Page 21 of Asher's Assignment

When her alarm went off the next morning, she smacked the off button, then glared at the clock with gritty eyes. She debated going back to sleep and skipping church, but she’d promised Jenny that she’d teach Sunday School today.

Groaning, she sat up and pushed the covers off, then got out of bed. Her little house didn’t have a master suite, so she gathered clothes and poked her head into the hallway, making sure the coast was clear. Running into Asher before she’d showered and was fully awake was not the way she wanted to start her day.

His door was still closed, so she darted into the bathroom and locked the door. Turning on the shower, she let it warm for a moment, then stepped in. Hot spray blasted her chest. She tipped her head and let the water run over her hair and down her back as she turned away from it. Some of her grogginess washed away with the water.

After soaping her hair and shaving, she washed the rest of her body, then got out. The cooler air outside the shower pricked her skin, and she hurried into her clothes. Deciding not to dry her hair, she whipped it into a quick braid, then did her makeup. When she finished her morning routine, she left her pajamas in the hamper and exited the bathroom.

“Where are you going all gussied up?”

Esther froze on her way to the stairs at the deep voice behind her. She turned and about swallowed her tongue.

Asher stood in his doorway, shirtless. Dark hair dusted his sculpted pecs, then narrowed into a line that split his perfect abs. It disappeared beneath the waistband of a pair of blue and gray plaid pajama pants that hung so low on his hips she could see the vee of his obliques and the hard ridge of his hipbones.

She jerked her gaze up, but it didn’t do her ability to speak much good. He had a serious case of bedhead that only made him sexier.

He arched an eyebrow at her. “Esther?”

“Huh?” His question finally registered. “Oh, um, church.”

He yawned and swiped a hand over his face. “It is Sunday, isn’t it? Give me a few minutes and I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll be fine.” It was church. If anywhere should be safe, it was there.

“It’s not that. I wouldn’t mind going just because. I usually attend an online service from my church back home. One here in the U.S., I mean. It’ll be nice to go to a service in person.”

“Oh.” She wouldn’t have pictured him as a church-going type. But then she didn’t know him very well, either, and probably shouldn’t be making those kinds of assumptions. “Well, I need to leave in about twenty minutes. I was headed down to drink some coffee and eat breakfast before I left.”

He nodded. “I’ll be down soon. Make me a cup?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” A hint of a smile crossed his sleepy face, then he stepped back and closed the door.

“Holy crap,” Esther muttered under her breath. She needed to be more careful in the mornings. The sight of him fresh from sleep put all sorts of naughty ideas into her head.

Rolling her shoulders, she turned around and went downstairs.

Ten minutes later, while she sat at the island, sipping coffee and reading the morning news on her phone, Asher rounded the corner from the stairs.

Once again, her brain stuttered and her ability to form a coherent sentence fled. If possible, he looked even better in his light blue dress shirt, charcoal slacks, and maroon tie. The fabric hugged his muscular body but wasn’t so tight that it looked like he was about to pop a seam. It was just snug enough to hint at the body beneath.

“Morning.” He crossed to the coffeemaker and filled the mug she’d left on the counter for him. “Mmm… that smells good.” He raised the cup and took a sip, then looked at her. “What do you have for breakfast? I haven’t had a chance to go to the grocery, so I’m at your mercy this morning.”

She stared at him, still unable to speak.

He frowned. “Esther, are you okay? You seem a little off.”

“I’m fine.” Geez. Get it together, girl. “Um, I had fruit and yogurt. There are eggs in the fridge. And bread for toast in the pantry. I have some protein bars in there too.”

He nodded once and set his mug down. “That works. Thank you.”

She hummed and looked at her phone. Staring at him wasn’t helping her ability to think.

But she couldn’t help it. Glancing up through her lashes, she watched as he walked into the pantry, then came back out a few moments later with the bread and the cooking spray.

“Which cabinet has plates and bowls?” He gestured to the cupboards.

Esther pointed.

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