Craving Kismet

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eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 512 Forest Lake Drive Warner Robins, Georgia 31093 Craving Kismet Copyright © 2007 by Jamie Craig Cover by Anne Cain ISBN: 1-59998-543-8 www.samhainpublishing.com All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: September 2007

Craving Kismet Jamie Craig

Dedication To Alexis. Thank you for inspiration.

Craving Kismet

Chapter One They moved around each other with the skill of practiced dancers, weaving from bathroom to bedroom to closet to bedroom again in the seasoned steps of partners, long accustomed to the other’s timing. Neither spoke. In the rush of getting ready for the party, neither had anything to say to the other. Jenny Rohm leaned over the bathroom sink, her face inches away from the mirror as she finished applying her lipstick. It was the third color she’d selected, but her indecision was due more in part to her apathy about the upcoming evening than making the right fashion choice. She didn’t want to go to this thing. Hell, Bryan knew she didn’t want to go. But as was par for the course when it came to his work and its social requirements, Jenny went along with it anyway. She got dressed up, and she followed the rules, and she smiled and pretended to care about what the windbags Bryan called colleagues were talking about. Then, when it was all over, there would be the obligatory fuck because Bryan was too wired to sleep without it, and she’d go out to watch Nick at Nite in the living room while he crashed on their bed. It was the way it went. Nothing had changed in the four years they’d been back together. She pressed into the vanity when he came in behind her, getting out of his way as he scooped up the cufflinks he’d left on the counter. There was no hesitation in the careful swipe of her lipstick as Jenny watched him through her thick lashes, tracking his entrance and exit in the mirror. He did look good in his tux. That was a definite perk to these things. All those years of high school and college basketball still paid off. Maybe she could talk him into breaking routine and fucking before he undressed later. Alone in the bathroom once again, Jenny capped her lipstick and stepped away from the mirror to appraise her appearance. Her thick chestnut hair was pulled up into a messy twist, with loose tendrils curling along her nape and cheeks, while her smoky makeup highlighted her dark eyes and full mouth. She didn’t need more than a hint of blush for her creamy skin, thank God. The dramatic palette would have been overwhelmed by any more color.

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Her gaze scanned downward. She only had one formal dress for these occasions, but it had served her well in the two years she’d owned it. A deep midnight blue, the matte jersey gown clung to her generous curves before flaring into a soft sweep at her calves. The beaded collar on the halter neckline covered her throat, but the deep slit between her full breasts usually drew the most attention. Sexy without being slutty, Bryan had decreed when she’d brought it home. “Ready?” he called from the other room. As I’ll ever be. With one last glance in the mirror, she strode out to join him. He waited at the door of their apartment, head bowed as he checked his watch against the clock in the DVD player. “We should be good with traffic,” he said when she entered. “Mr. Portman insisted everyone be there within half an hour of the party starting.” Jenny nodded as she grabbed her wrap, though her brain was working overtime trying to remember which one Portman was. “TDC’s CFO.” Bryan’s gentle smile made her flush when she realized he’d noticed her confusion. “The boss of my boss? You met him at the Labor Day picnic last year.” When he didn’t get an immediate recognition, he added, “He told us he and his wife met in high school too.” “Oh, that’s right.” It was a lie. She had a bitch of a time keeping all the people Bryan worked with straight. They all dressed the same, talked the same, complained about the same politicians. Hell, she wasn’t even sure what his company did, though at least she knew he was an accountant of sorts there. Most of the time, it wasn’t a big deal. After all, it wasn’t like Bryan or any of his colleagues knew how to put together a ’64 Thunderbird. It only bothered her when she was forced to mingle with people who thought her lack of a college education meant she didn’t have a brain. “So what exactly is this shindig for again?” she asked as they walked out to the car. Her wrap hung loose in her hand. It was only May and already Los Angeles was beginning to swelter. Even the cooling dusk did little to temper the heat. “I’ve told you this.” His tone was mildly annoyed, and Jenny had to bite her tongue not to snap about it. He was right. He had told her. She even remembered being curled up on the couch eating Chinese takeaway from the container when the subject had first been brought up. Of course, the fact that she also remembered the American Chopper marathon playing at the same time didn’t bode well for how close she’d been listening to Bryan. 6


