Page 98 of For Your Consideration

“There are no other women in my life, hasn’t been since I met you, and I think you know there was no one seriously before that either. I have no intention of changing that. Not now and not any time in the future. You can be cranky or overwhelmed and Sophie can have a bad day and I will still be here. I’ve been there and I haven’t run, Sutton.

“I know you’re uncertain, I know you don’t trust that I’m in this for you, so take however fucking long you need. I’ll be here. I will tell you that a million more times if you need. I know that when your ex and friends turned their backs on you and Soph, it messed with your head. You say you’re used to people leaving but I don’t think you really are. That’s what you’re scared of, but I’m not going anywhere. I would rather cut off my own hand than hurt you or that precious little girl.”

“A tad dramatic,” I mumbled with a smile, hoping he didn’t see that his words had made me want to cry. I was going to blame the wine.

He smirked at me like he knew exactly why I was deflecting.

“Maybe, but just don’t give up on me. Let me show you that you can trust me. I want you just the way you are, okay?”

I met his intense gaze and then nodded.

He sagged against the bed. “Bloody hell, you scare me.”

“Sorry,” I muttered, frowning.

“Don’t feel bad, Sutton. I worry I won’t say the right thing. I’m not good at dealing with my emotions and I don’t want to lose you because I can’t express myself well.” He was being very honest tonight. Maybe he’d had wine too.

“I actually think you’re pretty great at it,” I said. He grunted, which made me laugh. “You fly home tomorrow?”

“Yeah, should be back around eleven.”

“Okay, well I’ll make sure—”

“No, you and Soph stay until I get home. We can go for lunch and then go do something after. You don’t have your car so I’ll drive you home.”

“How did you know that?” I didn’t know why I bothered asking, I’d seen Quinn on her phone earlier. I assumed she was texting Knight but now I thought it might have been Asher.

“Answer the question, Sutton.”

I knew there was only one answer. “Technically, you didn’t ask me a question.”

“Sutton…”

“I’ll be here.”

26

Asher

Ilet out a sigh as I settled into the car next to Noah, rubbing a hand over my face. I was used to these trips; we did them often. We weren’t even that far, a short four-hour flight away in Los Angeles where Noah and I were looking at acquiring a high-end boutique hotel. These trips were normal for us but something about this one was draining me and I just wanted to get home.

My first kiss with Sutton never left my mind, playing over and over while I got myself off in the shower or while I slept at night so I woke up hard and had to take care of myself.

That fucking kiss. I had been stunned that she was the one to make the first move. It was soft, light, almost hesitant, but it was enough to put me in a daze.

She seemed to regret it, so I pushed through, moved on. Didn’t mention it again. Even though it was all I could think about.

I’d only been home from Toronto for three days before we’d left on this trip and I fucking missed Sutton and Sophie already. I’d managed to see her two of those days, but it wasn’t enough.

No amount of time seemed to be enough.

My hand was getting a lot of action these days and that was just fucking fine with me. I would wait forever if Sutton needed it.

“Do we have to go to dinner?” I grumbled as Noah read through some emails on his phone next to me.

“You always ask that, and my answer is always the same.”

I grunted my annoyance, and it got Noah’s attention.