Page 39 of Because You Loved Me

“Right.” Sarcasm laced Penny’s voice. “I’ll be sure to let them know.”

Asher couldn’t help but chuckle. He turned around and saw Noa, still in her towel, leaning against the doorframe and watching him carefully, as if she didn’t trust that he wouldn’t turn her in.

“The families are all staying through to New Year’s,” Penny said. “They decided not to leave early just because the wedding…well, because there was no wedding.”

“The families are staying?”

“I just said that.”

“Through New Year’s, you say?”

Noa groaned and dropped her head into her hand.

“Are you drunk?” Penny said on the other end of the line. “Why are you repeating everything I say? You know what,” she added quickly. “I don’t want to know. I don’t have time for this. If you can’t help me, and I know you can’t, I shouldn’t be talking to you.”

“You really are doing a great job, Penny. Thank you,” he said sincerely. “I owe you.”

“You bet your ass you do.”

Penny ended the call, and Asher dropped the phone on the counter before facing Noa.

“So they’re staying,” she said simply.

He stepped closer and tucked his hands into his pockets to keep from yanking her towel away. “Sounds like it. Does that change things?”

They hadn’t discussed Noa’s desire not to go back to the lodge since the night before, and although there was no way she could stay with him in the remote cabin, Asher was surprised to find that he wasn’t in a hurry for her to leave either.

Her fingers danced along the edge of the towel before it slipped to the floor. “Looks like I’m going to need something to wear.”

She walked naked past him and into the bedroom, stopping only to look over her shoulder and wink before disappearing inside.

Asher groaned and sucked a breath through his teeth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He followed her into the room. “I like what you’re wearing just fine.”

* * *

Noa lifted her arms over her head and stretched out her muscles with a very satisfied groan. She ached in the most delicious way all over.

It had been a long time, averylong time since she’d had such amazing sex. And so much of it.

Okay, if she were being truthful with herself, she probably had never had the kind of sex she’d been having with Asher.

It was…the kind that you only read about. It wasn’t real.

Only it was.

She rolled over to watch Asher as he searched the bedroom floor for his clothes—for the second time that morning.

“What’s the hurry?”

He tugged his jeans over his bare ass and turned to face her. Another shot of electricity fired through her body at the sexy sight of his hard, bare chest. With the scruff of a beard that had seemed so well-manicured only a few days ago in the hotel, Asher looked every bit the mountain man standing in the middle of the rustic bedroom.

Her tongue slipped between her lips almost involuntarily in appreciation of the sight.

“Trust me, sweetheart. My motives are purely selfish.”

She watched as he reached for his T-shirt.

“When was the last time you ate something?”

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