“Can we go sit on the couch?” Olivia asks and leans her head back to peer at Asher. “We’re not even dancing anyway.”“Let’s do that” Asher retracts his arms at the same time Olivia does and grabs both of their glasses with a hand.There’s something about the way Asher takes Olivia’s left wrist in his fingers to lead them to the living room that pleasantly has Olivia let herself be guided, this curious will to comply unraveling in her and she says “Ash?”“Yeah?”“Is there something you want me to do tonight?” Olivia asks as she sits down in the corner of the available couch facing the large TV.“Huh? How so?” Asher wonders and settles next to Olivia.“Just…” Olivia trails back to her and Asher’s earlier conversation tonight. “Just something or several things you want me to do,” Olivia says, hushing her voice to make sure only Asher can hear her as she twists her torso to face him.“Can you…” Asher’s eyes narrow in confusion. “Stay close to me?”“That’s not— Don’t ask.” Olivia sighs. Sh

After asserting Asher’s consent, Olivia breathes out a ‘Thank you’ that she never finishes to say because she relents into her want and her teeth gnaw on the dip of Asher’s neck, Olivia strangely enjoying the feeling of nibbling on the skin.Olivia emits a low hum when Asher’s hand trails along her spine to halt at the nape, the hold secure and comforting as Olivia opens her mouth a little more to properly bite onto the flesh. She releases her grip a moment to admire her work and notices then the trace of spit glistening on Asher’s skin.Olivia fruitlessly tries to dry the wet spot with a flick of her tongue and Asher’s fingers tighten on her nape before they crawl upward to rake their nails on Olivia’s scalp. Asher does not seem to mind so Olivia does it again, her tongue and its piercing licking a brief stripe on the joint of Asher’s throat and shoulder where she bit a mark.“Taste good,” Olivia says, which is borderline psychotic considering the fact that she just complimented a m

“Are you asking me?” Asher wonders with a squeeze on Olivia’s thigh.“Yeah, I am,” Olivia clarifies and she doesn’t have to wait for long for the boss’ response.“Honest or selfless reply?”“Honest.”Asher’s hand skids higher on Olivia’s thigh and two of his fingers dig into a bite, massaging at the sensitive skin. “It depends on what kind of outing it is.”“What kind of outing is it?” Olivia asks Mark who lost some of his composure in favor of a worried bewilderment.“Huh, I mean, a date?” Mark tentatively says.“A friendly one or something more?” Olivia asks.Mark peers at Asher before settling on Olivia. “Something more?”Olivia meets Asher’s eyes. “What do you think?”Asher’s response is immediate and concise, leaving no room for argument. “No.”The rush of satisfaction that unfurls within Olivia’s chest is untamed, coiling around the beast that lounges in the endless touches Asher and Olivia award each other with; in the way the mob boss’ refusal is adamant, its lack of shyness o

“Do you like my scent that much?”The answer is an enthusiastic nod followed by Olivia slumping on her side on top of the stack of laundry as Asher lets go of her.“You can have some of them if you want. We can decide which one tomorrow,” Asher proposes and Olivia emits a brief hum of approval. “Do you want to lay down? I have everything I need so we can head to bed.”It takes a few minutes for Olivia to give a physical cue of agreement, the latter seemingly submerged in sudden sleepiness.Asher stands and before he can help Olivia on her feet the latter straightens up and busies herself with the pile of dirty clothes.Asher surveys Olivia as the hybrid meticulously selects which top to take with her, the dress one never straying away from underneath her nose as she scours the heap, forming a smaller one next to it.“I’ll be right back,” Asher says and marches toward his desk when his phone rings with a notification.A lull elapses where he replies to texts from the other clan’s boss

“You’ve been working the whole time?” Olivia inquires and she notices then, on the second nightstand, the full glass of water that she doesn’t recall being there before.Olivia sneaks a look on the other bedside table next to Asher and she sees an empty glass along with a bottle of water on it.“Yeah, just clearing some issues and checking a couple of things for the tournament,” Asher explains as he munches on the end of his Apple Pencil.Olivia smiles at the mob boss’ preventive care, shoving down the urge to kiss Asher by taking a sip of the water.“How’s your throat?”The water goes down the wrong pipe when Olivia sharply inhales at the inquiry and she bursts into a wet cough. A hand pats her back and Olivia slaps away. “What kind of question is that?” Olivia croaks out.Asher quirks a brow. “What about it?”“That’s such a weird thing to ask.”“I’m talking about your purr, not something unholy, as you’d say,” Asher sighs with a shake of his head.“My throat is fine,” Olivia says. “