Self-doubt, never far from the surface, oozed through. What am I doing? This is going to be such a disaster. What would a man as gorgeous as Asher want with someone like me?
Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she forced those thoughts back down. I might not be beautiful, but I’m worthy. Hard-working, loyal, and a fighter. Sucking in a cleansing breath, she let it out slowly before opening her eyes and staring into her closet again. Pulling out a pair of fitted black pants, she paired them with a cute pink sweater with an asymmetrical neckline that showed off her delicate curves.
Slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes, she closed her closet door, determined not to worry about her clothes any longer. A pair of earrings and a silver necklace completed her outfit. She checked her makeup and hair in the mirror then rolled her eyes at the effort. Her hair hung straight no matter what she did with it, so tucking it behind her ears was the best she could do. Never one to wear a lot of makeup, she slicked on her pink lip gloss and walked out of the bedroom.
A knock on the door surprised her since Asher was not due yet. Peeking through her security hole, she saw her neighbor from across the hall. Opening the door, she said, “Mrs. Snyder, how nice to see you.”
The older lady lifted a piece of paper, her face twisted in anger, and said, “Have you seen this? Did you get this in the mail?”
Blinking, Penny replied, “I haven’t looked at my mail yet.”
“Well, look!” Mrs. Snyder demanded, stepping into Penny’s living room.
Penny walked to her kitchen counter, where she had placed her mail when she came in from work. Flipping through the couple of envelopes, she saw one from the apartment building management. Opening it, she did not have a chance to read it before Mrs. Snyder was already telling her the contents.
“They’re selling this building! The owners are selling this business, and they are giving us a thirty-day notice to find a new place to live!”
Gasping, she looked at the older woman who was still waving her letter in her hand. “You’re kidding!”
“I would never kid about something this serious,” Mrs. Snyder said. “I’ve already been up and down the hall, finding out what everyone was going to do.”
Ushering Mrs. Snyder to her sofa, she plopped down, her mind racing while her neighbor continued her recitation.
“Mr. Gottlieb in 1-C was already planning to move to Florida in two months, so he said he’ll just move a month early. Mr. and Mrs. Barclay in 1-D found out they’re going to have a baby. They weren’t planning on moving yet, but she said she already called her parents and they’ll move in with them until they can get another place.”
Stunned, Penny said, “My goodness. It sounds like everyone’s made plans rather quickly.”
Shaking her head, her grey curls bouncing about, Mrs. Snyder said, “Oh, my, no. Three of the tenants on the second floor have no idea what they’re going to do, although all have relatives in the area that they can call on if they need to. That strange young man who lives just above you mumbled something about moving in with some friends.” Sniffing, she added, “I’m not sure I would approve of his friends, but at least I’m glad he has some.”
Mrs. Snyder continued to announce what the people on the third floor were going to do, but Penny was no longer listening, her stomach knotting at the idea of trying to find another apartment that she could afford so quickly. She looked up to see Mrs. Snyder staring expectantly at her and realized she had missed what her neighbor had said. “I’m so sorry, can you repeat that?”
“I was just saying that I’m going to be moving in with my son until I can find other accommodations and wondered what you would be doing.”
Shaking her head slowly, she admitted, “I have no idea, Mrs. Snyder. Obviously, I haven’t had time to process this, so I’m going to have to do some re-budgeting and start seeing what I can afford.”
Mrs. Snyder stood, her smile sincere as she looked down at Penny. “Well, my dear, my son has an extra room if you need it. He’s a good boy and still single, you know?”
Choking back a grimace, she thanked Mrs. Snyder, saying, “I’ll keep that in mind if I need to.” Ushering her to the door, she closed it as her neighbor left.
She barely had time to process everything she had just learned in the past ten minutes when there was another knock on her door. This time, when she looked through the peephole, she saw Asher. Throwing open the door, she never considered trying to play coy. Instead, she gushed, “I’m so glad to see you!”
He reached out and placed his hand on her arm to gently assist her back so that he could enter her apartment. Bending to peer directly into her eyes, he asked, “Is everything okay?”
She hated that the news she had just received was already putting a damper on their date, but unable to hold back, she said, “I just found out I’m being evicted.” She watched him blink a couple of times before his jaw hardened.
“What?” he growled.
For a moment, she forgot what she had just said, focusing on the way he had asked his question. She had read in books how someone’s words could be described as growling but had never actually heard it in real life. But he had actually growled.
“Penny?”
Now it was her turn to blink, and she gave her head a little shake. “It seems everyone in the apartment building got a letter today. I hadn’t read my mail yet, but my neighbor across the hall came over to tell me. The building is being sold, and we have a month to relocate.”
“Oh, babe, I’m so sorry,” he began. He placed both hands on her shoulders, stepping forward so that he could wrap her in a hug. Kissing the top of her head, he said, “I’ve been looking forward to our date since you agreed to go out with me, but if you’d rather stay in tonight, we can—”
She shook her head against his chest and said, “Oh, no. I’ve been looking forward to this, too.” Leaning back, she held his gaze as she added, “Asher, this isn’t the first disappointment I’ve ever had or the first change of housing I’ve had to make. I’ll figure it out somehow, but for tonight, I just want to go out with you.”
