The hawthorne brothers a.., p.62
The Hawthorne Brothers: A Complete Billionaire Romance Collection, page 62
“Can I look now?” Asher asks.
I don’t answer his question. “What are you doing here, Asher?”
He turns anyway and waves his hand in front of him.
“Oh, don’t worry, I didn’t come here just to watch the two of you have sex.”
“But you did anyway,” Stella says as she takes a bite out of a dumpling on the table. “And here I thought Violet made you into a better man.”
Asher shrugs. “I’m still a man.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask him again.
“I came to see Erin, actually,” he says. “But it seems she’s not here.”
“She’s not,” I tell him. “Stella and I are having the night to ourselves, so we’d appreciate it if you left. Now.”
Asher puts his hands up and takes a step back. “Okay. Okay. But let me just say that I’m happy for the two of you. I’ve heard about a lot of couples who fall apart or lose the spark after having a baby, but the two of you are still on fire.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Asher.”
“So I take it the wedding is still on?” he asks.
“Yes,” Stella answers. “In fact, I think I’m going to hire a wedding planner next week.”
I give her a puzzled look. “You are?”
“After I hire a nanny,” Stella adds.
I grin.
“What about you and Violet?” she asks. “Have you started making plans for the wedding?”
“Not really,” Asher answers. “She doesn’t want to talk about it.”
“Well, if the two of you aren’t going to talk about it, Ryker might get married first,” I say. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s wearing a wedding ring the next time we see him.”
Asher shakes his head. “I don’t think he’ll get married without us there. I wouldn’t get married without the two of you there.”
“Hmm.” Stella touches her chin as her eyebrows furrow.
I know that look. She has an idea.
“What is it?” I ask her.
“Since all three of you are engaged, which is actually unbelievable the more I think about it, why don’t you all have your weddings at the same time?” she says.
Now, I’m the one with furrowed eyebrows. “What?”
“Why don’t we have a triple wedding?” Stella asks. “I wouldn’t mind. In fact, I think it would be really exciting. Plus we can just hire one wedding planner, book one church and one reception venue…”
“Send one invitation,” I add with a nod as I realize the idea makes sense. “We’ll all have about the same guest lists anyway. And this way, I won’t have to wear a different tux to your wedding and Ryker’s.”
“You can afford a hundred tuxedoes,” Asher points out.
“We can all just have one grand celebration,” Stella says. “And it will be more memorable. I mean, triple weddings don’t happen very often.”
I place my hand on her shoulder. “I think it’s a good idea. And this way, we’re guaranteed to be at each other’s weddings. What do you think, Asher?”
He pauses a moment to think, then shrugs. “I don’t mind. I’ll have to ask Violet, though.”
Asher
“No.” Violet shakes her head as soon as I’ve finished telling her about Stella’s idea during breakfast. “I don’t want a triple wedding.”
I look at her with furrowed eyebrows. “Why not?”
She draws a breath. “Because… I… don’t want a grand wedding. I just want a small, intimate wedding.”
That’s something I find hard to believe.
“You like grand parties,” I point out. “You like wearing expensive, fancy gowns.”
“I can still wear an expensive, fancy gown,” she says as she picks up her coffee cup.
“But you won’t be able to show it off.”
Violet frowns. “Are you calling me a show-off?”
I pause. I’ve been with her for more than a year now and we’ve had enough arguments during that time for me to know when the fuse of her temper has been lit. I don’t want it to explode so I back off.
“Never mind.” I turn my attention to my pancakes. “These taste different from usual. Did you add something?”
“Asher Hawthorne.” Violet puts down her cup and folds her arms over her chest.
Uh-oh. She’s not cooling down.
“Are you saying I’m a show-off?” she asks again.
I look at her. “I’m simply saying you don’t shy away from attention, which isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s one of the things that makes you good at your job. You know how to get people to listen. You create waves. You leave a lasting impression.”
She certainly did on me.
“So you’re saying that’s why I would want a grand wedding?” Violet asks. “Wow. You have me all figured out.”
I’d like to think so, but sometimes, I’m not sure.
“You know what I think?” she goes on. “I think you’re just trying to compete with your brothers.”
I give her a puzzled look. “What?”
“I’ve got you all figured out, too. You pretend not to care, but you’re actually the most competitive one, aren’t you? I saw it when you were filling in for Ethan.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “I am not trying to compete with Ethan. Or Ryker.”
“And yet you always brag to your brothers about the amazing sex we have.”
I give her a puzzled look. How does she know that?
Violet nods. “Yes. I know.”
I shrug. “I’m just… proud of us, that’s all.”
“So you’re the one who wants to show off.”
“I want people to see just how lucky I am to be getting married to a woman like you.”
Her eyebrows arch. “That’s all?”
I sigh. “If I’m trying to compete with my brothers, why do I want to get married alongside them, hmm?”
“Two things.” Violet puts up her fingers. “Either you’re confident you’ll win or you’re scared to lose. Frankly, I think it’s the latter.”
