Page 15 of Because You Loved Me

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Somehow Asher made it through the lobby of the lodge without being stopped by any of his employees, or anyone else he knew. It likely had a lot to do with thedon’t mess with mevibes radiating off him in waves.

He needed to be alone to figure out what the hell he was going to do.

Asher would be lying if he said he hadn’t wondered what his father might ask from him when it came to his turn. Of course, he’d thought about it. Chase had been required to return to Trickle Creek for six months. Charli had six months to turn a small investment into a viable business. Craig had to hire a nanny for his six-month period.

Surely, his dad had something equally easy lined up for him for his six months.

He’d run through a variety of scenarios over the last year and a half, but nothing his imagination had come up with had come close to being as awful as reality.

And it wasn’t just abouthim.If he took six months away from Carlson Corp, what exactly did they think would happen to the company? Who was going to run things? Asher had slid into the CEO position before their father had passed, allowing Michael to spend more time on the golf course or the ski hill, enjoying his semi-retirement. Although their father could never have retired completely.

Asher was a lot like his dad in that way. He loved to work. It was his entire identity. He was good at it, too.

But, now, what the fuck was he supposed to do?

Asher reached the elevator bank and bashed on the buttons that would take him to the penthouse suite. The moment he did so, he once more remembered that not only did he need to find something to occupy his time for the next few months, but he also had to find a place to live.

Fuck—he punched the button one more time for good measure and then again—this.

“If you need to hit it, hit the sixth floor please.”

Asher spun around at whomever had witnessed his miniature tantrum. “Noa?”

She looked different dressed in a slinky purple top and tight black leather-like pants that hugged her curves in exactly the right way.

“I didn’t recognize you without your toilet paper gown.”

She looked up sharply. Her frown transformed instantly when she recognized him, and Asher was rewarded with a bright smile that made something deep down inside him flutter to life. His current problems were suddenly more manageable in the presence of a beautiful woman.

“Asher? Hi. What are you?—”

“I actually live in the hotel.” He gestured to the still-closed elevator doors. As impatient as he’d been only a moment earlier, suddenly he was content to wait all night for the elevator to arrive if it meant he could to be in the company of this beautiful woman who continued to surprise him. “You look like you’re going to a party.”

“Just leaving.” She sighed and flipped her hair over her bare shoulder, drawing his attention to the exposed skin at the base of her neck, and lower.

“Too bad,” he said with a small smile. “You look fantastic. I really like that color on you.”

“You do?” Noa straightened, surprise written on her face. “The purple?”

“It’s a great color on you.”

“Huh.” Her lips curled into a small smile, as if he’d just reminded her of something. “Thank you. I really needed to hear that.”

“That’s a shame.” Without thinking, he reached for her and touched her arm lightly. “You should never doubt how beautiful you are,” he said seriously. “You’re stunning.”

They stared into each other’s eyes, and Asher let his fingers rest on her bare arm. She didn’t pull away, and for a moment, he considered an alternative to spending his evening brooding alone in his suite. A very enticing alternative.

The chime of the elevator startled them, and Asher instinctively stepped back to make room for the guests who spilled out the doors. He reached inside to hold the heavy elevator open and let Noa enter first, but a young woman blocked her getaway.

“Are you leaving already, Noa?” the woman said. “I just ran up to the room for a minute and now you’re?—”

“I’m really tired.”

Asher hardly knew her, and he could see she was lying. Noa flashed him a look, and he tried not to chuckle.

“I thought maybe I should get some sleep.” She tried to sidestep the woman.

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