I'm Afraid I Won't Be Able to Leave

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: I’ll Teach You Slowly at Home

”Of course not! Leah, this is Asher’s birthday! You can’t just phone it in like that.” Seeing that she had agreed to the punishment, Ethan started egging her on.

Madeline Sterling breathed a sigh of relief when she saw what Leah Sinclair had drawn. It just said to do one thing, but it didn’t specify what.

’From the way Leah handled drinking earlier,’ she thought, ’she wouldn’t dare do anything too outrageous in front of so many people. And I don’t want to see Asher Keating getting all touchy-feely with another woman right in front of me, either.’

She shot a look at the woman next to Ben Coleman. The woman nodded immediately, then said with a smile, ”Leah, the card says to pick a member of the opposite sex, not necessarily your own partner. Look, there are so many men here. Pick any one you want. I doubt they’d object to doing something with you.”

The comment was incredibly abrupt, and the room fell silent for a moment. Plenty of others had drawn cards that mentioned the opposite sex, but everyone had defaulted to doing it with their own date for the night.

To suddenly spring this requirement on Leah was a clear attempt to put her in a tough spot. Besides, Leah was Asher Keating’s woman. What she said was a total slap in the face to him.

Asher merely lifted his eyes and cast a lazy, cold glance at the woman. She immediately shuddered.

That one look from Asher was so chilling she felt as if she’d been plunged into an icy cavern. But she gritted her teeth. ’Madeline Sterling promised that if I successfully made Asher angry with Leah tonight, I would get five hundred thousand yuan.’

Seeing the cold expression on Asher’s face, Ben Coleman immediately slapped the woman. ”Who asked you to butt in? I said, it’s Third Master Keating’s birthday. Don’t make trouble! I’m sorry, Third Master. She’s new, she doesn’t know any better.”

Asher lit a cigarette and leaned back lazily against the sofa. ”If she doesn’t know any better, then why haven’t you told her to get lost? Are you waiting for me to do it myself?”

The woman immediately scrambled to her feet. ”I’m sorry, Third Young Master Keating. I’m so sorry.”

She grabbed her things and hurried out. Ben Coleman’s slap hadn’t been light, but she figured Asher was already angry, which meant the five hundred thousand was as good as hers. ’What’s one little slap?’ she thought.

Once outside, she delightedly sent a message to Madeline Sterling: ”Miss Sterling, don’t forget our agreement.”

Madeline saw the message and the corners of her lips curved up. ”Don’t worry. You’ll get what’s yours when this is over.”

Ethan Shaw started to smooth things over. ”Alright, alright, let’s keep going. Forget about all that. Leah, you still haven’t said what you want to do. Just do it to Asher. Let’s see who dares to have a problem with that!”

”I hadn’t decided before, but I have now. And what’s all this about a ’partner’? Am I not Asher’s little Canary?”

Leah shot a cool glance at Madeline. She had seen Madeline signal the woman earlier. She wasn’t stupid enough to let them succeed. They didn’t want her to pick Asher, so she was going to do just that.

With that, she strode right over and straddled Asher’s lap. He steadied her by the waist, the corner of his mouth curving as he raised an eyebrow at her. He was a little curious what this girl was up to. ’Judging by her posture, is she planning on another French kiss like last time? If she isn’t embarrassed, I certainly don’t mind.’

Ethan and Riley Sterling started whooping and hollering. Just when everyone thought Leah was going to kiss Asher, she went straight for his neck.

Asher froze for a second, then let out a low chuckle. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, ”You’re supposed to suck, not just gnaw on it.”

Leah almost couldn’t go through with it. Asher felt her skin flush hot against his, but she obediently switched from nibbling to sucking. The sensation of her lips on his neck was a soft tickle, and suddenly, Asher wanted to go home.

Madeline felt like she was about to grind her teeth to dust just to stop herself from rushing over and tearing Leah off of Asher. She never imagined Leah would dare to give Asher a hickey in front of so many people!

Morgan Sterling, however, watched them with a smile, though there was no trace of mirth in his eyes. As he looked at Leah sitting on Asher’s lap, he found himself wanting this woman more and more.

After finishing the hickey, Leah lifted her beet-red face. Asher looked at her with a grin. ”Aren’t you going to inspect your work?”

Leah actually leaned in to take a serious look. It was a very small mark, not obvious at all. She didn’t know how, so this was the best she could do. ”This... this is it.”

She quickly scrambled off Asher’s lap and took a sip of wine to cool her flushed face. Ethan and the others were howling with laughter.

Asher ruffled Leah’s hair. ”Alright, you all have fun. We’re heading out.”

”Whoa, Asher, seriously?” Riley shouted. ”It’s so early. Don’t tell me you’re all worked up already?”

”I am. What about it?” Asher stood up with a smile and went to grab his and Leah’s things.

Leah quickly stood and walked over. Amidst the chorus of jeers, she took her coat, covered her face with it, and bolted. Asher, a smile on his face, turned back and pointed a finger at his friends. ”We’re leaving. You guys have fun.”

Leah hadn’t run far. She was just outside the private room, her face still hidden. Asher, having put on his own coat, laughingly pulled hers down and helped her put it on properly. ”Let’s go home. I’ll teach you how to do it right.”

Once Leah’s coat was on, Asher took her hand and led her away. While they were waiting for the elevator, Madeline caught up to them and handed him a beautifully wrapped box. ”Asher, this is your gift.”

Asher replied coolly, ”No need for gifts. It’s just a small birthday.”

”A small birthday is still a birthday! Just take it, Asher. Happy birthday!” Madeline shoved it into his hands, never once looking at Leah, as if she didn’t exist.

Asher didn’t even glance at the box in his hand. After getting into the car, he tossed it aside, pulled Leah over, and kissed her until he was satisfied before calling for a designated driver.

While they waited, he smoked by the open window, then turned to ask Leah, ”Are you angry I didn’t tell you it was my birthday?”

Leah quickly said, ”No, I just didn’t realize it myself.”

”You little rascal. You use the door code every day and it never occurred to you?”

Asher pinched her cheek. That afternoon, when Leah had mentioned having dinner with Zion Sawyer and the others, Asher knew she had no idea it was his birthday.

”Who would’ve thought you’d use your birthday so directly as the code?”

Leah linked her arm with his and said, ”Asher, happy birthday.”

”That’s it?” Asher raised an eyebrow.

”I wasn’t prepared. Let me think, I’ll make it up to you.”

Leah felt a pang of guilt. She didn’t have the money for an expensive present. Although she didn’t know what was in the gift Madeline had given him, the logo looked like another one of those brands whose prices she was too scared to even search for.

Asher arched an eyebrow at her. ”Didn’t you just promise to unlock a new position for me tonight as my gift?”

Leah blushed. ”Is... is that really okay?”

Asher pinched her chin and grinned. ”Mhm. I don’t need things. This is the only thing I’m lacking.”

The designated driver arrived, and Leah was too embarrassed to say anything else. After they got home, Leah assumed Asher would initiate things like he usually did, but instead, he sat down on the sofa and asked her, ”Alright, talk. What was that about being a ’Canary’?”