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“The new law firm helping us sort out the mess with Kyoto is having a fundraiser gala,” Bryan explained. “They invited all their clients. Lots of people, three or four hundred easy. You should have no trouble finding someone interesting to talk to.” Jenny stopped in her tracks, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re just going to abandon me when we get there?” With a sigh, he turned to face her, the streetlight overhead illuminating his closely cut sandy hair. “I’m going to have to schmooze with the lawyers, Jen. And you hate having to listen to me talk about my work. Why wouldn’t you look for somebody else who’s not going to bore you all night?” Because nothing ever changes at these things, she wanted to say. “I guess I’ll figure something out.” Her footfalls were louder against the concrete as she headed to the car. Arguing about it now would only make the night worse. As they slipped into the night’s traffic, Bryan reached across the seat to take her hand, never saying a word. Jenny glanced over, but his attention was fixed on his driving, wide-set hazel eyes constantly moving from mirror to mirror, his thin mouth set. Inwardly, she sighed. She knew he meant well; she knew how hard he tried. She only wished he’d open his eyes a little bit and see that sometimes square pegs couldn’t fit into round holes. It was dark by the time they reached the party, the valet whisking away their poor five-year-old Toyota to park it amongst all the luxury sedans and convertibles. Putting on her best cheerleader smile, Jenny draped her wrap around her shoulders and followed Bryan inside. The meet-and-greet was always the toughest part. Smile and nod. Go through introductions. Pretend to remember the ones she’d met before. Try not to see the condescending lifts of brows when people learned that their darling Bryan Gillis was engaged to an auto mechanic who only got through high school on her pompoms. And if she had to listen to one more person ask why she hadn’t followed Bryan out east for college, Jenny was pretty sure she was going to lose it. She grabbed the first waiter she saw, taking a champagne flute from his tray and downing it like it was water. That tiny line appeared between Bryan’s eyes when he noticed, but he never broke from the conversation he was having with a portly middleaged lawyer and his wife. He was a pro at this. He always had been. “So how long have you two been together?” the lawyer’s wife asked, turning to Jenny with a whitened smile and Botoxed brows. “You mean, this time?” www.samhainpublishing.com

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Her joked response made the couple pause, glancing at each other before Bryan jumped in. “What Jen means is that we dated all through high school, but then I went off to college while she stayed here. We got back together after I moved back to LA and joined TDC.” “So it’s been four years this time,” Jenny finished with a smile. “Or seven years in total. But high school never counts for anything, right?” The pair chuckled, but she saw the look in their eyes and knew the joke had fallen flat. She glanced down at her empty flute. One of these days, she was going to remember to stay away from any attempts at humor around these people. As soon as the conversation shifted to wedding plans, Bryan found an excuse for them to get away. Neither liked to talk about the fact that they didn’t have a date set, a detail that was as sore in private as it was here. Though they had been engaged for over a year, they agreed they didn’t want to rush into anything, which only brought raised eyebrows whenever it got mentioned in public. Nobody seemed to understand why they weren’t in a hurry. It was as if it wasn’t all right for two people to simply be together anymore. She had finished her third glass of champagne before Bryan finally disengaged from her to go and talk to Mr. Portman. He promised he’d only be gone for a few minutes, but they both knew the truth. Jenny was going to be on her own for the rest of the night. “At least they break out the expensive stuff for these shindigs,” a deep voice said from behind her as she reached for her fourth glass. Whipping around to see who had spoken, Jenny was greeted by a pair of the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The man they belonged to wasn’t much taller than her—fiveseven, five-eight at the most—with dark hair falling boyishly across his brow and a smile that made her want to smile back. It was the wicked grin of a child who knew the best secret on the block, but wouldn’t tell until everybody was begging to know. It was a grin she would have remembered if she had encountered it before. “There’s actually a difference?” Jenny looked down at the flute in her hand. “Huh. I guess that’s one on me then.” Her full mouth twisted into a semblance of his smile, and she leaned forward, lowering her tone. “I’ll fill you in on a secret. I’m more of a beer kind of gal. Give me a cold frosty mug over this stuff any day.”

