Page 28 of Just A Kiss
“What has he done? Are you okay?” she rushes out.
“No.” This is so not okay. “I need to talk to him. Now.”
“If he’s done something to piss you off, he may not answer your call.” She sighs. “But if you want, you can catch him up at the office. I heard him tell Aiden earlier that he had some work to do.”
“Thanks.” I hang up, throw my car in reverse, and squeal my tires. Pulling out of the parking lot, I head toward Legacy Tower to find out just what the fuck he thinks he’s doing.
* * *
I’m sittingbehind my desk going over some emails for a case when my office door flies open. It bangs against the interior wall so hard it has me jumping to my feet in surprise. “Andi?” She comes running into my office. “What are you …?”
“Just what in the hell do you think you’re doing?” she shouts.
I place my hands up. “Just calm down.”
“Calm down?” she growls.
Okay, probably not the best thing to say.
“Calm fucking down?” she yells. “You had no business—”
“I was just helping you.” I interrupt her, realizing she must have found out about what I did for her mother.
“I didn’t want your help,” she snaps.
“You’re right. You would have rather become a prostitute.”
“I told you that I wasn’t going to do that!” Her face is red from anger, and I can tell she’s been crying ’cause her cheeks are wet.
“Will you just have a seat?” I point at the chair in front of my desk.
“No!” Tears being to run down her face, and her chest is heaving from her panting. “You will go back there and undo it.”
“I’m afraid that can’t be done.”
She hangs her head, and I hear her take a deep breath. When she looks back up at me, fresh tears have welled up in her beautiful eyes. “What do you want?”
I tilt my head to the side at her question.
She squares her shoulders and quickly wipes the wetness from her cheeks. “What do you want, Asher? Don’t pretend you did this out of the kindness of your heart,” she snaps. “What do you want?” She shouts this time.
I step into her, and she doesn’t step back or pull away when I lift my hand and run the back of my knuckles over her damp and cold cheek. “Just a kiss.” Of course, I want more. But technically, I’ve already had that. I don’t want her to pimp herself out to other men for money, so how can I expect her to do that for me?
“Just a kiss?” she repeats softly.
I nod. “That’s all I want.” Lies. I want so much more from this woman. I want all she has to give.
She swallows nervously and licks her already wet lips. My cock hardens instantly as I remember what they felt like on my skin. So soft. So hungry. Just like I was for her.
“Just one.” Comes her soft voice.
I cup her face with both hands, and her breath quickens at my touch. She feels it. This connection we have. How much I want her. How much she wants me. It’s undeniable. I lower my lips to hers and gently kiss them. I can taste the lingering tears. They’re salty and sweet mixed with her gloss. I part my lips, and she opens up for me without hesitation. I pull her closer to me, and her hands grip my shirt as she moans into my mouth. My tongue meets hers, and I deepen the kiss as if I’m stealing her soul. As though I’m trying to make her love me. She has to. I love her.
Once again, I got no sleep last night after she told me about her mother. I had to help this woman. She needed me. She didn’t want to date me because of my name. Or my social status. She wanted me for me. And I wanted her because she was like air—without her, I would die.
So I called Aiden this morning, and he gave me all the information I needed.
She’s the first one to pull away, but I don’t let go of her face. She looks up at me with sad eyes once again. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispers.
“I wanted to help you.”
She sniffs, and a new tear rolls down her cheek. “Thank you, I appreciate it, but Asher … she won’t make it another year.” She closes her eyes, and a sob wracks her body.
I pull her against me and wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly. I run my hand through her hair, trying to soothe her pain. I know what it’s like to lose a mom, and it’s heartbreaking. You never get over it. But if I can help make this easier on her, I will do everything in my power to make that happen.