The Billionaire's Offer

Chapter 13

Asher

Morning light filters gently through the curtains, painting the room with a subtle glow. Emma is lying beside me, her head nestled on my chest and her legs draped over my thighs. As I see her like this, so relaxed and at ease, a sudden urge to paint her washes over me. Something tells me she'd enjoy the idea.

We couldn't keep our hands from each other last night, so we didn't really bother with clothes. It's been ages since I felt this relaxed.

A part of me still wonders if I'm dreaming.

"We broke the first rule of our agreement," Emma murmurs, making me chuckle. We woke up a while ago, but I guess we were too lazy to break the silence.

Toying with the engagement ring on her finger, a warm feeling invades my chest. I'm marrying Emma. Jesus. Only last month I was in Brazil planning my next contract. Now I'm here, lying in bed with her. How in the world did we get here?

"Did you really expect me to follow the rules?" I cup her face, smiling when her eyes sparkle.

"You're impossible." She runs her fingertips over my mouth.

"You know..." I whisper. "Maybe we should redefine our rules."

"Oh..." She pulls her hand away, and I frown when she avoids my gaze.

Gently, I hold her chin, urging her eyes back to mine. "I want to be with you, Em."

She sucks on a deep breath.

Her cheeks go red.

She can't look me in the eye.

Definitely not the reaction I was expecting.

"Do you regret last night?" I force the words out, a weird feeling clawing up my gut.

"Of course, I don't." She cups my jaw, pulling me into a soft kiss. "I just... I need some time..."

"What does that mean?"

"Ash...." She sighs, sitting up. "My life feels like a rollercoaster right now... The fire. You coming back. Our arrangement... I guess I just need some time to digest everything."

I plant a kiss on the top of her head, breathing in her sweet scent. I hate that my heart is tightening in my chest. In theory, everything she's saying makes sense. But something inside me is still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Is that okay?" I hear her say after a while, and I pull away to look at her.

"Of course." I manage a smile. "I just hope you know that you're not getting rid of me so easily this time."

She narrows her eyes playfully. "Is that so?"

"We're getting married, Em." I hold her gaze, my mouth curving.

"We're getting married, Ash." She lets out a soft laugh that goes straight to my heart.

"Come here." I pull her on top of me. She lands on my lap with a soft groan and a sweet smile on her lips. Her hair falls over her chest, her sleepy face making her even more beautiful.

"What?" she says when I just keep looking at her.

"I..." My hands go to her waist as I try to get ahold of my feelings. "You're beautiful," I say, tickling her sides.

"Stop." She giggles as I sit up and nuzzle her neck.

The ring of my phone startles us. I don't even need to look to know who it is.

Before I can stop her, Emma reaches for the phone on the bedside table. "It's Max," she says. "It must be important."

Groaning, I take the phone from her and turn it off. "I have a meeting with him and his team today to discuss the last details of the board meeting on Monday."