fierce, shifter mate.”
“My grumpy, protective vampire,” I whisper back, earning a light swat on my ass.
I wiggle out of his hold, much to his clear displeasure, and begin dressing.
“We should go up to the office. Everyone was watching, and I’m sure they have questions,” I say, buttoning my pants and straightening my shirt. I pull my hair back into a loose braid, the best I can do given the current situation.
Asher nods, a slight frown still on his face, but he takes my hand, engulfing it in his as he opens the door and steps out. His body is instantly on alert, eyes darting left and right, taking in every mote of dust floating through the air as we wait for the elevator.
When we step through the open doorway into the workspace, one person gasps, and then a cheer goes up, clapping and a couple whistles resound through the room. Asher freezes, his face an uncomfortable grimace of confusion and dislike, so I tug him forward and let my smile speak for us both. I know he doesn’t like attention, but this is one instance he needs to deal with it.
I raise my hands and the room quiets.
“Thanks, everyone,” I say, beaming at the coworkers I’ve grown to care for over the last few months. “Your supportmeans so much. I’m so thankful to work with such incredible people every day!”
Alex wolf whistles and I grin at them.
