20. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Skyla

I t's Saturday, and with everyone gone for the weekend, it's just Asher with me at the house. I smile when a text comes in from Liam; as I tap out my reply, Asher comes into the kitchen. Looking up from my bowl of cereal at the kitchen island, I smile softly at him.

He smiles back, striding towards me before dropping a kiss to the crown of my forehead. Butterflies erupt inside me at the simple gesture. I still haven't gotten used to this side of Asher. It feels different…yet perfect, all at the same time. Like he was the missing piece to the puzzle.

"I see you've already got yourself a nutritious breakfast," he says, as he moves to the coffee.

"Breakfast of champions," I tease, as I lift my spoon full of cinnamon toast crunch into the air.

Asher smirks as he pours his cup of coffee, facing the bay window that overlooks the backyard as he speaks.

"Well, I think we definitely need to get you a better option for dinner tonight."

"Dinner? I'm already dreaming about lunch."

I laugh because, honestly, it's true. Anyone who isn't looking forward to their next meal as soon as they have their current one…well, they clearly have a healthier relationship with food than I do.

He turns, facing me with that same smile as he nods.

"Lunch too, but I was thinking we could go grab dinner somewhere. Just the two of us."

I go to respond when I pause, noticing how rigid his posture is, how careful his breathing is. He looks nervous, downright petrified. A grin spreads across my face before I can help it, as I cock my head to the side teasingly.

"Asher Putnam, are you trying to ask me out on a date?"

He huffs, running a hand through his hair like he does when he's nervous before he shrugs.

"Well, you're my girl, aren't you?"

I raise an eyebrow in question.

"I don't know, am I?"

He sets down his cup, closing the distance between us before his hand comes to cup my jawline. Lifting my face up to meet his, I feel his lips press against mine in a deep but firm kiss before he pulls away.

"Definitely."

"Well, alrighty then," I say with a breathless smile.

"Dinner? Seven?" he confirms.

"You act like we aren't going to hang out at the house all day together anyways," I laugh.

The smile that takes over his face is breathtaking as he nods and presses another kiss to my lips, softer this time and, unfortunately, faster.

"Fair enough."

We spent the day hanging out at the house. It's been a miserably rainy New England day, so a cozy day inside felt incredible. I spoke on the phone with Aunt Steph for a little while, and she caught me up on her new boyfriend. I may have omitted the whole Asher thing, the ceremony, and having four boyfriend's thing. Oh, and the living off-campus thing. She's so worried about me, and I don't want her to have more reason to because between Christopher, the stalker, and god knows who else…there feels like plenty to worry about.

She told me that she was thinking about coming out for a visit soon, and I practically jumped all over her, begging her to. I miss her so much; I'd give practically anything just to hug her.

After I got off the phone with her, Asher told me he made us dinner reservations and to dress nice for it. I can't lie, I'm excited to have a night with just the two of us. But the whole fancy dinner and getting all dressed up thing just isn't really what I'm up for. It feels too…formal, too forced. I think we've already been through way too much to go through awkward small talk over a basket of eighteen-dollar bread.

Regardless, I slip on a red bodycon dress with my black heels and give myself some big curls before shaking them out. A scar on my back catches my eye in the mirror, and I pause before turning more to face it. A pang of sadness runs through me as I look at the fresh, angry scars against my skin. Why is it that marks like this take so long to heal? Or I guess look better. You never truly heal from a scar. Not from the experience of getting it or the mark itself. Is it weird that, in a twisted way, those lashes bring me a sort of comfort? A sort of reminder.

It's a reminder of what happened that night, between Asher and I. It's a reminder that I got a small peek inside what was no doubt a common occurrence in Asher's childhood. A reminder of how blessed I was to be able to grow up with Aunt Steph instead of my father. It's a reminder of how much hurt is possible in this world, in our world, unless you have the right people by your side.

