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

there."
    I bent forward and put my hands on his cheeks, pulling him to me.  Pressing my lips to his, I kissed him.  We lingered like that, affectionate and loving.  I cared for this man so much.  I loved him with everything I was.  And he loved me, too, didn't he?  I never needed to worry.  I never needed to doubt him or myself or anything involving the both of us.
    I never needed to...
    Someone standing in the doorway to my office cleared their throat.  "Excuse me," he said.  "Am I interrupting?"
    I snapped my attention towards the man, planning to become as serious and austere as Asher and force him to wander off while mumbling incoherently.
    Except, no, that would never happen.  Lucent stood in my office doorway, smiling amiably, holding a folder full of documents.
    "Oh," I said.  "Lucent.  Hello."
    "Good afternoon, Mrs. Landseer.  I apologize for interrupting you and Mr. Landseer."
    "You can call me Jessika," I said.  "And you've known Asher longer than me.  I think you can call him Asher, too."
    Lucent shrugged his shoulders lightly.  "I appreciate your consideration," he said.
    By that, I knew he meant that he wouldn't be doing either of those things any time soon.  I'd tried to get him to refer to us on a first name basis for awhile now, but he only seemed able to do it with one person, and even then, not always.  The thought made me smile, though.
    "Where's Elise?" I asked.
    Lucent smiled softly, losing his strict sense of self for a moment.  "Miss Tanner is currently writing her next story for publication with Landseer Publishing.  I believe she'll want to show that to you shortly.  This one is a good one, she's assured me."
    "I'm sure it is," I said, trying not to laugh.  Elise was... Elise.  Miss Tanner , as Lucent called her, and entirely unlike Lucent in some of the most extreme ways possible.  They went together so wonderful because of it, though.
    "Did you invite Lucent and Elise?" I asked Asher.
    "Invite them to...?"
    "The party?"
    "If you're speaking of the celebration of Landseer Enterprises arranging a foreign rights agreement for tourism and traveling in Greece, yes," Lucent said.  "I'll make sure Miss Tanner attends, and of course I'll be there."
    "She doesn't want to go, huh?"
    Lucent merely smiled and said nothing.
    "It's not that, though," I said.  "Asher planned something else beforehand, and I'd like for you both to come if he hasn't invited you already."
    "Oh?" Lucent asked, lifting one brow.
    Asher explained it; he told Lucent about the wedding party plans, and the cake, and everything else.  Thankfully he left out my writing about our quaint wedding, because I didn't know if I wanted to tell everyone about that.  I'd started writing it in hopes of figuring out some sort of story to publish soon, but in hindsight maybe that wasn't the best topic for a book.
    "We'd be honored to attend," Lucent said.
    "Oh, good," I said.  "Good.  I'm really glad.  I'll send her an email letting her know, too.  It doesn't have to be too dressy, alright?  Just come in whatever you want.  Be comfortable.  Casual?  At least a little formal, but nothing excessive, you know?"
    "Yes, of course," Lucent said.  "And, if you don't mind my intrusion, may I speak with Mr. Landseer about the weekly reports?  It's of a semi-urgent nature."
    I shrugged and nodded.  "Sure?"
    Asher rose from his chair, but not before giving me another quick kiss.  "Remember, though," he said to me.  "We need to meet to discuss some things a few hours before the party.  It's important.  I told you before that it couldn't wait, and I meant it."
    "Oh?" I asked, feigning demurity.  "What do we need to discuss?"
    "Important things," Asher said with a silly glare.  "Very important ones, Jessika.  It can't wait.  Meet me in our bedroom two hours before the party is set to start.  I expect you to be there promptly, and in appropriate attire."
    "Yes, sir," I said, nodding twice.  "I understand, Mr.