Page 30 of Make Me Unwind

“Not until next week. He starts his new job the week after.”

“New job?” Her eyebrows arch. “Where’s he working?”

I frown. Did I forget to tell her about moving in together? Shit. “He’s moving here and starting a job with one of his previous SEAL commanders. The man owns Truman Security, a top security company here in the U.S.” I shrug because I don’t know the ins and outs of the business, and considering what they do, I might never know the full details.

“That’s….” Andrea’s gaze darts behind me, and her mouth gapes open. I don’t bother to look. Rich’s best friend is on the professional football team, so he and his teammates are always stopping by and grabbing baked goods for something. They’re handsome men, but I have my own handsome man. I don’t need to gawk at one I don’t have.

“Baby?” A warm, firm hand grips my shoulder, and I nearly fall off my chair, spinning around and jumping to my feet. Asher grins down at me with his beautiful face and green eyes.

“What’re you doing here?” My heart pounds erratically in my chest. His hair is shorter. The 5 o’clock shadow he frequently wore is gone. The crinkled lines around his mouth and eyes are more pronounced as if once the first smile cracked, he can’t keep the expression off his face.

“Seeing you.” He envelops me to his chest, and I fling my arms around his neck.

“I wasn’t expecting you until next week.” I stand on my tiptoes and meet his lips. They’re soft and firm against mine. Perfect. He doesn’t deepen the kiss, but that does nothing to stop my toes from curling in my sneakers.

When he pulls back, he kisses the tip of my nose. “You taste like frosting and temptation.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Definitely a good thing.” He wraps his arm around my waist and faces Lexie. “I’m Asher, and you must be Lexie.”

“Yes, I am.” She scrambles to her feet and thrusts out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, also.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

Once we’re seated, Asher laces his fingers through mine and holds it on his lap as if he needs that connection as strongly as I do. “I came in to meet with Truman and Cade later today.” He winks. “That’s why I asked what you were doing today. I wanted to surprise you.”

“You did.”

Chloe joins us and catches my eye. “Does your….” She arches an eyebrow. “Man need anything.”

My man? Giddiness rises up inside of me. He is my man. He squeezes my fingers as if reassuring me that he’s proud to belong to me.

“Do you want anything? Chloe is famous for her cupcakes and her coffee is heavenly. Or if you’d rather get something less sweet, she also has some breakfast sandwiches.”

“I’ll take a coffee and one of those pink frosted cupcakes.” One corner of his mouth arches upward. “To go.”

“Oh, hell….” Lexie shudders as if she senses where this is going.

I swallow hard as Chloe trails back to the counter. “My mom is home.”

His eyes glisten with humor and a heavy dose of desire, for me. The hairs on my arms stand. “After I acquaint myself with your friend, we have four hours until my meeting with Truman, and I have the keys to our new place.”

“Oh…” I bite my lips together. Frosting, Asher, and our new place? Delightful.

Chapter Eighteen

Asher

I dip my fingers through the frosting and place it on Piper’s lips. The tip of her delicate tongue swipes outward, licking it away and swallowing.

“Darlin’, you bring me to my knees.” I claim her mouth with an intimacy that nearly has the windows rattling. She tastes like frosting, coffee, and mine.

It was only three days since I’d seen her, but it was too long. My tongue teases hers as I deepen the kiss. What would I have done if she’d disappeared after I brushed her off that day at the cabin?

I dig my fingertips into her hips and haul her against me, settling into her soft, welcoming body and inhaling. I won’t think about how I almost screwed this up. I can’t. Because I didn’t. We didn’t. And she’s here in my arms in our place.

---