Shaking myself out of my morose mood, I pair my dress with a bold red lip and soft eye makeup before grabbing my clutch.

When I step out of my room, I'm surprised to see Asher standing by the door, fiddling with the cuff of his sport jacket before he turns to look at me. It's one of those classic Cinderella moments. The ones you see in the movies as a little girl and desperately hope that one day you'll get to experience.

His entire body freezes, his mouth parts, and his eyes take me in. I do my best to glide down the stairs as gracefully as I'm able to, while holding his eye contact. Before I get to the bottom, he moves, meeting me there and offering a hand to help me down. I smile at him, still having to look up at him a bit, even in heels.

"Hi," I say softly.

"Hi," he says, blinking a few times before a small grin that melts me flashes across his face. "You ready?"

I nod as he lowers our hands, intertwining our fingers as he opens the front door and walks me out. We walk down the front steps and over to the side of the driveway, where Asher parks a few of his cars. The garage has two inside, but he still has another four that are parked outside. I think he has a little bit of a car fetish and an unlimited credit limit problem.

Walking over to a car that is always covered, he releases my hand before unclipping the cover. I tilt my head curiously before he pulls it back, revealing a beautiful car. I couldn't tell you what it is, only that it looks fast and classic.

"1968 Dodge Charger," Asher smirks at me as he bundles up the cover and tosses it to the side.

"It's beautiful. Is it worth a lot?" I ask as he walks around to get my door.

"A good amount, but it doesn't compare to some of my others."

My brows furrow. "Why is this one covered and not the others then?"

"It was my mom's."

I'm taken by surprise. Asher never talks about his mom; no one does, really. I can't imagine the hell that poor woman went through being married to Christopher. Even if it was only for a day, that's a day too long, in my opinion.

Asher helps me inside the car, before shutting the door and coming around the other side. I look around at the black leather interior, the scent of it, and something clean mixing in the car. It's absolutely gorgeous and clearly means a lot to him.

The drive to the restaurant goes by fast. Soon, we're being swept away to a fancy table in the back, with a hundred-dollar bottle of champagne and an expansive menu laid out before us. Asher keeps fidgeting in his seat, glancing up at me as I read through the menu.

"You okay?" I ask with a small smile.

"Yeah. Do you like it?"

"The restaurant?" I ask.

He nods.

"Well, yeah. It's beautiful. Are you nervous?" I tease, as I set my menu down.

Asher scoffs. "Me? Nervous? Never. Do you know how many women I've been with? This isn't my first rodeo, princess."

I nod at that, doing my best to fight my smile.

"And tell me, how many of those women did you take to a romantic dinner date?"

His self-assured playboy attitude slips right off, revealing the nervous man behind it that I actually respect.

"You do like it?" he asks, his voice a little softer this time, like he's unsure of himself.

I reach across the table, covering my hand with his as I nod.

"I really do, thank you."

When he exhales, it looks as if a weight lifts from his shoulders.

"Of course."

The waiter comes up to us, and we both decide on the beef wellington. Only to be absolutely shocked when the portions on each of our plates is no larger than a silver dollar. Genuinely, if they are going to give you mice-sized servings, shouldn't they put it on a plate that isn't twelve inches in diameter?

Asher and I share a look of disappointment before we crack up laughing. The waiter looks at us uneasily before Asher shakes his head and stands up. He fishes into his pocket, dropping several hundred dollar bills onto the table before offering me his hand.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

I nod happily, as we practically make a break for it. Though, I don't know why we're rushing, it's not like we didn't pay. Regardless, I'm caught up in the fun of it. It feels as if I'm living out a fantasy, running away from every stuffy and underserved meal I ever had with my father. I'm sure Asher has a feeling akin to that as well.

The gesture was so sweet and would have likely made any other woman swoon. A fancy restaurant, being wined and dined by Asher Putnam, surely is on any woman in Salem's bucket list. Unfortunately for me, the shine of the hundred-dollar plates and million-dollar egos in that restaurant is something I've never had a desired taste for.

