25. Asher

CHAPTER 25

ASHER

We woke late thanks to not falling into bed until three in the morning. The wedding reception was awesome. The weather held out, and we partied late into the night. Champagne flowed, the food was delicious, the speeches were funny, and people started heading home around one. Baxter and Tammy floated out of there, driving off to some unknown destination to have a few nights just the two of them. I’m sure it’ll be filled with sex and sleep and all things good.

After they left, we finished cleaning up with a grumpy-ass Ethan, who barely said three words the whole night, and an actually helpful Rachel and Liam. Thank fuck Ethan decided to bug out early. I offered to let him crash on the couch, but he said he wanted to go home. He looked damn miserable when he said it, and we spent the first hour of cleanup detail worrying about Ethan and Mikayla.

It made me grateful that my relationship with Lani is so solid. And it made me realize how much I want to marry her and be with her for the rest of my life.

When we finally crept up to the top floor of the villa, I was exhausted but so loved up that I had to peel Lani’s clothes off and make her come. She was up for it, and feeling her shudder and writhe beneath me was heavenly. She came as I licked her sweet pussy and then came again when I buried my cock inside her. I’m never gonna get tired of her luscious curves and sexy body. Even if it changes with age, I’ll love every version of her, because when I’m inside her that way, we’re connected on a spiritual level. I don’t care if I get shit for saying stuff like that, because it’s the truth. This woman owns me—body, mind, and soul.

Her soft sigh against my chest makes me smile. I cup the back of her head, lightly playing with her thick curls as her naked boobs press against my bare torso. I fucking love being naked with this woman. We have nothing on today, and spending it in bed, watching Harry Potter for the gazillionth time (like we’re doing right now) sounds like an awesome use of our time. I wouldn’t mind going down on her again too… and whatever else that might lead to.

No clothes. No schedule. No pressure.

Pure perfection.

Skimming the pads of my fingers across her shoulders, I press my lips to her forehead and notice a slight tension in her muscles. I start to knead her neck, and she sighs again, her moan soft and pleasurable.

“Want a massage, boo? Here, lie down.”

“No, I’m okay. This is good,” she murmurs, draping her arm across my waist. Her sapphire ring glints in the light, and I smile, brushing my thumb over it before looking back at the screen.

Harry casts a spell on Snape, who goes flying back and crashes into an old bed. Ron and Hermione are horrified, and all I can think about is why my woman isn’t feeling as relaxed as I am.

I rest my cheek against her forehead. “You tired from last night?”

“Yeah.” She yawns. “It all worked out in the end. Thank God. When we had to go to the hospital, I was like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.’ Poor Caroline. Poor Bax and Tammy. I so didn’t want them missing out again.”

“I know, right?”

“But they didn’t. And all our efforts on the reception weren’t wasted either.” She looks up with a smile. “Thanks for helping me.”

“Always. We’re a team.”

Her smile turns mushy, so I peck her lips, the idea of doing more running through me. I skim my fingers down her back and am seconds away from rolling her over and covering her with my body when she lets out another sigh.

“Okay, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

I nudge her off me, spinning in the bed so I can hold her face and narrow my eyes at her.

She blinks at me, her smile coy, and I shake my head with a smirk. “If you were wearing pants right now, they’d be on fire.”

With a soft snicker, she rolls her eyes. “Okay, fine. I can’t stop thinking about the wedding yesterday and how sweet and intimate and unorthodox it was. And then my mind starts swirling with how many times their plans got thwarted by life… because life can suck sometimes.” She huffs, her face scrunching as she lifts her hand and gently plays with her ring. “And then I started thinking about how much I love this ring, and how my sisters are going to flip out when they see it and wedding plans will be fired at me left, right, and center. Plans that could fall to crap, and it’ll be all pressure, and I’ll be busy trying to please everybody and put on the best damn day possible and…” Her shoulders slump. “What should be a special, intimate thing for you and me will become this huge event for everybody else.” She shakes her head. “It makes me not want to go through with it.”

“What?” I choke out the word, my heart spasming. “No, you gotta marry me. You said yes, woman.”

She smiles, cupping my cheek. “I want to marry you, but I don’t want a wedding.” Her nose wrinkles. “I know Tammy and Baxter’s big day would be considered a disaster. That’s what people are going to say, but watching them get married in that hospital waiting room was perfect.”

My eyebrows rise. “You want me to try and book out St. Vincent’s Memorial?”

Laughter bubbles out of her as she gently rests her hand on my chest. Her painted nails lightly brush my pec before drawing a circle around my right nipple. “I guess part of the reason I’ve been so slow on this engagement thing is because I’ve been worried about the wedding. I kept putting you off because I don’t want to have to deal with what comes next.”

Brushing my thumb across her cheekbone, I thread my fingers behind her neck and pull her toward me. “C’mere.”

She leans into my kiss, sinking against me and climbing onto my lap. Our torsos meld together, her perfect pussy nestling against me as I splay my hands across her back and look into her eyes.

“I get it, boo. My mom’s going to be a nightmare. You didn’t say it, but I know you were thinking it.”

She blushes and dips her head. “We won’t even recognize half the guests, will we?”

“Probably not.” I tip my head… then go still, my lips parting.

“What?” She gives me an expectant look, those eyes I love so much bright with curiosity.

I drink her in, my smile growing as I thread my fingers through her hair. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

I love how she doesn’t hesitate. I love the faith in her eyes.

And as much as I want to spend the day making love to this gorgeous woman, there’s something I want to do even more.

“Get up.” I nudge her off me, jumping out of bed and pulling clothes from my closet.

“Why?” She gives me a skeptical frown, reluctantly sliding to the edge of the bed.

Shoving my pants on, I rush to zip them and lift my chin toward her closet. “Come on. Get that cute ass out of bed.”

“Where are we going?” Flicking the sheet off, she walks to the closet, and I’m numbed for just a moment by the mesmerizing sway of her hips. She’s a goddess, and I have to force my gaze away, will my body to turn around, because sex can wait.

“Asher.” She sings my name. “What is going on in that head of yours right now?”

I spin, walking across the room and pulling her into my arms. Lavishing her with a deep kiss, I then pull back, peck the end of her nose, and whisper, “Let me surprise you, boo. Please, just give me this one.”

Her smile is stunning as she drinks in my expression and lets out a breathy laugh. “Okay, fine. I will let you surprise me this one time because the look on your face is so frickin’ adorable.”

“Thank you, baby.” I kiss her again and practically skip out of the room, heading to my office and grabbing everything we’ll need to make this the best day ever.

I’m serious.

This is going to be the best day we have ever had together.