His Absolute Insistence: A Scandalous Billionaire Love Story (Jessika, #2) by Cerys du Lys Page A

macaroni and cheese for dinner."
    "Why not?" he asked.  He said it so seriously that I started to doubt my understanding of the world.
    "Well... it's strange.  I don't want fancy macaroni and cheese.  Sometimes I just want it from a box.  With sliced up hot dogs and a glass of chocolate milk to go with it."
    Asher smiled and kissed my cheek.  "Sounds great.  When are we having that?  Should I help or do you want to do it on your own?"
    "You're being too nice," I said.  "I bet you don't even like hot dogs or macaroni and cheese."
    "What are you talking about?  Those are my favorites.  I love them."
    "Are you lying to me?"
    He kissed my cheek again, lingering slightly.  I tilted my head to the side so that my lips touched against his.
    "Maybe it's not my favorite, but I do like it," he said.  "I'm easy to please.  If you sit me down and put a plate in front of me, I'll eat whatever's on it."
    "Alright," I said.  Smiling, feeling shy all of a sudden because I somehow felt like I'd learned something new and special about my husband, I kissed him.
    He kissed me back, soft and nice.  We lay like that, together, lips touching and kissing.  This wasn't frantic or even overly sexual.  It was just us, simple intimacy, a friendship of sorts, but more than that, too.  I was Asher's wife and he was my husband.  I loved him.  I wanted sex and closeness and I wanted to explore his body and let him explore mine.  I wanted all of that, but I wanted him to be my friend, too.  I needed it so desperately that it hurt.
    I didn't feel cold anymore.  I felt nice.  Warm and soft and cozy, wrapped up in Asher's arms while we lay cuddled on my bed, kissing.  I hadn't used this bed in forever, and maybe it wasn't a very good bed.  It creaked every time either of us moved more than a tiny bit, the noise rocking through the room, sounding louder than it was.
    Asher kissed me once more and I kissed him back.  Then I said, "You can make the chocolate milk."
    "Hm?"  His lips brushed against mine and he touched the tip of his nose to my nose, too.
    "I'll make the macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and you can make the chocolate milk," I said.
    He smirked.  "I get the important task, I see."
    "Chocolate milk is serious business, Asher.  If you mess it up, I won't forgive you."
    "Of course not," he said with false formality.  "I wouldn't dare."
    "Good," I said.
    "Can I tell you something?" he asked.
    "Yes, what?"
    "I'm starving."
    I smiled, sheepish, and looked away from him.  "Can I tell you something, too?"
    "What?" he asked.
    "I'm starving, too.  Do you want to go eat?  I made a lot of food.  I think the pasta is done.  It might be overdone now.  There's more, though.  I can make more if it's not good."
    "I love mushy pasta," Asher said.  "Maybe we should go check on it, though.  I love pasta when it's not mushy, too."
    "Alright," I said.  "Thank you for being here.  I feel a lot better now.  Thank you for not being angry about this place, too.  I'm sorry I kept it a secret from you."
    Asher smiled and sat up, then he helped me up, too.  "It's not a bad secret, Jessika.  There's a difference there.  Secrets can be good and bad.  This is more of a good one, almost like a surprise, right?"
    "Maybe," I said, skeptical.  "Asher, I... I just don't know if I would have told you about this if everything hadn't happened like it did.  I didn't keep my apartment for any particular reason, though, I promise.  I didn't plan on leaving you."
    "I know," he said.  "I trust you.  I don't expect you to tell me everything all the time, Jessika.  You told me when you knew it was important.  I think that's what's most important here, too."
    "Do you keep secrets from me?" I asked.
    "I'm sure I have a few secrets.  I haven't kept them from you specifically, but I'm sure there's things about me that you don't know."
    "I don't like that," I said, pretending to pout.  "I want to know everything."
    "Everything?" he asked,