She watched a smile spread across his face, and once more was struck by how beautiful he was. Hoping the evening was not going to be a disaster, she stepped from his embrace to grab her purse then allowed him to escort her to his truck.
16
Asher looked across the table, Penny’s eyes glowing in the candlelight. Her black slacks and pink sweater screamed class, and he hoped his blue jeans and button up shirt were good enough for their date. Her hair hung like a silken sheet, and his fingers itched to move through the soft strands.
He had chosen a steak and seafood restaurant, thinking it would be the best for the choice of food, but stepping inside, he was thrilled with the ambiance. He had noticed her hesitation in pulling out her cane when they parked in the parking lot, but he hoped he laid her fears to rest.
He had taken the cane from her hand and unfolded it before handing it back to her. “I want you on my arm, Penny, but I also want you safe. There’s nothing embarrassing about the cane. Just being with you makes me the proudest man that’s going to be in this place.”
He watched the smile spread across her face before she looped her right arm through his and used the cane with her left. They followed the hostess to a corner table near a window that overlooked the river. The sun was setting, casting a glowing reflection on the water. Boats were sailing in the distance, and he loved watching her excitement as she peered out the window.
Her gaze moved back to his, and the candlelight caught the blush on her cheeks. She sucked in her lips for a moment before saying, “This is a really nice restaurant, Asher. I’ve never been here before.”
“Me either,” he admitted. “And I’m glad my first time is with you.”
She glanced down and fiddled with her napkin. “So, this isn’t the typical place you take your dates?”
He was silent for just a second, and she lifted her gaze up to his. "I don’t actually date a lo
t, Penny. I’m not a monk, but neither do I go out a lot.”
She tilted her head slightly to the side, and he continued, “I don’t know what it was about you that day in the park that had me stop and begin talking to you. That’s not something I’ve ever done before. In fact, I tend to avoid people at times.” Shrugging, he added, “It must have been the book.”
She gave an awkward nod, and he shook his head in frustration. “God, that didn’t come out right at all. What I meant was you’re a beautiful woman, but I’ve never approached any other beautiful woman at the park.”
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her lips curve into a smile. “It’s just that nowadays, so many people are hiding behind their smartphones and tablets. Not that reading a book on an electronic device is a bad thing, but what really snagged my attention was that you were reading a printed book.”
“I was a little concerned when you sat down, but when you knew the book I was reading, I found it was so easy to talk to you,” she admitted.
Lifting his wine, he said, “Here’s to a beautiful woman named Penny who reads books in the park.”
She laughed and lifted her wine to touch the glass to his. “And here’s to handsome runners who know their classic literature.”
She sipped her wine, and he wanted to keep the conversation moving so that she would not worry overly about the situation with her apartment. The instant she had told him what was happening, he could already see her moving into the apartment he had ready to rent but knew she would not want a handout. Now, he just had to figure out how to make the offer without it seeming like charity.
After sipping their wine for a few minutes, the server brought their meals, both opting for the surf and turf. She glanced down at her steak and crab-stuffed shrimp, large baked potato smothered in butter and sour cream, and broccoli. Blinking, she glanced over at his equally large meal, and whispered, “I’m not sure I can eat all my dinner, and I’m not sure this is the kind of place that’ll give a doggy bag.”
Laughing, he said, “Dig in, babe. What you don’t eat, I’ll probably be able to. And if we need a doggy bag, I’ll make sure we get one.”
He was glad to see that she immediately dove into her meal. The noises of appreciation made his cock twitch and forced him to shift in his seat to find a more comfortable position. Conversation flowed easily, topics moving from the latest books they were reading to work. He had never found it easy to talk with a woman other than Miss Ethel. When he was around his brothers’ women, he found each of them to be pleasant and was sincerely pleased that they made his brothers happy. Not a great conversationalist, he appreciated how Penny could enjoy the silence, or how when they conversed, it was relaxed and not forced.
By the end of the meal, she had eaten all of her shrimp and most of her steak, giving him the last few bites. Finishing their wine, she refused dessert, claiming she was stuffed. He looked up at the server and asked for the chocolate cake to be placed in a to-go box.
“I thought we’d enjoy it when I take you home,” he confessed, then quickly added, “but we’ll walk up and down the river walk first to help us make more room.”
She leaned back in her chair, patted her stomach and laughed. “I think I’m gonna need more than a walk by the river to make room for that chocolate cake.”
Fifteen minutes later, they were walking slowly, arm in arm along the wide sidewalk that ran along the river. The path was well lit with not only streetlamps but thousands of white Christmas lights in the trees. They stopped underneath one of the lamps, and he turned her in his arms. Peering down at her face, he watched her shiver slightly and quickly asked, “Are you cold?”
Shaking her head, she moved a little closer into his embrace and whispered, “No. I’m never cold around you.”
