Undeniably Asher (The Colloway Brothers Book 2) (11 page)

“Okay.”

He palms my neck, pulling my ear to his mouth. “When we win, you’ll let me do anything I want to that sexy body. Whenever. Wherever.”

Oh. My. “That…” I swallow thickly. “…leaves things pretty wide open.” My mind is racing a hundred miles an hour trying to picture the carnal ways he’ll play my body when I least expect it.

“Anticipation heightens the senses, Alyse.” His lips graze the sensitive skin underneath my ear as he speaks. He could get me to do anything when he does that and I think he already knows it. I’ve decided there must be a yes button implanted along the column of my throat, the secret switch only responds to him. Dull teeth nip my lobe and I suck in a breath. “Say yes.”

I’m weak. Oh so very weak.

“Okay. But we won’t win. Conn has beat you five years in a row and now you’re stuck with dead weight.” Why does it disappoint me to think that Asher won’t have the chance to make good on his promise?

Pulling back, I see the smugness has now spread from Conn to Asher like a virus. “Oh, we’ll win, baby. I’ve never had so much incentive in my entire fucking life as I do this year.” He winks, kissing me quickly on the lips.

And with that, the tall, lanky, pimply teenager manning the game glides into the small dark space, gives us instructions, makes sure we all know how to use our guns, and sets us loose in a darkened room that reminds me of a cheap western movie set, complete with painted pressed wood and glow paint.

I’ve never seen someone so focused on winning before and I never really understood true sibling rivalry until I saw the four of them in action. They all even brought their own black facemasks, which made them look like a bunch of bank robbers. About halfway through our allotted time, Livia and I hunkered down in a corner and tried to stay out of the melee. They all came out with a few scratches, but Asher could’ve cared less.

He won.

By ten points.

My cell, which I’ve laid on the side of the tub, begins to ring. I practically squeal when I see it’s Asher. I have no freaking idea why I’m acting like a besotted teenager around him and how I so quickly went from trying to fight this to caving in like wet sand.

“Hi,” I answer breathlessly.

“Hi yourself.” His voice sounds sweet, decadent. Like warm melted dark chocolate over sea-salted caramel. “Just wanted to see if you you’ve settled in okay.”

“I did. Thanks for the flowers. And the champagne.”
And the reminder that at some unknown point in the near future you’re going to be doing some unknown wicked things to me.

“You’re welcome, gorgeous.”

“Do you do that for everyone who stays here?”

“Only the hot ones,” he chuckles.

“Wow. I feel special.”

“You are, Alyse,” he says quietly, sincerely.

Swoon
.

“I should have called or texted earlier, but I had to unpack and get some food and meet Livia and her friends for dinner and wedding planning and time just slipped away from me, so…” I’m rambling, stupidly. I always ramble when I get nervous.

He laughs. “It’s fine.” Pausing, he adds, “Is it wrong that I miss you so much and it’s only been three days?”

I sigh and smile, my insides quivering. My nipples have hardened to sharp points. “You miss me?”

“Yes. Very much,” he rasps. Clearing his throat, he says, “So…what are you up to now?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you,” I tease.

“Oooohhh. Do tell. Are you doing something naughty?”

“Ah, not at the moment.” Unless the fact my free hand is now slinking underneath the water to the juncture of my thighs counts.

“Are you naked?” His raspy voice drops an octave and it feels like he just rubbed his whiskers over my clit.

I hesitate for several moments before responding. “Yes,” I whisper.

“Fucking hell, Alyse,” he groans, lust thickening his voice. “Are you in bed, baby?”

“No. Bath.” I close my eyes, wondering what the hell I’m doing. I could have just as easily told him I was sitting on the couch in mismatched pajamas with my glasses on and my hair in a messy bun, but nooooo…

“Christ, baby.” He sounds in physical pain. I don’t know why, but it makes me smile. And the fact that he’s used endearments several times has not gone by without notice. “Is your hand on your pussy?”