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The man matched her confiding tone. “Me too. Nothing like a cold beer at the end of a long day.” He glanced around the room with a distasteful look. “I’m probably going to need more than one after tonight.” She laughed. She couldn’t help it. After listening to so much pomposity all night, it was a relief to talk to somebody with a real opinion, especially one that so closely matched her own. “I’m Jenny,” she said, sticking out her hand. He accepted it. “Ashley Edwards. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I would ask if you’re enjoying the firm’s humble party, but I think I know the answer.” His grip was as warm as his smile, and he held hers for longer than Jenny would have thought necessary. She knew she should pull away, but the flattering attention was hard to refuse. “I didn’t just step in it, did I? Because you’re starting to sound like you work here and not someone who was roped into showing up against his will.” Ashley grinned. “The two options are not mutually exclusive. I’ve recently been transferred to the Los Angeles branch from Pasadena, and certain people in the firm thought it would be a good idea for me to make an appearance tonight.” He was one of the lawyers, then. Her gaze flickered over his well-cut tuxedo, noting the long fingers still holding hers. No wonder she’d never met him before. “Kind of hard to ignore the head honchos, huh?” She finally extracted her hand from his, pretending she needed to brush back a loose curl. “You should do what I do. Smile, nod, and then do whatever the hell I want anyway.” His eyes followed the movement of her hand. “I like your style. What about you? How did you get roped into this?” Jenny glanced over his shoulder at the crowd of black suits and glittering gowns. She had no idea where Bryan had taken himself off to, though she hoped for his sake that whatever Mr. Portman wanted would work out in the long run. Chatting with a young, flirtatious lawyer probably wasn’t what Bryan had had in mind about her mingling, but Jenny didn’t see the harm in indulging herself. After all, Ashley Edwards might be key in whatever TDC was doing. Being nice to him could both help Bryan and give her a little pleasant distraction at the same time. “With promises I’ll get in trouble for revealing.” She shifted her attention back to Ashley. “But, hey. At least it’s an excuse for everyone to dress up. There is absolutely nothing wrong about a room full of men in tuxes.”


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His eyes sparkled. “I have to say, I support any excuse that allows you to dress up. That dress looks like it was made for you.” This time, there was no mistaking the appreciation in his gaze. A slow burn crept up the back of Jenny’s neck, a smile curving her mouth as they studied each other. It wasn’t like men didn’t flirt with her; every time a male customer came into the garage, she was the target of their newfound affections. She joked with Otto all the time about being the bait to lure in the new clients, but it wasn’t that far from the truth. Jenny was used to men finding her attractive. She wasn’t so used to responding to their advances as strongly as she was to Ashley, though. She didn’t just hear his appreciation. She felt it with every inch of her now flaming skin. “You’re the first person to mention my dress,” Jenny replied. “I was beginning to wonder why I didn’t just come in jeans and a T-shirt.” Ashley stepped back, his gaze sweeping her body openly. “I think that you could have arrived in jeans and a T-shirt and still outshone everybody in the room.” She’d asked for it, really. If she hadn’t wanted him to continue the compliments, Jenny knew all she had to do was walk away or cut off the conversation at the knees. But she liked the attention. Even more, she liked him. She liked that he cut straight to the chase, and she liked that he didn’t feel the need to put on an act like the rest of the people at the party. Of course, it didn’t hurt that she could get lost in how brilliant his eyes were, but that was beside the point. Jenny took a half step closer before she realized what she was doing. “Not everybody can appreciate a pair of good-fitting jeans. And judging from the accent…” She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she contemplated it. “Texas?” Ashley nodded. “You have a good ear. I’ve been trying to lose that accent since I moved to California.” “How long have you been here?” “Oh, it’s been…” He tilted his head. “A little over a decade now. I came out here, fresh from law school.” “Really?” He was older than she had imagined. With that grin and his youthful appearance, Jenny would have placed him in his mid-to-late twenties. This made him at least six or seven years older than her. “And California sun hasn’t aged you a bit. I have to know that secret.”

