Page 32 of Irresistibly Risky

“Good, because I wanted to talk to you about something specific.”

My heart jolts in my chest. “What’s that?”

We enter his place, and he directs us toward the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink?”

“I’d love some ice water. It’s hot out there.”

He moves about his top-of-the-line kitchen with ease as he pours each of us a glass of ice water. “How long will he be out for?”

I turn over my shoulder and look at Mason, fast asleep, and then turn back to Asher. “Could be ten minutes. Could be an hour.”

“Will it wake him if we talk in here?”

“Only if you give me something to yell at you about.”

There’s discomfort in his voice and wariness in his eyes as he says, “I make no promises.”

I chew on my lip and set my glass down on the counter before I’ve even taken a sip. “You’re making me nervous, Asher. Just say it already.”

He lets out a breath, his gray eyes piercing into mine. “I’d like you both to move in here with me.”

I blink. Then I laugh. “Uh. No.”

“Will you allow me to explain my reasoning before you immediately shut it down?”

My eyebrows bounce. “Do I have to?”

“Yes,” he demands, setting his own glass down. “Wynter, I want my son to live with me.”

Fuck. This is partially what I was worried about.

“Asher.” I fall silent after I say his name. He’s entitled to have his son in his life as much as I am. But it’s hard to transition from being the only parent in his life when that’s all I’ve been for ten months.

“Listen,” he jumps in. “I’m not trying to take over, and I’m not trying to do anything that’s not okay with you. I just want to see him every day, or at least as much as I can, and I’m not sure how that’s possible unless you both live here. Between our schedules and the press, it’d be a nightmare. I’m a fifteen-minute walk to the hospital, and I have extra bedrooms for both of you.”

“Your place isn’t childproofed.”

He gives me an unamused look, and I admit, that was a weak argument. “I will hire a child specialist to come in and baby-proof my place from head to toe. The stairs will have a gate, and the door to the rooftop and pool will have an extra bolt at the top. Hell, if you need me to move, I’ll move.”

My eyes narrow, my tone incredulous. “Just like that?”

He steps forward, the intensity in his gaze unable to be ignored. “Just like that. Is that what you want?”

“I never agreed to live with you, so I don’t need your offers or promises.”

This pisses him off. “But I’m offering them all the same, ice queen.”

I raise an eyebrow at the way ice queen slithers sardonically from his tongue. “Don’t get shitty with me because I didn’t jump at your offer. I’m not one of those women who had you sign their stomachs or cleavage while they flirted and made bedroom eyes at you. Think of what you’re saying. Living with someone is no small thing. Even with separate bedrooms and odd schedules, you’re talking about co-parenting in the same space.”

He growls, running his hands through his hair. “Fine. I get that I just threw that on you and expected you to jump all over it. But please, don’t discount it either. If we’re trying to keep this quiet, then that will make scheduled visits difficult. If he’s here, if you’re here, then it all works. I’m not asking you to share my bed. Just my home.”

“And yet last night, that’s exactly what you were trying to do.”

He runs his finger along his bottom lip, his eyes growing darker, hooded. “Was I trying to get you into my bed last night?” His voice dips. “Yes. One hundred percent, I was. The thought of finally making you come and getting to see it, getting to feel it, made me wild with need for you.” He takes a step in my direction, a predator stalking exactly what he wants and refusing to settle for anything less. “I’ve already told you I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. But you’re more than that to me now. You’re the mother of my son and that changes everything.” More steps, and I start to back up until my butt hits the wall.

“Asher—” My voice dies as he continues to advance. My body heats at the image he painted, making my nipples tighten and blood thrum through my ears. I stand here, flat and stuck while he prowls, his eyes all over me. I shake my head, but that does nothing to stop him.

“You’re smart. Fierce. I can’t imagine a scenario where I don’t want you. Where every inch of me doesn’t burn with how much I want you.”

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