open the door, the smell of breakfast wafts throughout the penthouse and infiltrates my senses. My stomach growls at the thought of eating something that will absorb the alcohol and ease the pounding in my head. Hangovers always have been a bitch.
Approaching the kitchen, I’m graced with the vision of Asher cooking a full damn buffet. He’s got scrambled eggs and bacon on the stove, pancakes on a skillet, and he’s chopping some fresh fruit on the counter. My brows furrow as I wonder who the hell he’s feeding.
“Please tell me your parents aren’t coming over or something. What’s with the feast?”
He looks up, and I can tell he’s trying not to smile. “No, I was just hungry, and I figured you could use something to eat.”
I nod, sitting on the bar stool directly across from him. Looking around, however, something occurs to me.
“Where’s Lennon?”
“I had Colby take her home last night,” he grumbles.
The fact that he won’t even look my direction isn’t lost on me. I start to wonder if something may have happened last night—something he regrets. For the first time in what feels like forever, an uncomfortable heaviness consumes me.
“We didn’t do anything, did we? You and I?”
Okay, so maybe I should have waited to ask that until he wasn’t tasting the eggs. At the sound of my words, he practically chokes, coughing violently and pounding his fist against his chest. When he’s done and can breathe easily again, he shakes his head.
“No, Tessa. Drunk and unconscious isn’t exactly my type.”
Relief washes over me. It’s not that I don’t want to do anything with him, because Lord knows I do. It’s just that I’d hate for it to happen and me not remember it. I’m a greedy bitch, especially when it comes to him.
I smirk and lean forward with my elbows on the counter. “Oh yeah? And what is your type?”
His gaze locks with mine, and he slowly walks around until there’s nothing but air in between us. “Gorgeous, smart, confident...”
He pauses just inches away from me and glances down at my lips. I’m frozen in place, wondering if he’s actually going to give me what I want, until he slips a piece of strawberry into my mouth.
“…and out of high school.”
My shocked look turns to a glare as he shoots me a wink and steps back. “You’re an asshole.”
Chuckling, he grabs the remote and cuts the music off. “You’re just figuring that out?”
He plates the food and puts one in front of me before sitting down, with a full empty seat in between us. I roll my eyes as I take a bite. Could he be any more childish? Not even able to sit next to me. It’s like we’re in preschool and he thinks I have cooties. Meanwhile, I’m nearly having an orgasm over the fact that this guy can cook.
The two of us eat in awkward silence and when I’m done, he grabs my plate for me and puts it in the sink.
“Here,” he says, handing me two Advil. “Take them.”
“Yes, sir.”
It’s meant to be murmured under my breath, but judging by the way his hand tightens on the counter, he heard me loud and clear. More importantly, he’s affected by it. I file that little fact away and swallow the pills down with my glass of orange juice, then lick my lips deliberately as I watch him.
“You okay?” I tease. “You seem a little…flustered.”
He narrows his eyes to slits and shakes whatever thoughts he was just having from his head. “Do you need a ride home?”
“No, I drove here, but that reminds me.” I hop off the stool and stand in front of him. “Why did you let me sleep in your bed? Why not have Colby take me home with Lennon?”
His jaw ticks and I can see the subject of his best friend makes him angry. “Because I don’t want you anywhere fucking near him.”
“What? Why not?”
He goes to walk away. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“Why, Asher?” I press, following closely behind. “Is it because of last night? Because I knew who he was and not you?”
“Don’t.” His tone is a mix between a demand and a plea. “Don’t push me on this.”
Yeah, no. Not good enough for me. “Do you think I want him for something? Is that it?”
“You just don’t know when to stop, do you?” he snaps, whipping around to glare at me. “Drop. It.”
“No. Not until you tell me why.” When he doesn’t respond, an idea comes to