When the valet brings us Asher's car, he shakes his head as he rests it against his seat before looking at me.

"I'm sorry," he says, his smile fading. "I don't even know why I tried to take you to a place like that. I'm sure you hate them as much as I do."

I shrug. "It's fine. I was happy there."

"Not as happy as you could be, and I should have known that. I was nervous. I didn't know how to impress you or show you that this…" he trails off, gesturing between us. "I want it to work. I want you, and I want you happy."

My small smile transforms into what feels like a megawatt grin, as I lean over and press my lips to his. When I pull away his eyes look dazed, his body language relaxed.

"I'm happy, right here, with you."

"Good," he says, almost like a whisper to himself. "Now, how about we go somewhere that will actually feed us?"

I laugh and nod my agreement as Asher puts the car in drive, heading for the other side of town.

Two bacon cheeseburgers, two chocolate milkshakes, and one large chili cheese fry later, Asher and I are sitting in his car, having a greasy food feast. I asked him at least half a dozen times if he was sure he wanted to eat in his most prized possession, but he said that it was okay. Still, I'm taking each bite with the utmost care.

A comfortable silence settles over us with the soft sound of a song playing through the speakers. My eyes light up as I make eye contact with Asher and see a small grin on his face. Not wasting a second, I crank the volume almost all the way to the max before I begin belting the song.

"Just a small town girllll! Living in a lonely worldddd!"

Asher smiles and shakes his head as I continue, egging him on to join me. Unfortunately, he leaves me hanging. I roll my eyes as I continue singing the classic. How can you not love this song?! It gets to the chorus, and I hold my hands out for him as I wiggle my fingers, practically begging him to join. He continues shaking his head before I pick up my shake, using it as a microphone as I sing into it before shoving it in Asher's face.

He looks down at it unimpressed before he takes me by surprise, belting the next line.

"Don't stop believin'!"

"Hold on to the feelin'," I sing with a smile.

"Streetlights, peopleeeeeeeee!"

We both fall apart into a fit of laughter as I set the milkshake down, and Asher reaches over for me, lifting me into his lap. My body is crammed against the steering wheel before he scoots the seat back, giving me a little more room. I feel his hand reach behind me and turn down the music to its original volume.

"God, I fucking love you," he laughs before his body freezes.

I still, staring down at him with surprised eyes. He doesn't try to cover or take it back. Doesn't fumble for his words. Instead, he stays silent, watching me carefully.

"You do?" I ask on a whisper.

He rolls his lips together before his grasp on my hips tighten.

"Yeah, princess. I do. I know I don't deserve to. I don't even deserve to fucking touch you," he says as his fingers flex. "But I've loved you for longer than I wanted to, longer than I should have, probably."

He pauses, looking up at the ceiling as he winces.

"When you said it to me that night…when the first time I heard those words come from your mouth was in that moment, and I knew what I had to do next to protect us, to protect you." Asher swallows roughly and shakes his head before his eyes come to mine.

"I think about that night, every minute of the day. I'm so sorry, Princess. So fucking sorry."

My heart twinges for him, and I lift my hand to cup his face, loving how he immediately sinks into my touch, like he's been craving it his whole life.

"I know. Hindsight, I probably shouldn't have said anything. That was dumb of me. If I could go back, I—"

"Wouldn't change a thing," Asher finishes. "Hearing you say that, seeing the truth in your eyes, it shook something lose in me. It brought me to my knees. That was the instant that I truly accepted that I loved you, so fucking much."

I don't let him speak anymore. Instead, I close the distance between us, covering his mouth with mine. His hands dig into my hips, dragging me closer as his tongue slides against my own. There is nothing soft or romantic about this kiss. Instead, it's carnal, passionate, a desperate need for us to be as close to one another as possible.

