Landlady: A New Adult Romance (Northbridge Nights Book 1) (6 page)

“No. That's not what I want,” I said, finishing off my pizza.
“Thanks for the pizza. I should get to bed.” Remembering I didn't
have a bed made me feel even worse.

“I didn't see you bring in any furniture,” Asher pointed out.

I groaned. Damn he was perceptive. “Yeah, it's coming on Monday,”
I admitted. “But I'm fine sleeping on the floor.”

“Seriously, Sierra?”

“What?”

Asher gestured to his bed. “You'd rather sleep on the basement
floor than in my bed?”

I wanted to slap him for making such a bold statement. What did he
take me for? A slut? “How dare you?”

“I mean,” Asher corrected himself, “You can take my bed. I'll
be up most of the night finishing paperwork anyway. I'll just crash
on the couch after.”

My heart softened at those words.

“Well...”

“Don't worry, I won't take advantage of you while you're sleeping,”
Asher said, smirking. “Unless you want me to.”

There was his cockiness in full swing again.

“I guess it would be better than sleeping on the ground.” I
sighed. My entire body was sore from moving and unpacking all day.
Every muscle screamed for rest.

Asher took me by the hand and led me to the bedroom.

His bed was a King-sized beauty complete with four poufy white
pillows, slate gray sheets, and a blue-gray comforter. To the right
was the ensuite bathroom.

“I'll be a gentleman, I promise,” Asher said. “Besides, I
really should get back to work.”

His fingers lingered a second longer on my wrist before letting go.
“Good night, princess.”

“Night, Asher.”

Princess? Did he really just call me Princess?!
I felt as if
I'd already crossed some invisible line and there was no way I could
turn back now.

After Asher had shut the door, I sank down onto the bed. I barely
even knew the guy, and here I was sleeping on his bed. And we'd just
made out.
And he'd just used two terms of endearment on me
within the last ten minutes. What the hell?

But the mattress was the perfect firmness, and my body was too spent
to object. Asher was kind to offer the bed, and I was overthinking
everything...

I pulled back the covers and slipped under. His pillow and sheets
smelled like him. I buried my nose into the fabric and inhaled
deeply.

Was it crazy of me to wish he was lying next to me right now?

Definitely.

Luckily, I didn't have enough energy to contemplate the questions
circling my mind and sleep soon claimed me.

CHAPTER SIX

ASHER

I HEARD SIERRA TOSSING and turning for a while before everything went
quiet. What was running through her pretty little head?

That kiss we shared was so intense my cock still swelled thinking
about it. I hadn't been laid in months thanks to long hours at the
office.
And Vicky.

Now I had this gorgeous woman sleeping on my bed, and I couldn't do
anything about it.

She doesn't want you to complicate her life
, a little voice in
my head reminded me.

Bullshit.

She was just afraid of developing feelings for me. She was scared.

But so was I.

After all, she was so much younger than me, and I didn't know the
first thing about her. She was naive, and she still had so much to
learn. We were in different places in our lives. I had already
secured a good career whereas she—I wasn't sure.

And I'd just ended things with Vicky...

Sierra was right. This was a horrible idea. How could I be so
careless to think I could have her for my own without thinking
through the consequences first?

At least she had agreed to come with me to the benefit. I could get
to know her better tomorrow.

I blinked hard, trying to wet my dry, irritated eyes. My contacts
felt like they were scraping against my cornea. I made my way towards
the bathroom and popped them off.

Once I donned my thick black frames, I settled back on the couch and
continued scanning dockets.

I fell asleep sometime after three in the morning.

Streams of sunlight jolted me awake, and I sat up, rubbing my eyes.
Thank God it was Sunday.

Shit, the benefit.

I glanced at my watch.

It was only eight. I had—
we
had time.

My bedroom door was still closed. After the day she’d had
yesterday, Sierra deserved to sleep in. I got up, emptied my bladder
and washed my hands before heading to the kitchen to whip up some
breakfast.

I wondered what Sierra liked to eat in the morning. Even though
nothing had really happened between us, I still felt obligated to
make her something. Besides, she was doing me a favor by agreeing to
come to this benefit. I decided to whip up some blueberry pancakes,
bacon, and eggs. Couldn't go wrong with the classics.

