Chapter Six
Juni woke up and immediately recounted the night she had just had.
Remembering Asher had woken her up two more times to fuck her.
The night had been ... magical. Amazing.
She would love to do it again ... but the night was gone and it was over.
Soon, this chapter would be nothing more than memories in the story of her life.
Her instincts had been right. Asher had known exactly how to make her first time pain-free and mind-blowing.
It was a night she’d treasure and remember, because she never wanted a repeat with any other man.
Just the thought of having someone else touch her filled her with revulsion.
Asher didn’t know they were mates, and she had no doubt that if he ever found out, he wouldn’t want to keep her anyway.
He was a player. A man who admitted he liked variety, especially when that variety happened to replenish every weekend when the tourist season started up.
Besides, it wasn’t like she had a lot to offer a partner. Her shortcomings were numerous.
She rose and started dressing, wincing a little at the soreness between her thighs.
Her mound was a little sensitive to her clothing.
What she needed was a hot bath, soaking in Epsom salt.
Clover had slept over at her friend’s house and expected to be picked up at noon, so she had time to pamper herself a bit.
To relive the memories, and then put them in a box and lock them away.
Carrying her shoes, she made her way down the hallway and followed sounds to the kitchen. Asher had his back to her, cooking something that smelled delicious. All he wore were lounge pants, and she saw the scratch marks on his back that she gave him.
“I’m going to head out,” she said.
He looked over his shoulder. “I’m fixing breakfast. Have a seat, it’s almost done.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“What kind of man would I be to not feed you?”
“But—”
“I’ll take you home right after. I promise.”
Relenting, because if she didn’t that would make her sound like a bitch, she sat at the island. A moment later, he placed a plate in front of her. Scrambled eggs with cheese, hashbrowns and sausage. Her belly rumbled.
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Sure. Thanks.
He took two cups from the cupboard and filled them. When he placed one in front of her, he got some cream from the fridge and a bowl of sugar and set them down. Then he joined her, and for a moment, she ate and didn’t allow herself to think about anything.
Perhaps it was wrong of her but secretly, she was glad to have a few more minutes with him. Could almost pretend they were a couple and this was the start of their day.
“I’ll clean up if you want to get dressed,” she offered.
He hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” she replied. “You cook, only fair that I clean.”
“Very well. I’ll only be about fifteen minutes.”
She nodded and got to work cleaning the counters. Exactly fifteen minutes later, he strolled back into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. If she thought he looked good in a suit, this made him positively downright sexy.
No fair, she thought.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Ready,” she answered softly. One last glance around the gorgeous home, then she followed him out the door.
****
It didn’t take him long to drive Juniper home. Just as he was about to hop out to escort her to her door, she placed a hand on his arm.
“It’s not necessary,” she said.
He frowned, suddenly not liking how quickly she was saying good-bye. “So, that’s it?”
She tilted her head. “Yes. This is what we agreed.”
“Right,” he muttered.
“Thank you, Asher.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You gave me a night I’ll never forget. Take care of yourself.”
She exited his car and he watched until she opened her front door, making sure she got in safely. Right before she closed the door, she waved at him. Then it was done. She was inside her house and he had no reason to stay.
Somehow it felt ... wrong.
He pulled away from the curb and drove back to his house.
He had about an hour before he had to go into work.
Unlocking the door, he entered and tossed his key fob onto the settee in the foyer.
Entering his bedroom, he went to the disarrayed sheets, intending to change them, but as soon as he gathered them together, her scent floated up. Like a weirdo, he took a deep sniff.
Hell, he was crossing over into perv territory.
Still, at the washing machine, he hesitated.
Why did it bother him that he’d lose her scent?
Never mind the fact that it was the best sex of his life.
In a thousand million years, he’d never have guessed he’d say that about virginal Juniper Parsons.
Well, ex-virgin. He had claimed it, and although he’d heard a woman always remembered her first time, he had an eerie feeling it was going to be him unable to forget.
When it was time to go to work, he dressed in business casual and drove to the bar. Parking in his space, he turned off the engine and sighed. Why was he still thinking of her?
He entered The Unicorn and disabled the alarm, flipping on lights as he moved through the empty place.
His office was located on the second floor, only accessible by a staircase located behind the bar.
The morning was spent catching up on paperwork, and for some reason there was always paperwork.
Orders to place. Schedules to create. Payroll to run.
At 10:00, his bartender and cook came in prepping for when they opened at noon.
At 11:00, he went downstairs to help take down all the upturned chairs on the tables.
He made sure all the condiments on the table were filled, which was usually the job of the night staff, but he refused to be a complacent boss.
The very first person who walked through the doors when he unlocked them was Corbin. He should’ve expected this.
“Sit at the bar,” he directed. “I’ll bring you your usual.”
Corbin nodded and took up residence on the chair closest to the kitchen entrance. Anytime he came in for lunch, he always ordered the roast beef dip sandwich. Customers were arriving and his servers were doing their job, the bar running like a well-oiled machine.
When he brought out Corbin’s lunch, he stayed behind the bar pouring both of them a soda.
“Well?” Corbin asked. “How was the date slash fuck?”
He did not like how his friend worded that. “Respect her, please.”
Corbin’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m sorry.”
Asher sighed. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. Damn it.”
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “This young woman comes out of nowhere and turns me upside down.”
“That good?”
“I don’t understand any of this. I mean, I made sure we had a lovely dinner, and she thought I missed my calling as a baker. Apparently, I could make millions with my cake recipe.”
“You’ve never baked me a cake.”
“Your next birthday. I promise.”
“Thank you, but that’s not the conversation I was curious about.”
“I know. I...” How did he explain what was irking him? That something told him he shouldn’t have let Juniper go. “I don’t know how to explain it.”
Corbin cocked his head. “Why do you sound weird?”
“What would you say if I told you I can’t stop thinking about her?” He leaned closer. “That I sniffed the damn bedsheets and got a hard-on?”
A frown creased Corbin’s brow. “You sniffed her? Wait, did you happen to bite her?”
“Uh. Why?”
“Sounds like a mate thing.”
Every molecule in Asher’s body came to a screeching halt. “Mates?”
“But you’re not a wolf, so can’t be.” He shrugged. “I’m sure it’s only because you took her V-card. You find yourself a bed partner tonight and she’ll be nothing but a memory in the morning.”
The thought of having sex with another woman disgusted him, but he forced that reaction away. One night, one time. He definitely wasn’t the settling down type of guy. Nope. He liked pussy and he liked not having someone cling to him.
Still.
He tried to ignore the feeling deep inside that he didn’t want any other woman’s pussy. It was probably exactly what Corbin said. It was because he took her virginity. He’d move on and she would as well.
Suddenly, he pictured her holding hands with another man.
Kissing another man. All those moans and gasps belonging to someone else.
He banged the bar top with his fist and tried to ignore that he hated that fucking thought.
That picturing her with some man made him want to go all homicidal on some fictious asshole.
“Asher?” Corbin questioned, staring at him in shock.
Oh, shit, I am so fucked.