He eyed the small ball of cream cheese mixture on a square pastry. “Can I ask for seconds?”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry, there are seven courses tonight, and if you’re still hungry afterward, we’ll find you something.”
Asher shrugged and stuffed the hors d’oeuvre into his mouth. He swallowed and licked the corner of his lips, all while I stared. “You were tellin’ me why you hadn’t told your momma this match with Miss Georgina’s ovaries wasn’t happenin’.”
Right. My mother. Excellent topic to get my mind off how intoxicating his mouth was.
“Yes, I mean, no, she’s not been stealing anything from me. But she is rather hell-bent on me deepening an association with Georgina.”
“Deepening an association? Is that what you kids’re callin’ it these days?” he snickered, and I had to join him. If I couldn’t laugh about it … Well, in Asher’s words,that’d fuckin’ suck.
“Mother has set me up with women before, but I’m afraid she’s finally found Miss Perfect in Georgina and her ovaries.”
“Gross.”
“Indeed.”
“What’s she like? Georgina.”
“Everything you aren’t.”
“More specifics, and feel free to say nice things about me too.”
I chuckled, grabbing his right hand in mine and pulling him so he was nearly lying across me with his back to my chest. I nuzzled his ear, then just beneath it. Goose bumps rose on his arms as he shivered.
“She’s a blank wall I hardly notice since, with my eyes open or shut, all I see is you.”
Asher took a huge inhale, pressing into me. “That was … Damn, that was good.”
“You smell nice.”
“It’s lotion from the Walmart.”
I rested my face in his hair as my shoulders shook with the laughter I held back. “You’re amazing, Asher.”
“Ash, remember? It’s easier for tonight.”
“Right.” I kissed his cheek, then let him resettle into his chair.
The second course of soup was served, and we resumed mundane conversation. When it came to the palate cleanser, I had to explain why it wasn’t technically dessert.
“How often do you go out like this?” Asher gestured at the table with his water goblet. “Seven courses and a strict dress code.”
“Not often. The food is good, and the setting is intimate.”
“You’ve taken women here before?”
Oof. “Uh, yes?”
Asher snickered. “It’s okay. I know you’ve had a life before me. A longer life than I’ve had.” He bumped my shoulder. “I’m not a jealous sort of bitch, and it’s a lot better since they were female.”
“You never went on a date with anyone?”
He shrugged. “I pissed in front of a girl once. Does that count?”
“I’m not even sure how to respond to that, so I’ll go with no.”
“Yeah. I don’t even remember why. Anyway, no. By the time I got into my teenage years, I was confused as fuck. Girls were all right, and I kind of liked it when they were bossy, but guys were who got my dick up when they shoved each other around. Then Jamie started getting his ass kicked by his daddy, and I forced all of that into the background so I could watch out for him.”