Around nine, I knocked on her door, and she replied with a sleepy,
“Yeah?” Her voice sounded raspy but somehow still fucking
adorable.

“I made breakfast,” I said, balancing her plate in my left arm.
“Are you decent?”

“Mmhm.”

I turned the knob and entered.

It was like looking at the face of an angel. Sierra was sitting up in
bed, propped up by two pillows. Her dark blond hair lay in a curly
mess around her. Her cheeks were rosy, and she was rubbing her eyes.
Even without makeup she looked flawless.

She'd slept in her PJs. I'd been secretly hoping she slept nude so I
could catch a glimpse of her delicious skin. Can't blame a man for
dreaming.

I made my way to the side of the bed and placed breakfast in her lap.
“I didn't know what you liked so I just whipped up what I had in
the fridge.”

She looked at the plate, then at me, then back at the plate.

Was she blushing?

“Thanks, Asher. But...Why are you being so nice to me?”

I sat down beside her, brushing a few stray locks from her face.
“It's the least I could do. You know, since you agreed to come with
me to this benefit.” I paused and then added, “And I like you,
Sierra Maywood. There's something special about you, I can feel it. I
just wish you’d give me a chance.”

Sierra arched her brows. She picked up her fork and tried a bite of
the blueberry pancake. After chewing and swallowing, she said, “This
is delicious. But as for everything else, I'm sorry, Asher. but I
don't believe you. It reeks of bullshit. You don't even know the
first thing about me.”

I swallowed my indignation and tried again, “If you give me a
chance, I'll learn everything about you. Everything that makes you
tick.”

“Why, so you can seduce me? Have sex with me?”

What had gotten into her? She seemed defensive this morning, as if
she was itching for a fight.

“No, I don't want to just sleep with you. Though I'd be lying if I
said it hadn't crossed my mind. I want to get to know you, Sierra.”

“Prove it then. Don't have sex with me until you're ready for more
than just sex.”

“I'm already ready for more than just sex with you,” I said,
exasperated.

“That's not the vibe I got last night,” she said. “Last night
you wanted some no strings attached 'fun'.”

So that was why she was so pissed. I frowned. “I was tired. Horny,”
I admitted. “But I can be good. So good. You just have to let me
into your world.”

“Show me how good you can be,” Sierra said, testing me. She sat
up higher in bed, and as she did so, I caught a glimpse of her rosy
nipple poking through her white tank top.

God almighty.

“You're something else, you know that?” I smiled. “I'll prove
myself yet, don't worry.” I got up, but before I left, I reminded
her, “The benefit's in three hours. Please get dressed after
breakfast.”

Sierra stuck her tongue out at me. Then she went back to scarfing
down her pancakes.

After doing the dishes and tidying up my dockets, I needed to go back
into the bedroom to change.

I knocked on the door, in case she needed privacy.

“I'm in the bathroom,” Sierra called out.

“Can I get changed?” I asked.

“Sure.”

I pushed inside and went to my closet. It was just a fundraiser at
the club. I'd already decided to wear a white, fitted polo and light
gray slacks. Something casual, but not too much so. But first, I
needed a shower.

“I need to shower, Sierra.”

“Me too,” she called out. “I was just about to get naked.”

God, did she even think before she spoke? I looked down and realized
my cock was already swelling at the thought of her showering behind
that door.

“Can I join you?”

Can't blame a man for asking.

“Of course not!” she laughed. Her voice was like sweet music.
“Perv!”

So I had to sit there, on the edge of the bed, sporting a tent in my
pants for what felt like fifteen
years
before the sound of the
shower finally stopped.

“Can you get me some clean clothes and a towel? I forgot to bring
some in here,” Sierra asked.

“Aren't you afraid I'll sniff your panties or something? Since I'm
such a perv?”

“Prove to me you're a gentleman. Grab me some clean panties, a bra,
and an outfit for lunch,” Sierra said, her voice muffled through
the door. “Without doing anything pervy.”

“When have I ever listened to you?” I said before leaving to find
her clothes.

