He Said I Was Clingy, So I Walked Away on the Day Our Contract Ended Chapter 04

He Said I Was Clingy, So I Walked Away on the Day Our Contract Ended Chapter 04

I’d forgotten just how insatiable his appetite was.

I sighed and rolled over to settle on top of him.

Asher’s entire body tensed, his dark eyes wide and blazing.

His warm breath fanned across my neck, and he leaned in to kiss me when passion peaked between us.

The second our lips were about to touch, his blunt earlier remark [I’m tired] echoed in my head, and all my desire vanished on the spot.

I tilted my head to dodge the kiss. He froze completely above me, time seeming to grind to a halt, and I heard him swallow thickly.

“Did you fill up on something this afternoon?” he rasped out of the blue.

Clara hadn’t been exaggerating about Jesse. The guy knew how to treat a big spender—he signed me up for their VIP program on the spot, and had desserts, milkshakes, and even a full dinner brought out for me while I browsed.

I hummed a quiet acknowledgement. Without warning, he pressed into me harder.

A soft whimper slipped past my lips. Turning my head, I saw how cold and rigid his expression was beneath the dim bedroom lighting.

“Slow down, you’re hurting me.”

I dug my fingernails into his side from the sharp discomfort. I’d barely applied any pressure at all, yet the corners of his eyes flushed pink.

I never would’ve guessed such a tough man could be so sensitive to pain.

A twinge of guilt tugged at my conscience, so I eased up my grip and let him take the lead well into the wee hours of the morning.

By the middle of the night, I was utterly drained and drifting off to sleep, until a suffocating tightness jolted me awake. Asher had wrapped his body around me, holding me pressed flush against his frame with no room to move.

I shifted uncomfortably, and he reflexively squeezed me even tighter.

Nobody likes being held so tight in their sleep that they feel totally pinned down and can barely move an inch.

Annoyed, I rolled out of bed, grabbed a pillow, and made for the guest suite.

A hand latched around my wrist mid-step. I spun around, and my heart skipped a beat out of the blue—Asher had woken up at some point.

He held my forearm loosely, his gaze unreadable, voice low and husky.

“Where are you headed?”

“I’m sleeping in the guest room tonight.”

Silence stretched for several beats, then he sat up with his back toward me.

“You never sleep well in a strange bed. I’ll be the one to crash in the guest room.”

Watching his tall retreating silhouette, I caught a faint air of loneliness clinging to his posture.

The next morning, I sensed someone standing over my bed but couldn’t be bothered to open my eyes.

After a long pause, Asher’s quiet breathy voice sounded beside my ear.

“I’m off to the office.”

Could he be any more tedious? We’d been up half the night; I was worn out, even if he wasn’t. I clamped a hand over my ear and rolled over, cutting him off before he could say anything else.

He lingered by my bedside far longer this time. Later, I overheard the household staff whispering once I woke up.

“Do you reckon Mr. Carter’s running behind schedule this morning?”

“Looks like it. He didn’t head out till almost ten.”

Their gossip held no interest for me. I had plans to meet Jesse, as another shipment of my pre-ordered bags had arrived that day.

Right before I headed out, Ellen hurried to block my path, looking hesitant to speak her mind.

“You aren’t planning to stop by his office for lunch again today, Mrs. Carter? When I brought his lunch by yesterday, he looked totally dejected. I swear he was clearly hoping it’d be you showing up instead…”

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes openly.

“Lunch is just lunch, no matter who brings it over.”

She had no comeback, and I headed out more than ready to go on a serious shopping binge.

“Ms. Moore, your phone’s been blowing up like crazy—you got some kind of emergency?” Jesse grinned widely, holding my cell phone out toward me.

I unlocked the screen, my brows furrowed so hard you could’ve fit a dime in the crease between them.

Asher had far too much free time on his hands. Now that I’d stopped putting on a loving act, he’d started chasing my attention instead.

He typed just like he carried himself: stiff, aloof, and transparently performative.

[Just got to the office.]

[You up yet?]

[In a meeting.]

[Another meeting.]

[Still another one.]

Meetings my eye. If he was truly swamped with back-to-back meetings, he’d never have spare time blowing up my phone. Clearly he wasn’t busy enough.

I ignored the messages entirely, focused on admiring the handbags laid out in front of me, until Asher’s incoming call popped up.

I hesitated briefly before answering, my attention half elsewhere.

He fell silent for a few seconds, seemingly surprised I’d picked up, before his voice came through the line.

“Have you eaten?”

“Mhm.”

More awkward silence followed. I tapped one of the handbags in front of me while Jesse smiled and began wrapping up my purchases.

“I noticed you didn’t drop lunch off today.”

I fumbled for a reply, my finger absentmindedly scratching at the leather surface of the bag.

“Go easy on that leather, won’t you?” Jesse winced quietly, interrupting my train of thought.

Awkward silence filled the space. I shot him an irritated glare.

It’s just a bag. I could afford to replace it if I scratched it.

He clamped his mouth shut awkwardly and fell quiet.

“I’m tied up with something at the moment,” I replied, checked out and ready to end this chat.

The silence on his end stretched on far longer this time. I was about to hang up, assuming we’d lost cell service, when his gravelly, strained voice rumbled through the receiver.

“Maddie… did I mess up somehow?”