My hips begin grinding against his lap, forcing a whimper out of me when I feel Asher's hard cock against my clit. My dress has raised above my hips, only the fabric of my panties and Asher's dress pants in our way. I reach my hand for his zipper when one of his hands grabs my wrist, stopping me.

"No, princess. Not like this, I won't fuck this up twice. You deserve more than a quick fuck in the car. I want to take my time with you."

"Take your time later. I want you, Asher. Now, here, just like this. We have our whole lives to have long, passionate lovemaking," I say, the realization of my words hitting me suddenly. I stumble with my next words for a few seconds, before I speak again. "Uhm, right?"

His eyes darken with lust and something a little more tender.

"Yes, princess. Our entire lives, I'm yours."

He releases my hand, and I quickly unzip his pants, reaching inside and gasping when I realize he isn't wearing any boxers. A sly grin spreads across his ridiculously handsome face as I pull his cock out of his pants.

Obviously, the one and only time I saw Asher's cock, I was a little too…preoccupied to truly admire it, but my god, it might be the prettiest penis I've ever seen. Is that possible? For a penis to be pretty? If so, the award goes to Asher.

"It's all yours, princess. Whatever you want with it," he says, with a low chuckle as he settles back into his seat.

My eyes come to his as I raise up on my knees, lining myself up over him before slowly settling down. I hold my panties to the side as I do, and I can't help but gasp as his cock begins sliding inside me inch by inch. Sex has been getting less painful, but it's still not exactly the most comfortable thing at first.

Lifting my head to look to the roof of the car, I close my eyes when I'm fully seated against him, his cock twitching inside me as a pleasured groan falls from his lips.

"Eyes on me, princess. Let me see those pretty green gems."

I force myself to look down at him, the feeling of his hand skating against my bare thigh forcing a wake of goosebumps to race up my body.

"Asher," I whimper softly.

"Yeah, princess. Use me. I'm yours."

Something flutters inside me at his words, and I lift myself off him almost completely before lowering back down. My rhythm soon picks up, and Asher's hold on me tightens. Any pain that was there quickly slips away, only leaving pleasure and want.

"You look so beautiful like this, Skyla. Just for me. So fucking perfect," he says through clenched teeth.

I lean towards him, forcing my clit to grind against him as I do and causing a moan to tear through me. My thrusts are nearly frantic as Asher meets me with each one. I feel the car shaking, squeaking with each thrust in the busy parking lot.

"Ash, someone is going to see," I whimper.

"I'll gouge their fucking eyes out if they do," he snarls, as his thrusts become punishing. "You're mine, Skyla. My girl, my princess, my wife. You're lucky I share you with the others, but I'll never allow another soul to see you like this again; that's a fucking promise."

My chuckle at his words morph into a groan as his cock rubs against my g-spot just right.

"More like you're lucky they are willing to share me with you. Vincent still wants you dead," I tease, though the closer I get to my orgasm, the less I care about what we're talking about.

Something akin to a growl sounds through Asher's chest at that, his hand coming up to my neck and squeezing on the sides roughly. I can still breathe easily, but I feel my pulse begin to thunder at the restriction of blood flow.

"All that matters is that you want me. That's all that fucking matters, you hear me?"

I nod my head as much as his hold allows, my eyes shuttering closed as I circle my hips, desperate for just a little more friction.

"Say it," Asher grits out.

"I'm yours, Ash. I'm so completely yours. I want you all the time, forever," I whimper, just as my orgasm slams into me like a freight train.

I hear him curse under his breath, his hips snapping into me several times before letting out a guttural roar. His cock throbs and jerks inside me, as I feel the warmth of his cum flood me.

Slowly, our movements become less steady until they stop altogether. I feel Asher release my neck, pushing my hair out of my face before running his thumb against my cheek tenderly.

"Fuck, I love you," he says, reverence heavy in his tone.

I smile into his touch, a fluttering feeling in my chest.

"I love you too."