Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Asher
My mind had been filled with Emma not wanting to go inside. I’d been tempted to push her inside and find her bedroom, but she wasn’t ready yet.
We hadn’t had The Talk. I needed to find out how far she was willing to go with me. I grinned. Yes, I had some kinky tastes, and while I was pretty sure Emma could handle what I’d like to do to her, that didn’t mean we didn’t need to talk about it. That was going to happen sooner rather than later.
It had been a busy week in the office, so Emma and I didn’t get to talk much outside of work, and that conversation was not something I wanted to handle over the phone and definitely not in or around the office.
“Time to head out,” I said.
“Five minutes,” she muttered as she continued typing.
“That’s all I’m giving you.” If I wasn’t careful, she’d stretch those five minutes into an hour or more. When Emma was in the zone, she barely remembered anything else. I found myself making sure she took breaks.
She would get upset with me for interrupting her and making sure she took a walk to get coffee or a snack. She always thanked me for making sure she moved, but there were still times when she pushed.
I gave her eight minutes, and when she didn’t come up for air, I pulled her chair back.
“Hey.” She leaned back and glared at me.
“You said five minutes; I waited three extra minutes.”
Something must have shown on my face, because she didn’t even try to argue or get more time. Instead, she stood and shut down her workstation.
“Anyone ever tell you you’re a bossy SOB?”
“Rarely. But most people remember to take a break and give their mind a chance to recharge. You, on the other hand…”
It was getting easier to read Emma. I watched her expression as she gave way to necessity. Don’t say I told you so, and for god’s sake, Ash, don’t look smug.
“Okay, you’re right…again.” She raised her hands in mock surrender. “Thanks. I would have stayed at this for several more hours.”
“Which is why I insisted.”
“Don’t you ever get so involved with a task you forget where you are? Or how much time has passed?” She gathered up her things, hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, then as she always did before leaving, turned in a circle to be sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.
“I do.” She turned out the lights as I set the alarms, and we walked out the door together. “Haven’t you noticed my alarm going off.”
“Now that you mention it, yes.”
“I set one for two hours when I start coding, so I don’t get lost.” I’d done that for years because, like Emma, I could dig in so deep, the world could end, and I wouldn’t know the difference. That wasn’t good.
“I probably need to start doing that.”
We stepped out of the elevator, and I turned and walked backward to face her. “Nah, that’s why you have me.” I winked and smiled, then turned to walk beside her. I held her hand as we made our way to the garage and the floor where we parked.
No one could make the usual Friday after work social hour. Opportunity was knocking.
As I was still figuring out how to approach her about dinner at my house so we could talk, she stopped at her car and leaned against the driver’s door.
“Night, Asher.”
So much for opportunity. “Night.” I was parked two slots down. I watched as she opened the door, stashed her stuff, and climbed in. I waited like I always did to make sure she drove away safe and sound.
Nothing happened. Her door opened. “It won’t start.”
“Be right there.” I unlocked my car and tossed my stuff in the back seat.
“Pop the hood,” I said as I walked back to her.
Emma popped the release and stayed in the driver’s seat, her chin resting on her crossed arms propped on the steering wheel.
Opening the hood, I looked at the battery and checked the connections.
One was loose; I tightened it. “Try it now.”
I could hear her press the brake, then glanced around the hood as she pushed the ignition button.
Nothing except clicking. Car problems were not my forte, but I knew enough that clicking and the engine not starting were definitely not good.
Friday night after six, finding a mechanic would be close to impossible.
And nothing I could do. Then I remembered Chase.
I’d set up the network in his shop, and he told me if I ever needed a mechanic… Problem almost solved.
I looked at Emma. “I think your battery is totally dead, or it’s the alternator.”
“I guess I need to call for a jump or a tow.”
I opened my mouth to tell her I’d give her car a jump, then had what I thought was a better idea.
“Why don’t we do this. Let me give you a jump, and we can drive it to a mechanic I know for a slow charge overnight.
Then I can drive you home. I’ll pick you up tomorrow, and we can retrieve your car and decide on next steps. ” Chill, Asher. Don’t rush her, buddy.
The next ten seconds felt more like an hour. “All right. But I don’t like the idea of you having to drive so far out of your way to my house.”
That missed opportunity decided to give me a second chance. I was going to open that door.
“You could stay at my house.”
Her eyes widened, but there was nothing in her expression or body language to indicate reluctance. “Let me think about it.”
