Page 16 of Because You Loved Me

“Oh, that’s too bad. I really wanted to buy you a drink.”

Noa managed to slip away and stepped into the elevator. “Tomorrow,” she told the woman, who looked visibly disappointed as Asher stepped into the elevator as well.

“Get some sleep, Noa. Tomorrow is a?—”

The door slid shut on the rest of the woman’s sentiments, and the moment it did, Noa leaned back. She pressed her head back, which had the effect of thrusting her chest out against the silky purple fabric.

The woman was exceptionally sexy, and she had no fucking idea.

Asher stepped toward her, about to tell her just that, when she abruptly stood up.

“What I’m about to say is crazy, but will you promise not to judge me?”

“No judgment here.”

“Okay.” She stepped forward and stopped herself with a little chuckle and a shake of her head. “I lied. I’m actually not going to say anything at all.” With one more step, Noa closed the small distance between them, put a hand on his cheek, and kissed him.

Damn.

Whatever he’d expected, it had not been her unbelievably soft lips on his. But when it came to this kind of surprise, Asher was perfectly good with the unexpected. Beyond good.

It took him a split second to recover, but that was all.

He slipped one hand around her back and splayed his palm over the thin fabric of her blouse, feeling the heat radiating from her, while his other hand cupped her cheek. He deepened the kiss as he spun her slowly around and backed her up against the wall of the elevator.

A small groan slipped from her throat and she arched her back, smashing her tits against his chest.

His cock sprang to attention and he pressed closer to her, letting one hand slip down her curves, over the satiny blouse, to her perfectly lush ass in the tight leather pants.

The space between them evaporated. He trailed his kisses down her bare neck until her sweet sounds of need drew his lips back to hers.

The chime announced their arrival on the sixth floor. Startled and disappointed, but in no way ready to end things, Asher reluctantly pulled back. “My suite is on the eighth floor.”

“I’m…” Her eyes darted out into the hallway and back at him.

He let his fingers trail down a bare arm. Her tongue slipped out between her lips, and it was Asher’s turn to groan. This woman was driving him crazy, and that kiss held the promise of more. Alotmore.

Still. He was a gentleman.

“No pressure, Noa.” He squeezed the hand he still held. “But definitely an invitation.”

Her eyes blazed with desire, and Asher once again closed the distance between them, ready to pick up where they left off.

But before his lips could touch her own soft sweetness, Noa slipped from beneath his arm and stepped out into the hall. “I want to,” she said. “Somuch. But I…” The doors began to close. “There’s…there’s just something I need to do.”

The doors clicked shut before he could respond, but there was nothing he could have said anyway. Asher leaned his head back against the wall with a sigh. It was only when the elevator once more began to move that he realized Noa had completely distracted him from the meeting he’d just come from, or the fact that his life was about to change in only a few hours.

ChapterFive

Asher blinked hard,willing the bright light of the morning sun to bugger off.

It was December. There wasn’t even supposed tobeany bright morning light with the short, winter days.

With a groan, he attempted to ignore the pounding in his head as he rolled over to find his phone on the nightstand.

12:15

That would explain the daylight. It was after noon. He hadn’t slept in so late since he was a kid and he’d stayed up too late with too many drinks. Then again, wasn’t that exactly what he’d done the night before?

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