I clenched my thighs together as my mind replayed the events of that night. Asher kissing me in the elevator. Asher blindfolding me with his tie. Asher restraining me with his belt. Asher pushing his cock between my lips.
My mouth went dry, unlike my vagina. Bad move. Men were like hounds. They could smell desire a mile off. I dug in my purse and sprayed a mist of perfume around me. Maybe that’d work. Put him off the scent, so to speak.
The elevator doors closed, whisking me up to the top floor. On arrival, I expected to find Asher waiting for me in the foyer, but it was empty, save for the glass table and a vase of fresh flowers. With my heart in my mouth, and stinking of too much Vera Wang, I stepped up to the door and knocked.
It opened, and standing there was a stranger. Dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and black dress pants that hung low on his slender hips, he’d parted his thick, dark hair to the side and swept it back from his face. Ice-blue eyes pierced straight through me, his expression an odd mixture of boredom and intrigue.
“Can I help you?” His voice came out sharp and clipped, and he ran a nonchalant gaze over me.
“I-I’m here to see Asher.”
He frowned. “Who?”
I blinked five times in quick succession. “Asher Kingcaid. He lives here.”
The guy’s frown deepened, two vertical lines drawing his eyebrows in toward his eyes. “Never heard of the guy.”
I glanced around, although what I was hoping to see, who the hell knew? Could I have gotten the wrong place? I had walked here that night on a cloud of gin and lust. And Asher had sent me all of a flutter by kissing me in the elevator. Maybe I was in the wrong apartment. Penthouse. Whatever.
“Okay, well, I’m… um… I’m sorry to bother you.”
I turned away, when a familiar voice sounded behind me.
“Johannes, who are you talk—Kiana?”
I whirled around to find Asher standing beside the man who’d denied he knew him. My eyes volleyed between the two of them.
“Oh, you meanthisAsher Kingcaid?” Johannes laughed, but it didn’t sound right coming from him. Steeped in sarcasm, it was as if he rarely allowed himself to show any kind of humor. “You should have said.”
I squared my shoulders, refusing to allow this man to intimidate me. “Ididsay.”
Asher huffed, nudging whoever Johannes was out of the way. “Ignore him. My brother is a dick. Come in, Kiana, please.”
Brother?Oh, great. A terrific start to my new career. I’d slept with one, and I was having trouble refraining from nailing the other in the balls. Something told me that trulywouldbe the end of my not-yet-gotten-off-the-ground career with Kingcaid.
Asher stepped back, allowing me the space to walk inside his home. Images from that night rushed at me. I blinked, wavering on my feet as Asher seared Johannes with a furious glance.Wow.It was a wonder Johannes didn’t turn to dust.
“My brother was just leaving.”
“I was?”
The weight of Asher’s glower intensified, a look I wouldn’t ever want to be on the receiving end of. Johannes didn’t even flinch. In fact, if anything, he looked doubly bored, even yawning to press his point.
“Yes. You have a call to make. To Dad.”
Johannes flicked his wrist as if he were swatting a fly. “I’ll do it later. His plane will nearly be there by now. I’ll get in touch when he’s on the ground.”
“Your choice.” Asher gripped him by the shoulder and shoved. “You’re still leaving.”
Johannes ran his tongue along his bottom lip, perusing the two of us. “Hmm, I think being a bystander to whatever is going on here is a far more interesting thing to do with my time.”
“Right, that’s it.” Asher manhandled him into the foyer. “Go. Now.”
“Okay, okay.” Johannes lifted his palms in the air. “I’m leaving. Jeez. Thanks for the warm welcome.”
“Next time, call first.” Asher slammed the door and pivoted to face me. “I’m so sorry about him.”
“He’s… interesting.”