Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Asher
Ipulled my car into the garage and waited for Natalie to park. “You can just follow me through this way,” I called and gestured inside the garage.
She walked into the garage and paused to look around. “Wow, you really thought of everything when you built this place, didn’t you?”
I glanced around the organized space. My family bugged me mercilessly about how anal I was about everything being in its place, but I don’t know, it just seems stupid not to put things where they belong. “If you asked Beth, I’m sure she’d say it’s a bit overboard.”
“No, not at all. I love it. No rummaging around looking for things. I hate that when you want to borrow something and it takes longer for them to find it than it does for you to actually use whatever it is.”
“Yes, thank you,” I said, feeling vindicated finally. “And if you borrow something, put it back where it belongs.”
“Exactly.” She glanced at the wall with all my sporting equipment. “The labels are because of Beth?”
“Yeah. I swear she puts stuff in the wrong spot just to mess with me.”
Nat laughed. “I imagine she does.”
At the door she toed off her shoes without me having to ask her, which was nice. Most people who visited didn’t bother, and I always felt like a dick if I made them.
I hung my keys on the hook just inside the door and pushed my shoes into the closet out of the way before leading her into the house. I paused at the kitchen island. “You want something to drink, or did you just want to hop in the shower?”
She looked down at herself. “I’m feeling pretty grubby after cleaning all day, so shower and then a drink?”
“Shower it is,” I agreed. “There’s a shower down here.” I pointed down the hall toward the bathroom I used to wash Walter. “Or you’re welcome to use the one in my room since I saw you eyeing it up earlier.”
She blinked at me. “You saw that, did you?”
“Kind of hard to miss,” I teased.
“I can just shower down here. I don’t want to put you out any more than I already have.”
Normally, I would never offer my bathroom, but the idea of Nat showering in my bedroom was hot. “Take mine. I’m sure your muscles will thank you for the extra jets.”
“You sure?” She bit her lower lip as she looked up at me.
Damn, this woman. I really shouldn’t want her as much as I did.
“No problem. Come on, let’s get you sorted.” I walked toward the stairs, trusting that she would follow me. Once inside the bedroom, I powered straight to the bathroom. There was no way I was stopping near the bed with Natalie within arm’s reach of me. Not touching her took all of my control.
Needing a distraction, I grabbed a couple of plush towels out of the linen closet and handed them to her.
She reached out and took them from me. “Navy, very practical,” she said as she set the towels down on the bathroom counter.
“Yeah. I’ve wrecked a few towels and have learned between Walter and me, we need dark colors. Plus, Walter likes blue.”
“Did you just give me the dog’s towels?” She placed her hand against her chest like she was appalled.
“No, I don’t keep the dog towels in my room.” I pretended to scowl at her. I might be a guy, but I had more class than that. “But if I did give you Walter’s towels, that would be a pretty high honor. He doesn’t share his stuff with just anyone, you know.”
At that moment, Walter wandered into the bathroom. “Ask him yourself,” I said.
“Well, I’ll have to see if I can get into his good graces,” she said, leaning down to give the dog a scratch between the ears. He closed his eyes and leaned against her leg.
It didn’t seem like she was going to have to work too hard to win my dog over.
I cocked my head to the side as I watched them.
Seemed my dog liked her too, which was interesting considering the last woman I’d had in my bedroom Walter had done nothing but stare at her and growl.
It had made getting intimate a challenge, especially when I kicked him out of the room and he’d howled continually until I’d given up and taken her home.
Cockblocked by a dog.
“He likes you.”
“Of course he does,” she cooed. “Walter is an excellent judge of character. Aren’t you, sweetheart?” She kissed the dog on the tip of the nose, and Walter, honest to God, looked at me and smiled.
Rub it in, why don’t ya? “All right, buddy, well played,” I grumbled.
Walter’s grin grew.
“What?” Nat asked.
“Nothing, just my dog being a dick.”
“How’s he being a dick?” Her forehead crinkled as she looked at Walter, then at me.
“Forget it.” I shook my head. No way I was explaining this to her.
I walked to the shower and turned on the tap. “You can adjust which shower heads are on and how they spray with this.” I pressed a couple of buttons on the display panel.
She bounced on her toes. “I can’t wait to get in there. That is quite possibly the coolest shower I’ve ever seen.”
“It’s pretty awesome,” I agreed. “I’m not a bath guy, so didn’t really see the point in spending the money on a fancy tub, but a good shower? Sign me up.”
“Mmm.”
