Chapter 15 Asha
ASHA
I’d never had sex so many times in one night.
On the bed, in the shower, spread out on the kitchen counter, even pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows, which Rook assured me were coated in some high-tech privacy film to keep prying eyes out.
I had carpet burn on my knees, stubble rash on my neck, and a trophy collection of bruises that would serve as a long-lasting reminder of this incredible night.
My poor kitty had taken a delicious pounding. I’d need a long, hot bath and days for my muscles to recover, but I hadn’t felt this content in forever.
Wearing one of Rook’s white button-down shirts with the sleeves rolled up, I let him lead me to the kitchen, where he pulled out a stool from the breakfast bar and gestured for me to sit.
Pretty sure those smudges on the massive slab of polished black stone were from our earlier escapades.
I sipped on the bottle of water he handed me and looked toward the wall of windows overlooking the city. In the east, a purple-and-gold hue lightened the horizon. At a guess, it was just after five a.m.
Standing opposite me, a shirtless Rook leaned forward and braced his palms on the counter, which made every muscle in his tattooed arms tighten. “Hungry?”
“Famished.”
“I can whip us up some eggs and toast.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can just get my things and go.”
He laughed. “You’re mad if you think I’m not making you breakfast.”
“Can I at least help?”
“Sure.”
I rounded the counter while he gathered ingredients from a refrigerator hidden behind custom cabinetry.
Rook placed eggs, butter, and bread on the counter. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired, and I ache worse than the time I tried to do back-to-back Pilates classes, but otherwise”—I raised my arms and stretched—“amazing. Dry spell officially over. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Sweet Jesus, he was devastating when he smiled.
Wealthy, hotter than the surface of the sun, and to top it all off, an absolute demon in bed. How was this guy so perfect?
Don’t do it. Don’t even think about catching feelings for a man who’s as far out of your league as his home is from the ground.
After we ate, I’d go back to my tiny apartment and alarming bank balance and remember this for what it was: a one-off unforgettable night.
Hoping for anything more went against everything I stood for.
Even a man as seemingly flawless as Rook came with complications—baggage, lies, inevitable disappointment—and I wanted none of that.
I cracked eggs into a bowl while Rook heated a skillet. My heart skipped a beat or two as my gaze traveled over his tattooed back. Almost all of it was covered with a huge Celtic cross wrapped in green vines and surrounded by words in Gaelic.
“What’s with all the ink?” I asked.
“Just family stuff.”
“What do these words mean?” I traced a fingertip along one.
He tensed for a second. Barely perceptible, but I caught it.
“It’s an oath. Neart, onóir, dílseacht, fuil. Strength, honor, loyalty, blood.”
“Sounds like your family takes their oaths seriously.”
“Aye, they do.”
I continued running my fingers over the tattoo’s intricate details.
Rook stopped what he was doing to draw in a deep breath. “I like you touching me.” He angled his head toward me. “But if you keep doing that, I’ll have to fuck you again.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t see a problem with that.”
He let out a low growl, picked me up, and sat me on the cool counter.
The next second, his big, warm hands were on my thighs, spreading them wide to make space for him.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his lips to mine.
The kiss was deep and full of need. His rough palms ventured under my shirt to run up my hips, my waist, then—
Why had he stopped?
Rook dipped his head. “I’m doing a shite job of looking after you. You’re sore, and you need food.”
“I’ve heard people can survive for weeks without eating.” However, I couldn’t deny that I was sore.
His expression turned conflicted, and when he took my face in his hands, the kiss he pressed to my lips was firm but brief. “Stay put while I cook for you, or I’ll have to chain you up.”
I grinned. “Sounds terrible.”
“Careful what you wish for, love.” He winked and left me to grab the bowl of eggs and a whisk.
While Rook moved around the kitchen, I took in the rest of the open-concept living space. There was no question it’d been decorated with a man in mind—not a feminine touch in sight. Sleek and modern with black marble floors and dark wood cabinetry.
A massive L-shaped leather couch dominated the living room, softened by a thick floor rug and scattered cushions.
A wide fireplace surrounded by a slab of black granite faced the couch.
Above the fireplace sat a TV bigger than any I’d seen, while a mixture of abstract art and black-and-white photos adorned the other walls.
Despite the masculinity oozing from every corner, it still gave off a warm, lived-in vibe.
“Your apartment is beautiful. How long have you lived here?”
Rook poured whisked eggs into the skillet. “In Philly? Almost two years. This apartment used to be…” He picked up a spatula. “It used to be my brother’s. He left it to me in his will.”
An orphan and he’d lost his brother, too? How awful.
“I’m so sorry.” With Rook facing away from me, I couldn’t read his expression, but if I had to guess from his tone, I’d say his brother’s death still haunted him. I wanted to ask how his brother had died, but the silence that followed made me think I shouldn’t.
He stirred the eggs. “I was living in Belfast when he passed. Came here to manage his affairs and never left.”
“Were you close with him?”
“Thick as thieves. Niall and I were the two oldest in a family of four kids. The pair of us were a right handful for my ma.” He glanced over his shoulder and aimed a mischievous smile at me. “Da was in the military and not home much, so my brother and I used to raise hell around town.”
“I’ll bet. And is Philly home now?”
“Aye.” He nodded. “I don’t have any family in Belfast anymore. Got cousins here, though.”
I took a sip of water. “I’m glad you decided to stay.”
“Here.” Rook grabbed my purse from the end of the counter. “You should text your friends so they know you’re okay.”
“Thanks. That’s really thoughtful of you.”
“No problem.” He licked his full lips, reminding me of all the places on my body they’d been and how incredible they’d felt.
It was really going to suck when this was over.
I thumbed out a quick message to the girls’ group chat, then turned my phone to silent before the barrage of questions came through. I’d tell Daisy and Beth everything later, when I got home. I wanted to focus on Rook for however long I had left with him.
We ate and drank while sharing small details about our very different childhoods. Rook wanted to know more about growing up in Chicago, where I’d spent my preteen years, and he told me about his and his brother’s shenanigans.
He didn’t seem in a hurry to push me out the door, and truthfully, I didn’t want to leave. But it was time to go. I’d sleep like the dead when I got home.
“I’d better get dressed and get an Uber.”
I yawned and rose from the barstool, but when my knees threatened to give out, I quickly grabbed the counter.
“Careful.” Rook was there in a flash, supporting me around my waist. “You’re exhausted. You should sleep here.”
Stay over at my hookup’s house? I never did that.
But I was so tired that I was glad he’d offered his bed. I couldn’t imagine waiting for an Uber, and the twenty-minute ride home.
And if I was being honest with myself, some foolish part of me wanted to spend more time with Rook.
My brow pinched. “Are you sure? I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“It’s almost six a.m., and you’ve had a long night. Stay. I’ll feel happier knowing you’re safe here.”
“All right.”
He helped me to his room and tucked me into the soft sheets of his bed. “Rest, love. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
As I closed my heavy lids, I memorized the smile on Rook’s face and the feel of his kiss.
I didn’t even have the energy to thank him.