Oh. Now she’s calling me a coward? That’s it. I’ve had enough of this. If Violet wants a fight, I’ll give her a fight.
“I think you’re the one who’s scared,” I tell her.
Her shoulders bunch up. “Excuse me?”
“I think you don’t want a small, intimate wedding. You want a tiny, secret wedding that you can pretend never happened because you actually don’t want to marry me. I mean, you haven’t talked about us getting married even once since you accepted my proposal.”
Violet lifts a finger. “That’s…”
“If you don’t want to marry me, just say so. Don’t lead me on like you did before.”
Her jaw drops. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
Me neither. And a part of me regrets it now, but it’s too late. She won’t forgive me now, which means I have to get out of her sight.
I get out of my seat and shake my head. “I love you, Violet. I thought you’d figured that out by now. I’m all in. But if you’re not, just… give me back the ring.”
I didn’t mean to say that either. It’s the pain talking. The fear. The pride.
For a moment, Violet just looks at me. Hope fills my chest. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe she does want to marry me. But then she stands up and removes her ring. She tosses it on the table and snorts.
“Fine. This was never going to work anyway.”
I don’t answer. I just grab the ring and leave her apartment as quickly as I can.
It’s over.
Fuck.
~
“What do you mean you’re no longer engaged?” Ryker asks me after I get him on the phone. “Stella just called to suggest a triple wedding, which is crazy, really, but Claire seems excited about it.”
My eyebrows arch. “She is?”
“Yeah.”
See. Any woman would be thrilled about the idea of a triple wedding.
“Well, Violet wasn’t. And now she doesn’t want any kind of wedding. She doesn’t want to marry me.”
“Did she say that?” Ryker asks me.
“She threw her ring at me,” I answer.
Well, not at me. At the table. But it’s practically the same thing.
“And she said she doesn’t want to marry you?”
I pause to think. “Actually, no. But…”
“What did she say exactly?”
“That this was never going to work,” I reply.
“Which just means she’s scared. She wants you to assure her that it will work.”
I’m confused. “You’re saying Violet wants to marry me?”
“Asher, if she didn’t want to marry you, she wouldn’t have accepted the ring. Also, she loves you. I’ve seen it.”
“But she threw the ring at me.”
“Probably because she was pissed at you. I mean, she’s thrown stuff at you before, right?”
Actually, yes.
Ryker draws a breath. “Do you still want to marry Violet, Asher?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“You want to marry her. She wants to marry you. So just go talk to her. If she doesn’t want the triple wedding, fine. It’s her wedding, too. She gets a say. But the two of you are getting married, so get that ring back on her finger.”
I take it out of my pocket and stare at it.
“And if she doesn’t want it back?” I ask.
“She does,” Ryker assures me. “Just ask her nicely. Don’t be a jerk.”
“I wasn’t…”
“You’ve won her back before, Asher. You can do it again.”
Well, if he puts it that way.
“I have to go. It may be evening there, but it’s morning here and I have to work. Talk to you soon.”
Ryker hangs up. I put my phone on the counter and take a gulp of my martini. Then I stare at the diamond ring in my fingers once more and sigh.
I do want to marry Violet. Even if she’s not completely sure she wants to marry me, I want to marry her. Even if it’s not in a church. Even if it’s in secret.
I want to marry her. So I have to get her back. If she’s not a hundred percent sure she wants to marry me, I’ll be a hundred and fifty percent sure. I’ll show her we can make this work so that when she puts this ring back on, she’ll never think of taking it off again, not unless it’s to wear a wedding ring.
I’m going to get my fiancée back. And I already have an idea how.
Actually, I have a few ideas.
~
I ring the doorbell of Violet’s apartment. After the second time, she opens the door.
“What do you want?” she asks as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“To give you this.”
I offer her the bouquet of red roses I’m carrying. She doesn’t look impressed.
“Go away, Asher. I have work tomorrow.”
She tries to close the door. I keep it open with my shoulder.
“Then you’ll need this.”
I present my second peace offering, this one a wrapped box. Violet’s eyebrows furrow.
“That’s not a sex toy, is it?”
“No,” I answer, though I’m glad to hear a tinge of hope in her voice that it might be.
I extend my arm. “Open it.”
For a moment, Violet just stares at the box. Then her curiosity gets the better of her and she unwraps it. She opens the box. She pulls out the item inside it and gasps as she realizes what it is.
“A desk sign?”
“Yes. And the gold letters are real gold, by the way.”
She runs her fingers over the letters. “But it says ‘VP of Finance’.”
“Exactly. The position you held while I was filling in for Ethan.”
“But he’s back. You’re the VP of Finance again.”
I touch my chin. “Actually, no. Ethan and I have been talking lately. He wants me to be Senior Vice President. I haven’t been keen on accepting it, but you know what? You’re right. I am competitive. I want to go as high up the ladder as I can go.”
Violet looks at me with wide eyes. “So you’re saying I’m the new VP of Finance?”