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Ashley smiled ruefully. “Oh, that one’s easy. If you never leave the office, the sun never has a chance to get you. It saves your skin, but it’s hell on your social life.” She looked down at his long fingers. No rings. Single, or a married guy who didn’t wear a band. She knew a few who did that. “There’s no special lady in my life,” Ashley said in response to her unspoken question. “I’m the proverbial asshole married to my job.” He shrugged. “Or I haven’t found the right lady. It’s all the same in the end.” “I can’t believe that there’s a sane woman in this town who wouldn’t want a guy like you around.” Ashley winked. “That’s because we’ve only just met.” Her laughter rang clear in the crowd. “Well, if you’re half as entertaining with other women as you are with me, something’s obviously wrong with them.” Unable to resist, she took another step closer, lowering her voice. “Come on, tell me. What is it you do that drives them all away?” “I’ll tell you, but only if you let me show you what keeps them coming back.” He might as well have reached out and touched her. A shiver ran down Jenny’s spine, and her chest constricted as his eyes burned into hers. Sudden images of his lean body pressing hers into a wall filled her head, those warm fingers slipping beneath her dress, that mouth sans smile savaging hers, and it took restraint she didn’t realize she needed not to automatically say, “Hell, yes.” It had been a long time since a physical attraction to a guy she didn’t know had hit her below the belt. That was the surest sign she needed to stop encouraging his flirtation. The best she could manage was, “In a party with this many people? Not even I’m that crazy.” Ashley checked his watch. “We don’t have to stick around. I’ve put in my time for the night. We should find somewhere a bit less…crowded.” For a split second, Jenny considered it. She knew she shouldn’t. Couldn’t. But the temptation to slip away with him surged as hot through her as the unexpected desire. Nobody would have to know, and she’d be back long before Bryan would even realize she’d been gone. But one look at the way Ashley leaned toward her warned Jenny she was about to take a step from which there would be no retreat. “I don’t think my fiancé would be so happy about that.” There. That should extinguish any hope he might be holding. “Even if it’s the nicest offer I’ve had all night.”


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“Your fiancé?” The easy smile was still on his face, as though she hadn’t said anything to dampen his spirits. “Which one is he?” She moved sideways, scanning the crowd and wishing she could see him amid the sea of black suits. Ashley shifted as well, turning into her side as if to follow her line of sight, and Jenny felt the definite brush of his arm against hers. “Bryan Gillis.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure where he’s gone off to, but he’s here someplace.” “Bryan Gillis?” Ashley nodded toward the far corner without stepping away. “He’s over there. Though I can’t imagine why he’d want to be so far away.” “One of the bosses is making him network.” Her explanation was smooth and easy, but when she saw Bryan’s fair head above so many others, Jenny was embarrassed about not being able to find him on her own. “Wait.” A small frown marred her features as she looked to Ashley. “You know him?” “We met earlier this week at a luncheon. And, I’ll have to double-check my planner, but I think we’re meeting next Tuesday for drinks.” “Oh.” Then it was a very good thing she had rebuffed him. The last thing she needed was for anything to get back to Bryan. “But…” Ashley drew her attention from Bryan and back to him. “I can tell you without looking that I’m not meeting anybody on Monday night.” Her brows shot up. “I just told you I’m engaged. You’re not seriously asking me to meet you, are you?” “I was just imparting information that I thought you might be interested in. But if you’re not, I beg your pardon.” She didn’t know if he was serious or not. Was this lawyer double-talk to cover his ass, or had she misjudged his flirtatious behavior so completely? She’d thought he was a straight shooter, but maybe she’d been wrong. It would hardly be the first time she’d misread one of Bryan’s colleagues. She needed to cut her losses and get out before she screwed this up even more. With an ease she didn’t feel, Jenny smiled and stuck out her hand. “It’s been a pleasure, Mr. Edwards. And as much as you’ve been the most interesting person to talk to me all night, I should probably go let my fiancé know I’m still alive.” Ashley produced his card seemingly out of thin air and pressed it into her palm. “In case you were interested. Or you need a good lawyer.” 12


