Chapter 9: Asher's baggage

Chapter 9: Asher's baggage.

Asher watched the woman in front of him and he watched his wristwatch. 

Great! It's been two minutes and her mouth was still open and his eardrum was about to be damaged.

He grabbed her shoulders and he rubbed his hand in a parallel motion on them.

"Stop. Screaming!" He begged her but Pepper just kept on screaming.

Taking a deep breath, Asher pressed his mouth into hers to shut her up. It was night and people might call the cops if she kept yelling like she just saw a cockroach in her oatmeal.

Pepper 's eyes were wide open as the shock of being kissed without permission went through her. She simply stomped Asher's foot as hard as he could and he stopped kissing her.

"Ouch! That really hurts" Asher complained while he hopped on one foot.

"You don't kiss me without prior permission, pervert or touch me or breathe. In fact right this moment, you should minimize how much air you take in, in my expensive apartment, capeesh?" Pepper waved her hand as she talked.

"God! You must have been a general in the army in your past life. That or you were Cinderella's stepmom" Asher finally stopped hopping.

Pepper let out a breath. She had to resolve this situation she got herself into. She closed her eyes and inhaled. She held it in for five seconds before she exhaled. She was considerably calmer.

"What are you doing here?" Pepper asked him.

"Yeah! I think we got married...for real" Asher whispered to her like it was a secret he was trying to keep from getting out.

"I know, I was there" Pepper yelled like she was disgusted.

Asher waited about two seconds for her to feel whatever she was feeling before he made his proposition.

"I want an annulment, darling wife. Staying married to you will reduce my lifespan considerably" Asher had a straight face and he nodded like it made perfect sense.

Pepper clasped her hand together as she thought of a solution to their dilemma.

"Annulment...no, I can't give you that until Angel Michael let's my Gramps into heaven. Apparently, he is unfulfilled and…" pepper was interrupted by Asher.

"Wait! Gramps is still alive?" Asher asked her.

"Of course" Pepper rolled her eyes.

Asher decided to be serious "I am leaving town, so tomorrow morning we will go down to the courthouse and get annulled. Problem solved" 

Asher turned to leave but Pepper stopped him.

"I have a better deal...stay married to me for a month, maybe two months and you get to live with me in this very expensive apartment with me" Pepper saw the way Asher looked at her like he was undressing her and she quickly added "Strictly as roommate. There will be no intimacy whatsoever. We will be the perfect strangers cohabiting. I get to watch my Gramps die in peace and you get a place to stay plus cash. And you really need a place to stay, you look... homeless"

Asher blinked "I don't look homeless"

Pepper pointed him towards the glass door. Asher looked at the mirror door. As he watched himself, Pepper took her time to watch him too.

He gave off a playboy vibe to Pepper. He must be adored by the ladies for his Teutonic-gold hair in a past life. He wasn't a male model but he could have been. The lush, mother lode-gold hair he groomed so poorly was a causal jumble.

 He carried his nose well and was perfect with his angular cheekbones.

  He had a manly physique and he would be handsome in an understated way if he made an effort with his looks

 his basalt jaw and Spartan shoulders spoke of strength. The way he talked gives off a false reality, like he was comfortable with giving orders and having them obeyed without question. His pants were bogus and had some dirt on them and his shirt looked like he pulled it out of a trash can.

"Maybe you are right about my appearance but I am not homeless" Asher reassured her.

Pepper didn't believe him. "You would be helping me out, Asher and you will be comfortable here as my roommate"

"You mean husband" Asher reminded her.No....roommate. This is a fake marriage" Pepper told him.

"Our marriage is legal. I should have access to my wife's body, Pepper"

"How attached are you to your third leg, Asher? Because I have a chainsaw" Pepper threatened him.

"Roommate it is!" Asher declared right away.

"Wait here, I will get the contract!" Pepper rushed back inside and asked Keller for the contract.

"Come on, hand it over!" Pepper demanded.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Keller asked her.

"How am I supposed to know? You are not my problem anymore. Bye, Keller!"

Pepper took the contract and went back to the door. She gave it to Asher.

"I will be right back. I need to go through this" Asher took the document and walked away.

As soon as he opened his rental car and entered. His daughter had a million questions.

"What did she say?" Starr asked him.

"She gave me the same contract she gave to your uncle Keller. Should I sign it?" Asher asked his daughter.

"Yes, please" Starr told him and he signed it.

Asher saw the happiness on her face and the way she wrapped her hands around his neck as they hugged. "You know that Keller won't be happy about this stunt you pulled, Stardust. I should reprimand you but I am in your awe. Getting me married without my permission or knowledge is a boss move. As a  boss myself, I am proud of you but as your father, you are grounded for three days... No phones and television or ice cream" Asher pulled away from her.

"Hand your phone over to me, young lady" Asher opened his palm and Starr placed the phone in the palm.

"It's still worth it, Dad. I have a new mother  and uncle Keller can take our crappy motel" Starr said and shrugged. "Can you introduce me to mom, now?"

"Are you sure you want to call her that?" Asher asked her "She might not want that"

Starr smiled and came down from the car "Who can resist this cuteness?"

"Pepper can" Asher murmured to himself.

Pepper waited for Asher to come back patiently but she paced nevertheless. Keller had left now.

Asher knocked softly on the door and Pepper opened the door.

"I accept your contract, Pepper" 

It was good news until Starr came out from behind him.

"What is that?" Pepper had a weird look on her face.

"You mean who...right?" Asher corrected her.

"Who is she?" Pepper asked again.

"She is your new daughter. Her name is Starr" Asher told her at last.

"Hi, mommy!" Starr came forward with a smile.

Asher saw the way Pepper's mouth opened. God! Not again, placing his hands on both his daughter's ears to protect her eardrum, he started humming while pepper screamed on top of her lungs... again.