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“Did we just… buy a house?” I ask tentatively.
Asher puts his arm around Bug. “We sure as hell did.”
Julie lets out a long sigh, as if she was beginning to think she’d never be able to close any deal that Bug was a part of. She must see the way Asher and I are holding in our excitement. “Darla, why don’t I take you out back while your dad and Allie discuss their offer. You can show me where you think the pool should go.”
They leave the room, and as soon as Julie’s voice becomes distant, I practically jump into Asher’s arms.
He wraps me in a hug and kisses my head. “Do you really like it?”
“I reallyloveit. The twins’ rooms will be right next to ours. You’ll have your large office. And Bug is a teenager, she needs her own space. It’s perfect.”
“I’m serious about sealing the outer door.”
I laugh. “I never doubted it. Besides, I know firsthand that you should.”
He raises a questioning brow, but I don’t elaborate. He doesn’t need to know how often Jason used to visit me using the outside stairs to my apartment.
He swipes my hair behind my ear and dips his head. “I can’t wait to live with you. To build a life with you. To have thesebabies with you. To christen every room in this house with you.” He kisses a spot on my neck. “To fucking marry you.”
Sparks dart through me at his words. The warmth of his body. His confidence in our future.
“We’re one step closer, you know.” He pulls back and looks me in the eye. “We’re moving here. We have a house, one Bug loves as much as we do.” He squeezes my hand. “It’s only a matter of time before she lovesyouas much as I do.”
I look down at the floor. “I’m not holding my breath.”
He puts a finger under my chin and forces me to look at him. “It’ll happen, sweetheart. But this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
His words hit me square in the chest. He’s so right. I keep thinking I have to get her to like metoday.Now. But that’s just unrealistic. I have to play the long game here.
I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Have I ever told you how smart you are?”
“I don’t think you have.”
“Well, you are.”
“I like the way you pump my ego.” His eyes grow dark and dangerous. “What else do you think I am?”
“Let’s see.” I lick my lips. “Handsome.” I kiss his shoulder. “Strong.” I kiss his neck. “Charming.” I kiss the edge of his mouth. “And oh, so sexy.”
His eyes are ablaze when his lips crash against mine and he kisses me for the first time in the house that will soon be our home. The place we’ll raise our kids. Maybe even the place where we’ll grow old together.
“I love you,” he says against my lips.
“I love you too.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Allie
I’ve been grateful for work lately. It’s kept my mind off missing Asher. I don’t know why it’s been harder and harder going without him when we’ve rarely ever been together more than a few days at a time. But since signing the contract on the house, all I’ve been able to think about is living with him, building a future with him, maybe even marrying him.
We don’t close on the house for another few weeks, so Asher and Bug will stay at my parents’ until then. I trace my finger over the outline of the house on my laptop. I can’t stop looking at photos and dreaming of how it will be.
Still, part of me is scared. I’m just not sure how it’s going to work with Bug. With the three of us living under the same roof. It’s different when they’re at Montana Manor where my parents can be a buffer. What’s it going to be like when it’s just Asher, Bug, and me eating dinner together every night? Or…oh, Lord… when Asher travels and it’s just me and Bug.
I close my eyes. Why haven’t I thought of that until just now? He travels at least one week out of every month. The thought has anxiety gripping my insides and I feel my stomach turn.
Wait… that’s not my stomach turning.