Page 65 of The Love Penalty
“You guys promised me that I could get my assignment done if I came and worked here, and so far I’ve managed one measly paragraph because you won’t stop talking and kissing and playing pencil drums.”
Asher snickers, sliding his hand down my leg and winking at me when I glance his way. “You knew the risks, boo.”
I huff and shake my head, loving and hating the way he calls me that. It’s so cutesy and… and adorably sweet. I feel like it doesn’t fit me, but then… I know I’ll be gutted if he stops calling me that. I’ll never admit in a million years how much I love being Asher’s boo.
“I can take you to the library if you want. Or we can study in my office.”
Casey snickers. “There will be no studying in your man cave. You know you can’t resist the Hawaiian Hottie. Her clothes will be on the floor before she even gets her laptop open.”
I open my mouth to protest, but Caroline’s grin tells me he’s right.
I roll my eyes and don’t bother arguing. Asher’s irresistible.
He lightly squeezes my thigh, then trails his fingers up toward my lady parts, which are already starting to dance. I smirk at him, biting my lip and feeling like a sex siren when his eyes heat with desire.
He seriously makes me feel like a queen in the bedroom. The man knows just what to say, just where his lips are most effective, where his hands can create the most pleasure. I can’t get enough of him.
And don’t even get me started on the feeling of being wrapped in his strong arms afterward. The guy knows how to be stone and cotton candy all in the same heartbeat. His muscles are firm and secure while the pads of his fingers whisper over my skin like fairy dust.
My insides tremble as I quickly relive our session last night and hope we can do a repeat tonight. It’s the weekend, after all. No classes tomorrow. We could spend the night making love and?—
Asher’s phone rings, jolting me away from my sexy memories.
I catch Caroline’s eye across the table and she’s fighting a laugh as I blush up a storm and try to get back to my essay. But Asher’s sigh distracts me.
“Olds?” Casey asks him.
“You know it,” Asher murmurs, rising from his chair with a frown. I watch his back as he turns away from us and answers the call. “Hey, Dad, how’s it going?… Yeah… Pretty good… I’m studying right now, actually.” He spins on his heel and rolls his eyes at Casey, who starts to snicker and shake his head.
Asher hasn’t actually told me too much about his parents. I mean, I know the facts, but not any of those intimate details… like how he feels about them. I pick up a little tension in his voice when they come up in conversation, but maybe there’s more there than I realize.
Mostly, he talks about his cousins and aunt and uncle. He’s obviously closer to them, and not just location wise. His voice softens, and there’s always a smile in his eyes when he’s talking about holidays with Harvey and Halsey.
I’ve yet to meet any of them. The way things are going between us, I’m bound to soon enough.
“I’m doing that!” Asher’s voice rises with irritation.
I glance over my shoulder to watch him run his hand through his hair, then sigh again.
“I will, Dad. You know that.” His eyes land on me, his smile kind of sad as he nods and scuffs his socked foot on the floor. “Yep… Thanks for that… Yeah, it’ll be, uh… great. Thanks.” He’s saying words of gratitude and not meaning a one of them.
Turning back to Casey with a questioning frown, he kind of shrugs then winces at me. “His parents are hard work.”
“I can tell. What is he ‘thanking’ them for?” I use air quotes, and Casey snickers.
“Who knows, but it’s bound to be something about the business.”
“Dad, I gotta go. This assignment’s not going to write itself.” Asher’s wandering back to the table, cringing at whatever his father’s response is, before saying a quick goodbye and dropping his phone with an agitated huff.
He plunks back into his chair with a thud and looks up to find three sets of eyes staring him down.
He sighs and mutters, “The usual bullshit. Am I working hard enough? How are business studies going? Because apparently they’re the only classes worth asking about. And he’s gone ahead and lined up a summer internship for me with a company in New York that’s supposedly the best of the best and will be perfect training for when I join the family business. The twins had a great time there!” He snarls the last part, and I’m taken aback by his venom.
It must show on my face, because the second Asher glances at me, his shoulders deflate and he’s reaching for my hand with an apology. “Sorry.” He plays with my fingers, kissing the ends of them before threading our hands together, like he needs the support.
“If you don’t want to do the internship, you should just tell him.”
He lets out a hard laugh like I’ve just said something ridiculous.