28. Asher
Asher
It had been almost twenty-four hours since I’d walked out of Sutton’s apartment, letting her mull over everything I’d said. And now I felt like I was going crazy. I’d gone to work today but had been basically useless, doing nothing but stare at my computer, so I went home early.
Which was also a mistake.
Because I had moved around to various rooms, trying to keep myself busy.
I had tried to work out but I wasn’t paying enough attention and landed a punch funny, tweaking my shoulder.
I couldn’t get a single fucking piece of my puzzle and it wasn’t helping me zone out like it normally did so I abandoned that.
Then I’d cleaned Sophie’s room but that just made me miss her as much as I was missing her mum.
I was now sitting in my living room with the TV on trying to focus on the game. What game? No fucking clue, just whatever was on.
My head was in an apartment on the other side of the city.
The weather seemed to be in agreement with my turbulent thoughts. Instead of a warm summer night, there was a storm raging outside. The rain was slamming against my windows and the sky lit up every few minutes with wild lightning.
Looking down at my phone, I resisted the urge to reach out and check on Sutton. She hadn’t replied to the group chat since I left her place and I hadn’t reached out directly. She needed time to figure out what she wanted and I promised to give her that.
Turns out it was really fucking hard.
I let out a sigh and stood up once again to go look at the yard, watching water pool on my patio. The yard didn’t have a play set for when Sophie was older yet. That was at least one decision I’d made today.
Before I could move again, a loud rapid knocking sounded at my door followed by the doorbell ringing twice in quick succession. I ran to the door and pulled it open.
Standing on my doorstep with her hand raised in the air was Sutton.
I catalogued her quickly, my eyes soaking her up like I’d been starved of her for weeks instead of just a day.
She was in a T-shirt and jeans. Her shirt was plastered to her from the rain. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was down and stuck to her face and neck as more water dripped through her eyelashes and down her face.
Even dripping wet, I’d never seen a woman more beautiful than her.
“Hi,” she whispered as she dropped her hand.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I looked her over, trying to find anything amiss.
“I’m fine, Ash, I—”
“Is Sophie okay? Is she in the car?” I went to step around her to go into the rain but Sutton put her hand on my chest to stop me.
“I left her with Iris.”
I looked down at her, trying not to get my hopes up as to why she was here.
“I’m scared, Asher, but I want to try.”
My eyes locked on hers as I grabbed her elbow and dragged her inside. My heart was beating hard and as much as I wanted to talk about what she had just said, I had more pressing matters to deal with.
“What the fuck did you go out in the storm for?” I grumbled as I shut the door. “They’re reporting flooding on the roads.” I took a step away from her, heading toward the laundry room.
She grabbed my arm. “Where are you going?”
“To get you a towel and then a sweater so you don’t get hypothermia,” I grunted when she stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“I need to get this out.” She rested her hand on my chest. “I’m sorry for pushing you away.
You’ve become my best friend but that doesn’t mean it’s all I want.
” She looked up at me. “I’m sorry for hiding, because that’s what I was doing.
I’ve felt alone my entire life. Even when I was with my ex.
Letting you in, it’s not easy for me. Trusting how I feel with you isn’t easy for me.
Because at least alone, no one can hurt me.
But even with all of that, I want to try…
” She bit her lip anxiously. “Unless you don’t—”
I couldn’t give her another second.
I slammed my lips down on hers, cutting off the ridiculous notion that I didn’t want this.
That this wasn’t everything I’d been dreaming about since I saw her that first time in the diner, even if I couldn’t admit it.
That every moment of having her in my life wasn’t a dream I’d never thought possible.
She reached up my chest, moving her hands to the back of my neck, and pulled me closer, deepening the kiss.
She tasted like fucking perfection, as sweet as I thought she was going to be.
I didn’t break the kiss as I maneuvered her backward, pressing her against the nearest wall, getting a moan out of her.
After what felt like forever and not nearly enough time, I pulled back to give us both a moment to breathe. My chest was rising rapidly. I pressed my forehead against hers.
The world ceased to exist with her lips on mine.
“Of course I fucking want you, Sutton. Pretty sure I’d want you in any lifetime, in any way. You needing twenty-four hours to get things straight in your head isn’t changing anything between us.”
