Page 146 of Twisted Truth

When Asher sits, I hold onto his shoulder to keep him from sliding across the booth seat, and instead of sitting beside him, I sit on his lap. His eyes light up, and he gives me an amused grin.

The waitress shows up, and I shoot my drink order over my shoulder, hardly paying her any mind. I’m not trying to be rude, I am just suddenly, completely consumed with Asher.

“What is this, Ms. Hale?” he whispers in a gruff voice in my ear as the waitress leaves.

I reach my hand along the back of his neck and lean in close to whisper back in his ear. “I was just thinking about the last time we went clubbing and how much I liked holding your hand. How much I liked your eyes on me that night.”

His hand slides up my spine. “I liked it too. I wanted to fuck you the whole night. Watching you on the dance floor was torture.”

“Hmm. Tonight, it doesn’t have to be.” I play with the short hairs on the back of his head. “Tonight, you can dance with me,touch me, however you want. No Emily, no coworkers, no messy boss and employee rules.”

“Fuck yes,” he growls.

He nips at my earlobe, and it sends shivers down my spine, then he runs his palm over my ass, gripping it. His other hand brushes over my knee, teasing the hem of my dress, which is a respectable knee-length since we were just at a family dinner with his aunt. But his hand doesn’t stop at the respectable knee-length hemline. It continues beneath my dress and his fingers trace teasing circles against my skin as his hand snakes its way up my thigh.

“I don’t think we finished what we started this morning in the shower,” I whisper.

“Do you two want to leave?” Sterling calls from across the table, over the loud music. “You don’t seem in the mood for the dance floor.”

Asher smirks and flips him off just as the waitress reappears with our drinks. I take a long sip of mine. Oof, it’s strong. But I don’t have to worry about that tonight. I’m not here for work, and I don’t have to worry about stray men feeling me up or trying to take advantage. There is only one man whose hands will be on me, and at this point, he can take all the fucking advantage he wants.

Asher knocks back his whiskey, and I finish my cocktail. The flood of alcohol warms me, giving me a perfect, giddy buzz.

“Let’s dance,” I say, climbing off Asher’s lap and pulling him up after me.

“Dance with me,” Sterling says to Maya, but it sounds more like an order than a request. She looks unsure. And I can’t wholly blame her. Sterling is an imposing figure. He’s a strange combination of quiet and playful, but I’m beginning to see that he’s only playful around his family. Otherwise, he’s like a looming storm cloud—beautiful in his darkness, dominates anything in his way, and may strike at any moment.

I pull Asher to me and move to their side of the table.

“Don’t worry, Maya. You’re in good hands with Sterling. I don’t know if he’s a good dancer, but he’ll at least keep the assholes at bay. Let’s go have fun!”

“For the record, I’m an excellent dancer!” Sterling calls over the music in his deadpan, flat voice. He holds out his hand for Maya. She takes it, but I can tell she’s feeling shy.

“Take another drink!” I yell to her.

She tips back her cocktail and drains it.

“Let’s go!”

Asher leads me to the dance floor, then pulls me into him, my back to his front, and we start dancing. His hands are on mywaist, my hips, and I wrap one arm around his neck. The bass bleeds through us, and we are soon lost to it, and become nothing more than two people fused together, moving as one.

I glance up and smile at Maya, who’s similarly wrapped in Sterling’s arms. I notice that like Asher, his hands don’t just rest on her hips, they’re planted there, possessive and communicating to the men eyeing Maya that they better stay the fuck away.What is it with Langford men?Do they take classes on how to be dominating assholes? Or does it just come naturally to them?

I let the music carry me away, and soon I forget about Maya and Sterling. I forget about everything that isn’t Asher. The paparazzi doesn’t know I’m here in London yet, and by some stroke of luck, they haven’t been following Asher and Sterling tonight, so I plan to use that to our advantage. Tonight is a night for fun and for dancing. Tonight is a night to let go and get lost in him.

“Ella Bella can’t holdher liquor for shit,” Maya says in a sing-song voice.

“You’re drunk too,” I say. “Don’t lie, Maya Magpie!” I think my voice is slow and slurry. But everything is moving so fast around me that it’s hard to tell.

“I’ve got you,” Asher says, wrapping his whole arm around my waist. I lean into him. My feet feel heavy, and my legs are wobbly.

The car pulls up, and Asher helps me inside. Maya follows. Then Asher and Sterling climb in behind us. Asher reaches over me, grabs my seatbelt, and draws it across my chest, buckling it into place.

“You’re very strict with seat belts,” I say, inhaling the delicious scent of his cologne at his nearness. I’ve been pressed intohim all night and yet I still can’t get enough. Even mixed with a little sweat from dancing, Asher smells intoxicating.

“We have to make sure you’re safe in your travels, Ella Bella,” he says, smirking.

“Heeeeyyyy, you can’t call me that.”