Chapter 12
Roxanne
Felix disappears into the apartment after the hug, muttering something about taking a shower, and for a few seconds, I just stand there trying to recover from the emotional whiplash of this afternoon.
My brother is fine even though he’s suspended. And Asher Sterling ended up playing such a significant role in our lives today.
Now the man himself is still standing outside my apartment door, looking entirely too good in a navy blue suit that looks out of place in the backdrop of my apartment.
I blink at him. “You’re still here?”
One dark brow lifts slightly. “That’s a rude way to thank someone.”
Heat creeps faintly into my cheeks.
He’s so annoying.
“I already thanked you.”
“Mm.” His gaze drifts over my face slowly. “I wanted to make sure everything was okay first.”
The concern in his voice catches me off guard all over again. He has been sounding this way lately, and it's really unlike him.
Asher isn’t gentle. Neither is he soft. Everything about him is sharp edges, control, and cold restraint. Yet somehow he sat in a park talking to my stubborn fourteen-year-old brother for nearly an hour.
The thought does strange things to my already weakening heart.
“Well,” I say carefully. “Everything’s okay now.”
His eyes remain on mine for a second too long.
Good Lord. This man looks at people like he’s touching them.
“So,” I say quickly before my brain starts malfunctioning again. “Aren’t you supposed to be back at work?”
“I probably should be.”
“You missed your meeting because of us.”
A flicker of amusement appears in his expression. “You say that like I regret it.”
That shouldn’t affect me as much as it does. I cross my arms lightly, trying to regain some control over myself.
“I can still come back with you if you want.”
His gaze drops briefly to the movement, lingering just long enough on my chest that warmth immediately curls low in my stomach.
Then his mouth curves slowly.
“There it is.”
“There, what is?”
“That desperate inability to be apart from me.”
I stare at him in bewilderment, then I burst out in laughter. I don’t know how his brain works. He has somehow made my request to go to work about him.
Okay, maybe he’s a little right that I don’t easily want to be apart from him, but I’ll die before I admit that.
“You’re unbelievable,” I tell him.
“And yet you offered to come back to work.”
“Professional dedication,” I say.
He clicks his tongue, shaking his head as he waves a finger in my face. “It's one word, obsession.”
I narrow my eyes. “You wish.”
“Roxanne,” he says softly, stepping closer. “You literally just admitted you hate being away from me.”
The low timbre of his voice sends a dangerous little shiver through me. I suck in a sharp breath as I try to wake myself away from him.
I need this man away from me before I completely lose my mind.
Unfortunately, my body apparently disagrees because instead of stepping back, I stay exactly where I am.
“You’re very confident for someone who had to chase after a fourteen-year-old to impress me.”
His eyes darken immediately. “That's what you think I was doing?”
My heart jumps. The air between us shifts suddenly as he steps closer again. I can smell his cologne. The dark, expensive scent that always clings to him and makes me think of sinful things.
“I think,” he says quietly. “You’re trying very hard not to admit you like me.”
Oh no!
He can’t be serious! Does he perhaps know that a tiny part of me actually didn’t let go of him even after all these years? Is that why he always treated me that way all this time?
I let out a soft, incredulous laugh. “Like you?”
His gaze drops briefly to my mouth, then back to my eyes. “Mm.”
The low groan alone feels indecent. For a moment, I consider walking away. However, my legs don’t move.
I tilt my head slightly and whisper. “Maybe I just hate being bored.”
He narrows his eyes at me as he leans even closer to me.
Before I can think better of it, I add softly, “And you are very entertaining, Mr. Sterling.”
His hand closes suddenly around my waist. I inhale sharply, moaning out his name.
“I want to kiss you,” he murmurs.
He could have just kissed me, so I know he’s only saying this so I can stop him. The problem is that I don’t want him to stop. I want him more than I wanted him before.
No matter how much I remind myself who he is, what he thinks of me, and how badly this can end, the second he touches me, my body betrays me anyway.
“You’re terrible for me,” I whisper.
His thumb strokes slowly against my waist through my dress.
“You keep saying things like that,” he murmurs, leaning closer as his finger caresses my lip sensually. “While looking at me like you want me.”
My breath hitches, and I make the mistake of glancing at his mouth. Asher notices immediately as dark satisfaction settles into his expression before his hand slides higher against my back, pulling me firmly against him.
The hard length of his manhood presses against my stomach instantly. My entire body reacts.
“So responsive,” he says roughly against my mouth. “You have any idea what you do to me?”
I barely manage to breathe before he kisses me. Like every other time, it feels catastrophic. Asher kisses like a man who loses control only in very specific moments and hates himself for it afterward.
His lips claim mine with a hint of possessiveness no man has ever used on me before. Oddly, I love it like everything else he does to me.
My fingers clutch helplessly at his suit jacket as he backs me gently against the wall beside my apartment door.
The kiss turns hungrier almost immediately. Neither of us remembers how to stop once we start.
His hand slides into my hair, tilting my head exactly how he wants while his mouth moves against mine in slow, devastating strokes that make my knees weak.
A soft sound escapes me before I can stop it. Asher groans quietly against my lips.
“Jesus Christ, Roxanne.”
The way he says my name like this should honestly be illegal. I kiss him harder. All the frustration and confusion between us is pouring into it recklessly.
His hand slides down my body slowly, gripping my hip hard enough to make heat flare low in my stomach again.
“You drive me insane,” he mutters against my mouth.
“You’re the problem here,” I shoot back, equally frustrated.
A dark laugh leaves him. Then suddenly he’s kissing down my jaw and neck.
