7. Asa

CHAPTER 7

ASA

“How’d your date go, asshole?” Aidan asks as soon as he answers the phone. The amusement in his voice instantly pisses me off. Or maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t heard from Leslie in hours that has me on edge. Either way, I don’t like it.

I should have gone with her, tried to explain things to her parents. Am I an asshole for letting her handle it alone?

“I think I fucked up.”

“Jesus Christ, Asa,” Aidan groans. “What did you do?”

I scowl at his tone. “Why the fuck do you think I did something?”

“You said you fucked up, idiot. Why else would I think you did something?”

Oh, right. I did say that…

“I didn’t fuck up the date,” I growl. “The date was perfect. But her mother caught us together at breakfast this morning and heard me say… never mind. Doesn’t matter what she heard. The point is that she thinks I’m a degenerate asshole now.”

“You are a degenerate asshole,” my brother says, most un-fucking-helpfully. “And hold on. What do you mean she caught you at breakfast this morning?”

“I told you the date was perfect,” I say, my tone smug because fuck him and the suspicion in his. The date was perfect.

“Well, goddamn,” he says. “Didn’t think you had it in you. I’m almost impressed.”

“Thank you.”

“I said almost, Asa. You still fucked things up this morning,” he reminds me.

“Why the fuck did I call you instead of Caroline?”

“Because you know Caroline will ream your ass harder than I am.”

He has a good point. That is why I called him instead of her. Couldn’t call Jeremy, either. He’d fucking snitch to my sister. I should have called Drake Whitlock for advice.

“You need to apologize for whatever you said and pray she forgives you.”

“She isn’t mad at me. She’s mad at her mom.”

Aidan doesn’t say anything.

“It’s fucking complicated.”

“Clearly. Explain it anyway.”

I launch into an explanation, pacing around the living room. Every few seconds, I peer through the windows, checking for her little blue car. Naturally, the street out front remains empty.

“I should have gone with her, right?” I finally mutter, running out of steam.

“Jesus,” Aidan finally mutters. “How the fuck did the matchmaker find the one girl in Texas that you were going to fall in love with in two seconds?”

I don’t deny his accusation because he’s right. Maybe it’s fast and crazy, but whatever. I’m fucking crazy about her. Doesn’t take a lifetime to figure out that my heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest for her because it belongs to her. Maybe some motherfuckers need months and background checks and all that bullshit. That’s a them problem. It’s not a me problem.

“She’s a genius.”

Aidan snorts.

I don’t think he believes in love. Or maybe he doesn’t have time for it. I don’t fucking know. He’s an odd motherfucker who had too much responsibility on his shoulders too young. It made him cranky.

“Should I go over there or not?”

“Uh, fuck no.”

I pull the phone away from my ear to scowl at it. I should have called Caroline. She’s more helpful. “Why the fuck not?”

“Because, for once in your life, you’re actually right about something,” he says. “The last thing you need to do is get involved in this thing between her and her parents. She needs to handle that on her own. Unless she stands on her own two feet and says what she needs to say, they’ll always think you came between them. That’s the last thing you need if you want them to see you as someone worthy of their daughter. It goes against every one of your instincts because you like to fix things for the people you love, but you have to let her handle this one on her own.”

“Goddammit,” I mutter, pacing again. He’s right. I fucking hate it when he’s right. It’s a helluva lot more fun for me when he’s wrong. It doesn’t happen often.

“If she feels the same way you do, she’ll be back.”

“And if she doesn’t?” I ask, worry eating me alive. I told her how I felt. She didn’t say it back. What if it’s too soon for her? What if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if she never does? I know she likes me. Really fucking likes me or she never would have slept with me. But maybe I opened my big goddamn mouth and scared her off.

“Then she doesn’t deserve you, brother,” Aidan says quietly. “You deserve someone just as wild and crazy about you as you are about her. And if she’s the girl you think she is, she’s that girl. You didn’t avoid dating and piss off half the women in this town just to fall for one who isn’t worthy of you. You’ve always known exactly what you wanted. Trust that she knows, too.”

“Well, damn.” I clear my throat roughly. “Maybe you do have a tiny heart somewhere in there, asshole.”

“Fuck off with that bullshit,” he growls, making me grin. He may like to pretend he’s a hard ass, but the people who know him know better. He’s a fucking caretaker and always has been. After our parents died, he held it together for me and Caroline. Shit, he ran the goddamn company by himself so I could run off to the Army.

“Fine, I’ll let you keep pretending you have a heart of stone and enjoy rubbing them out by your goddamn self,” I say.

“You are such an asshole.” He chuckles.

“Not my fault you’re on the verge of shooting dust and it’s making you cranky.” God, Letty is a genius for adding that insult to my arsenal. “Maybe I should hire the matchmaker to find you a wife before you’re too goddamn old to procreate.”

“I will kill you,” he growls. And then he pauses. “But who the fuck is this matchmaker anyway?”

“Why? You going to hire her yourself?”

“Fuck no. I want to make sure she isn’t coming after me next. She’s already got you and Caroline. We aren’t making this a trifecta.”

“Don’t know,” I say, shrugging. “I don’t think anyone knows.”

“Interesting. Maybe it’s time to expose her. She can’t keep fucking with people if everyone knows who she is.”

