Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“I, ah, looked you up on the internet.”
I chuckled, not surprised. “The world I live in is different, but I’m just me, Rosie. I like that you see that. I get tired of being the center of attention because of my money. Of being sought after for what I could do for someone.”
“I like the man I see, but I’m still worried…” She trailed off.
I shook my head and kissed her sweet mouth. “Baby, earlier you said you were out of my league. I have a feeling you are the one out of my league. But I want to explore this. Give me a chance. Please.”
She bit her lip, staring at me. I pulled her teeth from the plump flesh.
“I won’t hurt you. Or your son. Please.”
“Yes.”
That was all I needed to hear.
CHAPTER THREE
ASHER
She was shocked yet again when I appeared at her door the next morning, my hands filled with bags. We had talked, kissed more, and I had left, regretting the fact that I had to, but I knew she was tired. I had hoped once I was gone, she would go to bed, but I had a feeling she would log some hours on her second job. I had to push down my instinct to tell her to stop. I didn’t have that right.
Yet.
During our talk last night, I was shocked when she admitted she had only been on two dates since Asher was born. When I expressed my disbelief, she only shrugged at my statement.
“Single mothers are a lot for most men to take on, Asher. We’re too much work.”
“I disagree. The best things in life are worth the effort.”
“I think you’re a different breed altogether.”
I planned on showing her how different I was—in the best ways. She fascinated me, and I thought AJ was an incredible kid. I looked forward to getting to know both of them more.
I admitted to her I didn’t date much. “My business has always come first,” I explained. I met her worried gaze, running my knuckles over her soft cheek. “I think that might have changed.”
I liked the fact that my words made her smile.
She opened the door looking so sexy and sweet, it took all I could not to drop the bag and pull her into my arms and kiss her until she was breathless. Her hair was everywhere. Lines from her pillowcase were etched into her cheek. Her beautiful green eyes were wide and blinking, hardly awake enough to comprehend my presence.
“Asher?” she asked. “How do you keep getting into the building?”
I grinned. “Magic.” I lifted the bags in my hands. “I brought breakfast.”
“Breakfast?” she repeated. “Or a whole grocery store?”
I breezed past her, stopping to drop a fast kiss to her mouth. “I didn’t know what you had, so I brought everything to make my specialty.”
AJ came running out of the bedroom, clutching a well-worn teddy. “Asher! Hi!”
“Hey, bud. I came to have breakfast with you and your mom. I’m going to make it.”
“Can I help? Momma says I’m a great helper!”
“Great. I need an assistant.”
“I’ll go get ready!” he announced before running to his room.
I set down the bags, shrugged off my coat, and toed off my boots. Rosie stared dumbfounded at me.
“You’re very, ah, goal-oriented, aren’t you?” she asked.
I laughed and cupped her face, her skin warm under my cold hands. “If you mean making you smile is the goal, then yes.” I kissed her again. “We’ll make breakfast. You go have a nice leisurely shower. I don’t imagine you get many of those.”
“No,” she admitted ruefully.
“Go,” I encouraged.
“Why are you doing this?” she whispered.
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her deeply. Until she was whimpering and shaking in my arms. Then I pulled back, resting my forehead against hers.
“That’s why.”
“Okay, then. Just checking,” she replied.
I turned her and swatted her ass. “Go before your son comes back and catches us.”
I tried not to laugh as she walked into the sofa, then stumbled down the hall to the bathroom.
I picked up the bags, feeling somewhat light-headed myself.
Rosie shook her head as she finished the omelet and toast I had made. Once again, I noticed her love of the warm bread. I had bought extra butter, putting it in her refrigerator, assuming it was a treat she didn’t get very often. I had, in fact, added a lot of things I had picked up “by accident” while getting the items I needed for breakfast.
“You like toast.”
She blushed slightly, biting into another piece. “I love it. I always have. Just toast and butter. Nothing else. It’s comfort food to me.”
“You’re in need of comforting right now?” I asked with a frown.
AJ laughed from the spot on the floor where he sat, cross-legged and enjoying cartoons. Rosie had told me she only allowed him an hour of screen time every day except the weekends. “He loves cartoons, and my neighbor is kind enough to let me use her Disney+ sign-in. I let him watch some shows, and we often watch a movie together,” she explained.