“Yup. Anyway, got that you’re doing the whole cookout thing, but now Tal wants to know what kind of dessert to bring. Obviously there’s some unwritten vagina rule somewhere about what goes with what. And for the love of God, don’t say something made with that bean paste shit.” I grabbed her hand and planted her ass back on the edge of my desk between my legs. Perfect. And way better than a framed version.
“Smartass. Lil wanted traditional barbeque for the fourth—burgers, dogs, chicken.” That dickhead would’ve ordered sushi. Poor Lil, he was going to turn her into a fucking rainbow roll if he had his way. “As for dessert, you think I know what goes with that shit? No clue. And I’m not getting bitched at for answering wrong. Hold on, I’ll get Blue.” Tal grinned and mouthed, smart hubby. His muffled bellow was still loud. “Oh … and Tal, I’ll see you tonight, blondie. Looking forward to finally meeting your boy.” He knew she was listening in on speaker the whole time. Of course he did.
Tal shrugged her shoulders and laughed. “Hey, CC.”
See, all was good. Who was I? All glass half full. That’s right, that’s what Tal did to me.
“Hi guys!” Lil’s cheery voice popped through the line. An octave higher and she could be Sierra.
“Hey, gorgeous. Tal’s feeling a dessert. What would you like? And don’t say nothing. Not happening.”
“Hi Lil!”
“Hey, Talia. Any chance you want to play earlier, come on over. Sierra and Layla just got here.” That explained the giddy.
“Wish I could, I’m covering clinic until four. Then I’m picking up Tack before we head to you.”
“No biggie. You’ll be seeing plenty of Sierra, she has some good news to share.”
“Awesome, can’t wait! But please tell me your dessert vision?”
“Oh my goodness! Stop! This fruit arrangement you sent is amazing, we don’t need anything more.” My woman always thinking ahead, she rocked. “Oh wait, I spoke too soon, Sierra is whining behind me, requesting chocolate. Anything chocolate. If it’s not too much trouble, otherwise I can always send Chase out.” Those words left her lips like she spoke them a million times over. Like he was a fucking dog.
Who was I kidding? We both were pussy whipped Chihuahuas. Damn, I had graduated to his level. No. If I was being honest that shit went down somewhere around the ninth grade.
“Chocolate it is, gorgeous, now say goodbye. Save your estrogen pow-wow for later, when I’m properly prepared with an alcoholic beverage or seven as my buffer. Besides I have some business to take care of on top of my desk.”
“TMI,” Lil bit out through a laugh.
Tal didn’t flinch—she was over my stupid humor.
“Have fun, see ya later. Bye, guys.” We said goodbye and I ended the call.
“Now she thinks we’re screwing in your office.”
“Well, now we have to…” Sounded convincing, I thought. “Besides what are you gonna say when Sierra asks? She’s gonna want to know if the Green Giant rocked your world on a desk. You wouldn’t want to lie.”
“I’m leaving now.”
Yup, totally over me. I couldn’t even get her to engage. Damn. I still grinned.
“One sec, Teeps.” I rang Suzie.
“Yes, bossman?”
“Need you to reschedule my four o’clock. I’m out by four thirty. That group’s never on time anyway. Make sure you tell them-”
“Got it covered, you’re stuck at a closing. Funds got held up. You wouldn’t ever leave a client mid-deal, yada yada. Their closing is the day after a bank holiday. Oh, they’ll understand. No worries.”
Damn, she was good.
“You’re the best, Suzie-Q.”
“That’s why you pay me the big bucks. That and I pick out awesome birthday gifts for those yummy nieces of yours.”
Traitor. On that note I hung up. Tal crossed her arms and dug her pearly whites into her delicious bottom lip, lost in thought.
“We’ll get Tack together.” She nodded, but held strong to her stance. “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. Want to try that again? This time remember who you’re talking to.”
She could eye roll me all she wanted, she wasn’t leaving my desk without spilling. I was pretty sure our high school speakerphone session did the trick of calming everyone’s nerves about tonight’s almost Fourth of July BBQ slash Colton brother meet and greet. Maybe I was wrong.
“Just a random observation. Do you have a nickname for every woman in your life? Suzie-Q, beautiful, gorgeous, sweetheart. Just wondering? Not that hey you isn’t endearing.”
Fuck me, my woman was jealous. She tried to play it off by adding a little sass but failed. She asked so I intended to answer.
Standing, I cupped her chin along the way, wanting, no needing her eyes when I spelled it out. “First of all, Suzie Q doesn’t count, it’s practically her name. I call my mother and my sisters beautiful because they are. Lil is gorgeous because, well she is, but more importantly, what she did to pull Chase from his hell, it was nothing short of awe-inspiring. As for sweetheart, it’s generic, means nothing. I’m not going to lie and I’m sure as hell not proud of it, but I’ve had a lot of sweethearts share my bed. But none of them were you. There’s only ever been one you. You are the most stunning woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Sexy doesn’t begin to cut it. Passionate, confident, brilliant—all you. The fierceness you love your son with levels me. All I have to do is hear your beautiful voice and I’m done … I’m done. You’ve tilted my axis and given me every first that matters, but more than anything, you make me want to hold on tight and live this crazy ride—with you. Only you. You crawled under my skin so long ago I can’t remember a time it wasn’t about you. So yeah, you is the only endearment that fits until you’re ready for me to call you wife. You say the word, that title’s yours.”
That lip biting sassy face vanished, replaced by glistening eyes and pure love.
“I love the … you,” she whispered, swallowing past her emotion. “And all its reasons.” Her little fingers trembled when they found my face. “God, Asher, I love you so much, sometimes I don’t know what to do with it all. I feel it in every part of my being.” I knew what she meant. “It’s endless.”
I kissed my woman, long and deep, thinking about those simple words that have played over and over in my head but had yet to be spoken out loud. The word forever wasn’t part of my vocabulary eight months ago. Not because I couldn’t imagine wanting it, but I didn’t believe it existed.
I was wrong.
We weren’t just forever; we were further.
Her chest pressed against mine and I tucked her to the only place she fit. I continued to devour her, savor her, and cherish her like I would every day until forever. That was my vow. The rest was a technicality, one I would gladly partake in for now. But Tal made me realize my patience for what I wanted was limited. And I knew what I wanted. Her.
Chapter 20 Seven Minutes
Layla non-stop babbled on the other side of the door, for a peanut she was loud. Like her mother. Talia grinned and raised her brows toward Tack. For a second, I wondered if I missed an inside joke, or not. Tack had a taste of my nieces recently, or should I say they tasted him, or more like ate him up, especially Emma who dropped me like yesterday’s Barbie and clung to him like he was Ken incarnate. But make no mistake, I think it was my oldest niece who crushed hard that day. The amount of giggling and blushing and the insistent piggybacks rides were the first clue. Drew was screwed.