His Absolute Arrangement: A Scandalous Billionaire Love Story (Jessika, #1) Read Free

Mrs. Landseer.  I... I didn't mean to interrupt you."
    I smiled and shook my head.  "No, it's fine.  We shouldn't have been so loud.  I apologize."
    The woman attempted to stammer out a response, but nothing she said made much sense at the moment.  Instead of trying more, she waved her hand around and pointed and then she left.
    "I should have closed the door," Asher said.
    'I think if you had closed the door, I'd be tossed across the desk with my skirt hiked up, pantyhose pulled down, and spanked right about now, so maybe it's best that you didn't."  I grinned.
    "Tonight, though, right?" he asked.  His eyes glimmered with the most charming hope and excitement I'd ever seen.  I loved seeing Asher get so excited.  It was infectious.
    "Hm..." I said, pretending to think about it.  "I don't know, Asher.  It might be better if we waited until tomorrow, don't you think?"
    "Jessika, I can't," he said.  "I mean, I don't think I can.  There's the party to think of, too, and who knows when everyone will leave?  It's our party, so it's not like we can just disappear, do our thing, and come back.  I want to spend a little more time on it than that, anyways."
    "Our party, yes," I said, nodding confirmation.
    "I know it's technically in celebration of one of our foreign business agreements closing last week, but I've invited a few extra people."
    "Huh?"
    "I know our wedding wasn't the most engaging.  It was quiet and nice, but I know that's not what you wanted.  Even before I read what you wrote just now, I could have guessed.  Not a lot of people actually want a quiet wedding.  I understand that.  So, I thought that maybe tonight could be a wedding party of sorts?  I invited your mother and some of your friends.  My mother and stepfather will be there, too.  I know it's not the same, but I thought we could have a little gathering beforehand and—"  He stopped.  I must have been looking at him strangely and I belatedly realized my mouth had been open for awhile.  I probably looked like that girl who had stopped to stare at us only a moment ago, though for an entirely different reason.
    "You planned out a wedding party?" I asked.  "We're celebrating something entirely different, but you planned it so that we could have a huge wedding party at the same time?"
    "Um, kind of?" he said.  "I doubt it'll be as wedding-centric as an actual wedding party.  I did hire a catering service to bake a giant cake, but I'm not sure about the usual wedding party games and other events.  If you want, we could do a first dance with you and your father?  I asked if everyone would be willing to come early so we could do a quick vow renewal ceremony, too.  It won't be legitimate and real, just us and our friends and family, but your father wanted to walk you down the aisle."
    "Asher..."  I nearly choked up, crying.  Who was this man and how did I ever come to know him?  How could I ever deserve him?
    "You don't like it?" he asked; his eyes flashed with panic and pain.  "I should have told you earlier.  I wanted it to be somewhat of a surprise.  I thought we could plan out a real wedding party and arrangement later, but everything happened and this came together, so I thought... I'm stupid, aren't I?  To combine a wedding party with a corporate celebration?  I'm an idiot.  Jessika, I'm sorry.  I really am.  I wasn't thinking."
    "What?"  I laughed.  Asher rarely acted this way.  He always seemed so confident and secure in himself.  "Asher, no.  No, I love it.  I do.  I'm so happy.  I can't believe you planned all of this.  Is it real?  Are you being serious?"
    He let out a noticeable sigh of relief.  "No.  Well, yes.  Yes, it's serious.  It's real, but I do want to plan something with you, too.  You've just been so distracted sometimes lately, and I was actually going to keep it a surprise until tonight, but then I saw your story, and I knew I needed to tell you now.  I thought I screwed up for a second