Page 45 of Charming
“I’m sorry?” I ask not understanding.
She leans toward me and mockingly whispers, “Feeling a little bloated?” and gestures toward my stomach. Monica next to her flashes a smile before trying to wipe it off of her face, but it’s too late, I already saw it. Women are such bitches – but that’s okay, I can handle them.
“Spring!” Carolyn says in shock having heard her. A glance around the table shows Andy and Rob glaring at her, Joe looking at Carolyn and Hunter pretending he didn’t hear anything by swirling his drink and looking around the room.
Resisting the urge to give her satisfaction by looking down at myself, I shake my head. “No, Summer, those are called curves.”
“It’s Spring,” she says in anger while Andy and Rob bark out a laugh.
“Sorry, Fall,” I reply again just as Asher walks up and hands me my drink. Taking a few large gulps, I set it on the table before turning to him, “Want to dance?”
“Absolutely,” he says and swallows a few gulps of his own drink before taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor. “You okay?” he asks me concern lining his brow.
“I’m fine, why?”
“I know that Spring and Monica are bitches. It’s part of the reason I didn’t want to come out with them. If they say anything stupid, tell me right away, okay?”
“I can handle a couple of bitchy girls, don’t worry.”
“I’m sure you can, but you shouldn’t have to.”
Without another word, he pulls me to him and starts moving his hips in a way that’s so decadent I’m about to overdose on pleasure right there in the middle of the dance floor. “Where did you learn to move like that?” I ask.
He throws his head back and laughs at the look on my face, pulls me closer to him and puts his hands on my hips. Placing my hands loosely around his neck, I’m immediately lost in him. I feel nothing but his body against mine. The sound of the crowd is lost because all I hear is the rhythmic noise of his breath in my ears. Sneaking kisses here and there, I taste his sweat-slicked skin. I inhale his musky scent, as my eyes trail over his body, seeing nothing else. All my senses are poetry in motion, each ode a sonnet just for him.
His eyes are burning into mine and I couldn’t look away if I tried. This time, when his lips meet mine, it isn’t in a sweet chaste kiss, rather it is the kind of kiss novels are written about. It’s a spine tingling, toe curling, stomach fluttering kind of kiss. His lips are hard on mine, his tongue demanding, his fingers are digging into my hips and there isn’t a whisper of space between our bodies. When we pull apart we’re both breathless and I almost laugh because this keeps happening to us. “Asher.” I say and he nods. “Yeah. We’re leaving.”
“Okay, I just have to go to the bathroom first.”
“Alright, but I don’t want you to go alone.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Please, Ella.”
Not wanting to argue, especially when I see the concern in his eyes, I nod, “Okay.”
He pulls me back to the table and everyone is staring at us, so I’m sure they were watching us on the dance floor. Maybe I should care, but I don’t. Andy and Rob look amused, Hunter annoyed, Spring and Monica are spewing daggers of hate from their eyeballs and the newlyweds are oblivious to everyone. As it should be. “Carolyn, Ella has to use the restroom but I don’t want her to go alone. Do you mind going with her?”
“Jesus, Asher, I could have asked her,” I tell him feeling a little embarrassed he asked someone to hold my hand to the bathroom.
“I’m sorry. I’m just being protective.”
“I’ll go with her,” Spring says and my eyes widen in surprise, as do Asher’s and Monica’s.
“Okay, thanks,” I say and we both head off.
We don’t have to wait long, thank goodness, and we do our thing quickly. As we’re walking back, I’m honestly not surprised when I feel Spring’s claws digging into my arm as she pulls me to a stop. “Look, I don’t know what game you’re playing here, and God knows what the hell Asher sees in you, but when this week is over and you run away back to your little life, stay the hell away from him.”
“Excuse me?”
“Maybe he just needs to get you out of his system, maybe he’s just lost his damn mind, I don’t fucking know. But I do know, that long after you’re gone, I’m still going to be here. You’re interesting to him right now, the flavor of the week, but that’s all you are. Don’t think it’s more than that for one second.”
“Listen up, Winter. I’m not scared or intimidated by women like you. So you can take your advice and shove it up your ass. Whatever Asher and I do or don’t do, or feel or don’t feel, or decide to do, has nothing to do with you. You’re just a jealous bitch trying to make herself feel better by trying to bring me down, but it isn’t going to work.” Leaning forward I lower my voice so she has to ease in closer to me, “And just so you know, he’s even better in bed than whatever little scenario your sad mind has tried to conjure up to keep you warm at night.” Her eyes widen and I feel satisfaction run through my veins. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my husband is waiting.”
Spinning on my heel, I walk back to the table. He’s in a conversation with Hunter, but as if he senses I’m near, he looks up and into my eyes, so I walk straight into his arms. Kissing him, I smile, “Are you ready?”
“More than ready.” Looking at everyone, he gives a salute, “Alright gang, thanks for inviting us out. We had a good time, but we are out of here.”
