“I’m assuming that’s Sawyer?” He gives a curt nod. “Fine.” I look down at my phone, noting the time. “I have to go meet with a client. Where are you staying?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I guess a hotel.”
“Penelope and Linc would gladly let you stay there.” I feel like an ass. “You know I would if . . .”
He shakes his head, raising a hand to silence me. “No. To both. A hotel is fine.”
“Well, you could go to Mom’s. Go see Baz there. I don’t think Viv would mind. Just text her first and make sure.”
He nods his head. “Yeah, fine.”
“Do it now, and I'll give you a ride.”
He waves me off again. “Nah. Go to your meeting.”
I look over my shoulder nervously, looking back at my house. “I don’t think I should leave you here.”
“Jesus Christ, Lola. I’m not a fucking animal. I’m not going to go in there and pound the shit out of that fucker.”
“Yeah. Real convincing, Ash.”
He rolls his eyes and takes out his phone. A moment later it pings with a message, and he shows me.
Viv gave him permission to go visit Baz at Mom’s house.
“Come on, I’ll drop you off on my way.”
Thankfully, he doesn’t fight me. He just climbs in my car, his eyes glaring at my house as I back out of the drive.
Asher definitely shakes things up. But still, I'm so happy to see him.
I should get going. I spent some time today texting with Viv, trying to ease her nerves. I can’t imagine how jolting it was when Ash sent that text this morning, knowing he’s in California the day after she slept with Sawyer for the first time.
I’m nervous about tonight, but my body is fully relaxed, submerged with Hayden in his master suite’s jacuzzi tub at his house.
We did actually work today. Albeit for a few hours, but then we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.
I’ve never experimented with drugs. I’ve never had a problem with alcohol. I don’t have an unhealthy addiction to food.
But . . . Hayden West. I definitely have a problem when it comes to him. One I don’t want to solve.
He’s on the opposite side of the tub facing me, his arms wrapped around my knees that are bent up and out of the water. His chest is against my calves and my feet are under his ass. I could stay like this all day.
His mouth sweeps over my knee, and even that is erotic as I smile at him, his full lips dragging along the skin over my kneecap. “You okay?”
I drag my hand over his cheek, letting my thumb slide over his bottom lip. “I have to have dinner with my family tonight.”
He sits up a little straighter now. Reacting to my tension? Or my family? I'm not sure. “Your whole family?”
“Yes.” I watch him. “My youngest brother decided to come see our nephew. And my mom, my brother Linc, Penelope, and Viv and I were already planning to have dinner, so I invited Asher.”
“I thought you were close to your family?”
I lay my head back against the edge of the tub. “I am, but when we’re all together, there’s always drama. And lots of it.”
His hands move from my legs to reach behind me, sliding my body closer to his. Our foreheads meet. “Maybe it won’t be too bad.”
“Asher and Viv ended badly. And last night, she slept with his best friend for the first time. Now he’s in town.” I keep my flesh against his, leaning into him for comfort. “And Asher still hasn’t forgiven Penelope and Linc for being together. It’s a shitshow.”
“Hasn’t forgiven them because Penelope dated Colt first?”
I try not to flinch when he says my brother’s name. “Yes. He felt like it was a betrayal.”
Hayden strangely seems to think over this quite a bit, considering they are all total strangers to him. “Maybe he’ll forgive them.”
“Forgiveness isn’t Asher’s thing.”
His eyes lift, and there’s something deep in them. There’s always a mystery in those eyes. I notice little gold flakes in his irises that seem to flicker with that mysteriousness. “Is it yours?”
I study him intently, his gaze never ceasing as he watches me, waiting for my answer. “Some things can’t be forgiven.” His head drops, his chin on his chest, then I add, “But I think most can.”
His head lifts, his eyes capturing mine. “I need to tell you something.” His chest rises and falls with a deep breath. He almost looks afraid. I say almost because it’s hard to imagine such a strong man fearing anything. “I have to tell you so many things.”
My mouth opens to ask him what even though I am most certainly afraid of what he’s going to say when I hear my phone ringing in my purse. “Damn it. I should get that.”
I climb out of the tub and grab a towel, wrapping it around me. I hear him follow as I find my phone, seeing it’s Asher calling. I watch Hayden wrap a white towel around his trim waist and nearly groan at the beautiful sight as I hit the accept button.
“Ash? What’s wrong?”
“Are we doing dinner or what?”
My eyes drift to the clock on Hayden’s nightstand. Shit. It’s almost seven. I’m so late. “Um, yeah. I’m sorry, I lost track of time.”
Asher is not amused. “Baz usually goes to sleep at eight, unless that’s another thing Viv has changed. I’d like to eat with him.”
“I’m on my way. You, mom, and Tony can take Baz to my house.”
“Is fuckface there?”
I find my skirt on the floor, dropping my towel, letting the phone rest against my shoulder as I shimmy into it, all with Hayden’s amused and amorous gaze on me. “No. Viv assured me Sawyer won’t be there.”
“Good.”
“I’ll be there in fifteen.”
Click.
Shithead.
I toss the phone onto the bed and grab my bra and blouse, pulling them both on as Hayden’s strong arms wrap around my waist. “You have to go?”
I take a moment for myself, something I never do, and lean back against his strong chest. “I don’t want to.”
I turn in his arms to face him, looking up at his handsome face. “You had something to tell me?”
I watch his throat as he swallows, and then he shakes his head, leaning down to kiss the tip of my nose. “No. It can wait.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and tilt his head down to look into his beautiful eyes and look straight into his soul. They give a lot away even though he seems hard on the outside. His eyes say so many things. My gaze sweeps over cheekbones male models would kill for and a perfectly straight nose with the exception of a very slight bump I just noticed. “Are you sure?”
His smile is lopsided as his eyes land on my lips. “I mean I’d love for you to stay.” His lips sweep across mine. “But not so we can talk.”
I laugh against his lips and brush a light kiss over them. “I’d much rather be here with you.”
He kisses me, pulling my body to his, making me feel safe and protected in a way I've never felt and didn’t even know I wanted until now. He doesn’t let go, and it feels good to be swept up in him as his lips hold mine captive.