“Uh-huh,” I hedge.
“Chelcie.” The command in his voice couldn’t be missed, but still, I avoid looking up. “I’m not going to ask you again, Sunshine.”
After taking a deep breath and willing those stupid tears away, I look up. I swear, all I do is cry these days; pretty soon, I’m going to be like all of those annoying heroines in books that never stop leaking! I gasp when I see the smile on his face. His eyes are soft, and he looks so carefree and peaceful.
“I’m not mad at you. You aren’t doing anything wrong in asking me that. Let’s get one thing straight, okay?” I nod. “I will always be honest with you. Always. Even if you don’t want to hear it. The only thing I ask is that you do the same. I don’t want you to ever doubt what’s going through my mind or wonder if you should say something. No secrets, babe. I understand why you didn’t tell me about the baby before now. That’s in the past. From now on, I want you to be completely open with me. Think you can do that?” I nod again. “Okay, Sunshine. That’s good.”
He kisses me sweetly then pulls back and urges me to rest on his shoulder. His arm curls around my shoulders and his hand that isn’t holding me tight grabs my hand and places it over his heart, keeping his warm hand on top. The steady beats of his heart help to calm my own. We settle into a relaxing peace that almost has me drifting off until he speaks again.
“I know I told you about my mother. I don’t want to get into that deeper, baby. Just know that there was absolutely no love when I was growing up. I can’t remember her ever calling me anything other than a bastard. Constantly reminding me how unwanted I was.” He pauses when I sob softly. “Hey, none of that. I’ve come to peace with it. It’s taken me a while, but she has no place left in my life. I pretty much never had a relationship until I decided to give it a go once. I didn’t love her, but I enjoyed being around her. Figured what the hell, surely there was a woman out there who wasn’t full of evil like my mother. She wasn’t as bad, but I learned almost too late just what kind of person she was. We were engaged for almost a year and not once did she call me anything other than Asher. So, I guess, long story short . . . hearing you call me baby, hearing something so fucking pure coming from your lips, does something to me that I can’t even explain. But I love it.”
God, my heart breaks for this man. This incredible man who has had way too much pain in his life. I can’t even fathom how a mother could treat her own children the way his treated him and Coop. Just the thought of it makes me pull my hand from under his and place it against my stomach.
“Hey, talk to me,” he requests.
“I can’t imagine how that bitch of a mother could treat you like that. And that . . . that woman you were engaged to . . . Asher, I want to hurt them so badly.”
He laughs lightly. “Sunshine, it’s in the past. It’s been a long time since I let my mother hurt me, even emotionally. As for Sarah Jane—that was her name—I haven’t even thought about her until tonight. She was a mistake, and I got lucky seeing her true colors before I married her.”
“Why do you call me that?” Well, hello ADD! Of all the things I should and could be asking him, I stupidly ask him why he calls me Sunshine.
“Huh?”
“Why do you call me Sunshine?”
He actually looks embarrassed for a second before he answers. “It’s going to sound stupid or maybe just make me sound like a damn pussy.” He awkwardly laughs. “I’ve been stuck in this fog, this darkness that’s held me captive since Coop’s murder. This black hole of grief that I just couldn’t escape.” He sighs, and I know this is costing him a lot to talk about. I instantly kick myself for bringing it up. “But then you came into my life, and as corny as it sounds, you were my light when there was none to be found. You were my Sunshine when I had been stuck in nothing but night.”
Oh my God!
“Oh my God,” I squeak.
“Yeah, I told you. It sounds stupid as hell.”
He goes to move away from me, but I quickly move, straddling his hips and making it impossible to get away. Bringing my hands up and framing his face, I make sure he has nowhere else to look but directly into my eyes.
“You make it impossibly hard not to hand my heart over to you. That has to be the most incredible, heartfelt, and moving thing anyone has ever said to me, Asher. Do not for one second think I would ever think that how you feel about me would make me think you were anything less than remarkable.” I lean down, pressing my lips lightly to his. I don’t move to deepen this kiss. I breathe him in, basking in the glow of being his sunshine.
“I want you again,” he says against my lips. His hand moving between us and slowly pushing into my pussy.
“Then take me. I’m yours,” I gasp.