Chapter 22 - Sarah
This was the first time I'd been to Asher's family home. While he lived in a swanky little apartment now, he'd grown up here, in what any normal person would call a mansion.
Three stories, huge windows, wrap-around porch, all set on several forested acres next to a glistening lake. It was picturesque, would have even been kind of a romantic scene in any other circumstance.
Not today, though.
“I'm nervous,” I admitted to Asher as we climbed the stairs to the front door. “What if we find something awful in that safe? It could change things forever. Not just for us, either.”
Asher chuckled softly, his warm breath a puff of white against the frigid wind. I almost wished he'd come closer and put his arm around me again, like he usually did. Then I thought better of it, because there was no longer any wedding and no reason for him to fake things for me.
The only reason he'd show affection now was to get me into bed. Good though he was, I'd have none of that.
“I wouldn't worry too much. Macy might be devious, but she's no James Bond. How do you think she'll manage to crack a safe housing valuable legal documents?”
The front door swung open and his sister peeked out at us, her eyes narrowed. Just like she had been the other day, she was all dolled up, as though going out for a night on the town. I'd never worn so much makeup in my life. Is that what rich people were expected to do?
Good thing the wedding was off. I'd never fit in with a family like the Carringtons anyway.
“I hear you talking about me, y'know. Where the hell have you been? Sightseeing?” She grabbed us both by the arm and forced us indoors. “I told you to hurry. Dad's off working, and I convinced mom to go out to brunch with her friends. Who knows when she'll be back.”
“Aw, chill out, sis. If there's one talent you have, it's lying to our parents.”
The house was even more opulent indoors than out, with glossy hardwood floors, granite this, marble that, paintings adorning the walls, you name it. The living room alone appeared bigger than mom and dad's modest old home, and a lot cleaner too.
Asher eyed me up and down. He'd noticed me checking the place out and came a bit closer while Macy went on ahead, ranting about how he was such an ass.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“Oh, well. It sure is beautiful,” I admitted. “Looks kinda like something out of a fancy furniture catalog.”
“That's right. Watch you don't get any mud on the area rug or my mother will lose it. Trust me, she hates the lived-in look.”
“What about you? It's where you grew up. Sure it probably influenced your, uh, standards.”
He shrugged. “You've seen my place. About what you can expect from a bachelor like me. I keep things neat, but won't flip out if you leave a soda can sitting out or something. Not really fond of mess and noise though.”
“Get enough of that at work, I bet.”
“Yep, especially this time of year. Between bratty children shrieking about wanting toys and rabid birds attacking my customers, I've had enough of it to last a lifetime.”
“So no kids then. Got it.”
Just another reason we were terrible for each other. If I kept thinking of more, eventually I might start to kill whatever feelings he'd managed to stir in me.
Macy was already at the top of the stairs leading to the second floor. Asher, however, paused at the bottom and looked me over. His eyes gleamed, as they did when he was serious, which wasn't very often at all.
“I didn't say that.”
“So you'd have them?”
“It depends.” He licked his lips, which I wanted very badly to kiss. “For the right woman...”
“Asher!” Macy stormed halfway back down the steps. “What on earth are you doing? I always knew you were a lazy sloth, but even they move faster than you do.”
The right woman? What did that mean? I pondered these questions as I followed him upstairs, all the while staring helplessly at his toned ass.
The one I'd seen naked what seemed like far, far too long ago.
Stop it! Don't be an idiot. Yeah, he's hot, but I couldn't have him. At least not in the way I'd started wanting him these days.
Whoever this special woman was, it surely wasn't me. He didn't know how to commit anyway. Nope. Just another line artfully designed to sway me into his bed.
“It's all the way up on the top floor,” Macy said, looking back at me apologetically. “Dad really enjoys his privacy.”
“How'd you even get in there? Thought he always kept his office locked.”
She smirked and pulled a little copper key out of her pocket. “Maybe he should have thought of a better hiding place.”
Asher groaned and scolded her, but I had to smile. She seemed like a good person to have on our side, at least.
After too much climbing, we reached the top floor. I stumbled after the two of them. My legs ached, but I was getting so scared that I hardly noticed.
“This is it,” Macy announced at the end of the hallway. “Nobody touch anything. We don't want dad to know anyone was in here.”
“Uh, I'm pretty sure he'll figure it out once you've stolen something from his safe.”
“No one said anything about stealing. We'll just have a quick look, is all.”
She turned the knob and with a little push, the door swung open, creaking obnoxiously all the while.
The room sure did suit Heath. The walls were covered with autographed sports memorabilia and several mounted and stuffed hunting trophies. There was even a photo of him in his younger days, holding
