Page 40 of Because You Loved Me

Her stomach growled in response to the question, and Asher laughed. “Exactly. We need to keep your strength up.”

His words held the promise of more.Somuch more.

“Besides, I’m going to have to run into town later and I’d like to do it before the sun goes?—”

“Town?” She shot up in bed, the sheet falling from her exposed breasts. “Why?”

They hadn’t discussed her return to the hotel and her family, and as far as Noa was concerned, she didn’t plan to. She needed space from all of them. At least until she figured out what to say to them. “I was under the impression that you weren’t going to take?—”

“I didn’t say I was taking you with me, did I?”

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”

The mattress sagged under the weight of him as he sat on the edge of his bed and reached for her. Noa didn’t put up any resistance as he pulled her into his arms. “You still owe me an explanation that makes sense.” He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger and stared into her eyes. “But you’re a grown-up, and you seem to have your reasons for not marrying him. It’s not for me to tell you what to do.”

She felt like there was abutcoming, but when he didn’t add it, she nodded. “Good.”

He chuckled. “Besides, it turns out I’m quite enjoying having you exactly where you are.” He kissed her hard until she was breathless and once more gasping with need for him.

“Damn, Noa.” He pulled back. “I don’t think I should so much as look at you if I plan on getting anything done.” Asher stood abruptly from the bed and headed to the dresser where he’d unpacked his duffel bag. He rifled through the drawers and handed her a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. “They’ll be too big, but they’ll have to do until I can get you something more appropriate.”

He disappeared without turning around, and a few minutes later, dressed in the T-shirt that fell to her knees, Noa joined him in the kitchen, where he had pancakes cooking on a griddle and sausages sizzling in a pan.

Again, her stomach growled angrily. She hadn’t eaten since very early the day before and only a bowl of yogurt before putting on her dress. “This smells amazing. Was all this here?” She started to open the cupboards to locate plates and cutlery while Asher finished up cooking. “I thought you said you’d never been here before?”

“I haven’t.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, and Asher shrugged.

“I can only assume my dad’s assistant kept everything stocked and ready.”

He tried to hide it, but she could see the hurt on his face when he spoke about the cabin and how he’d come to be there. It was the same the night before when he’d given her the brief explanation of his father’s death and the strange stipulations of his will.

“Well, however it came to be,” with the plates in her hand, she moved across the kitchen and kissed him on the cheek, “I think it’s perfect.” She spun away from him before the kiss could turn into anything deeper. After all, theydidneed to eat.

A few minutes later, they each had a plate full of pancakes and sausages in front of them, along with a steaming cup of coffee.

Noa took a big bite of the fluffy pancake she’d drizzled with maple syrup and immediately closed her eyes and moaned.

Asher laughed, but she didn’t care.

“This issogood, Asher.” Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t eaten in twenty-four hours, or maybe it was because she’d had help working up an appetite. Regardless, the pancakes were the most delicious thing she’d ever eaten and before she knew it, she’d cleaned her plate.

Noa pushed back from the table and put her hands on her stomach. “Whoa. I think I was hungry.”

“I thought maybe it was because my cooking was irresistible.” He winked at her, and she laughed.

But the laughter died a moment later, when he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to come back with me?”

She swallowed hard, the pancakes sitting like a rock in her gut. “Are we going to keep doing this, Asher? I told you, I don’t?—”

“I know.” He held out his hand in defense. “You don’t want to marry him. You told me. And I’m just…” He dropped his head and shook it a little before looking up. “You can’t stay here forever. Your family?—”

“Will be fine.”

But would they?

The guilt that she’d been trying to keep at bay pushed through. Truthfully, Noa had thought about her mom and dad more than once.What were they thinking? Were they angry with her? Were they worried?

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