Page 23 of Because You Loved Me

Before she could answer, he fired a new question at her. “Is he the groom?”

Noa nodded.

“And that would make you…” Asher didn’t bother finishing the sentence, because the answer was more than obvious.

“The bride.”

“Yeah.” He clenched his teeth together. “I got that. But what I don’t get is…well, fuck, Noa. Is that even your name? Or should I call you Alessandra?”

She looked confused. “How would you?—”

“The sign.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,oh. It’s kind of been all any of my staff has been talking about for weeks.”

“Your staff?” She turned in her seat. “Who exactly areyou?”

Oh, hell no. There was no way he was going to let her distract him with questions about himself. Not until she explained a few things. Starting with her name, the dress, and the fact that she was now riding shotgun inhistruck when she was supposed to be saying her vows to some other man.

“I think it’s fair that I ask the questions for now, don’t you?”

She blew out a breath and crossed her arms but didn’t argue. “Go ahead.”

“Let’s start with your name.”

“My full name is Alessandra Briggs.”

The bride.

“I’ve always gone by Noa. I hate my full name, but my mom insisted on using it for the wedding.”

“That brings me to my next question.” Asher steered the truck off onto a side road and put it in park so he could give her his full attention. “What the actual fuck, Noa?”

It might have been funny, if the situation wasn’t so completely screwed up.

“I know this all seems a little…” She waved her hand in the space between them; a giant diamond flashed in the sun.

Asher’s eyes locked first on the ring and then back to her beautiful, and completely distressed, face.

She saw immediately where he was looking and covered the ring with her other hand. “I don’t usually wear it.”

“Obviously.”

Asher shook his head and looked out the window at the snow-covered trees. It wasn’t something he was proud of, but he’d definitely been with women before who probably wouldn’t be consideredavailable.But never before had he hooked up—or almost hooked up—with a woman the night before her wedding. That was a whole new level. And it wasn’t one he’d ever sunk to.

Until now, apparently.

Shit.

“Asher, you should know?—”

“That you were just trying to get something out of your system before you tied the knot?” He spat out the words and instantly regretted it when he saw the hurt on her face.

“That’s not what it was, Asher. It’s complicated.”

“I bet it is.”

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