Page 90 of The Influencer

“So, then she’ll have to move, too.”

He bends over, elbows on the counter and face in his palms. “Not like I thought there’d be, but there’s no easy way to do this,” he grumps.

“I guess not if she refuses to move out,” I say, wanting to go to his side of the island and wrap an arm around his back. Put our heads together. Plot in whispers.

“Why does she even want me? She acts like she doesn’t give a shit about me until I’m ready to walk away.”

“Some people can’t let go of what they’re used to. What’s comfortable for them. She’s probably just scared of what’s on the other side of losing you.”

“She lost me a long time ago.”

“Except… you didn’t go anywhere.”

“I don’t think I wanted to know what was on the other side either,” he mumbles.

I give up fighting the desire to be closer to him. I make my way around the island to stand beside him. Rubbing a hand along his lower back, I lean to the side, facing him. “You’re doing the right thing,” I say softly now that I’m close. “Stop letting her make you doubt yourself.”

“She doesn’t have to.” He lifts his face enough to turn to me. “I’m the one who betrayed her trust. And I’ve been doubting myself as long as I can remember.”

“Look, I’m no priest. I can’t absolve you of your sins, but your situation was complicated. What you did—what we did—doesn’t make you a bad person. Back when the two of you were happy, would you ever have cheated on her?”

He shakes his head. “Still not an excuse.”

“No,” I say, “but it is a circumstance.”

He grabs me by the belly chain and pulls me even closer to him. My hip bumps his. “You look so fucking hot in this.”

“Don’t change the subject again,” I say even as he runs his knuckles along my abs behind the chain. I break out in full body chills. “And stop turning me on, you have to go to work.”

“I can be a few minutes late…”

“Asher…”

“I just want to fuck you and then do it again. I want to fuck you until you’re locking me out of your room so I can’t fuck you anymore.”

Jesus.

“Circling back to your personal belongings…”

“I’m hard, Jade. Just looking at you makes me hard. You put your hand on me—I’m dying.”

“Why won’t you talk to me?” I ask.

“I have been talking to you. But I don’t want to anymore. Not because of you—I mean kind of because of you, but more because I can’t stand myself right now.”

“You’re doing the best you can.”

“I fucked up.”

But I’m so glad he did. And that makes me just as wrong as he is.

“I forgive you,” I whisper. Us.

He kisses me. Steals my breath and another piece of my heart all in the space of a second. I let him wrap me in his arms and kiss him back. He wasn’t lying. He’s very, very hard, and I’m getting there quick. But we have lives. I can’t let him sweep me off my feet…again.

I drop my head with some will power and his mouth lands on my forehead. He sighs, lets go of me, and steps away. “Right,” he says. “Yeah, I should go.”

“You’ll be back?”

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