“Asher…”

“Yes or no?”

Damn, he’s bossy. And it’s so fucking hot.

“Yes,” I barely mutter.

“Are you thinking of me?”

“Yes,” I admit.

“Make yourself come. I want to hear you.”

Why does he make me crave following every single command, like I’d drop dead on the spot if I disappointed him? “Asher, I—”

“Alyse, you said yes.”

“I didn’t know saying yes would mean I’d have to follow your every whim,” I snip with more ire than I’m feeling. I want to do this probably more than he wants me to, but I also need him to know he doesn’t control me.

“You should have asked more questions then, I guess.” I hear the smile in his voice.

“You were stealing my thoughts.”

“Now you know what I’ve been going through,” he replies. Softly. Earnestly. And suddenly my lust is back with full force. “Now, put me on speaker so you don’t drop your phone in the water.”

I do. Silently.

“You there, baby?”

“Yes.”

“Touch yourself, Alyse. I want to hear your voice hitch when you come. Fuck, I want to hear you moan my name when you fall apart.”

My eyes tumble closed as my hand once again reaches my clit. Even though I’m in the bath, I feel my arousal, thick and silky. My body instinctually responds to Asher’s voice, his dirty words.
Him
.

“Pinch your nipple,” he demands. I do.

“Tell me how it feels.” I hear his breathing speed up, becoming choppy.

“Good. So good,” I whisper.

“Imagine I’m sitting behind you and it’s me fingering you. I’m thrusting one, now two fingers inside your tight, wet pussy, Alyse. My cock is pressing between your ass cheeks, wanting inside. Fucking hell, I want you.”

“Jesus, Asher…” My breaths are now coming in shallow gasps at the sound of his barely restrained voice. My touch brings me closer to the high I need to reach, like an addict. Normally it would take me several minutes and many dirty fantasies to make myself come, but I was already halfway there before I even laid a finger to my aching flesh.

“Tell me you’re close, baby. I want to come together,” he pants.

I whimper.
Oh God
. That’s all I needed to hear. Imagining Asher on the other end of this phone firmly grasping his thick cock while listening to me get myself off throws me headfirst into an intense climax. I cry out his name as hot sparks shoot from the center of my body outward, heating each limb, flooding my body with pure euphoria.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” his low curses and guttural cries join mine until finally we’re both spent and grow silent, except for our ragged breathing. I’ve sat in the bath so long the water is now chilling. Once the heat from my orgasm abates, I’ll be shivering.

“Alyse.” His rough, gravely voice wraps around me, providing me much-needed warmth.

It takes several moments before I’m able to physically respond. “Hmmm,” is all I can manage.

“Why did it take me so long to find you again?”

My heart stutters and my eyes fly open. I think I felt a little part of my soul pass through the phone line into him. I don’t know how he keeps doing that. A simple word here, a reverent look there. Pretty soon I won’t have any of myself left to hold back, because he’ll have it all. Why
him
? Out of all the men I’ve dated since Beck, how can Asher Colloway do this to me?

“I wish it didn’t.” That’s probably the most honest thing I’ve said to anyone in a very long time. I’ve often thought of the day I almost lost my virginity to Asher. Instead it was Beck.

“God, I wish I was there with you.”

“Me too,” I tell him softly.

We’re quiet for a minute or two, but it’s comfortable. Relaxing. “You should get out of the bath before you get too cold. I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”

I want to say so much in response to that. Like, am I really your baby? Don’t you think this is moving way too fast? Are you freaking the fuck out like I am? But I don’t. Instead I say, “Okay.”

“Sleep tight, my sweet Alyse.”

“You too.”

Sitting in the now-cool water, I’m cloaked in goose bumps, but with my body sated and my brain in a whirl, I can’t seem to make myself move. This feels like it’s moving too fast, but at the same time it has been a long time coming. With each passing day and every interaction, Asher burrows further and deeper into my mind and my heart and I have no idea how to stop him.

