Chapter 20
What a horrible idea. I’d nearly canceled ten times, but here I was, waiting outside the restaurant of my choosing for Ashley to arrive.
I hated that I’d agreed to meeting here instead of picking him up.
I hated that I was letting this happen at all.
Just because Asher made a convincing enough woman did not mean he should be forced to do so to be seen with me.
Selfishly, I had acquiesced to this hair-brained idea because more than anything, I wanted to flaunt him as he deserved. This wasn’t the way to do it, but dammit, he had me so fucking whipped and even more confused when he begged to do this for me.
For me.
And what was I doing for him? Nothing that I could see.
I checked my phone. He should be here any minute. The night was cold, but I didn’t feel the breeze against my cheeks for the roll of nerves in my gut. I hadn’t been this nervous the last time I was out with Ashley, but this was all different.
And all wrong.
I spun around at the clip of heels, then stumbled a step. “Ash …”
No matter how much I hated it, there was no denying Asher made a beautiful woman.
The red of the dress was stunning against his naturally tan skin.
The gathers hid the lack of curves, and the heavy material swished around his knees—if anyone got far enough to see the bottom without getting sidetracked by the sexy slit up the front of one thigh.
His hair was fluffy and a little windblown, and his makeup was classy, with dark lips and thick shadows at his eyes.
“God, you’re so beautiful.”
Asher dropped his chin as he patted the satin choker masking his Adam’s apple. “Thank you. You’re looking pretty hunky yourself.”
I absentmindedly smoothed over the buttons of my suit jacket, then offered him my arm. “Shall we?”
He curled his hand around my elbow and pulled me closer. “Is this okay?” he asked in a whisper. “We can walk away right now if you’d rather.”
I tucked short strands of hair behind his ear. “You know my thoughts on this. And none of my hesitation is because you aren’t gorgeous and very convincingly female. Are you okay with continuing?”
Asher quirked his lips into a teasing grin. “You’ve already touched me more in public as Ashley than you have as Asher. I don’t care what anyone thinks of us tonight. You and I will know the truth.”
And to prove his words even truer, I tipped his chin high with my fingertips and kissed him softly. Right there in front of a crowded restaurant, I kissed a man. Only he and I knew, like he said, but that didn’t make it any less amazing.
“Come. Let me spoil you a little.”
“Only a little?” My playboy winked.
I escorted Asher inside with my hand at the small of his back.
A few men, the host included, checked him out as we were shown to a secluded table, then nodded at me as if I somehow gained their respect for having a pretty woman beside me.
The host moved to hold Asher’s chair for him, but with a practiced air, I moved him out of the way and did it myself.
I’d done so a dozen times before for the women Mother set me up with. For the first time, I enjoyed it.
“Did you shave your legs for this?” I whispered by his ear before nuzzling it, then taking my own seat next to his.
He blushed and laughed softly. “Actually …”
“Oh God, why do I get the feeling there’s a story coming about a cousin being an esthetician?”
He didn’t answer right away since the staff came to offer the wine menu. I chose something light for the main course, but stayed with water for everything else. We were driving tonight, so no heavy alcohol. What would a tipsy Asher be like when he was already naturally uninhibited?
Wait, fuck, he couldn’t legally drink for another two years.
“Not my cousin, but Percy’s aunt,” Asher said when we were alone again.
I groaned. “Exactly how many people know what you’re up to tonight?”
“A fair few.” He lifted his elbows and waved down his body.
“It takes a village to look like this. I’ve been waxed, lasered, and exfoliated.
Percy helped pick out the dress and shoes from the theatre club.
I already had the”—he lowered his voice—“panties. Savannah spent hours on my hair and makeup, then Aunt Penny insisted I take her car, because she hated the thought of the Civic not makin’ it and me stranded lookin’ this good. ”
“Mhmm.” I drew out the hum and snaked my hand inside the slit of his dress. The skirt had fallen open, proving too tempting to not take advantage of. The smooth skin of inner thigh greeted my fingertips.
Eyes on his, I traveled higher and higher, my brows rising with it.
Asher leaned closer. “You can keep going, but you’ll only find skin and lace.”
I snatched my hand back and used it to wipe over my lower jaw. His skin smelled like sugar cookies. “Fuck,” I whispered and readjusted my thickening cock.
“Just so you know, it will be very hard to hide an erection in this dress. Keep that in mind.”
I straightened and cleared my throat. “Then how about I douse the mood by telling you about the insufferable New Year’s Eve dinner party I have to attend tomorrow night?”
This close to the holiday, I banked on the restaurants being less crowded and rushed for the date to happen sooner rather than later. He said he could make it happen quickly, so why wait? Honestly, I could see Asher every day and never tire of the endless ways he made me happy.
“If you think you’ll bore me with the rich-ass elbows you’ll be rubbin’, think again. Ashley’s a gold digger in search of a sugar daddy.”
“Jesus, you have a backstory?”
Asher’s laughter turned heads, and their eyes lingered with jealousy.
“I’m messin’, but you should see your face.”
I snorted and let him have his fun.
“Did you have much work to do today?” he asked. “Isn’t everyone kind of on vacation around this time of year?”
“Not as much work as I’d like. I spent half the morning dodging calls from my mother until she showed up at my office, with fucking Georgina Barnett-Thompson.”
“That ‘fucking’ better be an adjective and not a verb.”
“Please. The woman is so far from my type, even a dick between her legs wouldn’t help.”
“Tell that to your momma, who’s practically stealin’ your sperm to knock her up.”
I choked on my water just as the first course was served. Asher politely patted my back and smiled for the staff, who traded worried glances.
“I’m fine,” I rasped before coughing a few more times.
With the plates set and the waiters gone again, Asher turned to me. “When did we order? Did I miss somethin’?”
I shook my head and stared hard at him while I took a cautious sip of water. “No. The menu is preplanned. The chef chooses the dishes that will most complement each other.”
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. ”
“You two are very close.”
“Yeah. We can tell each other anything, and we do. Shit you not, he’d be the one I’d go to if I needed to hide a body. Do you have anyone like that?”
“William. He’d be the closest comparison.” I nodded toward Asher. “But even he doesn’t know about this side of me.”