The basement was dark, so I had to stumble around a bit before I
found the light switch. I zeroed in on her bedroom and found all her
clothes laid out in folded piles on the floor.

Hmm, what did I want her to wear?

First things first. Panties and a bra.

I located the pile of undergarments and studied them. A few lacy
numbers caught my eye. A couple plain thongs and briefs.

This girl needed someone to take her lingerie shopping.

Someone like me.

I picked out a padded black bra and matching panties. I'd promised I
wouldn't do anything pervy, but that didn't mean I couldn't sneak a
peek at her bra size. I glanced at the slim tag. 36C.

Hot damn, mama.

My breathing quickened at the remembrance of how her pillowy breasts
felt in my palm last night. A nice, generous handful.

Fuck me.

I didn't want to take too long, or she'd think I was up to no good,
so I picked out a little black dress to match everything else.
Finally, I snatched a towel and headed upstairs.

“Where do you want me to leave these?” I asked.

“Just put them on the bed and close the door.”

“Yes, ma'am,” I said playfully before dropping her things on the
bed and leaving.

A few minutes later, Sierra emerged from my bedroom looking good
enough to eat in the little black dress I’d picked out. Knowing
what lay underneath that dress made it all the more exciting. She was
unbelievably sexy because she didn't even realize how beautiful she
was.

“You ready to go?” she asked.

“I still need a shower, remember?” I said, nudging past her and
stripping off my t-shirt in the process.

I could almost hear her breath catch behind me.

She was probably ogling my ropey back muscles and studying the tribal
tattoo that snaked around my right shoulder blade.

Let her stare.

By the time I was done with her, she'd be begging for me to be inside
her.

I moved with deliberate slowness, perking up my ears to catch the
sounds of her shallow breathing.

Then silence.

“I'll wait umm...downstairs. P-put on some makeup,” Sierra
finally said before disappearing.

I stripped down and stepped into the shower. It wasn't until I turned
on the water that I realized two things: a) my cock was unbelievably
hard for her and b) she’d used up all the goddamn hot water.

Oh well, maybe a cold shower would soothe my painfully hard knob.

When I was done, I patted myself dry and studied the scruff along my
jaw. Should I keep it or go for a more clean-shaven look?

I decided to keep it. I figured the rugged look was more likely to
get Sierra's panties wet.

“I'm ready now,” I called out from the top of the stairs. “Meet
you outside?”

“Okay.”

Sierra and I met up by the curb. She'd put on a pair of five-inch
stilettos, making her almost at my eye-level. She wasn't short by any
means; I was just tall. At 6'4”, I overshadowed most of my buddies
and colleagues at work.

I noticed she'd also put on some blush, lipstick, and eyeliner. It
was very light makeup and accentuated her best features. Especially
those full, bee-stung lips of hers.

I unlocked my Jag and opened the passenger-side door for her. She
slid in effortlessly.

“Nice dress,” I said, starting the car. “Have I told you how
gorgeous you look yet?”

“Eyes on the road, hotshot,” Sierra said. Her knuckles were white
she was clutching her purse so hard. I rested my right hand on top of
hers. Her skin felt ice-cold.

“What's the matter? Got the jitters?”

“Jitters, really?”

“Butterflies?”

“Kinda. What if they think I'm some sort of imposter? I don't mix
in the same circles.”

“You look so stunning they'll be too busy ogling your rack,” I
said, trying to reassure her. I snuck a glance at her perky tits and
silently groaned. The deep v-neck of her dress showcased them
perfectly.

Sierra scowled. “Are you saying I'm just your arm candy? Some vapid
airhead? You don't think I could hold up a conversation with your
Harvard buddies?”

I floored the gas, and she lurched back in her seat.

“They're not my buddies. I already told you that. They're mostly my
dad's pals. And contrary to what you may think, I find you
intelligent as well as attractive.”

Sierra didn't have anything to say to that.

We drove in silence for a while.

“So what exactly do you do for a living, Sierra?”

“I'm a part-time seamstress at Delfino's and a full-time student at
LaSalle College for most of the year,” she replied. “I want to be
a couture fashion designer after I graduate.”