Undeniably Asher (The Colloway Brothers Book 2)(65)

She’s my weakness.

My kryptonite.

Her acceptance of every facet of who I am is as imperative to me as the air I breathe.

Alyse is innocent and pure and my worst fear is that she’ll judge me, condemn me…and then leave me. In retrospect, maybe I should have told her about this part of me initially when I knew I was interested in her. I could have gauged her reaction, maybe stopped myself from falling so head over heels in love with her before it was too late. But I was selfish. I wanted her like no other. Now if she bails, I’ll be permanently ruined for any other woman.

Conn was wrong when he said Natalie permanently fucked with my head. She fucked me up, yes, but the only woman who has the power to permanently destroy me from the inside out is currently tucked under my arm, her hand twined with mine.

“Everything okay?” she asks, her thumb circling lightly on the top of my hand.

No. Everything is not okay. My stomach is in knots. My body is flooded with so much apprehension that cloying adrenaline flows like hot, scorching lava right underneath my skin. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

She tilts her head up, catching my eyes in the darkened interior of the car. Hers sparkle brightly with each passing streetlight. She’s so damn beautiful it hurts to look at her sometimes. For not the first time, I wonder why the hell I ever let her get away from me so long ago. “You’re quiet. You seem distracted.”

God, how does she know me so well already? Maybe the same way you know her. I’ve never met anyone more perfect for me than Alyse. I answer as truthfully as I can without giving anything away. “I just want tonight to be perfect.”

Leaning down, I capture her mouth in what’s meant to be a sweet, simple peck, but it quickly turns into more. Next thing I know her back is against the cool leather, with me on top. My hand is traveling down the length of her body, which has far too much clothing on. I finally find naked flesh and am working my way back up her thigh when I hear a throat clear. I realize that the car has stopped.

Damn.

I reluctantly push myself off her, both of us trying to catch our breaths. Before I can get too far, she grabs the lapels of my suit, bringing me back on top of her. “It will be. Perfect,” she whispers before pulling me into another ravenous kiss.

Alyse and I spent all morning in bed, talking, laughing, and indulging in each other. I should be sated, but I’m far from it. Hell as much as I’ve had sex these last few weeks, my dick should be ready to fall off, but my intense need for her only seems to grow, not wane. Being with her is more than just mind-bending sex. It’s a singular closeness I haven’t experienced with another living soul. I hunger for it on both a conscious and subconscious level.

I think for the first time I truly understand how Gray feels about Livia and why he could never let her go, either in his heart or mind. She was in his blood.

Everything about Alyse has sunk into my very essence. I know I won’t be able to get her out no matter how hard I try.

“Dinner,” I tell her, pushing myself off and helping her from the car.

Placing my hand at the small of her back, I lead her into the office building and to the elevator. When we enter, I punch the button for the sixty-seventh floor. She reaches down and grabs my hand.

“Why do I feel like tonight is a very big deal?” she asks quietly, staring straight ahead. We watch our reflection in the shiny, silver doors, but her eyes don’t meet mine. We’re the only ones in the small steel box so she doesn’t need to be so discreet, but it’s like she has this sixth sense that this conversation should be muted somehow.

“I want to let you all the way in, too.” Her dark pools now flick up to catch mine.

“I’d like that.”

My smile is short, but I squeeze her hand in reassurance. “I hope so.”

A few moments later the elevator opens. We make our way down a series of hallways until we reach the restaurant entrance.

When I see Trudy is the hostess, I cringe.

Gray, Conn, and I regularly frequent the club. They have impeccable food, top-notch service, and a kick-ass view. Plus we have a minimum we’re required to spend monthly to maintain our membership, so I know Trudy.

Very well.

Too well, unfortunately.

This, right here, is the danger of bedding too many different women. Eventually you’ll meet the one who sets your blood on fire and you know you’ll never be able to take another deep breath without her. But as much as you want to, you can’t keep her locked away in your bedroom indefinitely. You’ll want to take her out, show her off, and make sure every man in the entire continent knows she belongs to you. And by doing that, you risk running into some of the very women you’ve been intimate with.