Until Series(38)

“So Asher and me used to skateboard when we were in high school,” Sven says, starting his story. “One time, we were out riding around when Asher fell while trying to do a trick off a set of stairs near the library. Well, he missed his landing and ended up doing the splits down the stairs, hurting his groin muscle. We went back to my house so he could put some ice on it. I was in the kitchen getting ice out for him when I heard him screaming from the bathroom like a damn girl. I ran to the bathroom to figure out what happened. I banged on the door and he didn’t answer. All I could hear was moaning and crying. So, I said fuck it and walked into a scene that, to this day, is still burned into the back of my eyelids. Your man,” he says, looking at me and laughing, “was laying on the floor in the bathroom with a jar of icy/hot He decided to put that shit on his groin, thinking it would help. He got that shit on his balls and almost passed out from the pain.”

I am laughing so hard, I fall backwards off the log that we are sitting on. I haven’t ever had this much fun and I am dirtier than I have ever been in my life. I have mud in my hair, on my face, and all over my clothes. I’m sure I look like a homeless person but everyone else is just as dirty. Even Asher’s mom is covered in dirt. I love all of them and I love Tennessee. The laid-back lifestyle and the friendly people are so different from New Yorkers.

I realize, lying on the ground in the dirt, that I am happy. Really, really happy for the first time in my life. Asher leans over and helps me back up on the log. He puts me back under his arm and kisses my nose, smiling.

“I’m stealing your girl,” Sven deadpans.

“Fuck, no,” Asher says, smiling at him. The guys go back to talking about the jobsite and things they have to get done before the next inspection, while Susan and I plan our trip to Nashville the next day.

“So, I’ll pick you up around nine,” she tells me.

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Twelve, Mom. No earlier,” Asher says, breaking into our conversation.

“Nine,” his mom says, looking at him, daring him to disagree.

“Twelve. Tomorrow is Sunday and we’re sleeping in.”

“Ni—”

“Susan,” Mr. Mayson says in a warning tone to his wife then he pulls her into his lap and whispers in her ear. She melts against him then looks over at me.

“I’ll be there at twelve.” I nod my head in agreement then giggle when she laughs. Apparently, Asher takes after his dad.

I crawl into Asher’s lap and cuddle into him while everyone sits around talking. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I am being put into the front seat of Asher’s jeep.

“We’ll be home soon, baby,” he whispers and I feel his lips at my forehead. I am back asleep before he shut my door.

I feel the car come to a stop and I lift my head from Asher’s shoulder, where it had fallen.

“Hey, sleepy head,” he says, looking over at me.

“This was the best day ever,” I say, smiling. I grab his face and kiss him hard.

“Yeah,” he says with his eyes running over my face. He kisses my nose and opens his door to let Beast out on his side. I meet him in front of the jeep and we walk into the house with me leaning into his side. I don’t pull away until we are in the living room.

“I’m going to shower,” I tell him and stumble my way to the bathroom. I take off my dirty shoes and socks but am waiting for the water to get hot before I fully undress.

I turn on the shower and feel warmth hit my back and Asher’s hand slides along my belly. I turn my head to ask what he is doing when I catch the look in his eyes. He uses his hands to turn me by my waist, his fingers at the edge of my shirt as a shiver runs down my spine and heat floods my center. He lifts the edge of my shirt and pulls it up over my head. His eyes are on my red lace bra and his finger trace the edge of it. I put my hands up the front of his shirt, feeling his smooth skin. He takes my hands away from his body and puts them on the wall behind his head. Dragging his shirt up and over, his hands then come to the button of my jeans. My stomach muscles contract at his touch. My breaths are becoming erratic from having him this close to me, touching him. Asher touching me. I pray that no one interrupts us this time and quickly move my hands to the front of his jeans.

Without warning, he captures my hands and pulls them away from his skin. Startled, I look up at him. His mouth crashes into mine; his tongue sweeps the seam of my mouth and mine opens under his. My hands grab his head, holding him closer, deepening the kiss. His hands slid down my waist to my ass and he picks me up. My jeans fall to the floor and my legs circle his hips. He walks five steps to set me down on the basin of the sink. His hand go to my hair and he tugs out my hair tie. My hair falls down around me and he wraps a fist in it, tugging my head to the side so he can kiss me harder.