Asher picked up the first page, read it, and then set it down on the sofa on his other side. “All right, I think I have the gist of it. Shall we begin?”
“Might as well.”
He leaned in and she felt the absurd urge to giggle like a schoolgirl.
“What?” He gave her a curious look.
“This is so very ridiculous.”
His smile made her insides feel warm. “Yes, but how else will a man like me learn?”
“Hookers?”
“Very funny. I trust you. I don’t trust a lot of people, but I trust you.”
For some reason, that made the laughter bubbling in her die. He didn’t trust a lot of people, it was true. He’d been lonely growing up, like her, and had escaped his foster home the moment he was of age. He’d had Donna, but after they’d broken up she realized he’d lost the only person in the world he’d ever let his guard down around. No wonder he’d been such a mess.
She . . . understood that. She was very careful herself about who she trusted. And it made her hate dissipate. Just a little.
Greer remained still, her gaze on his face. It was an oddly tense moment, both of them leaning close together, faces near each other, but neither one moving closer to seal the deal. It was a moment in which she could look at how beautiful Asher was, how close he was to her, and still feel the old ache of I wish you would notice me.
He looked at her, expression thoughtful, and then reached out and brushed his knuckles over the line of her jaw. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
That broke her from her reverie. Greer’s mouth twisted into a half smile. “You need to do better than that. You have to make this believable, Ash.”
Asher looked surprised at her response. “You are beautiful. Your skin is like . . .” He paused, studying her and thinking.
“Like . . . coffee?” she chimed in. “Chocolate and cream? Do you know how insulting it is to refer to someone as a food? Shall I say that you look like a nice bowl of tapioca yourself?”
“Well, I was going to say your skin is like silk.”
Oh.
“But I can go with something else, if you’d prefer.” He picked up one of the printouts with a flourish, studied it, and then turned back to her. “Greer, my sweet darling, your face is as lovely as a blooming rose.”
She snort-giggled. “The page says that?”
“Nah. It just says to woo her with words.” He crumpled up the paper and tossed the ball of it over his shoulder. “Why don’t you think you’re beautiful?”
Why were they going back to this? “Does it matter?”
“It matters to me.”
Greer sighed. “I’m a small, dark, half-Indian woman. I grew up in my father’s household. Have you ever noticed that every woman in his magazine—with a few rare exceptions—is tall and blonde? Big hair, big breasts, big hips? I have none of those things. I’m quiet and I’m short and I have to wear these.” She gestured at her glasses. “No one ever notices me. Why should I think I’m beautiful?”
“I think you’re beautiful.”
“Oh, please. You’re the one I tried to get to notice me for the longest time, and you never did. Your words hold no weight now.” Not now that he’d hurt her and left her pregnant with his baby.
He looked surprised. “You did? When I was with Donna?”
“I wouldn’t break up a relationship. But after that, yes. But you were too drunk to ever see me.” She shrugged, wishing the words didn’t still cut like a knife. “Until I threw myself at you and then you just nailed me and left me pregnant. By the way, thanks for that.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “Every day I learn a new, unpleasant thing about myself, it seems.” He looked . . . sad.
That bothered her, and it shouldn’t have. She didn’t want to make him sad. She just wanted them to be done with each other. “Can we please just kiss now?”
Asher’s smile returned. “Didn’t realize you were so eager, Greer.”
“I’m not!”
“Really? You just demanded that I kiss you.” He slid a bit closer to her on the couch, so close that her legs were practically in his lap. “Allow me to oblige.”
She closed her eyes and braced herself, waiting for the onslaught of tongue. She could get through this. Lots of people kissed every day. She’d just have to be patient until he got better.
His amused chuckle broke through her thoughts. “You’re bracing yourself as if I’m about to power wash your mouth with my tongue.”
“Aren’t you?” she retorted, opening her eyes. “That’s what I seem to recall from last time.”
He threw his head back and laughed, collapsing backward on the couch. “Damn. My ego is completely shredded around you, Greer.” He clasped his hands to his breast, as if shielding his heart. “You never go easy on a guy.”
A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, but she refused to let it grow. “Should I? I’m just being honest. It really was not good, Asher. Though maybe I should have told you that you were incredible so I wouldn’t be stuck here tonight.”
His laughter sobered and he gave her a warm look. “I’m glad you’re here tonight.”
She said nothing, just hugged the pillow tighter. When they were like this? Oh god, she could see falling in love with him all over again. The laughter, the teasing, the simple joy of being in his presence? Of seeing that gorgeous smile beaming down on her? It was easy to forget that he’d shattered all of her dreams such a short time ago.