Happily Enemy After (Hawthorne Brothers 2)

“I haven’t seen you since yesterday.”

It takes me a moment to answer because my mind seems to be reeling.

“I know.”

We were supposed to have dinner together but he got busy. I, too, remembered I had stuff to get ready for work, which I dove into right away after I arrived this morning.

Asher strokes my cheek. “I’ve missed you.”

I almost say the words back but something clicks inside my head. I remember what I came here for.

I clear my throat. “Asher, I’m not just here to check on you.”

He leans forward and brings his mouth close to my ear. “Naughty.”

In spite of myself, I blush.

He starts to lick my ear. I place my hand on his chest and push him away.

“I’m not here for that, either,” I tell him. “Asher, we need to talk.”

“About?” He grabs my hand and rubs my palm.

It’s distracting so I pull my hand away.

“Us.”

“What about us?”

“Exactly,” I say. “What about us? What are we?”

Asher frowns. “I thought we already talked about this.”

“We tried to, but I didn’t really get a straight answer. So I’m going to ask you again.” I draw another deep breath. “Is this… going somewhere?”

It’s not what I was supposed to ask, but my script seems to have evaporated from my head.

Asher grabs my hand, pulls me close and puts his hand back on my cheek.

“Haven’t we already been places?”

I frown. He’s not taking me seriously at all.

He goes behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Speaking of going somewhere, I was thinking we should go on another trip. Just the two of us again, but this time, with nothing related to work to worry about. What do you think?”

“That… sounds good,” I admit.

“Really?”

Wait a second. Why am I answering his question when he hasn’t answered mine?

I turn around to face him. “Asher…”

“What about we go to Finland? We can stay in a glass igloo and watch the Northern Lights. Or we can go to Japan. They have nice trains and hot springs…”

“Asher.” I grip his arms. “Before I go anywhere with you, tell me. Are you serious about me?”

There. I’ve gone and said it.

But Asher just grins. “I seriously want you right now.”

Seriously?

“Asher, I…”

He seals my lips with his own before I can say more. Firmly. Passionately.

I try to resist but I don’t have the strength, and when his tongue brushes against mine, even my will starts to melt. The thoughts inside my head spin. My knees tremble.

Somehow, my hands end up on Asher’s hips. He caresses the nape of my neck, then my back. His fingers run along the zipper of my dress.

When he starts to pull it down, something in me snaps.

No. This is not what we’re supposed to be doing. This is not what we’re doing.

I try to pull away but he wraps his arm around me. His hand clenches my ass.

“Asher,” I tell him as I manage to break the kiss.

He plants his mouth on my neck instead.

“I’m serious, Violet,” he says. “I want you right now.”

“But I don’t,” I tell him. “I want to talk.”

He kisses my ear. “We can talk later.”

“No. We’ll talk right now. You will answer my question right now.”

He kisses my shoulder. “I thought I already did.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Then this is my answer.” He presses his lips to the top of my breast. “After all, actions speak louder than words, right?”

“Not now.” I push him away. “Now, I need you to tell me your answer. Out loud. And clear.”

His lips return to my neck. His hand runs down my side.

“Isn’t this clear enough for you?”

My patience reaches its limit. Okay. Enough. No more fun and games. No more of this foolishness.

If he says this is his answer, then I guess the message is clear. He’s not serious about me at all. He only wants sex. He doesn’t care about how I feel or what I have to say.

In that case, there’s no point continuing this any longer.

“Asher, let me go!”

I try to push him away again but he doesn’t budge. I beat my fists on his chest.

“Asher, stop! I—”

Just then, the door opens. Asher stops. I freeze, too, as I see who’s standing in the doorway.

Ryker Hawthorne and his older brother, Ethan, who now has a look of disappointment on his face.

“What the hell is going on here?”Chapter Twenty-OneAsher

I take my hands off Violet and face my brothers. What the hell? What the fuck are they doing in my office?

“Ms. Cleary,” Ethan addresses Violet. “Did Asher do anything to you?”

“No,” she answers, and then she rushes out of the room.

I get an urge to go after her, but I don’t. Something tells me she’s not going to listen to me anyway. Besides, I can’t just run away from my brothers.

Ryker sighs. “Her actions sure tell a different story.”

I ignore him and go behind my desk. “What are the two of you doing here?”