Until Series(50)

“So, I guess this is one more thing that I have to worry about?” he asks, and even though I know what he’s talking about, I still ask.

“Sorry?”

“The bike,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes on me.

“My dad and uncle got it for me. I like riding it and I’m going to keep it.” I cross my arms over my chest, copying his stance and daring him to say something stupid like, you ‘can’t keep it’.” Then I will have to inform him that he is going to be the only thing not kept if he thinks he can tell me that I can’t have my bike.

“Just promise that when you’re on this shit, you’ll always wear a helmet, jeans, boots, and a jacket.”

“Promise,” I smile and his eyes narrow on my mouth.

“Now tell me why you were out with Nick.”

“I wasn’t out with him,” I say, completely exasperated. “I went to his dad’s firm, he asked me to lunch and I said no thank you and that I had plans. I felt bad, so I asked him if he wanted to go with me and Liz for coffee.”

“Uh huh,” he says, pulling one of the belt loops of my jeans, forcing me to take a step in his direction.

“Uh huh?” I repeat with a raised eyebrow.

“Where are you sleeping tonight?” he asks, pulling me closer and dipping his head towards my neck.

“In bed,” I answer but my brain is being dragged into an Asher-fog with the way he kisses the skin below my ear.

“What bed?” he whispers as he bites my neck.

“What bed am I supposed to sleep in?” I breathe deeply as he starts nipping on my earlobe.

“Mine.”

“Hmm,” I moan as he presses into me.

“So, where are you sleeping, November?” He growls and his hand is fisted into the back of my head, his mouth hovering over mine. My eyes flutter open. “Where are you sleeping, baby?” he asks against my mouth.

“With you,” I whisper, feeling powerless against him.

“That’s right. Always with me.” My brain registers his words but before I can make him clarify what he means, his mouth is on mine and my brain goes deeper into the Asher-fog. His kiss feels desperate, like he is branding me with it. When he pulls away, he presses his forehead against mine. I run my hand along his jaw and his eyes open at my touch.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Better,” he says and gives me his cocky grin. He thinks he’s just gotten his way. I want to tell him that I have no problem sleeping with him. The only thing that worries me is that I can be a little clingy. My mom and my ex told me the same thing. They may have told me that so I wouldn’t nag them about where they were going or how long they would be gone. But I know I’m a people person, and if I know someone is around, I want to be where they are. I worry that I might be what my mom and ex say I am, and I never want Asher to feel like I am crowding him.

“Will you promise me something?” I ask.

“What?”

“Just promise that, when you start feeling like I’m around too much, you will let me know.”

“That’s not going to happen,” he says, cupping my cheek. His thumb slides across my lower lip.

“Just promise, okay?” I say again, feeling desperate for him to understand how much this means to me.

“Promise, baby.”

“Thanks.” I grin and he kisses my nose.

“Now, do you want to eat here or do you want to pick up something on the way back to my place?” I bite my lip, thinking about it, and his eyes drop to my mouth.

“Never mind. We’re picking something up.” He bends down and my belly goes into his shoulder as he picks me up and carries me out of the garage.

“Um, I have to go inside and get some stuff,” I say from my upside down position.

“You have shit at my place.”

“I packed everything.” He stops and my feet hit the ground. Luckily, his arms come up to my shoulders or I would have fallen on my ass.

“You packed everything?” he growls.

“I didn’t want you to feel like I was suffocating you,” I say in a huff.

“Don’t do that shit.” His hands go to my neck, his thumbs sweeping under my jaw then his face gets closer to mine. “Unless I tell you I want space, don’t read into non-existing shit and create problems. I swear,” he says, looking into the sky, “if I don’t want you around, I will tell you that shit straight out. No games, no bullshit.”

“Okay,” I whisper, never wanting to hear those words from him.

“Okay, now go pack your shit,” he says and I glare at him.

“Don’t tell me to pack my shit. It’s rude.”