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She took it, dumbstruck, but as she slipped it into her purse, he smiled at her, that easy grin that made her skin tingle without forewarning. With a small nod, Jenny bolted, already trying to erase the memory of those brilliant blue eyes that lingered for hours after the two of them parted.


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Chapter Two Ashley made his graceful exit from the gala after midnight, and even then, Keith shot him a disapproving look. Ashley didn’t care. After a night of bullshitting clients and sweet-talking their wives, he just wanted a stiff drink. Or two. He loved his job, and he knew he did it well, but he had never enjoyed all the extracurricular activities—the parties, the dinners, the afternoon drinks, the golfing. God, the golfing. Now safe in his apartment, Ashley loosened his tie and poured a whiskey, watching the subtle interplay of light against the glass and amber liquid. Of course, the party hadn’t been all bad. For a few seconds, buried in the thousands of minutes of drudgery, his smile had been genuine. Who would have thought that he’d find an actual person at the firm’s big event? Somebody with an actual smile, actual grace, and if he didn’t miss his guess, actual real tits. Jenny. He liked that name. He liked the girl that went with that name. Hell, he even liked the guy that went with the girl, and that was the bitch of the situation. Ashley didn’t care if she was engaged, married, single or just casually dating some guy; when he saw somebody he wanted, he acted on it. The questions of morality weren’t a big concern to him. It wasn’t his problem if some women were easily charmed to his bed. And Jenny would be no different. Except, he liked Bryan. They weren’t friends. They were barely associates, but they would be working together for a long time, and he was a good kid. Bright. Willing to work. Eager to please. And apparently, had exceptional taste in women. Ashley downed the drink, frustrated. If she had been with somebody else, he would have made his play, and she would have left with him. She had been wavering, thrown a bit when he handed her his card. He had knocked her off-center and off her guard, and what was the good of that if he didn’t capitalize on it? But she was interested in him. He was so certain of that fact that he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Would she have let him fuck her? Yes. Sooner or later. In his office. It might have taken a bit of seduction

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and time, maybe a few more drinks, but she would have submitted to him, while her date waited for her downstairs. And when she returned to Bryan, there would have been no doubt about where she had been and what she had been doing. It wasn’t just a twinge of conscience that kept him from making his fantasy a reality. There would be larger implications, problems. Seducing Jenny under Bryan’s nose might conceivably cost the firm thousands of dollars and start a ripple effect that Ashley didn’t even want to think about. Then no amount of bullshitting or sweet-talking would save his ass. So Bryan Gillis’s fiancée was firmly off-limits. Completely. He shouldn’t even think about her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Not even a little bit. Ashley tried to think about the important people he had met, offered his card to, flirted with, charmed. He tried to think about new business, old business, follow-up calls, the influx of social invitations he was expecting now, the woman he actually took to the party and…he kept seeing Jenny’s smile. Fuck, she would have gone with him if he asked. He knew it. And even if she hadn’t left with him, she would have wanted to. And that want would have been an obvious, hot light that would shine in her eyes… Ripple effect. Thousands of dollars. Bad news. Maybe he could think about her a little bit. As soon as he undressed, he settled on his bed with a stiff drink and a bottle of lotion. He coated his palm and slowly slicked the lotion down his shaft, idly thinking of their last exchange. He didn’t know if she would call him, but he knew if she did, he’d come running. The thought of hearing her husky voice on the phone, asking for him, made his cock jerk. Sighing, he leaned back on the bed, gripping the base of his shaft with the other hand… *** “We don’t have to stick around,” Ashley pointed out, checking his watch. “I’ve put in my time for the night. We should find somewhere a bit less…crowded.” Her eyes were dark and luminous, her sensual mouth curved into a half-smile that matched the tilt of her head as she regarded him. Though he kept getting distracted by the


