Always Mine (The Barrington Billionaires, Book 1) (18 page)

“I’ll be down in fifteen minutes.”
After a very cold shower.

Asher threw back the sheets, stood, and stretched. He checked the clock beside his bed. He had time before his first meeting. Hopefully whatever Ian wanted to discuss would be brief.

A short time later, Asher entered the library and saw Ian standing beside the lit fireplace. “I don’t have long, but what do you need?”

“Close the door.”

Asher raised one eyebrow in surprise then closed the door behind him. It wasn’t like Ian to be secretive. He studied his brother’s face. Something was wrong. Something serious. Asher walked across the room and stood in front of the fireplace. “What’s going on, Ian?”

Ian looked Asher over from head to toe then said, “I want to make sure we’re all on the same page about Emily.”

Asher’s jaw tightened in preparation of a conversation he knew wasn’t going anywhere good. “And what page would that be?”

“Having Emily here and raising money for her museum has given Mom something good to focus on. We were all talking, and we don’t want anything to threaten that.”

Folding his hands over his chest, Asher narrowed his eyes and asked, “Stop dancing around what you want to say, Ian.”

“Don’t buy Emily’s land. Don’t demolish her grandfather’s house. I know that when it comes to business for you, profit always comes first, but this project needs to happen. If your money is tied up abroad, and you can’t afford to relocate your facility, tell me and we’ll figure something out. Between us, we easily have the liquid assets to cover what you’ll lose.”

It bothered Asher that his family had seen him with Emily and still thought he would move forward with his facility. “And what would you all do with half a town in New Hampshire?”

Ian ran his hand through his hair in agitation. “I don’t fucking know, Asher. I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that. Is it going to come to that? With you, I honestly can’t tell.”

“That’s a wonderful opinion you have of me.”

Ian let out a long breath but said nothing.

A memory of something his father had said came back to Asher.
“I could explain myself and change what you think of me, but I’m too damn proud. Always have been. Tell me, who does that sound like?”
Asher slammed a fist against the wall. His family mattered to him. Emily mattered to him. He’d spent most of his life trying to be the opposite of his father and didn’t like discovering he was following in his footsteps. “I’m already actively seeking another location for my facility. So tell the family they don’t need to save Emily from me.”

Ian’s stance relaxed. “Thank God. It’s not just Mom everyone is worried about. Emily is a nice woman. No one wants to see her hurt.”

Asher tensed again. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“You know how you are. Don’t be that way this time.”

Ian’s words echoed in Asher’s head. ‘
You know how you are. Fuck. Is this how they all feel about me? Don’t be
that
way this time. Do they all see me as an uncaring, ruthless bastard? Even Kenzi?
The thought made Asher even angrier, even if he didn’t know who he was most angry at.

Asher glared at his brother. “As enlightening as this conversation has been, I have an early meeting this morning. Is there anything else you needed to get off your chest?” Ian opened his mouth to say something, but Asher raised his hand. “I was joking, I really don’t want to hear it.”

With that, Asher turned on his heel and strode out of the library. He was angrily shrugging on his jacket when Emily appeared.

She read his mood and instantly looked concerned. “Is everything okay?”

His feelings for her rose and mixed with the anger he still felt toward his brother. He wasn’t the man he’d been before he met her, and the change in him was something he was slowly working through. If his family was still worried he would destroy her dream, did she have the same fear?

If so, what could he say that would make her see how he felt about her? That was the moment he realized something that rocked him back onto his heels.
I want this to last. I want Emily in my next week, next month, forever.

He swung her up into his arms and kissed her deeply, passionately, momentarily letting go of the control he’d maintained all week. She met his kiss with a passion that matched his, and had they been anywhere but the hallway of his parents’ home, they would not have remained clothed long. “Emily, I—”

Kenzi made a loud announcement from the doorway. “No, Mom, Asher must have already left for work. He’s not in here.”

He looked up in time to see Kenzi turn away. This wasn’t the time or the place for what he’d been about to say. “Emily, let’s go to dinner tonight. Just you and me. There’s something I need to tell you.”

Looking adorably flushed, Emily breathed raggedly and asked, “Didn’t we promise a Scrabble rematch with Andrew and Grant tonight?”

“This is more important,” Asher assured her. He gave her one final quick kiss and promised to be back as early as he could. He paused before walking out the door and said, “Pack an overnight bag for tonight.” The answering flare of desire in her eyes was all the yes he required. Although he’d said they should stay at his parents’ house all week, one night away was needed. When he told Emily how he felt about her, he was certain she’d agree.

‡

E
mily sat across
from Asher in easily the most expensive restaurant she’d ever eaten in. The food came in tiny, decorative portions that normally wouldn’t have satisfied Emily, but her stomach was a bundle of nerves, and she had barely tasted the first two courses. They’d successfully talked about nothing in particular to that point.

Asher reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I’m glad you decided to stay.”

The warmth in his eyes took Emily’s breath away. She bit her bottom lip to hold back the nervous babble that threatened to spill forth. “Me, too.”

“Not quite Paris, but this has been good.”

“I agree.”

“You seem to enjoy Boston.”

“I do.”

“The support for your project has been substantial.”

“It’s been amazing.”

“Imagine the traffic your museum would get if it were here.”

Emily took a quick sip of water and choked. Was he saying he had changed his mind and was moving forward with the facility? When she could speak again, she said, “What are you saying, Asher?”

He turned her hand over and lightly caressed the inside of her wrist with his thumb. “If you moved your museum here, you wouldn’t have to leave after the auction.”