“Yes, since you’ve done so well in the short time you’ve been with the company. You did especially well when I wasn’t around. Also, Ethan thinks it’s good for us to have a female VP, and I think you’re the best candidate.”
She clasps her hand over her mouth as she gasps. “Are you sure?”
I nod. “Ethan is going to make it official next week. Congratulations.”
Violet falls silent, speechless. For a moment, she just stands there with her hand over her gaping mouth. Then she throws her arms around me.
“Thank you.”
I smile as I pat her back. I guess my plan to regain her good graces worked. Now, I just have to reinstate our engagement.
I pull away from her. “I have another present.”
I take the ring out of my pocket.
“Well, not really a present. More of returning something that belongs to you.”
Violet just stares at it.
“And I don’t care if you don’t want a triple wedding or a grand wedding. I just want to marry you. So marry me.” I go down on one knee. “Please?”
Violet’s lips curve into a smile. Then she grabs my arm.
“Oh, get up. You’ve already proposed once before. You don’t have to do it again.”
I refuse. “Only if you say yes.”
“Yes.” She takes the ring and puts it back on. “Now get up and kiss me.”
I’m on my feet in a flash. In the next moment, my mouth is on hers, my hand cradling her face. She steps back into her apartment and I follow.
She puts down the desk sign. I set down the bouquet I’m still holding right beside it and close the door. I kick off my shoes and cup her face with both hands as I kiss her again. She unzips my jacket and lets her hands wander over my chest and my sides.
Then she stops.
“What’s this?” she asks as she takes the box out of the inside pocket of my jacket.
I almost forgot about it.
“It’s another present for you.”
“Really?”
Violet hurries to unwrap it. Then her eyes grow wide.
“A… vibrator?”
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “This isn’t like the first one I tried to give you, which you refused. This is a wand. It’s for your ultimate pleasure.”
She gives me a puzzled look. “And you got me one because?”
“Because I want to wipe out the memory associated with the first one,” I tell her.
“Okay.”
“And because I thought this would make for great make-up sex.”
Violet blushes and bites her lower lip as she stares at the toy. Then she looks at me.
“Fine then. Let’s see what this thing can do.”
She heads to the bathroom. I follow her. She starts to take off her shirt. I try to help her but she pushes me away.
“No.” She lifts a finger. “You bought me a toy so I’ll play with it. You just sit over there and watch.”
What?
“Or not. You can leave. Stay and watch or leave. Your choice.”
I frown. Maybe getting that last present wasn’t such a good idea.
Still, it’s too late for regret now. I have to make a choice.
Well, not really. There’s no way I’m missing this show.
I sink into the chair against the wall and make myself comfortable.
Violet grins. “Good boy.”
She takes off her shirt. She’s not wearing a bra, so her breasts immediately come into view.
I stare at them as I sit back. I prop my foot up on one knee and rest my arms on those of the chair.
This is going to be a good show. I know it.
She takes off her pants. Now, she’s just in her black panties and her striped socks. She takes the socks off first, turning her back on me so I get a view of her ass as she bends over. I lick my lips.
She throws the socks over her shoulder at me then turns to face me and slowly wriggles out of her panties. She tosses those at me as well. I catch them with one hand and give them a sniff.
Mmm. I can smell her excitement already. My cock throbs.
She climbs on top of the bed and sits between the pillows. Then she grabs the vibrator. She turns it on and it buzzes. I can see the vibrations travel under her skin.
She tests it against her arm first, trying the different levels. Then she uses it on her shoulder. She moans in approval.
“It seems like you like my present,” I say.
She holds a finger to her lips. I make a gesture of zipping mine.
Violet continues. She holds the toy close to one of her breasts. Then she draws a deep breath and moves it in a circular motion around her breast, the circle getting smaller and smaller until the tip of the wand grazes her nipple. She throws her head back and gasps. I swallow.
She leans back against the pillows and does the same to her other breast. Again, she gasps when the toy brushes against her nipple. She keeps it there as she trembles and moans. I gather every ounce of self-control to remain in my seat.
Then Violet moves on. She spreads her legs. I purse my lips. She brings the toy between her legs. I can tell the exact moment when the toy finds her sweet spot because her eyes grow wide and she shudders.
She spreads her legs wider, her knees trembling and her toes digging into the sheets as she continues to pleasure herself with my present. My cock rages in its cotton prison, envious. My fingers grow restless so I bury them into the chair.
I try to hold back, but each moan that spills from Violet’s mouth goes straight to my crotch. Each buzz stirs the heat in my veins.
I can’t.
I get out of the chair, take my pants off as fast as I can, and climb onto the bed. Violet looks at me with eyes glossed over with lust but says nothing. I take the vibrator away from her, turn it off and set it aside. Before Violet can utter a word of complaint, I take my hard cock out of my boxers and enter her.
She grips my shoulders and cries out. I pound into her, my desire out of control. Watching her pleasure herself proved to be more arousing than I ever imagined.
And I know I’m not the only one who enjoyed it, because after just a few thrusts, Violet unravels. She trembles as her nails dig into my skin. Her back arches and her head falls back.
