Page 29 of Keeping Promises

Leaving Hadley was the hardest thing I’ve done in a while. Actually, no, I take that back. Saying no to Hadley last night when she was writhing in my lap, ready and willing to wrap either her lips or her slim fingers around my cock after dry humping like a bunch of teenagers,wasthe hardest thing I have ever done. Not to mention willing my erection to go away. It definitely took longer than necessary once I had her snuggled up against me under the blanket.

I need to prove to her that I’m in this for more than just sex. She admitted that her hormones have been raging, and I worry that had we gone further last night, she would have regretted letting her lady parts take the lead over her head, and we’d have gotten nowhere. It’s time to stop thinking with my head down there and start thinking with the one up here.

But I’ll definitely be picturing her squirming on my dick like that later when I relieve the ache in my balls. I forgot how beautiful she is when she comes. That light shade of pink that paints her cheeks and chest might just be my favorite color—orgasmic pink.

When I woke up with her wrapped around my body and her tits pressed into my chest, it totally made up for the shit feeling of the crick in my neck from falling asleep upright on the couch.

While it pained me to leave her, if I hadn’t, I may have ended up just saying to hell with the rules and never let her leave the apartment. I’d have ripped those clothes off her and have buried myself balls-deep. If she wanted slow, I would have given it to her slow while she rode me, slow while plowing into her from behind, licking her slit up and down slowly. We needed this space.

After looking around the living room and the kitchen, I found a notebook and tore a piece of paper out, scribbling a note while waiting for my Uber to arrive, and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before leaving the apartment.

I play over last night’s events as the Uber drives through the city headed back to the town house. Who would have thought I, Asher Harrington, could sleep with a woman and not actually have sex?Wait, is dry humping a form of nonpenetrative sex?I might be patting myself on my back, but my balls are struggling to process that concept. I’m not sure how Cal shares a bed with Brynn all the time and not get any. She’s hot—he must jerk off all the time. I grimace at the thought.

I know they say that you’re supposed to wait three days before calling or texting, but my fingers are itching to text her to make sure she saw my note.

I’m lost in thought as I walk up the stairs to the town house’s main floor and bump directly into Lexi.

“Oh fuck,” she shrieks, her coffee spilling over the side of her mug onto the floor.

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Ya think?” She mumbles to herself as she turns around and heads into the kitchen.

She sets her half-empty mug on the counter and grabs the roll of paper towels before disappearing to clean up her mess. As a peace offering, I refill her coffee mug, grab the caramel creamer out of the fridge, and set it beside the mug for her before filling my own.

I lay out my hands in front of the coffee.

“So, what, you get my best friend pregnant and just continue your lifestyles of the asshole and single? I know you didn’t come home last night. What, did the bartender with the big tits strike your fancy?” Her tone is clipped and harsh.

Is this where the attitude has come from the past few days?

My shoulders tighten with knots.

“Not that it’s any of your business, Lex, but I was with Hadley last night. I slipped out of the event early and went over to her apartment.”

Her eyes widen, and her jaw drops. If I weren’t afraid she would bite my hand off, I might jokingly close her mouth back up.

“You were with Hadley,” she confirms.

I nod. “Yup.” I bring the mug full of piping hot coffee to my lips and hiss as the hot liquid hits my tongue.

“All night,” she says slowly.

I set my mug down on the counter. “Look, I know you’re worried about your friend, but contrary to what everyone believes and what everyone thinks of me, I do actually care about her. Hadley and I talked things over last night, and we are both going to put forth the effort to figure our shit out for the baby. I know I hurtyouin the past,and I can’t apologize enough for that, but I promise you, I don’t want to hurt her.”

Lexi blinks a few times, and I can’t help but smirk. A speechless Lexi Baker is a rare find.

“What, cat got your tongue?” I waggle my eyebrows, leaning back against the counter and crossing my ankles. I’m in dire need of a shower and my own bed, but I’m enjoying rousing up Lexi.

“No, I just had practiced this speech all morning, and now it’s just all gone to shit. You jerk,” she pouts and walks over, punching me in the arm.

“Ouch.” I rub my bicep where her diamond engagement ring just dug into my skin. “Did you have to use your left hand?”

Lexi brings her fist to her mouth and blows on her ring as if she just shot a pistol. She might as well have. Remind me to tell Ben thanks a lot for getting her a giant diamond.

“Yes, I did.” She pokes me in the chest roughly with her pointer finger. What the fuck? A woman is beating me up before I’ve even finished my first cup of coffee. “I’m glad you and Hadley worked things out or whatever, and I will only say this once. I swear to God, Asher, if you hurt her or the baby in any way, I will legit cut your balls off and feed them to the animals at the Willow Creek Zoo. Got it?”

I swallow thickly. Who knew my future sister-in-law was so savage?

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