He bent and took her lips, loving the way her body leaned into his. She tasted of wine and spices, her soft lips shooting fire straight to his cock. Determined to be a gentleman around her, he ended the kiss, and they began walking back along the path toward the restaurant where his truck was parked.
Glancing sideways at her, he noted the dreamy smile on her face and hoped it was a good time to see if she wanted to go out again. “Since tomorrow is Saturday and you’re not working, I wondered if you’d like to accompany me while I check on a couple of my properties. I’ve got one that I’m fixing up now.”
Her smile widened, and she responded with enthusiasm. “I’d love that, Asher!”
Blowing out a breath in relief, he tucked her tighter into his side as they walked along. Once they were back at her place, he accepted her offer to come in, and soon they were on the sofa, their lips locked together once more.
She sat with her back against the arm of the sofa, her butt on his lap, and their arms wrapped around each other. The kiss had started out slow but soon flamed white hot. He breathed her in, tasting her essence and all that made her unforgettable. Her hands had been linked behind his neck, but his scalp began to tingle as she slowly fingered through the longer hair on his head that always seem to grow straight up.
With her ass on his cock, he knew there was no way he could hide his arousal, and truthfully, he did not want to. She was beautiful and desirable, and he wanted her to know just how she affected him.
This time he did not hold back, and from her response, she did not want him to. His tongue thrust between her lips, tangling and dancing with hers. He rubbed the tip along the roof of her mouth, eliciting a groan that he swallowed. With one arm banded around her back for support, the other hand slipped to the bottom of her sweater, his fingers itching to touch her soft skin. Hesitating to see if she was going to protest; instead, she arched into his body, silently pleading for more.
As his fingertips skimmed along the smooth skin of her back, he moved his hand around the front, resting it just beneath her breasts. The urge to cup the weight in his hand was strong, but he wanted to go slow with Penny, wanting to make sure she understood his feelings and not just assume it was physical.
His hand slipped back out of the bottom of her sweater, resting on her hip. He lifted his head and sucked in a ragged breath. Resting their foreheads together, they breathed in each other as much as they inhaled air.
“I need to go, baby,” he said. Seeing the questioning gaze in her eyes, he added, “I’m afraid if I don’t go now, I won’t be able to. And you’re too special…too important for me to fuck this up by moving too fast.”
He held her gaze, relaxing as she nodded her understanding. He stood with her in his arms then gently set her feet onto the floor, holding on to her until she was steady. Arms wrapped around each other, they walked to the door.
“Lock up, Penny,” he said. “I’ll pick you up about ten o’clock in the morning, show you what I’ve been working on and then take you to lunch.”
He could not resist stealing another kiss as she smiled up at him. Groaning as he pulled away, he headed out the door after hearing her flip the locks.
Excited about seeing her again tomorrow, he just hoped that he would be able to convince her to move into the apartment.
17
Twisting slightly in the front seat of his truck, Penny said, “Asher, I’m so impressed with what you do.”
He chuckled and said, “But so far you’ve only seen the outside. For all you know they’re crappy on the inside.”
She reached across and playfully slapped his arm, noting the firm muscles underneath his shirt. Of course, it was not the first time she had felt those muscles, thinking back to the previous night when she sat in his lap, wanting to touch every part of him as they kissed. Dragging her mind back to the present task, she said, “I doubt you would be able to rent them if they were not wonderful on the inside!”
Turning to face the windshield, afraid she was going to start drooling if she kept looking at him, she asked, “So, where are we going next?”
“I’ve got an apartment building that I’ve worked on and wanted to show it to you as well.”
Impre
ssed, she shook her head, unable to keep the incredulity from her voice as she asked, “An apartment building as well as houses?”
“It’s not a big building, and the price was right several years ago, so I decided to grab the opportunity.”
They parked outside a large, two-story, brick building, and she bent forward slightly to take it all in. It was in an older residential section of town, with large trees all around. Set back from the street, it had a low brick wall along the front sidewalk with a grassy lawn in the front. Low-growing neatly-trimmed shrubs lined the sidewalk leading to the front door.
He pulled out a key, and as he inserted it into the lock, he explained, “The residents have to have a key to get into the building. That way, they can be assured that their neighbors don’t give out the passcode to just anyone.”
Stepping into the wide, well-lit hall, she noted that there were only two doors and then stairs toward the back. “Are there just two apartments on this floor?”
Nodding, he said, “Yeah, this building has two first-floor apartments and two second-floor apartments only.”
“My goodness, they must be large.”
“You can see for yourself,” he said, turning to the left, and with another key, opening the apartment door. Smiling down at her, he said, “Come on in.”
She stepped in and was immediately struck with how much larger this apartment was than the one she was living in. The living room was straight ahead, large and filled with light from windows facing the front lawn and the side. Directly to the right was room for a dining table in the space that led into the U-shaped kitchen. New appliances, cabinets, countertops, and backsplash all screamed upgrade.
Asher: Heroes at Heart Page 12