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hint of full cleavage revealed by the slit in her dress, it was the wickedness of her lips that Ash kept coming back to. Especially when she caught the lower one between her teeth while she contemplated what to say. “Well, I’m definitely curious about what you could possibly have that brings them all back,” Jenny finally replied. Ashley offered his arm. “For starters, a corner office with a killer view, aged scotch and a fine record collection.” She didn’t hesitate. Her hand burned through his jacket sleeve, and he had to fight not to slip his arm around her waist, feel the skin of her bare back against his fingertips. When her smile widened, he immediately returned it. “You mean I don’t get that beer you made sound so good?” “Beer’s for the second date,” Ashley murmured. He discreetly guided her through the party, making sure not to attract the wrong attention from the wrong people. He didn’t take her out through the front entrance, electing instead to go to the service doors that led to a long, empty corridor. He wondered if anybody noticed—then he wondered if it mattered. Jenny’s heels clicked against the tiled floors as he navigated through the staging areas of the banquet hall to the service elevator. “This isn’t a date,” she said, her husky alto going straight to his cock. “This is…not being bored.” The elevator doors slid open as Ash pushed the button, and he ushered her inside. The elevator felt cool, and she shivered a little as the doors silently closed behind them. “Not a date.” He pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. “The next time I…rescue you from boredom, it’ll be over beer.” Her eyes flashed as she glanced at him. “I’m going to hold you to that, you know.” Ashley let his fingers brush her arm in an action that wasn’t quite casual. When she didn’t put more space between them, he did it again. Despite the cool air, and the shiver he had noticed earlier, her skin was nearly hot to the touch, and it felt like he was brushing against the lightest silk. “I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” As the elevator began to rise, there was that slight rush in his stomach, and he wondered how much of it was the lift and how much of it was her. Standing this close, the faint musk of her perfume filled his nose, heady and earthy as he would have guessed

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her scent to be. She turned more to face him, and her shoulder was left skimming his. He had no doubt she did it on purpose. “I’m not like the other women at that party.” Some of her humor had fled, and her voice was low. “Dressing like this isn’t my usual style.” The floors ticked by without pause, and his stomach tightened with each numbered light. They seemed to be moving closer, their bodies swaying together with each breath. It was almost imperceptible, but Ashley knew he wasn’t imagining it. “I didn’t think you were.” At her questioning look, he clarified, “Like the other women at the party. I like you more.” She didn’t say another word until the doors slid open, though her eyes never left his. Taking her elbow, he led her out of the elevator and down the hall, heading straight for a set of double doors in the corner. He knew what she would see when he pushed them open, but the definite widening of those thick lashes and the delight in her smile more than exceeded his expectations. Her steps were silent against the plush carpet as she headed straight for the long windows lining the far wall. “I guess they transferred you for being good at your job, huh?” Jenny teased. “Exceptional,” Ashley shot back with a grin. He watched her take in the view for a few seconds, appreciating the sleek outline of her body against the city landscape. Los Angeles was sparkling with lights on automatic timers, smooth moving traffic and a subtle orange glow that rolled over the sky, but the gentle curve of her back and the dark tendrils of hair falling around her neck were far more alluring. “Drink?” She nodded without looking back. “Unless somebody downstairs is going to be wondering where in hell you disappeared to.” He carried the drinks over, his fingers lingering on hers as she reached for the glass. He didn’t let go of the tumbler immediately, his eyes searching her face. She was breathtaking, and now that they were in the privacy of his office, he wanted to taste the sweet alcohol on her lips. “I brought a date, as one does to these sorts of gatherings. But she didn’t accept my invitation because she was interested in hanging around me.” Jenny drew her hand away, lifting the glass to her lush mouth to sip at the whiskey. “I can’t think of anybody else downstairs she might have preferred being with.”