I tilt my head back instinctively, fingers tightening against his shoulders as his mouth brushes the sensitive spot beneath my ear.
“Asher!”
His name comes out embarrassingly breathless. He seems to enjoy that entirely too much.
My entire body feels hot and achingly sensitive already. His thigh pushes between mine slightly, and I nearly lose my mind right there in the hallway.
We are absolutely not just kissing anymore.
We’re halfway to tearing each other’s clothes off against my apartment wall. And judging by the way Asher’s breathing has gone rough and uneven, he knows it too.
His mouth crashes back onto mine harder this time. One of his hands slips beneath the hem of my blazer, fingertips brushing the bare skin of my waist.
I gasp softly into his mouth.
“Ay dios mío.”
I nearly die as that familiar voice drags me out of my reverie.
Asher stiffens against me while I jerk away from him so fast I almost trip over my own heels.
Mrs. Hernandez stands halfway out of her apartment door, holding a grocery bag and looking absolutely delighted.
“Oh,” she says warmly, eyes sparkling. “Don’t let me interrupt.”
I want the floor to open and swallow me whole. My cheeks grow impossibly hot as I shift from foot to foot.
“Mrs. Hernandez,” I say weakly.
Beside me, Asher straightens calmly like he wasn’t just moments away from devouring me in the hallway.
Traitor.
Mrs. Hernandez’s gaze slides toward him curiously. And unfortunately, Asher Sterling is devastatingly charming when he wants to be.
He steps forward smoothly before I can even think.
“Asher Sterling,” he introduces himself warmly while taking her hand gently. “It’s very nice to finally meet you.”
Then he kisses her hand. I stare at him in disbelief. Who knew he had such gentlemanly attributes?
Mrs. Hernandez looks ready to adopt him immediately.
“Oh, this one has manners,” she says approvingly.
I close my eyes briefly.
Please kill me now.
Mrs. Hernandez beams at Asher before looking meaningfully at me. “I prefer this one.”
“Mrs. Hernandez,” I warn.
“What?” she says innocently. “I’m old. I can say the truth.”
Asher laughs, his shoulders shaking slightly beside me. The bastard is enjoying this entirely too much.
Mrs. Hernandez pats my arm fondly. “Much more handsome than the other one, too.”
“Okay,” I mutter desperately. “That’s enough.”
I doubt Asher enjoys the constant comparison with his own brother. Frankly, it’s uncomfortable for me right now.
Mrs. Hernandez waves dismissively before moving toward her door again. “Continue whatever you were doing. I saw nothing.”
I actually choke this time. Asher outright laughs. The sound is low and unfairly attractive. Mrs. Hernandez disappears into her apartment, still smiling to herself, while I remain frozen in humiliation.
Slowly, I turn toward Asher. He’s still watching me with open amusement.
“You think this is funny?”
“A little.”
“You’re horrible.”
His gaze drifts over my flushed face slowly. “You’re beautiful when you blush.”
My stomach flips traitorously. I point toward the elevator quickly.
“You need to leave.”
“Do I?”
“Yes. You have meetings.”
“Mm.” He steps closer one last time, lowering his voice. “And you’re trying very hard to get rid of me before I drag you into your apartment and fuck your...”
I slam my hands over his mouth before he can complete that sentence. He laughs into my hands, and it only causes heat to flow through my body.
I swallow hard and force myself to step back. “Go to work, Mr. Sterling.”
His eyes darken slightly at the formal title. Then reluctantly, he nods once.
But before leaving, he leans down close enough that his mouth brushes near my ear.
“This conversation isn’t finished.”
A shiver runs straight through me as he finally walks away. I stand there, staring after him like an absolute idiot until the elevator doors close behind him.
What am I doing?
Seriously.
What the hell am I doing?
I press both hands against my burning face before finally dragging myself back into the apartment. Felix is sprawled across the couch with a soda in one hand when I walk in.
His eyes immediately narrow suspiciously.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Like what?”
“Your face is red.”
I nearly choke. “It's hot.”
His grin widens instantly as a sly look slips into his eyes. “What were you doing, Roxy?”
“Nothing,” I snap and stalk toward the kitchen.
I throw my blazer at his face, and he laughs loudly while tossing it back at me.
“So is he your new boyfriend?” Felix asks all too casually.
“No.”
The answer leaves a sour taste in my mouth because it reminds me that I’m being way too careless with a man I can’t have something serious with. Ever.
“Mmhm.” Felix sighs.
“There’s nothing going on.”
“You literally blush every time he talks to you.”
“I absolutely do not.”
“You absolutely do.” Felix chuckles, enjoying teasing me more than expected.
I glare at him as he grins wider. Then, surprisingly, his expression softens slightly.
“I like him more than Tristan.”
The words catch me off guard. I wonder why exactly both Mrs. Hernandez and Felix think so. After all, they didn’t get to know Tristan’s bad side.
“Felix—”
“I’m serious.” He shrugs one shoulder. “Tristan always felt fake.” His mouth twists slightly. “Asher’s scary, but at least he seems real.”
Real.
The word echoes uncomfortably in my chest because that’s exactly the problem.
Asher feels too real, and every single time I let myself get close to him, I fall deeper into something dangerous.
I think about the way he kissed me in the hallway. The way he looked at Felix. The way he stayed was just to make sure we were okay. Then I think about the hotel room.
“How much?”
That’s really what he thinks of me. I already know exactly how this ends if I’m not careful.
Men like Asher Sterling don’t fall in love, and I’m already far too close to letting him ruin me completely.
So later that night, lying awake in bed, I made myself a promise. A promise to stop whatever this is before I get burned.