Luckily there was an empty space next to her, so I pulled my vehicle into the spot, then opened the rear hatch.
After I grabbed jumper cables, I hooked them up and had her start her car. It purred to life. Emma grinned at me. I tossed the cables back into my vehicle and grabbed a rag to clean my hands.
“Do you need to go home and grab extra clothes?”
“No. I have a bag in my car.”
“You’re prepared.” I liked that. During winter, I kept a packed gym bag in my car in case winter decided to dump a ton of snow on us.
It happened last winter. We spent the night in the office waiting for the snow to clear enough to drive safely.
Yes, it was spring now, but it was still early in the season, so I wasn’t quite ready to put away the extra clothes.
“Our winter weather can be unpredictable, so I keep a bag with everything I need for an overnight stay if I get stuck and have to check into a hotel.”
“I do the same.” I paused. “So does that mean you’ve decided to spend the night at my house?” I leaned on the open door as she settled in her seat and belted in.
Was that a twinkle in her eyes? “Maybe.”
I felt a shot of anticipation at her answer and smiled as I closed her door. “Follow me.” I fought the urge to fist pump as I walked to car, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning.
I pulled out of the garage and checked the rearview mirror to make sure Emma was following me.
Traffic was light, so we made it to Chase’s shop before he closed. I told him what had happened, and he held his hand out for the keys. Emma dropped them into his palm. “I’ll slow charge it overnight and see what happens in the morning.”
“Thanks.” I shook his hand. “Appreciate the help, man. We’ll talk in the morning.”
He tapped the bill of his baseball cap, glanced at Emma as she was walking away, and nodded. I cocked an eyebrow and smiled. You’d better believe she’s mine.
I caught up to Emma just as she was opening the rear door of her car. She sighed. “I guess that’s the best I can hope for.”
She retrieved a medium size gym bag from her trunk, probably her emergency clothing stash, and I shouldered her backpack on the short walk back to my SUV.
I put her gym bag and backpack in the back seat while she got settled in the passenger seat and I got in.
Belt, mirrors, phone in holder. Before I started the car, I glanced at Emma to make sure she was belted and comfortable.
Her brow was slightly furrowed, and it looked like she was biting her cheek.
“Hey, it’ll be fine.” I patted her hand where it rested on her thigh. “You have a place to stay and a driver to take you wherever you want.”
She hesitated.
“Emma, there’s no pressure. I have a guest bedroom.”
Her sigh of relief made me grin. Was she worried I was expecting her to go to bed with me tonight? While it would be ideal, I wasn’t going to pressure her into anything if she was the slightest bit reluctant.
I backed out of the parking space and glanced at her as I pulled out onto the street.
“Asher, I don’t feel like this is fair to you.”
“What d’you mean?”
“I mean, you’re doing a lot for me, and I’m just a friend.”
I thought about her words for a minute. “I’m glad we’re friends. But I would like us to be more.”
“You would?”
I turned to her while I waited for the traffic light to turn green and, almost immediately, had to turn my focus back to the road as the car in front of us began to move forward. “Yes. But this isn’t a conversation I want to have while I’m driving.” Definitely not.
“Agreed.”
Emma fell silent, and even though I told her I didn’t want to continue on that subject, I missed hearing her voice.
“I don’t have much in the way of food to cook. Why don’t we stop and pick up something?”
“That’s fine.”
“What would you like?” I wanted her to feel comfortable in my house.
“Whatever you’re in the mood for.”
I barely bit back a retort. “Emma, this is a decision we can make together. Tell me some of your favorite foods.”
“Pizza, sandwiches, salads, I’m not super picky.”
“Pizza it is.” There was place I frequented that made the best thick crust pizza. “What do you like on your pizza?”
“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“Never.”
“Chicken and pineapple.”
I did a double take and then laughed. “I like pineapple on my pizza too.”
“Usually, people look at me like I’m nuts and say it ruins pizza.”
“Never.” Within minutes, we were at the pizza place. I told Emma to relax and went inside to order. They weren’t too busy, and we were on our way with a large pizza, salad, and cheese bread.
When we got to my place and parked the car in the garage, I went to grab her bag while holding our food.
“No, Asher. I’ll get my backpack and bag. You take care of the food. We can’t risk the stuff ending up on the floor just for the sake of chivalry.”
I laughed but wasn’t offended. Once inside, I plunked the food in the kitchen and guided her to the guest bedroom.
The ball was in her court now.