Emily’s heart started beating wildly. “You know I can’t do that.”

He laced his fingers with hers. “Can’t isn’t in my vocabulary. It never has been. When I want something, I assess what is standing between me and what I want, then remove the obstacle. What is stopping you from saying yes to me?”

The warmth she’d seen in his eyes earlier was replaced by determination. On one hand it was a dream to know he wanted her to stay, on the other hand he wasn’t declaring his love for her. He wanted her with him, but he wasn’t giving her more than that. “What are you asking me to say yes to?” Although she’d never judged her mother for her decisions, Emily wanted more for herself. Was Asher able to give her that?

“I don’t want you to leave after the auction.”

“You know I have to go back, Asher. If I get the funding your mother thinks I will, I can finish the museum ahead of schedule. I’m so close. I need to be there for the final phase.”

He took out a folder and handed it to Emily. “Most of your pieces are already here. I found a building in Brookline that would be perfect for your museum. You don’t need to rely on donations to renovate it. I’ll back your project. In my estimation, we could have the place ready in less than two months.”

Emily gripped the folder in her hand for moment. She didn’t want to believe he was still hoping to buy her land, but she had to know. “And what would happen to my grandfather’s house? To my land?”

“We’d figure that out later.”

Acid churned in Emily’s stomach. “My grandfather’s house is where I grew up. It’s where my mother and I envisioned the museum, and it’s where it has to be.” She handed the folder back to him unopened. The magic of the days they’d spent together with his family faded. “That hasn’t changed.”
Please tell me it doesn’t matter, that all you really care about is me, and figuring out how we can be together.

Asher frowned. “If you stay here, I’d want you to move in with me.”

“For how long?” Emily asked, no longer able to hold in her fears. “Until you convince me to sell my land?”

He reached for her hand, but she clasped them in front of her. “I don’t care about your damn land.”

Emily stood. “Well, at least you’re honest about that. Take me back to your parents’ house, Asher.”

Asher slapped several large bills on the table and walked out of the restaurant with her. As soon as they were outside he swung her toward him. “Most people would be grateful—”

“Grateful? You’re lucky I didn’t take that folder and stuff it up your—”

His kiss cut off the rest of what she would have said. She fisted her hands at his shoulders and hit him, but her anger quickly sparked into desire as her body leapt to life beneath his touch. She was angry, but that didn’t stop her from opening her mouth to him, clinging to him. No matter what else was between them, this was one area where they were perfectly in accord. He backed her against the wall and kissed her until they were both feverishly close to taking it too far, despite being in public.

He raised his head, and between ragged breaths he said, “Let’s go.”

With a hand on her lower back he guided her to his car. Emily was still trying to gather her scattered thoughts when she realized they weren’t headed in the right direction. “Where are we going?”

He shifted his car forcefully and said, “To my apartment.”

Despite the way her body was already wet and craving him, Emily resisted. “I said I wanted—”

He shot her a hot glance. “We both know that’s not what you want, Emily. It’s not what I want either.”

Emily closed her eyes and tried to muster a denial to his claim, but the chaste kisses they’d exchanged all week had built a wild need within her.
How can I want him when he hasn’t answered my questions? I am worth more than just being his convenient fuck. I want to be loved. To be cherished. He says he doesn’t care about my land.
If he doesn’t care about that, he doesn’t care about me. Where is my brain? Why can’t I walk away from him?
She opened her eyes and peered over at him. Speaking more to her libido regarding its weakness than to him, she said, “Sometimes I hate you.”

He laid a hand on her thigh. “No, you don’t. You get afraid, and I don’t help by saying stupid shit when I’m around you. I meant to tell you this week has been one of the best of my life. You’re not only great with my family, but everyone is happier because you’re here with us. I’m happier. That’s why I want you to stay.” He rubbed his hand up and down her thigh. “That and I want to fuck you so badly I can’t think straight.”

His words had her mind racing and her sex clenching with desire. Breathlessly she said, “I loved every minute of being with you this week. I want to say yes, but what happens next?”

“Whatever we want,” he ground out when he slowed for a stop sign. The kiss he gave her then wiped the rest of her mind clean of anything beyond wanting to be with him again.

Parking the car at Asher’s apartment building and taking the elevator was a blur of feverish, impatient kissing. They started unbuttoning each other’s clothing before they were inside the door of his apartment.

Asher slammed the door behind them and continued to kiss her deeply as he stripped her bare. She was completely naked and all he’d shed was his coat. If asked, Emily would have said she was the type of person who preferred to be in control. Like her mother, she’d been raised to be a strong, independent woman. What she thought she wanted and what she found pleasure in were two very different things. Giving herself over to Asher’s control should have been scary, but in this area at least, she trusted him. He would demand everything from her, but in return, he would give her more pleasure than she’d ever known. This had never been their problem.

He lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist. His belt bit into her thighs, but the pleasure of his mouth hungrily kissing her neck far outweighed the pain. He held her to him with one arm, and his free hand expertly went from one of her breasts to the other until both were eager for his mouth.

She dug her hands into his hair and writhed against him, loving the feel of his business clothing against her bare skin but craving the feel of his skin. He turned and walked her a few strides to the dining room table. He sat her on the edge, leaned above her, and cleared the centerpiece with a swipe of his hand. Emily lay back onto the table and spread her legs for him.

He stood there for a moment looking her over hungrily. He sank to his knees between her legs while positioning her at the end of the table. He kissed the inside of her right thigh, then her left. His breath was hot on her exposed sex when he said, “I want to see you make yourself come, Emily. Touch yourself for me, baby.”