Page 24 of Obsession on Repeat (Vinyl Hearts #1)

"Hallelujah, Thursday is over!" Gina hopped up onto the bar. The lights in Euphoria were dimmed, the crowd long gone, nothing left but a few staff, sticky floors, and glitter confetti in questionable places. "I’ve got a brilliant idea. Let’s get hammered."

"I’m surprised you have one idea," Asher muttered beside her.

"My one beats your zero." She flipped him off with a grin, and he laughed, shaking his head.

I bent to readjust my shoe, one hand bracing on his shoulder for balance. "I’m gonna have to pass. I am dead on my feet."

Gina’s gaze cut to us, and her eyes narrowed. "You look pretty alive to me."

I straightened. Neither of us said a word .

She let the moment breathe, lips twitching. "Anyway." She slid off the bar. "I’ll go get drunk by myself as the strong, independent woman I am, unless you two decide to make it a throuple."

"Bye, Gina," Asher and I said in unison.

She cackled all the way to the back hallway.

Asher leaned against the bar beside me. I slipped off my heels with a groan and stretched my toes, wiggling them against the sticky floor. "God, that feels indecently good."

He chuckled under his breath. "You’re really out here trying to seduce me with your feet now?"

I glanced at him sideways. "If it works, it works."

Smiling, he pushed away from the bar. "If you’re ready, we can head out. I need to lock up my office first."

I grabbed my shoes, hesitating for a moment, before I chose to follow him. I stood inside the doorway, watching him.

He glanced up, his gaze catching mine. "You following me in here for a reason?"

"Maybe." I took several steps closer to him. "You didn’t ask me not to."

The space between us shrank until I was close enough to feel the warmth coming off his skin. "You always do that."

"Do what?"

"Leave room to let me decide. "

"Because I won’t ever take something you’re not ready to give." His voice cracked around the words. "Even if I’m dying for it."

I stared up at him, heart thudding, breath catching in my throat. "What if I’m ready now?"

His hand came up slowly, knuckles brushing my cheek. "Then I need you to come here."

Our mouths crashed together, and his hands found my waist. I gasped when he turned us, pressing me gently against the desk.

I tugged at his shirt, yanking it up, needing him closer.

He groaned as I dragged my hands over his chest, my nails skimming across muscle, and he kissed me harder in response.

His body pressed flush to mine, thigh sliding between my legs.

I arched into him without thinking, grinding down on the pressure he gave me.

The door creaked open. "Asher, you better not be—" Vanessa stepped halfway into the doorway, took one look, and raised an unimpressed brow. "Seriously? You two couldn’t wait until you got home?"

Embarrassed, I buried my face in his chest.

"Office is off-limits for extracurricular activities, lover boy," she added dryly. "You want her to stick around, don’t get her banned from the building."

He cleared his throat. "We were… locking up."

She gave him a pointed look. "Right. Well, lock it up somewhere else. Time to go home, kids. "

Then, with the air of someone who’d seen too much and cared just enough to make it awkward, Vanessa disappeared down the hall.

Asher sighed into my hair, then pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head, his hand firm at my waist. "So…" he murmured, voice low. "Where were we?"

I snickered against his chest. "Apparently about thirty seconds away from needing to find another place to work."

He chuckled, his lips grazing the curve of my jaw. "Let’s get you home before that happens."

"Home?" He had never called it mine before; lately there had been a silent acceptance that I had taken up space there. I didn’t press the issue. I had my own apartment, but no matter the circumstance, I found myself repeatedly at his doorstep.

He kissed me again, slipping his hand in mine. "Home."

The ride was quiet in that easy, late-night kind of way, his hand on my thigh, my fingers laced through his. Music hummed low from the speakers, nothing urgent about the silence between us .

Asher dropped the keys on the counter, then turned to face me. I barely had time to speak before his hands were on my waist again.

"We have a bed now," I whispered, teasing.

"I know." His mouth brushed mine. "But I kind of liked the desk."

I smiled into the kiss, and he deepened it, his fingers slipping beneath the hem of my shirt.

"Rory." My name came out as a sigh from his lips, and he blinked languidly as he gazed down at me.

His thumbs stroked slow circles against my hips, the motion rubbing the fabric of my shirt.

"Rory, look at me. I want you to know there are no expectations here, no demands, no judgments.

" He brushed his knuckles down my cheek.

"This can be your sanctuary. I can be your sanctuary if you want it. "

I didn’t answer him vocally. I couldn’t at that moment, blinking away tears that threatened to spill at the sincere, heart-felt words that came from his mouth.

With a single look, I knew he meant every word he said.

I could see the desire mixed in his eyes, watching as his dark eyes swirled with the need that was slowly building.

There was also restraint there too, a need for permission, and it was this more than anything that made my decision happen.

I closed the distance between us and looped my arms around his neck, rising on my toes to bring my mouth to his .

Asher dug his fingers into my hair and pressed our lips together.

He took control of the kiss, and I fell into him, clutching with needy fingers as he slipped his hands free and lifted me clear off the floor.

His hands palmed the cheeks of my ass gently, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, my hands pulling at the strands of his hair.

His muscles tightened with each step to his bedroom, but I never worried that he would drop me. It was only when he lowered me onto his king-sized bed that I allowed myself to let go of his shoulders. I fell against the soft mattress, hair spreading out beneath me.

I watched with hooded eyes as he peeled the cotton shirt off his chest, tossing it to the floor but instead of reaching for his pants, he climbed onto the bed and slid a knee easily between my legs.