At the little sound of agreement, my dick perked up. I rubbed the back of my neck and looked at the massive shower stall. It could easily fit two people. And the bench would be perfect for… I cleared my throat. Nope. Not going there. “I’ll get out of your hair and let you have at ‘er.”
Natalie looked up at me and licked her lips. I followed the movement and shifted my weight as awareness zipped between us. “I’m gonna…” I gestured toward the door.
She nodded.
On an audible exhale, I turned toward the door. “Come on, Walter, let’s give the lady some privacy.” Instead of listening, he lay down on the bathmat. “Walter, let’s go.”
Natalie giggled. “Looks like he’s staying put.”
“Sorry, I’ll get him out of here.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s fine. He can hang out in here with me.”
“You sure?”
“Of course.”
I eyed my dog and the little fucker grinned again. I narrowed my eyes and shook my head at him. What the actual fuck? He cockblocked me with one woman, and now he rubs it in that he got to see this one naked before I did. What an asshole.
“All right, I’ll be downstairs when you’re done.” I gripped the doorknob. “Anything you don’t like to eat?”
“Pardon?” She blinked at me.
“I’m going to fire up the grill. Anything you don’t like?”
She tilted her head to the side. “You don’t have to feed me. I can just shower and get out of your way.”
“Eh, I’m cooking anyway. No big deal to throw another steak on.”
Her stomach rumbled loudly. She slapped her hand on her abdomen. “Apparently my stomach has spoken and I’d love to stay. Thank you. I’ll be quick and come down and help.”
I waved my hand. “Take your time. Enjoy the shower.” I eyed my dog one last time. “Walter?” I raised my eyebrows at him. His mouth widened into what was becoming an annoying smile. “Traitor,” I grumbled.
Natalie laughed. “Get out of here and leave Walter and me alone.”
I rapped my knuckles on the doorframe twice as I took one last look at Natalie before closing the door.
I stood outside the bathroom. Was she getting undressed already? Images of Natalie naked in my shower filled my head. Her lathering my soap on her firm breasts. My shampoo running down her body in a sudsy caress. My dick twitched. I shifted to pull the fabric away from myself and blew out a breath.
Enough being a perv. What was I going to do stand outside the bathroom and wank to mental images of her in my shower? Hell no.
Annoyed with myself, I turned on my heel and stomped downstairs.
Twenty minutes later, I heard Walter’s nails clicking across the hardwood floor.
I looked up as Natalie descended the stairs behind him.
My chest tightened. Holy shit. So far, I’d only seen her with her hair up in a messy knot, kind of sweaty and unkempt.
And I still wanted her. If I’d thought she was sexy then, it had nothing on her now.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she walked down the stairs.
A pair of little shorts showed off her muscular thighs, and the color of the tank made it look like she’d spent the day in the sun instead of cooped up cleaning.
Natalie stopped at the edge of the island. “You okay?”
“What? Yeah.” I nodded. “Your, uh, your hair is long.” I hadn’t realized it was so long. Every time I’d seen her so far it had been tied up. Now it was loose and wavy and ran more than halfway down her back. I could imagine gripping it in my hand. The way it would feel tangled around my fist.
She grabbed the end of her light brown hair and looked at it. “Yeah. I need to cut it.”
“Don’t.” Damn. Real subtle. Normally I had better game than that.
Natalie’s head snapped up and her gaze connected with mine. “Okay,” she murmured.
After several seconds, I pulled my stare from hers and picked up the plate of steaks. “How do you like your meat?”
Natalie snorted, and I winced when I realized how that sounded. “Your steak. How do you want it cooked?”
She smirked at me. “Medium rare, please.” She rounded the island and looked down at the two different salads I’d set out on the counter. “Look at you. I never imagined you’d be so domestic.”
I shrugged. “I live alone. It’s either learn to cook or starve.” I picked up a bottle of wine. “It’s steak, so I figured red. Is that okay?”
“Perfect.” She accepted the glass of wine I handed her. As she took her first sip, she closed her eyes to savor the flavor. I rolled my lips between my teeth. I was screwed if even the way she drank wine looked sexy.
“I’m going to put these steaks on,” I mumbled. After pushing open the sliding glass door, I stepped out onto the deck.
Natalie followed me. She leaned against the railing with her glass of wine in her hands. “This view is incredible.”
I never got tired of it. Occasionally the drive was a pain in the ass, but all I had to do was look outside and it made it all worthwhile. It had taken a few years and all of my spare time to build the place, but it was worth it.