23. Asher
Asher
When Sophie had started making noises next to us earlier, I’d scooped her up and moved us into the living room.
I didn’t want to leave the bed with Sutton pressed against me but I didn’t want her to wake up.
She had burrowed into me not long after she’d fallen asleep, her hair spread out over my chest.
Thankfully we weren’t spooning because otherwise she would have felt how hard I was.
The smell of coconuts lingered in her room. It had become my new favorite smell.
I knew Sutton had things to change Sophie’s diaper out here so I did just that.
I’d watched videos earlier and paid close attention when I’d seen Sutton do it before.
I didn’t know how or what to feed her, which I needed to figure out right away, but I had her on a mat in the middle of the living room and we were playing with blocks. She seemed content.
We had just stacked another block on a tower when I heard a groan from the other room and an alarm going off.
“Should we go see your mama?” I asked Soph, who looked up at me with a toothless smile. As I stood, she reached for me and I picked her up, grabbed the glass from the kitchen, and walked into the bedroom.
“Morning, sweetheart,” I muttered as Soph started clapping for her mum. I would have stopped her because I was sure Sutton had a headache but it was so damn adorable I couldn’t.
“Ughh,” she groaned as she rolled over and popped one eye open.
I moved over to the bed and placed Sophie down next to her. She sat up and held her breath for a moment. I looked at her with my eyebrows raised.
“I’m not going to be sick.” She must have noticed my face. It was shocking to me how well she read me. She leaned down and kissed Sophie on the head before looking over at me. “Turns out it wasn’t such a good idea to drink so much on a Wednesday night.”
I shook my head and passed her the water I was holding, grabbing the pills out of my pocket that I had stashed there earlier, knowing she would need them.
“I could have told you that,” I mused as she chugged the pills and water. “How do you feel?”
“My head hurts and work is going to suck but I had a fun night.” Her soft smile made my chest hurt.
I loved that she was letting people in, that she had gone out and had fun.
Even if I was pissed it was without me.
“You didn’t have to get up with Sophie.” She smiled down at her daughter, which made Sophie scream in excitement. This girl loved her mum.
“I changed her but I didn’t know how to feed her. Can you show me?” I asked, ignoring her comment. Because my waking up with Sophie meant she got an extra hour of sleep and it was easy enough for me.
“You want to know how to feed her?” she asked, scrunching her nose. I hated that she always sounded shocked and confused that someone wanted to help her.
“Coffee is ready. Want some?” I asked as I moved out of the room, resisting the urge to lean down and kiss her.
I got to the kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot as Sutton came out of her room with Sophie on her hip and it felt like my heart stopped.
Her messy hair was in a knot on the top of her head, the big T-shirt she was wearing hit her mid-thigh, and her cheek was red from where she’d slept against me all night.
“Where is the shirt from?” I asked gruffly as I started pouring our coffees. She moved into the kitchen and went into the freezer, grabbing a bag of milk for Sophie. There was a lot in there.
“I’d normally breastfeed in the morning but since I drank last night I’m going to pump and dump it, so you can see how I do it with the frozen stuff.”
“And the shirt?” I grumbled at her again.
“Why?” She passed Sophie over to me with a little smile on her face.
“Is it an ex’s?”
“Yes,” she answered, not looking at me. I grunted and made a mental note to bring her a shirt of mine to sleep in the next time I saw her.
“Once the bag is warm, you can pour it into the bottle.” I watched her as she prepared the bottle and committed the steps to memory.
I asked a few questions to make sure I could repeat the process.
She settled down on a stool and fed Sophie while I passed her the coffee. I was constantly impressed when I got glimpses into her life. I had no idea how she had managed all on her own and yet she just did it like it was second nature. I guess at this point it was.
I looked down at my phone and groaned a little because I had to leave if I was going to get home and change before work.
“You have to go.”
I scowled. “I don’t want to but I need to go shower.” I had a meeting at nine.
“Thank you for staying last night.”
“Hang out with me tonight,” I demanded.
“Okay.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then I registered what she’d said. “Okay?”
She laughed at me, which had Sophie letting out a delighted shriek. “Were you expecting another answer?”
“I was expecting to have to ask a few more times.” I came around the kitchen to her.
“Was that your version of asking?”
“Dinner at my place work for you and Sophie?” I ignored her sass but I loved the light dancing in her eyes.
