Chapter 7 Ella/Asher #2
I’m not feeling any more of the high road today. I know this is stupid. I was literally just chastising myself for this, but right now, I don’t care. I’m too raw and vulnerable today, and I need whatever comfort and connection Asher can offer me.
I brush past Daphne and head for Asher’s office. I catch her eye and feel a tug of smug satisfaction at her open-mouthed surprise as I knock on his door. I flash her one more smirk before I head in.
He barks an annoyed, “What is it?” since he normally doesn’t get many unannounced visitors, but his annoyance morphs into a smile when he sees that it’s me.
Before I can second guess myself, I head toward his desk and plant myself in his lap. His hands grab my hips, and I wrap mine around the back of his neck.
“This is a surprise. What can I do for you, Ms. Hale?” he purrs.
“It seems speculations about why your windows were blacked out earlier have made waves around the office.”
He raises a brow. “Is that so?”
“Yes. And one of my coworkers thinks that is highly inappropriate work-place behavior.”
“Do they now?”
“It seems they’re quite concerned about what you do during your workday. Or actually, I think their real concern was that what you were doing during your workday involved me.”
“And why would they care about that?”
“I asked the same question and didn’t get much of an answer. But I have a theory.”
“Call me intrigued.”
“I think this coworker doesn’t like the fact that I’m the one dating you, and I think she doesn’t like that I’m allowed to touch you—and she isn’t.”
“You think she wants to touch me?”
“I’d bet every cent in my now bloated bank account that she does.”
“And how does that make you feel, Ms. Hale?”
“I’m guessing it’s similar to what Convington’s flowers made you feel.”
He flashes me a sinister smile. “Then I guess it’s my job to make you feel better.
” He reaches one hand under his desk and a click sounds.
Seconds later, the windows of his office turn opaque once again.
He sets me down on my feet and stands behind me, then presses me down until my chest is flush against his desk. He hikes up my skirt.
“I guess it’s a good thing I kept your panties,” he says, running a hand up over my bare ass. “Look at you bent over my desk and spread for me. Fuck, baby.”
“I need you inside me, Asher,” I practically whine.
He lets out a groan that sounds like a combination of approval and relief. “You might want to hold on to the edge of the desk,” is all he says before plunging inside me.
ASHER
I’m a lucky fucking man.
Ella left my office over an hour ago, and I’m still reeling—in a good way.
I can smell her perfume on me, and I swear I can still taste her on my tongue.
But it’s not just the sex that has me practically floating in my chair, it’s the relief of having her back with me.
Life suddenly makes sense again, and the overwhelming sense of depression and dread I’ve been harboring for the last three days has disappeared.
It’s a euphoric fucking feeling. I still have worries knocking around in the back of my mind, but they’re much easier to deal with when I’m not also fighting the pain of being away from Ella.
That blissful high is only slightly dimmed when Haley knocks on my office door, and I give her the go ahead to enter. Ella’s remark about Covington reminded me of something I’ve neglected, and it’s time I set a few things straight.
Haley places the box Ms. Graham delivered from my penthouse on my desk. It’s the box of watch bands and the diamond bracelet Covington gifted Ella. I shove a not-so-subtle back-the-fuck-off note I wrote for Covington inside.
“Matthew,” I say, hitting the speakerphone button on my desk phone. “Come into my office.”
“Yes?” he says a moment later as he strolls through my door.
“I have a package I need you to personally deliver to Blake Covington of Vericom. Not his receptionist, not his PA, him. I don’t care if you have to storm into a meeting and pull him out by his goddamn collar. Deliver this to him, from me.”
“Anything you’d like me to say as I do so?”
“My letter should do the trick. And if it doesn’t, I’ll grab his company by the balls and break it.”
“Did something happen between you and Covington?”
I open the box and show him the contents. “He sent flowers to Ella when we returned from London, as well as jewelry and watch bands as a thanks for the launch.”
Matthew tilts his head. “That doesn’t seem too out of order. I send gifts to our subsidiaries and partners for things like this all the time for you. Ninety percent of the time, you don’t even know.”
“He knew,” I spit. “He sent her another massive floral arrangement this morning along with his condolences on her situation with Kyle. He also told her to call him if she ever needs anything or if she thinks her security measures are not adequate. He’s not even trying to play coy.
Look at this.” I take out the diamond bracelet that had me seeing red back when we returned from London and toss it to him. “Look at the engraving.”
He catches and examines it. “Bold.”
“I’ll fucking say.”
“I’ll make sure he gets it.”
Now that that’s out of the way, I take out my phone to text Pierre to make sure everything is set for dinner tonight.
Tomorrow, I leave for Singapore for ten days, so I want this last night with Ella to be perfect.
I want to remind her again why we’re so good together and why we don’t need space.
I want to give her something to hold onto while I’m gone so that she’ll be craving me as much as I crave her by the time I return.
“By the way, your mom called,” Matthew says before he leaves my office. “She’s beside herself with everything that’s happened and is insisting on meeting Ella. Dinner is at seven o’clock at your parents’ house.”
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
I let out an annoyed breath. “No. This is my last night before I leave, I don’t want to spend it at my parents’ house. I have a whole plan of a romantic dinner at home with Ella.”
“Take that up with Catherine.”
My phone vibrates with a text from Ella.
I’ve been meaning to ask you, what is the dress code for tonight? Does your family do more formal or casual dinners?
Dammit.
“Did you already tell Ella about dinner?” I ask Matthew.
“No. As I said, your mother is full steam ahead on planning this. She must have gotten ahold of Ella herself.”
I curse under my breath and text Ella back.
We don’t need to do dinner with my family. We could do a nice dinner at home before I leave tomorrow morning.
No way. Your mom called me, and there’s no way in hell I’m backing out.
I groan.
So? What should I plan on as far as clothes go?
Casual dress, I think is what it’s called.
You think? I need direction here, Mr. Langford. I’m meeting your mother for the first time. I don’t need to remind you who your mother is.
Don’t over think it. She’ll love you no matter what.
I wish it was that easy.
She already fawns over you to me.
How? She hasn’t even met me.
Well, my father and brothers have, and they’ve told her how amazing you are. And your face and videos have been splashed all over the media, so it’s not like you’re some enigma. She likes what she’s seen and heard so far.
Even with all the Kyle drama?
Even with that.
Then let’s hope that continues when she actually meets me.
Don’t worry, baby. She’ll love you.
And she will, I have no doubt about that, but god, I just wanted one more night with Ella to myself before I leave on my business trip.
My mother is lucky Ella came into the office today and that I already got my plan back on track.
Otherwise, I’d be fighting dirty to keep this little dinner party from happening.
I’ll just have to find a way to get Ella to make it up to me.