“It’s in good hands and it won’t fall apart while I’m gone.” His thumb swept over my lips.
“Are you staying at a hotel?” I arched my brow at him.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” His eye narrowed at me. “I was hoping to stay here with you.”
“Of course.” I nodded my head. “You can stay here. Follow me upstairs and I’ll show you the guestroom.” I turned and walked out of the kitchen.
“What?” He followed behind. “The guestroom?”
“Yes.” I turned my head and smiled at him.
I showed him to the room with the double bed, a window seat, a dresser with a TV sitting on it and two nightstands.
“Is there a reason why you’re not letting me in your bed?” he asked.
“Well.” I paced around the room. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why? I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
“Of course you do. But sex with us is a band-aid, Asher.”
“What are you talking about?” He stood there shaking his head.
“You yell, kick me out, tell me you never want to see me again. Then you apologize and we have sex.”
“And?” He lifted his arms up.
“The sex we have after you do all those things to me is great and it feels good at the moment. But it covers up the real issues at hand. Like a band-aid covers a wound. You eventually take the band-aid off and let the wound heal on its own. Make sense?”
32
Asher
I knew exactly what she was saying, and I didn’t like it.
“Yeah, Everly. It does.”
“Good.” She grinned as she placed her hand on my chest. “I’m just going to change into my pajamas, make a bowl of popcorn and watch The Bachelorette. You can join me if you’d like.”
Was she serious?
“Sounds like fun.” I managed a fake smile.
“Great. I’ll see you downstairs.”
The moment she walked out of the room, I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. I couldn’t believe she was making me stay in the guestroom. All that talk about sex being like a band-aid. I had no choice, and I knew it. I screwed up and now I had to suffer the consequences. The consequences of no sex with the woman I loved. Could I do it? I had no choice. I just prayed that it wouldn’t last too long. I took off my shoes and socks and changed into a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. When I walked out of the bedroom, she came from hers dressed in a two-piece short pajama set and her hair up in a messy bun. Damn her.
We sat on the couch with a bowl of popcorn between us and she turned on some show called The Bachelorette. I’d never heard of it and when I started watching it, I couldn’t believe what the hell I was seeing.
“Are you kidding me? Why did she give him a rose? Can’t she see the guy is a total douchebag?” I threw my hands up. “He’s totally playing her.”
“Right?” Everly said as she popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth. “But don’t worry. He won’t be around too much longer.”
I glanced over at her and cocked my head.
“You know the outcome, don’t you?”
She shrugged as a beautiful smile graced her lips.
“How can you watch this stuff if you already know what’s going to happen?”
“For the drama.” She grinned.
I chuckled as I threw a piece of popcorn at her and she threw one back at me. When the show was over, I helped her clean up and then we went upstairs.
“Thanks for tonight,” I said as I pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I had fun.”
“You’re welcome. Good night, Asher.”
“Good night, Everly.” I sighed.
Everly
After I brushed my teeth, I walked to my bedroom and saw Asher’s father sitting in the chair by the window.
“You’re making him suffer, you know. But I understand why, and I admire you for that.”
“What are you doing here? I thought you were gone.”
“I will be soon. I just need to make sure my son is okay.”
“He’s fine, and I really need you to stay out of my bedroom.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m going. Be good to him, Everly. He’s been waiting a long time for someone like you.”
I gave him a small smile and he was gone.
The next morning, I awoke to the smell of something burning. Climbing out of bed, I slipped my feet into my slippers and went downstairs.
“What is that smell?” I asked Asher when I walked into the kitchen.
“That would be eggs and burnt toast. I opened the windows to air the place out. I was attempting to cook you breakfast, and I failed.” He held up his cup of coffee.
“It was a nice gesture.” I smiled. “You better get your stuff together.”
“Why?” He frowned at me.
“You need to go to Key West,” I spoke as I brewed a cup of coffee.
“Why do I need to do that?”
Suddenly, his phone rang, and as I stood there waiting for my coffee, I listened to the irritation in his voice.
“No. It’s okay, Levi. I’ll go. Looks like I’m going to Key West.” He sighed.
“I know.” I gave him a smile as I turned around with the coffee cup in my hand as his muscular chest and chiseled abs stared me in the face.
“I want you to come with me.” The corners of his mouth curved upward.
“Asher, I —”
“Yes. You can. I just got here, and I don’t want to leave you. Come with me, Everly. It’ll be fun. After I settle everything with the property, we can tour Key West, go to the beach, eat amazing food and have some fun.” He winked. “Separate hotel rooms, of course. I promise. I did a lot of thinking last night when I went to bed, and I knew what you were talking about when you said that sex is a band-aid. The truth is, we really don’t know each other very well. Like, I don’t know your favorite color, your favorite food, what kind of music you like to listen to, what hobbies you like to do. I want to know all those things about you. What I do know is that you’re kind, caring, selfless and incredibly beautiful. That’s why I’m falling in love with you.” He reached up and softly stroked my cheek.”
“Asher.” I slowly closed my eyes for a moment.
“I know I told you that I didn’t feel anything for you when you told me you loved me. I lied, Everly. I lied because I was scared. I couldn’t allow myself to feel anything for anyone. But after talking to Brianna, I realized how pathetic and stupid I was being.”
“You’re not saying all this just to get me to have sex with you, are you?”
He let out a chuckle.
“No. I’m telling you because you deserve to know how I really feel, and I want you to know. Please say you’ll come to Key West with me. The private jet will be here in about an hour.”
“Then I guess I better start packing.” I grinned as I reached up and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you. I’ll call my secretary and have her book us two rooms at a 5-star hotel.”
I took my coffee and went up to my room. It made me happy he asked me to go with him. But the fears inside me were still there. Could we ever have a normal relationship? I was far from normal, so I had my doubts.