Page 26 of The Rest is History

Asher was always clean-shaven – still is, it seems, given his clean look today. I have never felt the scrape of a man’s scruff.

“Stay for dessert,” Asher says.

I try to decline again, but Sawyer is already on the other side of the island, pulling dessert plates out of a drawer.

“It's chocolate with caramel filling. Asher said it’s your favorite,” Sawyer says. And, with a smile, he adds, “It’s Asher’s too.”

Of course, I know that.

“Stay,” Asher tells me again.

I dip my head. “Okay.”

We eat dessert in the living room. Sawyer hardly eats the chocolate cake, but he eats every crumb of the apple pie slices on his plate, including the slices Asher replaces. Sawyer hardly seems to notice that his plate now has an endless supply of apple pie.

Sawyer tells me that I’ll like the Fairway Guesthouse. He knows the owner so if there’s anything I need or something isn’t up to standard I can just tell him and he’ll have a word with Mrs. Dawson.

It takes a great deal of effort to avoid thinking about how well Asher has chosen a husband.

I might have chosen someone like Sawyer Reed too, if it were not for my endless love for Asher.

Chapter 11

Asher

Reece leaves at around eight o’clock. He thanks Sawyer and me for our hospitality. Thanks Sawyer a second time for letting him visit. He tries not to look at me too long when he says goodbye, and I do the same.

I try not to think about the things beneath the surface – do you still love me? I missed you. I hate that I lost you. It doesn’t matter now.

I turn down the covers on the bed, then reach behind me to remove my t-shirt. The spray of the shower ceases. Sawyer needed a second shower because the quick one he had earlier didn’t get rid of all of the dust in his hair.

His body cream is on the bed – I used it after my shower. I take it to the bathroom and leave it on the counter by the sink. Watching him dry off, I admire his beautiful body. Sawyer rolls his eyes when he catches me staring.

“You’re such an ogler,” he says playfully.

“Come here, I’ll get your back.”

He pulls on his boxers and comes to me, giving me his back. I wipe off some droplets of water and then apply body cream.

“Pippin called earlier,” I say.

Sawyer’s shoulders sag, and I rub at a knot a little harder. “It isn’t me who doesn’t want to take Ezra,” he says. “It’s Faye. When she called last week she was the one who said not to bring him. To just bring pictures. I know it’s because it’ll be too much for her, but I don’t want Pippin to know Faye is the one who doesn’t want us to take Ezra.”

“Maybe you should take Ezra anyway. Faye might think she doesn’t want to see him, but maybe that’s the best thing for her. To see that little baby.”

“You think so?”

“I think so.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.” He reaches back to kiss my lips. “Now, do you wanna talk about it?” he says.

“About what?” But, of course, I know.

Another kiss. “About tonight, sweetheart.”

I sigh. “How do you do it?” I ask, instead of answering.

“Do what?”

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