Page 70 of Can't Help Growling in Love
I grin up at him. “It’s okay, I’m good to go. Natalie and I can talk another time.”
“I don’t want to rush you.” He leans in to take a sniff of my temple. Then he straightens and focuses on Natalie. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you, actually. Not today. But I’ve been thinking of buying the station from Stella.”
The woman brightens up at this. “Really? And keeping it going?”
“Yeah.” Asher’s grip on me tightens, then he takes a deep breath and relaxes his hold slightly. “I’m not sure yet, but it’s an idea.”
“I think it’s great,” Natalie says. “I know Marcos would want to stay on, too.”
“Cool.”
He glances down at me, and his eyes glint golden. He tugs me closer to his side, so I put my arm around his waist, too, slipping my fingers under the hem of his t-shirt for better contact. His tail wags, brushing the small of my back with every swish, and I grin at this show of emotion.
Natalie snorts. “So, uh, I’ll let you two get on with your day. Full moon tonight, huh? That’ll be fun for you.”
We both turn to her, and she flushes, her snakes twitching in agitation.
“Oh gods, I didn’t mean—” She covers her mouth with her hand. “That totally sounded like I was asking about your sex life. Which I’m not!”
I grin, already liking her. “It’s okay.” Then I glance at Asher, who’s gone completely still, his gaze on my lips. “But you’re right, we should be going. It was lovely to meet you!”
I nudge Asher toward the door with my hip, and when that doesn’t work, I wrap my arm more firmly around his waist and drag him along with me. He snaps out of his trance and grunts a goodbye to Natalie, who’s holding back a smile. I decide to not let the awkwardness get to me, so I wave at her and finally close the door of the studio behind us.
“I thought meeting Marcos after we’d made out on that couch was as bad as things would get.” I grin at Asher. “I was wrong. Also, I think your idea is awesome. You’d be great at running the station.”
He nods, but he’s still not answering, so I pry the car keys from his hand.
“I think it’s better if I drive today.” I nudge him toward the passenger side of his truck. “Come on, you had a plan, remember? Or do you want me to drive us straight to your house?”
Asher blinks and shakes off the daze. “No. Carpet and nap first.”
He climbs into the truck and doesn’t lift his gaze off me. I clamber up to the driver’s side. He monitors how I adjust the seat and the mirrors, then reaches over and pulls the seat belt for me, clicking me in securely. As he leans close, he groans and closes his eyes, clearly suffering.
“Asher…” I palm his cheek, stroking the soft fur. “We don’t have to do this. The carpet will wait, and I’m okay. I know you’ll let me sleep when I need it. Right now, I’m too wired to settle down anyway. I want this. So if you want me in your lair, you only have to say so.”
His golden gaze meets mine, and then he nods, just once, a quick dip of his chin.
“Okay.” I put the truck in reverse and back out into the street. “Hold on. We’ll drive down to the hardware store to drop the key to my house in Gabe’s mailbox, then run straight home. It won’t take more than a minute.”
Chapter
Twenty-Six
ASHER
It’s been eight minutes and forty-seven seconds since we left the radio station parking lot.
I know because I’ve kept my gaze on the dashboard clock, fixated on it to prevent myself from going full wolf. June jumped out of the car to leave her key for the contractor, and I nearly ran after her. Only the seat belt tugging me back reminded me where I was.
Now she stares out the windshield, carefully taking the turns toward my house.
“Your truck is twice the size of my car,” she murmurs as she slows at an intersection. “But as long as I don’t have to squeeze it into some tight parking spot, we’ll be fine.”
My hand trembles, so I squeeze it into a fist, afraid to touch June and hurt her in my need. “I bought lube.”
She whips a startled gaze my way. “What?”
“I bought lube,” I repeat. “At the shop. Before work.”