I don’t even think I want to anymore.

Chapter 9

Asher

I wanted to be in the office when Alyse arrived this morning for her first day, but I have a standing monthly breakfast with my brothers the last Monday of the month that none of us likes to miss unless absolutely necessary. I’d completely forgotten about it until reviewing my weekly calendar last night after what was undoubtedly the hottest phone sex I’ve ever had. Alyse surprised me. And it takes a lot to surprise me. I knew she had a hidden sex kitten underneath that perfectly proper persona.

I intend to explore that further.

Much, much further.

So as much as I wanted to be there with her, I also couldn’t skip tradition. We’re all so consumed with our own lives and our own work that, besides the time I spend with Conn in the gym, this is one of the few times we have uninterrupted brother time together. This is one time we try to keep our discussions personal, leaving work at the door.

For the first time, Luke has joined us.

“Hey, Luke,” I say as he takes a seat. Conn, Gray, and I have been here for at least fifteen minutes. I guess as much as things change, they also stay the same. Luke was always perpetually late. I have to wonder what else about Luke is the same or if his rough life has changed him into a person I’d no longer recognize. He arrived just before dinner on Thanksgiving and took off after I beat everyone’s ass at laser tag. The only time we really got to talk was when we were shooting baskets. Even then it was only surface discussion. He spent quite a bit of time with Mom though, and she was beaming ear to ear until I left on Saturday.

Molly, our regular waitress, sees another person has joined us and heads over to take Luke’s order. But instead of talking, she stands there looking at Luke before looking around at the three of us. I understand why. I almost laugh when I remember the
Sesame Street
song that I used to be so fond of when I was a kid—S
ilence, haters
.

Luke is definitely the one thing here that doesn’t look like the others. He’s dressed in black from head to toe, complete with well-worn black boots and a leather jacket. Hell, he looks like he belongs with an MC versus sitting with three businessmen dressed in tailor-made suits. The only thing he’s missing is a patch and the name of his club on the back of his bomber. He fits
Sons of Anarchy
to a fucking “T.”

“Hi, darlin’,” Luke drawls, winking and placing a hand at the small of her back. “I’ll take a coffee, black. And bring the pot. Come back in a few and I’ll be ready to order.”

“Uh, okay.” She slowly turns and walks away, but looks back several times, brows drawn, trying to figure out this conundrum. For the year we’ve been coming to this little hole-in-the-wall diner on the corner, down the block from our office building, Molly has never seen us with a fourth to our little party. She knows we’re all brothers and knows we own GRASCO Holdings. Hell, she even knows Gray is engaged. She should probably be invited to the fucking wedding. She’s practically family. I’ve not spent as much time with one single woman since I kicked Natalie’s ass out as I have with Molly. I’m hoping to change that with Alyse, though.

“Luke, how’s the relo going?” Conn asks.

“It’s coming. I found some cheap office space on the south side of town. I need to hire another guy because Johnny doesn’t want to relocate from Dayton to Chicago. Then need to figure out a place to stay. It’ll be a while yet before I make the move official.”

“I thought Livvy’s portion of the lease was in your name?” Gray asks, taking a sip of his coffee. “You just renewed it a couple months ago. Why don’t you stay there? You’re responsible for the rent on it anyway, unless you sublease it.”

Huh?
Something else I didn’t know. How many ways is Luke tied up with Livia, soon-to-be Mrs. Gray Colloway? Gray seems completely neutral on the issue, like we’re talking about paint color or something. I wish I knew what the hell happened with those three.

Luke shrugs noncommittally. “Been thinking about it, but I’m not sure I want to room with a chick. Especially that one. She’s a little high strung.”

Gray laughs. “She is that. But she’s also pretty hot.”

Luke smirks. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d worship at her church any Sunday. I’m just not sure I want to
live
in the temple full-time.”