Chapter Five
Emma
I walked into my small home that night, more tired than after pulling an all-nighter to fix a coding issue. “I need a shower,” I mumbled. A cold one. My skin felt tight, and I was all worked up. After dropping my backpack by the front door, I locked up and made my way into the bedroom.
In the bathroom, I turned the water on, then stripped. I shivered at the coolness of the water until it warmed up, then let the water flow over me while I tried to make sense of my day.
Note to self: Do not go to R&D with Asher.
I’d spent the afternoon trying to work on merging code, but I could barely concentrate with Asher in the same room. Not just in the same room, but no more than three feet away.
All I heard was Asher’s voice as he talked about giving a massage. My fingers trailed down between my breasts to my mound. I parted my labia and teased my clit. A sigh escaped my lips.
I lifted my leg onto the small ledge in the shower and allowed my fingers to slide from my clit and into my pussy. I turned my face up to the spray as I moved my fingers.
In my mind, I heard Asher’s voice telling me how he’d caress my skin. “Oh yes,” I whispered. “More Asher.” It was his fingers caressing my pussy, bringing me to climax.
“Asher,” I cried out his name.
I took a shaky step back. Oh, damn that was good, but not good to be fantasizing about the man I’m working with. I lowered my leg and my head, breathing hard and praying I’d relieved some of the sexual frustration. I turned off the water and stepped out.
My nerves tingled as I dried off and slipped on a lounging outfit. I stared at myself in the mirror.
Was that me? My eyes were bright, my skin glowing. I quickly brushed my hair, before making my way to the kitchen. I needed a glass of wine.
The delicious scent of beef filled my senses. Thank goodness I’d put beef stew in the slow cooker before I went to work. Grabbing the bottle of wine out of my fridge, I poured a glass and took a seat in the family room.
My mind went right back to Asher. What was I going to do about him?
His emphasis on consent echoed in my mind. I would give him consent to do just about anything. I shook my head. What was I thinking? I was there to do a job, and I needed to remember that.
I didn’t need a relationship with any man, let alone one like Asher.
Besides, men were always out for themselves.
Was Asher any different? It seemed like it.
I watched him today. He didn’t hover when I was working or ask me what I was doing.
I also noticed that, when people stopped him on our way to the café, he was more than willing to help or chat.
I didn’t know many in my office who would do that.
Asher was an extrovert. I shivered. I was an introvert, more comfortable being alone. I’d been that way since I was a child. My parents trying to force me into situations I wasn’t comfortable in hadn’t changed that.
All their misguided—albeit likely well-intentioned—efforts had done was push me further into myself and make me avoid being around people or going to parties.
I escaped into books and my own little world as often as possible.
Sometimes, it made things worse with my parents, and at other times, they didn’t seem to care.
I pushed those thoughts away as I sipped my wine and picked up the book I was reading. Time to live through imaginary characters. Yes, it was a fantasy book, but there was quite a bit of romance in it. Spicy romance at that.
Snuggling down, I began to read, trying hard to forget Asher and my childhood.