bel'

p early, staring at the ce

Asher Bl

it was aga

ugh I ha

ce but to stay for five years. Maybe... just maybe, i

a long bath, and changed into a simple dre

eakfast, but I stopped them. "You can le

glances before one of

other people preparing his

in slightly. "

y tongue, unfamiliar and h

urmured an apology, and hur

e ingredients. I decided to make pasta and chicken, something sim

, my though

nce? Would acting like his

just fool

he table, making sure everything was perfect. I was about t

nd saw Asher comi

en he saw me standing by the di

eeted as he pulled ou

r," I replied, my v

e, then a slow smile

nd sat down across from him, watching a

his tongue, he closed his eye

d. Was it bad?

my plate, wondering i

d his eyes and

e this?"

ded.

e asked again, as if h

"I'm your wif

ips, and he leaned back

u're mine," he said, his deep voi

other bite and n

t meal I've ever

my chest, and before I

caught me

se my cooking, let alone call

this? This was Asher Black-the man I hated, the man who ruined

, his voice so

n me the entire time. The tension between us was strang

e more often," he adde

"You have mai

for me anymore," he said fi

t him, conf

ying on his lips. "Because you're my wi

I belonged to him. I clenched my fork

noring the way he watched me, as

ith a napkin and stood up. "I have a

wouldn't have to see him

, he stopped and turne

ed up.

nger again," he said, referring to what happened last night w

now how to

ally concer

ing, he walked out, leav

eaning back

supposed

and I still didn't know how to sur

certain-I needed t

is other side of him, the

g movies to distract myself. The hours passed slowly,

was doing it, a part of me wante

idn't co

my head resting on my arm

me awake. I groggily checked the

made my way to the

n unreadable. But the first th

waiting for me?" His vo

ed sle

meeting that ran late," he explained,

walk away, but before I could take ano

warm, firm, an

he whispered a

fr

oo, but I couldn't bring myself to say it

pulled away and cupped my face,

is lips-soft, inviting

he asked, his vo

ed as my mind struggle

get a

had nodded until his l

ffened, but the

nt to ruin

p within me. As the kiss deepened, he lifted me effortle

ent, everything ab

sing control, and I

n, he s

reathing heavily as his fo

mured, his voice thick with restrai

hard and n

nd brushed a strand

he said, gentl

y hand into his, and to my su

le, hand in hand, as if we