He thrust into her again and again, turning her inside out. When her orgasm crested, he picked up the pace, knowing exactly how to give it to her. Only then did she shut her eyes, throw her head back, and let her mind erase. She sank into the black oblivion, every part of her pulsing and pounding as Asher continued his seductive slides.
“Once more for me, Sarge,” he said, breathless, his fingers brushing her jaw.
Her headache was gone, her entire body buzzing. And that must have been what ultimately made her obey. She opened her eyes and met his again. The smile on his face was tender. As tender as the kiss on her lips while he continued his sweet assault. His release followed a few pumps later, while she held on tight. And this time, she watched his eyes squeeze closed as a guttural male growl tore through his throat. The muscles in his shoulders tensed, his arms coiled, and his thick lashes flattened against his cheeks.
All she could do was think the same word over and over: This.
This was why she wanted to have sex with Asher. Not just the promise of feeling really good, but knowing she made him feel just as good. Existing together in a space and time where no one could touch them. Where nothing else mattered. This moment.
His eyes opened and a slow smile crawled across his lips. He pulled out and she gasped as he left her, curling onto her side and hugging the pillow.
He said nothing, just padded into the hallway while Gloria stared at the black Fender guitar on a stand in the corner of the room. Minutes passed and her buzz faded into a pleasant sinking feeling and, dammit, that headache. Still there after all, just blissfully numbed out thanks to a powerful orgasm.
The sound of rustling and Tank’s tags rattling on his collar drew her attention to the doorway. Asher Knight stood buck naked save for bracelets, rings, and a necklace, bags of Sun Up takeout in both hands.
“Breakfast in bed?” He grinned.
*
“This is the life,” Gloria said around a mouthful of breakfast. Asher smiled to himself and dug another bite of fried potatoes out of the foam container. Glo wasn’t afraid to eat. She had three containers open in front of her. One contained potatoes and sausage, the other eggs and biscuits, and another was a bowl of gravy. She’d been rotating through all three, taking a bite of each one in turn.
Ash stuck with Sun Up’s version of Hangover Hash, but there was a container he hadn’t started on yet filled with pancakes. He polished off the potatoes. “We can do this as often as you want.”
When she was quiet for several seconds, he looked over to find her examining her food with her plastic fork like it held the secret to life. He elbowed her gently and she looked up at him, slapping a smile onto her face.
“No, we can’t,” she said. “I’ll gain fifty pounds.”
Deflection. He should have expected it. He’d been lucky last night—luckier this morning, and not just because he’d gotten lucky. She wanted him, didn’t resist him, and looked him dead in the eye while he made love to her. Last night was about breaking her down, keeping things light. Light seemed to be what she could handle. Today was about pushing and getting her to trust him. Open up to him. He’d won that battle, too, but damn. What he wouldn’t give if she’d shut off her brain and lean on him all the way.
“I have work to do,” she said, dipping a bite of biscuit into the well of gravy. She was still naked. Hell, they both were. Gloria naked in his bed eating was a gift he’d gladly give himself every morning. Fifty extra pounds or no.
“Do you take days off, ever?”
She pretended to think about it, eyes turning to the ceiling. “No.”
Tank yipped from his spot on the floor and Asher answered by breaking a piece of bacon in two and feeding it to him.
“Today’s Sunday, Sarge. If God rested on Sunday, even you can take one off every so often.”
“God didn’t have my demanding clients.” She smirked.
“No work today.”
“But—”
“I mean it. I am a client, so you’ll do as I command.” He pushed his food aside and leaned over. Against her mouth, he said, “Let’s eat pancakes in bed instead. I’ll show you things that can be done with syrup you never dreamed possible.”
She let out a loose laugh and he felt like he’d won the best gift on earth. Her palm hit his chest and she pushed him away. “I don’t think so, buddy. I have to catch up on the work I’ve missed out on since…”
Since she’d stepped into his house to deliver a check that’d gone to her instead of him. He’d like to find whoever made that mistake at the publishing house and kiss him or her for that error. Glo had been avoiding coming to his house, and now he understood the deeper meaning behind why. But since then, she’d visited a handful of times, and he’d been able to get her naked almost every time.
He let his gaze drop to dark, raspberry-colored nipples perched on two large, gorgeous breasts. She cleared her throat to get his attention, but he only shook his head, refusing to look away.