Chapter 64

Thalia's face flushed crimson. She turned away, attempting to salvage her dignity. "What on earth are you talking about? I would never say something like that..."

The corner of Asher's mouth curved upward. "No?"

"Of course not!" Thalia's voice trailed off, her confidence fading. "I mean… I couldn't possibly have… not in front of everyone…"

Fragments of memory resurfaced. Last night, she had… possibly… perhaps… Oh god, she really had said those things, hadn't she?

"I was talking absolute rubbish!"

Soft morning light illuminated her flushed face. Thalia bit her lip, mortified. "You know I was completely sloshed. I was just babbling nonsense. You wouldn't hold a drunk person's ramblings against them, would you?"

She added in a small voice, unconvinced, "When someone's intoxicated, they can't fully control their actions. In legal terms, that's…well, it's not exactly 'diminished capacity'..."

Asher's shoulders shook with quiet laughter. "Are you giving me a legal lecture now, counselor?"

Thalia, realizing her flimsy argument, let out an indignant "hmph" and tried to wriggle free from his embrace. His arms remained firmly around her waist. "Trying to escape? Have you forgotten how thoroughly you teased me last night? You can't simply wind me up and then disappear."

The scent of her shower gel lingered on his skin.

Asher leaned in and kissed her, his fingers threading through her hair. They kissed with urgent passion—a powerful, irresistible storm.

"Lia," he murmured against her lips, "may I?"

The morning light brightened, the air charged with anticipation. Thalia knew what would happen next. Though nervous, unmistakable anticipation shone in her eyes. She loved Asher and longed for this intimacy.

Outside, birds sang. Everything felt perfect. A gloriously romantic morning.

Then, a mobile phone rang—a jarring sound in their quiet sanctuary. Asher's eyes darkened. He seemed inclined to ignore it, but Thalia, startled back to reality, broke free, blushing furiously.

"Your… your phone," she stammered.

Asher's gaze was intense, his voice low and husky. "Why are you running, darling? I promise I won't ravish you completely."

"You should… probably answer that first…"

Asher reached for his phone, his gaze returning to its usual composure. The caller ID showed Grace Bennett. Why wasn't she sleeping in? Why this precise moment? He found his sister irritating, and his tone was sharp as he answered, "What is it?"

Grace spoke excitedly: "Brother, the meteorological service just announced a meteor shower tomorrow night! Fancy watching it together? The best viewing spot is South Downs National Park. Let's go hiking tomorrow!"

Holding the phone, Asher's gaze drifted to Thalia, his expression softening. A meteor shower? His Thalia would adore it. She'd been working hard; tomorrow, the weekend, was the perfect opportunity for a relaxing outing.

"Alright," he replied.

The intimate atmosphere evaporated. Thalia's racing heart calmed, the flush receding. She cleared her throat, feigning composure. "I'm rather peckish. Shall we order some breakfast?"

Asher's eyes held a mischievous glint. "I thought you were going to verify whether I have any… performance issues in the bedroom department?"

Thalia shook her head vigorously. "I was wrong, completely wrong! I was just talking absolute rubbish, Asher. You definitely don't have any… issues!"

Asher's voice was husky and enticing. "How can you be so certain without proper empirical evidence?"

Thalia bit her lip, staring at her toes, the picture of contrition. "I just know I was being silly…"

Asher laughed. His Thalia was delightfully modest. He wouldn't torment her further. He ordered breakfast.

Afterward, he mentioned the South Downs trip. Thalia's eyes lit up. "I've never seen a meteor shower before! Yes! Absolutely, we must go. I'll invite Charlotte and Victoria too."

Asher smiled and agreed, though he'd been hoping for alone time. But his Thalia enjoyed company, and she'd immediately thought of her friends.

Remembering Grace and Thalia's previous unpleasantness at the riding grounds, Asher felt he should tell Thalia Grace would be joining them. Grace was his sister, soon to be Thalia's sister-in-law. They couldn't avoid each other indefinitely.

"Lia, my sister will be joining us tomorrow. Would that be alright with you?"

Thalia paused. "You mean Grace?"

Asher nodded. "Yes."

Recalling the incident, Thalia lowered her gaze, her excitement fading. "Oh, that's fine. I don't mind."

Asher stroked her hair. "Good." He knew his Thalia wasn't petty.

They spent the morning lounging, Thalia researching their trip, Asher being a delightful nuisance—stealing kisses, pulling her close, whispering warmly in her ear.

Thalia turned, pretending to be cross. "Asher Blackwood, will you behave yourself for five minutes?"

Asher kissed her collarbone, lingering there deliberately.

"Stop it," Thalia protested weakly, pushing him away. "I'm trying to plan our outing. If we miss the meteor shower because of your distractions, I'm not speaking to you for a week."

Asher laughed softly. "My, that's rather severe, isn't it?"

"Meteor showers don't exactly happen every Tuesday. I absolutely want to see this one."

Asher removed her hand and kissed her neck, his breath sending shivers down her spine. Thalia shrank back, laughing as she pushed at his face. He caught her hand and kissed her palm. "Let my assistant handle the tedious planning. It's the weekend—spend some time with me instead."

His tone was unlike his usual aristocratic detachment—soft, almost plaintive, deliberately endearing.

Thalia looked at him with wide-eyed amazement. "Were you just flirting with me?"

Asher didn't answer, capturing her lips once more. His kisses traveled down her neck, sending delicious tingles throughout her body.