Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 68743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Asher: So much. Even more than my fourteen-year-old sister.
Layla was actually his half sister, born to Michael and Serenity along with the seventeen-year-old triplets. Asher and his full siblings, Harrison, Zach, Nick, and Jade, were the products of Michael’s marriage to their mother, Audrey, who had died by suicide after abandoning her family when Asher was nine.
His laptop dinged with Derek’s reply, pulling him out of the unhappy past before he could dwell on it.
Asher glanced at the screen.
Derek: Sorry, man. But I can’t give you a time frame yet. Suck it up and make the best of it. She’s a sweet girl if you give her a chance.
Asher: Will do.
He tried to get back into the work he’d been doing before Nikki had interrupted him but couldn’t concentrate, which left him with nothing to do but study the smart and beautiful woman who’d finally fallen asleep. Dark lashes fringed her pale skin, and her features were striking, emerald-green eyes hidden by her eyelids, and full and plush lips.
He shifted in his seat and those eyes suddenly opened, locking on his. Catching him staring. Her lips lifted in an adorable grin. He gritted his teeth and turned his gaze out the window.
The flight attendant came to offer them food and something to drink. Nikki asked for a glass of orange juice and Asher requested coffee. To his surprise, Nikki remained silent for the rest of the flight, and though he should be grateful, a part of him wished she’d ask him her silly questions. Because he liked that she wanted to get to know him?
He shrugged off the thought and suffered with the quiet until the pilot finally announced they’d be landing.
Nikki adjusted her seat belt and stared out the window as the plane began its descent.
Once on the ground, they walked down the steps and into the heat and humidity Asher was used to when on the island. Nikki’s wide-eyed gaze took in their surroundings and came to rest on the white Range Rover Asher kept at the house for airport pickups and errands.
Corey, his housekeeper’s son and Asher’s employee, waved as they stepped onto the tarmac.
“Who is that?” Nikki asked.
“He works for me. Runs the pool and the beach, manages the groundskeepers, etc. His mother, Maggie, is the housekeeper.” She had worked for Michael and Serenity when Asher was young, helping his stepmother around the house when five kids, the triplets, and Layla became too much for one woman to handle alone. “Corey is picking us up.”
The other man was in his mid-twenties and, like Asher, had a responsible streak. He worried about his single mother. Asher had needed an estate manager at the same time Serenity no longer needed full-time help around the house. The solution seemed obvious and Asher had offered Maggie the job here, and Corey had insisted on joining his mother. It had been a no-brainer for Asher to employ him as well.
Corey strode up to them with his usual smile. The man was perpetually happy and carefree, unlike Asher, whose siblings often ribbed him that he’d been born old and had never been a kid.
“Welcome back, Mr. Dare. Any luggage?” Corey asked.
“Hi, Corey. Yes, Ms. – Nikki has a suitcase and I have my carry-on.” He patted the bag hanging from his shoulder; work, his laptop, and tablet inside. Everything else he needed, from clothes to toiletries, was at the house.
“A pleasure to meet you, Nikki,” Corey said.
“Same here.”
He grinned at her, showing off dimples Asher only now noticed because Nikki stared at the man, a sweet expression on her face.
“Corey, luggage!” Asher snapped.
The other man rushed to grab her bag from where the pilot had unloaded her luggage, while Nikki frowned up at Asher. She wasn’t happy with him, but at least she wasn’t staring at his employee any longer.
“I noticed you didn’t use my last name when introducing me to Corey,” Nikki said. “Was that on purpose?”
He nodded. “I trust my people but better safe than sorry. Nobody needs to know who you are.” Corey wouldn’t sell her out, but no reason to give anyone the information if they didn’t need it. And since Corey hadn’t looked at Nikki with any familiarity, he obviously hadn’t seen the photos.
“Good thinking,” she murmured.
Corey rolled her suitcase to them. “Ready to go?”
Asher nodded.
Corey loaded the luggage in the back, then walked around and opened both the front and back doors on the passenger side.
Asher offered Nikki the front seat but she shook her head. “I’m happy to sit in the back and take in the view,” she said, climbing into the SUV.
“Suit yourself.” Asher shut her door and took his seat in front.
Corey settled in and they were on their way. The house was only ten minutes from the small private airfield, and Asher had taken this ride endless times.