“She isn’t fucking with people, Aidan.”

He grunts, which I take to mean he’s ignoring the fuck out of my comment. “Good luck with your girl. I gotta go.”

“Thanks, asshole. Leave the matchmaker alone!”

He ignores me again, hanging up on me.

Fucking hell. Why is he such a pain in the ass?

I pull the phone away from my ear, considering texting the matchmaker to give her a heads up that he’s up to something. But I don’t even get our text thread pulled up before headlights cut across the window out front. My heart thuds against my ribcage, hope and anxiety warring.

I toss the phone toward the couch, striding toward the window.

My heart leaps into my throat when I see Leslie’s car bounce into the driveway. Fuck. She’s here. She’s actually fucking here.

I’m across the room in two steps, ripping the front door open. By the time she’s parked, I’m at her door, yanking it open.

Her wide eyes meet mine as I haul her out of the car and into my arms, feeling like I’m finally breathing again after a day with no oxygen. I don’t give her time to say a word before my lips are on hers. I press her back against the car, licking into her mouth to steal her damn soul. I want it, every damn piece of it.

“Asa,” she moans, shoving her hands into my hair and grinding all over my cock.

“Christ, I missed you today,” I breathe, nipping at her lips. I rock my hips into hers, not giving a fuck if the whole neighborhood sees me dry-humping her against the car. “I was afraid you weren’t coming.”

“Of course I was coming,” she gasps, pulling my hair. “I love you, Asa.”

I jerk my head up, meeting her gaze. “What?”

She smiles, her eyes bright. “I said I love you. I should have said it earlier. It’s been bugging me all dang day that I didn’t.” Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. “Um, that is what you mean, right?”

She doubts it? Well, shit.

“Hang on tight, gorgeous girl,” I mutter, peeling her away from the car. I shove the door closed with my foot, already marching toward the house with her in my arms. She clings to me, her lips wreaking havoc on me as she nips and kisses all along my jaw.

If my cock gets any harder, we’re going to have problems here…

I press her back against the door as soon as we’re over the threshold, already working on getting her naked. I need to be inside her when I say what I have to say. Who the fuck cares if it’s traditional or not? She’s my home. I can work on getting her pregnant while I tell her that I’m fucking crazy about her.

As soon as her dress is off, I’ve got one hard nipple in my mouth and my hand between her legs, playing with that perfect pussy. She sobs my name, trying to rip through the button of my jeans.

By the time she finally gets my cock out, I’ve already made her come on my fingers. I slide inside her tight pussy, growling her name. This right here… fuck yes.

“Look at me, baby.”

Her wide, dilated eyes meet mine, blown wide with lust.

“I fucking love you.” I thrust into her. “I love your mind.” I thrust again. “I love your heart.” Again. “I love your sense of humor.” Again. “Your sassy attitude.” And again. “I love your beautiful eyes. And the way you take me so fucking well. I love every goddamn thing about you, Leslie.” I fuck into her over and over, pounding my devotion into her perfect body. “You’re it for me.”

“I love you,” she sobs, her pussy already rippling all up and down my shaft. “You’re the best thing I ever won, Asa.”

“You didn’t win me, gorgeous girl.” I nip her throat. “You fucking bewitched me. And you aren’t allowed to ever stop. Now, come on my cock so we can get a few things straight.”

“L-like what?” she gasps.

“Like the fact that you’re moving in here.” I slip my hand between our bodies, homing in on her clit. I grind my thumb against it, loving the way her cunt squeezes me so fucking tight. “And how many of my kids you want. I’m working on the first one right now.”

“Asa,” she whimpers.

“And how long I have to wait to call you my wife.”

She moans, shattering apart in my arms. The way her pussy ripples and squeezes as she goes off is fucking perfect. I bury my face in her throat, growling her name as her orgasm rips my own from me. I pump my hips, draining every damn drop deep inside her, praying like hell that it takes root. That she ends up pregnant here and now.

“You don’t have to wait,” she gasps, slumping against me.

“What?”

“You don’t have to wait. I’ll marry you tomorrow if it’s what you want.”

Jesus, this girl.

I brush my lips across her crown, sending up a thank you to God or the matchmaker or whoever or whatever decided I was worthy of this angel. I intend to prove them right.

“We just have to do one thing first…”

I tip her head back, forcing her to meet my gaze. “If it involves fucking you in my bed again, I’m in, gorgeous girl.”

She grins at me. “Okay, we have to do two things first.”

“What’s the other one?” I ask, brushing my finger across her bottom lip.

“Um… you have to officially meet my parents.” She gulps. “And maybe ask my dad for permission to marry me?”

“They’re willing to give me a chance?” I ask, shocked.

“I love you,” she whispers. “That means they’re going to love you, too. They’re willing, Asa. They’re worried, but it’s only because they don’t know you. But they want to know you. You impressed my mom today, standing up for me the way you did. She said I deserve someone willing to do exactly what you did, even if it means standing up for me against my own parents.”

Well… damn.

“So, the bad boy with the good girl, huh?” I ask, grinning at her.

“No.” She shakes her head, her expression soft. “A great man with a girl who is finally just being herself.”

“Yeah,” I growl, claiming her lips in a deep kiss. “Fuck yeah. I like the way that sounds.”