He positioned his hands on either side of my head for balance, and his gaze took in the sight of me below him.

Keeping my eyes on his, I reached out to trail my fingers down his bare chest. I watched as the muscles beneath the taunt skin jumped to attention, him inhaling sharply as I wrapped my fingers around the waistline of his pants.

He caught my hand with his, shaking his head, the silence stable between them. He squeezed my wrist before he let go. I dropped my hands and inhaled as he dipped his head, lips brushing slowly against the slope of my neck. My head tilted back, eyes closing, as he pressed kisses along my neck .

I opened my eyes again only when his touch left me to watch him scoot off the bed.

I followed, reaching out, and when he tried to stop me, I smacked his hands away.

Quickly, I jerked free his belt from the waistband, pulling at the buttons and zipper until they gave way.

Another quick jerk sent his pants and boxers to the ground, and he stepped free of them, eyes glued to me.

The sight of him hard and ready sent a shot of desire through me. I licked my lips. My response brought about a low moan from him, and I gazed up through my lashes to find him watching me with parted lips.

It was Asher that moved first, hands reaching out to grab the fabric of my shirt.

I helped him rid me of my clothing, both of us working to rid my legs of my jeans, and it wasn’t long before I sat there in nothing but my skin.

He took his time looking over my body, and I flushed at the close attention.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Good." He took a step forward, eyes scanning me as if trying to memorize every detail of my body.

Finally, he made his way around to the other side of the bed, and I shifted to face him.

I fell against the bed, and he followed, stretching out slowly to rest his body comfortably on mine.

His mouth covered mine, my body was shaking as I wrapped myself around him.

"Asher… "

"God, Rory, when you say my name…" His hands roamed over my body, stroking my skin, and he lowered his mouth to drift slowly across my chest. "Are you good?"

I trailed his hands down my arms. "I’m perfect. Are you?"

"I’m more than perfect." He brushed his lips against mine. "We can stop if…"

I jerked his mouth back to mine before he could say anything else. He groaned from surprise as it exploded again between us, hot sparks that burned and never seemed to extinguish. He pulled us upwards, and I went eagerly, letting his hands guide me while we continued to kiss.

He was the one to break away first. I sat there watching as he opened the drawer next to his bed, and he pulled out the tiny condom packet.

I continued to follow him with my eyes as he pulled the condom from inside and slowly slid it onto his length.

It was the most erotic thing I had ever seen in my entire life.

Asher extended his hand. Unsure of exactly what he wanted, I slid my hand in his and gasped when he pulled me cleanly off the bed. He twisted me to face the mirror of his dresser, his chest at my back, and he leaned forward to brush his lips against my shoulder blade. "Do you want me?"

I licked my lips, eyes on his reflection. "Yes."

"Do you need me, Rory?"

"God, yes. "

He sat down on the bed, his hands on my hips.

He was silent as he directed me back with small steps, and I felt another shot of desire go through me as he splayed my legs apart, so I straddled his.

The move brought my hips forward, my breasts thrust out, and I was completely exposed to the mirror.

"Keep your eyes on the mirror, darlin’." He pulled me backwards, and I almost lost my balance, throwing out my hands to grab his thighs.

Every thought flew from my mind at the sight of him releasing me to slide a hand down to the base of his cock, the other sliding past my waist and up my torso to rest comfortably over my right breast. My breath became trapped in my throat as I watched him rub the tip of his cock teasingly along my slit.

A whimper of need clawed its way from my throat. "Asher, please…"

That was all it took, the simple whisper, and he was buried deep inside of me.

His length stretched me, filling me so swiftly that I lost my breath completely.

I cried out, eyes glued to the mirror. He responded by grunting, squeezing my breasts before he grabbed my hips again.

He began to guide me up and down his shift in quick, strong jerks, and I met each thrust with my own.

It was almost too much, the experience of watching him slide inside of me.

I grabbed at his thighs, digging my nails deep into his skin, but he didn’t seem to notice.

Asher cursed, grunting and crying out my name, and I replied in kind, my gaze locked on the mirror.

Our thrusts grew harder, my body jerking, breasts bouncing.

My mouth went dry, mind blank, the pull of what I knew to be my orgasm growing.

His grip tightened more to the point of bruising, but I didn’t care.

I only wanted him to continue, for the pleasure to overtake me till the point I no longer knew where I started, and he began.

I cried out as he jerked me hard onto his length, thrusting until he was buried all the way inside of me.

I had to bring out my hands to keep from colliding with the floor, and I couldn’t help but grunt as my knees hit the soft carpet.

He stayed buried inside of me, but the minute we were steady, him on his knees behind me, he began to thrust, building the rhythm again between us.

The orgasm that erupted was violent and washed over me. He gripped my hips and slammed into me, the muscles of my walls tightening around him. "Fuck, Rory!" He came in a rush of fluid, my name the last thing that escaped him before we collapsed onto the carpet.

I closed my eyes, panting as I fought to regain my breath. I rolled to cuddle against his side, and he drew me into his arms. Covered in sweat, I was content to lie there tangled in the sheets, staring at the ceiling fan spinning above us.

His breathing slowed beside me, and he draped his arm over my waist, pulling me closer. "You okay?" he murmured, lips grazing the shell of my ear.

"I love you. "

"Say it again."

"I love you."

His hands trembled against my skin. "I love you too, Rory," he whispered. "I’ve been falling since the second you walked into Euphoria. I didn’t know how fast until this exact moment."

I touched his cheek, thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. "It was fast enough to catch me."