She smiled softly at me as she reached up and rested her palm against my cheek. “You know,” she said as I leaned my head in her hands, “I can understand why Sophie loves doing this so much.” I hummed as she brushed her thumb over my stubble a few times.
“Speaking of my sunshine…” Her eyes softened at the nickname. “Do we need to go get her?”
“Get her?”
“If you think you’re sleeping anywhere other than my bed tonight then you’ve lost your fucking mind.”
Her smile grew and she dropped her hand back to my shoulder again, looping her hands behind my head. “Iris is sleeping at my place. Said I wasn’t needed home tonight.” She raised her eyebrows at me in challenge. One I would gladly fucking take, if she was sure.
I pressed back against her, her back flat on the wall as I nuzzled her neck, her coconut scent intoxicating. “I’m not going to make any assumptions here, Sutton. You need to tell me what you want. We go at your pace.”
“Asher.” She sounded out of breath as I pulled away from her neck. “I’m nervous.”
I gave her a little more space, knowing that with my size against her she might feel crowded. “Just because you’re here and your lips were on mine doesn’t mean I have any expectations. We can make out while pretending to watch TV for all I care.”
She bit her lip but I didn’t let myself get distracted. “Not about that. I want to have sex with you but I haven’t been with anyone since I got pregnant. My body isn’t…what it used to be. I lost weight from stress but that wasn’t exactly healthy so…” She trailed off.
“Sutton.” I shook my head. “Your body brought the most beautiful human into the world. It’s done incredible things.
I’m fucking obsessed with it. I think about your hips every single fucking day.
I’ve gotten myself off in the shower to images of you more times than I can count.
What you look like naked, how your perfect tits would feel in my hands. ” I just shook my head.
“That gives a girl an ego boost.” She tried to laugh but her breathing was a little too heavy.
“Can I show you, prove to you that I’m obsessed?”
My whole body was rigid as I waited for an answer.
“Yes.” The whispered reply was all I needed.
I dropped to my knees, her back still against the wall because I wasn’t going to move a fucking inch without getting to taste her.
I unbuttoned her wet jeans and worked them down, leaving her there in pink lacy underwear. “You and your obsession with pink.” I was in awe at the sight of her in front of me. I heard her gulp, so I glanced up, making sure I wasn’t going too far.
“It’s a happy color.” Her eyes were filled with lust.
“Can I taste you?” As soon as she nodded my hands went to her underwear, removing them in one quick motion. I moved closer and inhaled.
“Asher,” she gasped as her hands moved to my shoulders.
“You smell like coconut and arousal, baby, nothing better.” Looking up at her, I smirked. “How wet are you?”
“Soaked.” She squirmed a little at her admission.
“That’s what I needed to hear.” I lifted one of her legs onto my shoulder, spreading her out.
“God, your pussy is perfect.” I leaned in, licking the inside of her thighs as I made my way up.
The first lick I took of her pussy had us both groaning.
“You’re so wet.” Her taste was perfection, something else about her that I could get addicted to.
“Asher.”
“I know what you need, don’t worry.” I started licking more firmly, pressing down on her clit.
I reached my hand up and tapped on her clit while my tongue was still on her.
She whimpered as I shifted to push one finger in and out, sucking on her clit now.
Feeling her everywhere was fucking addictive.
“That feels so good.” I felt her push herself out a little, trying to get me closer.
I didn’t relent, adding an extra finger now to stretch her out, her wetness coating my fingers as I kept sucking. It wasn’t long before she gasped, tensed, and then started shaking as the pressure built in my spine.
Fuck, I was about to come in my pants like an inexperienced teenager. I’d made a mistake leaving my own jeans on. The pressure, the taste of her, and her noises had fucking done me in.
“Asher,” she called out as I helped her ride out her orgasm as I finished in my pants. Once she came down, I kissed her one more time, pulled my fingers out, and then lowered her leg to the ground as her hands moved to my shoulder to steady herself.
When she looked down at me, her eyes zeroed in on the wet spot on my jeans.
“Did you…”
“Come? Yeah, I fucking did.” Her eyes widened. “Tasting you for the first time, feeling you pulse around my fingers… I never stood a fucking chance.”
“That’s…” She gulped, looking at me in a daze. “So fucking hot.”
I stayed on my knees, putting both of my fingers covered in her arousal into my mouth and cleaning them off thoroughly. “Like I said, fucking perfection.”