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

Chapter 226: Chapter 226: A Little Quarrel, A Little Fuss

The moment the words were out, Leah Sinclair regretted them. But she’d already said them, and there was no taking them back.

Leah looked up into Asher Keating’s eyes. ”I don’t need anyone else to tell me. You had dinner with her yesterday, didn’t you? The photo she posted on her feed—I saw your hand. And when I had lunch with her today, the restaurant she took us to is one you two go to often.”

Asher Keating took out his phone and opened Phoebe Peyton’s feed. Sure enough, one of the dinner photos from yesterday showed his hand. He frowned slightly.

Watching him, a bitter smile touched Leah’s lips. ”I know you’re old classmates and just started a partnership. I...”

Asher Keating put his phone down and turned to look at her somewhat bitter smile. He finally understood the source of the lonely air she’d had about her on the balcony earlier.

’She didn’t dare to ask me, so she’s just been stewing all day. Then she saw me helping Phoebe Peyton into a car tonight... no wonder she’s been so prickly.’

He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and pinched Leah’s cheek. ”Jealous?”

Leah answered honestly. ”Not jealous, exactly... It just feels... weird. I know you just started your partnership and you must have a lot to discuss, but lunch *and* dinner? Does it have to be so often? I haven’t even had a meal with you in two days.”

By the end, she didn’t even realize her tone was tinged with a hint of hurt.

Hearing this, the corners of Asher’s lips curved up. ”Alright then. Tomorrow, I’ll have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with you. And I’ll eat with you every day from now on. How about that? I’ll take you with me no matter who I’m eating with.”

”That’s not what I meant! I don’t want to be unreasonable, I just...”

Leah grew flustered, but one look at Asher’s expression told her he was just teasing. She was at a loss for words.

Asher knew what she was thinking. Just as Leah herself had admitted during the Tiana Vaughn incident, she was, at her core, insecure.

She’d lived that way for over twenty years; a few years as the Second Miss of the Grant family couldn’t undo that kind of ingrained mentality. With others, Leah could be assertive, even shrewish. But with Asher, she was always unconsciously careful. This had only gotten worse after what Madeline Sterling said to her.

Ultimately, the thorn from Madeline Sterling’s words had sunk deep, and even after all these years, Leah hadn’t managed to pull it out completely.

Asher, however, didn’t mind this. As long as Leah only showed her vulnerability to him, it was fine. It made him feel like she truly depended on him.

”Leah.”

He looked at her, his voice low as he spoke her name. Asher rarely used such a serious tone with her, and Leah’s heart immediately clenched with panic.

’If he’s unhappy, then I’ll just drop it. I’m not trying to control him,’ she thought, but before she could speak, Asher grabbed her chin and kissed her.

Asher’s kiss was domineering. He pried her lips apart, his tongue invading and conquering. The kiss left Leah’s mind reeling, and she nervously pushed against his chest. In response, Asher simply pinned her hands above her head, pressing their bodies closer as his kiss deepened.

After what felt like an eternity, just as Leah was about to run out of air, Asher finally, slowly, released her. But not before giving her lip a light, punishing bite.

Leah hissed softly. Asher’s voice, husky from their kiss, was a low rumble in her ear. ”If you ever let your mind run wild with nonsense like this again, believe me, I’ll tie you to my side.”

”Asher...”

Hearing her soft, pliant voice, Asher clicked his tongue. He pulled her fully into his embrace. ”We had a lot to discuss these past few days, so we just ate together when it was time. But the talks are almost finished. I won’t be in contact with her much after this.”

He lowered his head, pinching her cheek again. ”You’re my girlfriend. You don’t have to walk on eggshells around me. If you have a question, ask. If you want to throw a fit, throw a fit. It’s not like I’m going to eat you, right?”

Leah stared at him, stunned. She hadn’t realized Asher knew what was on her mind. It was true—she hadn’t dared to ask, hadn’t dared to argue, because she was afraid he’d get annoyed.

Asher looked at her expression and couldn’t resist pinching her cheek again. ”After all, your man is pretty outstanding. There’s never going to be a shortage of women around. If you keep acting like this, aren’t you going to suffocate from bottling it all up?”

His words made Leah laugh, but she knew he wasn’t wrong. In the three-plus years she was abroad, she’d heard about plenty of women who openly pursued him and families who proposed marriage alliances, to say nothing of those who secretly tried to throw women at him. And he hadn’t taken the bait once.

Her laughter, however, made Asher’s face darken. He pushed her down onto her back. ”What’s so funny? You think I’m not outstanding?”

”No! Of course you’re the most outstanding!” Leah cupped his face, her eyes fixed on the man just inches away.

She tilted her head up and kissed the corner of his mouth. ”Asher, thank you. I know you’re the one who has always put up with me and protected me, keeping my life from falling into chaos.”

The corners of Asher’s mouth lifted. ”If I’m not protecting my own girl, who should I be protecting? Some other woman?”

”You wouldn’t dare! If you dare protect another woman, I’ll...”

”You’ll what?”

”I’ll have you fixed.”

Asher’s eyes narrowed dangerously. ”Say that again. What did you say you’d do?”

Leah swallowed hard and mumbled, ”Well, if you’re going off to protect some other woman, don’t I have the right to have you fixed?”

”I think I’ll wear you out first.”

And with that, Asher gave Leah no more chances to speak, immediately embarking on his plan to wear her out. Though it was the middle of the night, his enthusiasm hadn’t waned in the slightest.

The next morning, when Leah emerged yawning, her legs feeling like jelly, Asher was already sitting at the dining table eating breakfast, looking utterly refreshed.

”Morning.”

Mr. Keating greeted her, a pleased smile on his face. It took Leah a moment to register. ”Asher, you haven’t left yet?”

Asher usually left for work earlier than she did, so it was no wonder Leah was surprised to see him still here.

”I told you I’d eat with you today.”

He placed a glass of milk in front of her. Leah had assumed he was just joking last night, but she never thought he’d actually do it. A warmth spread through her chest.

Seeing the rare sight of the two of them eating breakfast together, Mrs. Lowell was overjoyed. She secretly snapped a photo and sent it to Ruth Hughes.

When Ruth Hughes received the photo, she smiled so widely her eyes curved into crescents. In the picture, Leah was laughing and talking to Asher, who was in the middle of placing a steamed bun on her plate. The corners of his lips were turned up, his eyes filled with warmth and affection. It was a picture of perfect, tranquil bliss.

Seeing his wife suddenly light up with laughter, Theodore Keating asked curiously, ”What are you looking at that’s making you so happy?”

Ruth Hughes quickly handed him the phone. ”Look! Aren’t Asher and Leah just a perfect match? When they have children, they’ll be absolutely adorable. I’m giddy just thinking about it!”

Theodore Keating smiled as he looked at the photo. ”They are a perfect match. But isn’t it a bit early to be thinking about children? They still have a while before they even get engaged.”

”That won’t do. I need to talk to Mabel and see if we can get them married this year too.”

As she spoke, Ruth Hughes forwarded the photo to Mabel Grant, adding a message: ”Mabel, look at how wonderful these two are together! Why don’t we push things along and have them get married this year? That way, we can be grandmothers sooner! Look how perfect they are for each other. Their babies would be absolutely adorable!”