Chapter Thirty-Five #3
He examines my expression, and his own turns serious once again. “I see. Allow me to dispel your worry. If what happened in that bathroom ends up being the height of our sex life, I will still die a satisfied man.”
I draw a sharp breath. What the hell do I say to something like that? Is Asher just throwing words out there in hopes to make me feel better… or does he actually mean them?
He didn’t even get off in the bathroom. He gave me an orgasm without getting one himself—a phenomenon I didn’t think existed before that evening—and he’s calling that satisfying?
Do I need to put a ring on it?
“I’m still mad at you for fighting with Elio,” I blurt.
He shrugs. “And I’m mad at you for ambushing me with that fucking lunch, and then not even asking me what actually happened.” His eyes shadow. “You ran along with your assumptions just like everyone else did.” Like they always have, his eyes scream.
He’s… right. I didn’t ask. Partially because it doesn’t matter when it comes to his upgrade package; public perception is more important than reality. And partially because I didn’t think to, which was my mistake.
“What happened?” I ask.
Asher shakes his head. “If I talk about it now, I’m going to find Elio and finish what I started.”
“I promise I’ll hold you back.”
He gives me a disbelieving look. “All 5’2 of you?”
“5’3,” I emphasize, “and ⒈／⒉.”
“Still a foot shorter than me.”
“Still miles smarter than you.” My earlier ire has disappeared; now, I’m hiding a smile. Asher looks like he’s doing the same. “If I can’t physically stop you, then I promise I’ll distract you.”
This appears to deeply interest Asher. “Oh?”
“Not like that,” I say quickly. “I mean… like, with—” Jesus, I’m giving Henry a run for his money in the idiot department. “Conversation,” I finish dumbly.
“Conversation,” Asher says, enunciating every syllable. “I see.”
“What happened?” I repeat, exasperated.
His gaze drops to my smoothie. He fiddles with it for a few beats.
“CliffNotes version? Elio spent a few minutes ranting about how much he and everyone on the team wants me gone. He clearly didn’t want me there, so I left—without antagonizing him.
He followed me out. Continued ranting.” His fists tighten around the plastic smoothie cup, nearly crushing it.
“Then he mentioned something about taking good care of you after I left the team, and I slammed him against the nearest wall and told him to keep your name out of his mouth.”
Oh.
Oh.
That is… not what I expected, at all.
I realize with a rush of shame that making assumptions before asking was a bad call. I assumed that Asher was in the wrong. And, while slamming Elio against a wall publicly is wrong… it was provoked.
The fact that I was used as provocation pisses me off even more, and it worries me. If Elio’s suspecting that there’s something between me and Asher that makes me adequate provocation to piss Asher off, who else might be having the same thoughts?
“I… see,” I say quietly, frowning at the table. “I hadn’t accounted for Elio giving your assholishness a run for its money,” I offer weakly.
“Yeah.” Asher gives an empty laugh. “Most of what he said could’ve been phrased nicer, but he kind of has a point.
” A self-deprecating smile slashes his face.
“I haven’t done myself any favors. That’s why I walked away instead of having it out.
When he started talking about you…” he shakes his head.
“I won’t apologize. If I were put in the same position, knowing the consequences, I’d still do the same thing.
Even if it has me on thin fucking ice with Ilya. ”
I know he’s only on thin ice because he defended me. I probably shouldn’t be so thrilled at hearing that I was the conduit to him getting physical, but having him care that much, be that protective—it speaks to the dark chambers of my soul.
“Thank you for defending my honor, and please don’t do it again.” I swallow. “Maybe next time you and Elio do something, it should be with a chaperone.” Actually, that isn’t a bad idea.
“Or maybe there’s just no hope for me and Elio to ever be anything more than terse rivals.” Asher sighs, turning his gaze to the lobby. “He might be right, you know. It could be best if I take a contract somewhere else. That is, if it’s offered.”
“It’ll be offered.” I shouldn’t be making that guarantee, but I can’t help myself.
I believe in Asher, and I believe that I can help him get on that podium—which would be the privilege of my life.
“But I wouldn’t make that decision so hastily.
You’ve been a jerk for a long time. It’ll take more than a single lunch to undo it. ”
“I admire your optimism.”
“And I take issue with your pessimism.”
“Let’s go back to talking about rules. I liked that conversation more.”
Right. Rules. Rules for… him and me. Me, an intern, and Asher, an F1 driver who miraculously seems to both like me and find me attractive.
This feels surreal.
“Um… as I was saying, no public displays of affection or anything that could tip people off into thinking we’re…”
“Together,” Asher says flatly.
“Until we’ve decided if this is serious.”
“I’m more serious about you than I’ve ever been about another woman,” Asher points out drily.
“Which isn’t saying much, considering your infamous string of one-night stands.”
Asher doesn’t look happy about it, but he agrees. We go over the rest of the rules in rapid succession.
No letting personal feelings get in the way of work.
No leading each other on—if it’s not working, say so, and part ways amiably.
And absolutely no letting either of our families get a whiff of this. If Hunter finds out I’m dating Asher, he’ll lose his mind and give me a very long, very insulting lecture on why it’s such a bad idea.
“One last thing,” Asher says. “I’m observing gentlemen’s rules, so no sex until the third date.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Excuse me?”
“Yup,” he nods. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’ll have to wait a bit before you can sample the goods. We can count this as a second date, if you want, but I won’t count the movies since that was different—”
“We’ve already done some very sexual things,” I point out.
“Let me clarify. No full-blown sex until date number three.”
Damn. Insecurities aside, Asher literally blew my mind already. I want more. It’s like he’s given me a hit of a miracle drug, and now, I can’t wait until my next fix.
“This is our date number two,” Asher says. “You won’t have to wait much longer.”
My face heats. “Did I say that out loud?”
He smirks. “You did. Since you’re against PDA, I won’t give you a kiss good night.” His smirk widens. “And I won’t bother telling you to have sweet dreams of me, because we both know you will.”