“Yeah, I’ll grab her after work and then we can come over.”
“You’re much more agreeable hungover,” I muttered as she looked up at me. For a moment I thought she was bothered by my comment but then she let out a laugh.
“Look at you making jokes,” she said, shoving my arm.
“Don’t bring a bunch of shit with you.” I gave in and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. And then I did the same with Sophie. “Text me when you’re on your way.”
I had to pull myself out of her apartment and into my car because the last thing I wanted to do was spend the day away from her. Especially after the things she’d admitted to me last night.
I fucking hated that she thought I’d leave, that she didn’t feel good enough. But since she didn’t bring it up this morning, I didn’t either. This was still in her hands and I was just going to keep proving to her how wrong she was.
Me
How’s your head?
Sutton
Better! The medicine and caffeine kicked in around ten and it’s been smooth since then.
I know you said not to bring anything for Sophie but can I bring any food?
Me
No.
Sutton
Wine?
Me
No.
Sutton
Dessert?
Me
No.
Sutton
Asher Wyatt Lawson.
Me
Remind me to thank Will for giving you my full name.
Just get to my place as early as you can.
Sutton
Eager to see me?
Me
Yes.
I was sitting in my office smiling like an idiot at my phone. I loved hearing from Sutton throughout the day.
Now I needed to text again because I needed help.
Me
Quinn.
Quinn
Asher.
Me
Can you make sure that Sutton leaves at a decent time tonight?
Quinn
Are you actually asking me?
I’m shocked!
Me
…
Quinn
Why?
Me
Because she’s coming to my house for dinner.
Quinn
Honestly, I approve
I coincidentally need to leave the office at 4 today…
Me
Thank you.
Quinn
Don’t thank me, Theo is the one who’s now picking me up early.
At five fifteen, I had wine on the counter, toys for Sophie on a mat in the living room, and music playing through the surround-sound speakers. It wasn’t pop music but Sutton could change it when she got here if she wanted.
I was loving living in the house—not only the quiet security it provided but I was also excited to have someone to share it with.
I’d left the office at three today so I could get home, change, and start cooking.
I’d cleaned up the puzzle I had going because the pieces were a choking hazard.
And now I was ready for Sutton to show up.
Quinn had got her out of there at four as promised and Sutton had texted me to say she was leaving her apartment.
Looking around, I made sure I had everything I needed and then rubbed my hands on my jeans.
Why am I sweating?
She’d been here before, we’d had dinner before. But she still made me nervous. This was all so new for me. Caring about her the way I did, it was deeper than anything I’d ever experienced.
The doorbell rang and my excitement spiked.
When I pulled the door open, Sutton stood before me carrying Sophie with a smile on her face and it was the best thing I had seen all day.
“Hey,” she said as I stepped back to let her in. Sophie reached for me as they passed and I happily grabbed her. She immediately started babbling and squawking. Her little noises were so fucking cute.
“Hi, sunshine, how was your day? Were you happy to see your mama?” I asked as she started patting the scruff on my jaw. I wouldn’t be able to shave it now, not with how much Sophie liked it.
“She apparently doesn’t like peas since she tossed them over her head at lunch and Iris had to bathe her in the middle of the day,” Sutton answered. I walked into the living room with Sutton behind me. “Asher.” She shook her head at all the toys set up on the ground.
“I checked to make sure we could keep an eye on her from the kitchen but if you want her closer I have a highchair we can strap her in.” I looked between Sutton and the setup.
I had been doing a lot of research on what babies Sophie’s age needed.
I knew she would be close to crawling and that as her brain developed certain toys were best for her.
I still planned on having Sutton look over it all to be sure it was safe.
Sutton grabbed my arm. “You are a very sweet man.”
“Don’t tell anyone,” I grunted out as she laughed.
“The mat is perfect.” She placed Sophie down and she happily started playing with the blocks that I’d made sure weren’t a choking hazard. I’d also bought a gate to keep her contained once she started crawling but I hadn’t pulled that out tonight.
“Should we stay in here with her?” I frowned down at her. “I’m tall but…” I scratched my head. I’d walked all around the kitchen earlier with a pillow on the mat making sure I could see it from every angle but now I was questioning that.
Sutton grabbed my hand and pulled me to the kitchen. I went willingly. I would honestly go anywhere she wanted as long as she kept touching me.