Page 24 of Because You Loved Me

He couldn’t help it. He was pissed. And he had every reason to be. He dropped his head into his hands and pinched the bridge of his nose. “As if this day couldn’t get any worse. Fuck.”

“I wasn’t trying to?—”

“Well, you did. The biggest event of the year for the Lodge, and I’m sitting here with the star of that particular show. I’m pretty sure when Mommy and Daddy wrote the check, they didn’t think the events would play out quite like this.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” She crossed her arms over her chest, an act of defiance that pressed her full tits up to the point that they almost spilled out of her low-cutwedding gown.

A low groan, one he hoped she hadn’t heard, slipped from his throat, and he forced himself to look away again. “Fuck, yes. That’s what I’m worried about. How do you think it looks to have the bride run off with the person who’s in charge of her wedding being the most spectacular day anyone has ever seen?”

“In charge?”

He ignored her question. “Do you have any idea the damage control I’m going to have to…” Asher realized thathewasn’t going to have to do any damage control because in a few hours, he would officially be on leave from his duties. Which meant that the fallout from Noa’s runaway stunt wouldn’t be his issue to deal with at all.

He let that thought settle in for a moment and dropped his head back against the headrest of the old truck.

“I’m sorry, Asher. I didn’t mean to drag you into anything. This is my mess, and I’ll sort it out. I just couldn’t be there. I couldn’t…I couldn’t do it.”

Her voice shook and, just like that, any anger he felt toward her dissolved. He put a hand on her bare arm. “You’re freezing.” It was only then that he realized she wasn’t wearing a coat, or a wrap or any of the fancy things that brides usually wore over their gowns to stay warm. “Hold on.”

He reached behind the seats where he’d stashed his duffel bag and a few supplies he’d grabbed from the activity room before he’d left. He pulled out a thick flannel jacket.

Noa leaned forward so he could wrap the red and black plaid coat around her shoulders.

“Thank you.”

Asher muttered a “You’re welcome,” and put the truck into drive once more before slamming the gear shift back into park. He turned toward his runaway bride again. “Where are you going? I can drop you off?—”

“Where are you?—”

“Oh no.” He pressed his lips together. “You arenotcoming with me.”

The last thing he needed was Noa, or Alessandra or whatever the hell her name was, hitching a ride with him while he went to—well, truthfully, he had no idea where exactly he was going. It was a pin dropped onto the app on his phone. All he knew was wherever it was he was headed, apparently, it was his and it might have to be home for the next six months. The last thing he needed was a stowaway with him.

Even if she was sexy as hell, even dressed in that ridiculous white dress. Despite himself, the outfit—or, more likely, the woman wearing it—was doing something for him.

His cock twitched in his jeans, and he quickly looked away.

Things were messed up enough as it was. The last thing he needed was to complicate them any further.

Noa turned and looked behind his seat. “Are you going camping?”

“In December?” He raised an eyebrow. “Hardly. I’m going…” He trailed off. “You’re not coming.”

“Asher.”

“No.”

“Fine.”

Before he had the chance to put the truck in reverse and take her right back where she’d come from, the damn woman had popped open the passenger door and hopped out into the snow.

“What the actual?—”

* * *

“What are you doing?”

He called after her, but she didn’t turn around. It took all her focus to keep from slipping on the snowy, icy side road Asher had pulled onto wearing her stupid stiletto heels that were even more uncomfortable than they looked.

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