Page 36 of Asher
I rolled to her side of the bed and hooked her arm before she could take a step away. Standing fully, I slid my hand up to the nape of her neck. “Hey. Hey. That’s not what I meant. I just meant that I would prefer to remember everything. Okay?” I bent my knees to bring myself closer to her eye level. I wanted, no needed, her to see that I was telling the truth. Given the fact we hadn’t discussed where this was going or how I felt, I didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. As far as Haley knew, I was just Asher. Her friend. I always kept my walls up. Never letting them down far enough for her to see what I really felt for her.
Her long hair hung to the side, brushing my fingers as I rubbed her bare arms. Her beautiful blue eyes studied me. She must have found what she was looking for, because she released a sigh and nodded. “Okay. I’m going to go shower.”
I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “I’m going to order some room service. What time is it, anyway?”
“I don’t know.” Haley rubbed her hand under one eye, wiping away some of her make from the night before. Even with smudged eyeliner, I don’t think I’d ever seen her so attractive. “I don’t even know where my phone or clutch are,” she said looking at the room. Our clothes were strewn everywhere. Haley’s dress laid in the chair. My jacket hung off of the television and a red lace bra that, given the chance to see it on Haley, would drive me fucking insane, was hooked to a lamp.
Scrubbing my beard, I sighed. This was why I didn’t like to drink. I would’ve killed to have seen Haley undressing and throwing her clothes around. “Fuck. I’ll find them and then we can eat.”
“Okay.”
“And Haley?” She stopped just outside the bathroom, looking at me. “We’re going to have that talk today.” I raised a brow, daring her to argue. She swallowed hard and nodded before turning to go into the bathroom. I slipped on some sweatpants and found our phones on the floor at the end of the bed before calling down to order food.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Haley cursed, walking back out with a towel wrapped around her. It barely hit mid-thigh, showcasing her silky, tan legs. Her dripping hair clung down the front of her chest. My dick jerked at the sight.
“What’s wrong?” I walked over to her, stopping a foot away from where she started pacing.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong? This!” She stopped and held her hand up in front of her face. “This is what’s wrong.”
I stared at the simple gold band that glinted in the morning light. “What the hell is that?”
“Are you wearing one?” She dropped her hand as her chest rose and fell quickly.
I looked down at my left hand, shutting my eyes when I spotted the matched wedding band.“Fuck.”
“Asher. What the hell did we do last night?”
“If I had to guess, we got married.” I shrugged, not completely appalled by the idea.
Haley’s face paled as she started pacing again. Her hand waving crazily as her words flew out of her mouth. “Married?Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I can’t be married.Wecan’t be married. We weren’t even dating. Oh, my God. I’ve got to be the only twenty-eight-year-old virgin in history to get married in Vegas. I think I’m going to be sick. It’s fine. It’s fine. We’ll just go to the chapel where we got married and tell them it was a mistake and that we need an annulment.”
Fuck. Haley’s a virgin? How did I not know that?
“Alright, alright, alright, calm down.” I walked the last few steps slowly, trying not to spook her. She looked like she was somewhere between having a panic attack and passing out.
Her eyes narrowed and she poked a finger in the middle of my chest. “Stop talking like Matthew McConaughey.”
I smirked. “Sorry. But can we back up just a minute?”
“To what? The annulment.” She rubbed her forehead with one hand and put the other on her popped hip.
“No. Not that part.”
“The part that we’re married? Did you miss the ring?” Her eyes closed as she waved her hand in front of her face, annoyed.
I rolled my eyes. “No. The part about you being a twenty-eight-year-old virgin.”
“That’s all you heard?” She scoffed and started pacing again.
“Um. Yeah. Kinda.”
“Of course, that’s all you fucking heard. The one thing that had to do about sex. You are such a man.”
“Can you stop pacing, please?” She stopped and glared at me. “Thank you. Now explain this to me.”
She bit her lip and threw her arms out to the side. Her eyes glassy like she could start crying at any moment. “What’s there to explain? I’m a virgin who just got married to her best friend while drunk in Vegas. I’m a damn hallmark movie.”
I took a chance and wrapped Haley in my arms as she released a shuttered breath. “You need to calm down.”