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“Me neither,” Ashley joked. He took a step closer as she turned to the window again, standing as though they were already lovers. He pointed with his drink at the view, his other hand sneaking around to touch the bare skin of her back. Running his fingertips down her spine, he added, “You can see the ocean from here.” “Something tells me you don’t get a lot of chances to actually appreciate this.” The delicate warmth of her skin under his hand made him fully erect. “No, I think this is the first time I’ve really had a chance to admire it.” Ashley set his glass aside and stepped behind her, his hand moving over her shoulder and down her arm. He put his mouth near her ear, his breath skimming her neck, though he was careful to avoid touching her with his lips. “It’s almost like I’ve never seen it before.” Her long sigh fogged the window, blocking her reflection for a few precious seconds. Bringing her drink to her lips, Jenny tipped her head back to down the rest of the alcohol. Loose tendrils of her hair trailed along his shoulder, and he flashed on how it would look splayed across a crisp white pillow. She reached to set the glass down with his before twisting in order to meet his gaze. “What’s the point of all the hard work if you don’t get to enjoy the perks? If I were you, I’d take what I could get, when I could get it. This town has a way of only giving you a single chance before it decides it’s done with you.” “You’re very wise,” he said, spinning her in his arms. She looked up at him with wide, inviting eyes, and Ashley didn’t hesitate further. He claimed her mouth, kissing her like he had wanted to kiss her since she’d first smiled at him. She tasted as hot and sweet as he had imagined, the alcohol almost as intoxicating as the way she moved against him. He thrust his tongue between her lips, exploring the inviting curves of her mouth, again and again. His hands covered her body, reaching for every delightful bit of bare skin he found. She pressed her limber form against him, and his cock jerked in his pants. Ashley backed her to the window, pulling her skirt up around her trembling thighs. She looped her arm around his shoulders, pressing her soft curves to him as she braced herself against the cool glass. Jenny shivered, gasped, then tore into his mouth again with a fresh hunger that left them both panting. “I think I like this view better.” Her hand slipped between their bodies to find the hard outline of his cock, but instead of squeezing it, Jenny ran her palm flat down its length.

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Ashley shuddered at her touch. “Me, too.” He moved his mouth from hers, his tongue trailing down the slit at the front of her dress. “God, I want you.” He jerked his hips, pushing against her hand. A soft sigh escaped him as she finally snagged the zipper and reached into his pants to grip his shaft. “From the moment I saw you.” Her skirt was pulled up around her waist now, and he cupped her pussy through her damp thong, groaning at the heat of her flesh. He was rewarded with a whimper, but Jenny countered his assault with one of her own, tightening her grip around his throbbing cock, sliding her thumb across the precome already dripping from the tip. Ashley nibbled along the ripe curve of breast exposed by her dress, inwardly smiling when her nails began digging into his back. “You’re playing with fire,” Jenny warned. “Because I won’t stop until I’m satisfied. And sometimes”—she pulled his head back up and licked a path to his ear—“that takes all night.” “I think I can handle that,” Ashley said, pushing her thong out of the way. He slid his hand around her thigh, lifting her leg over his hip, allowing the tip of his cock to nudge against her swollen folds. Ashley sought her mouth, his tongue dueling with hers as he plunged deep into her hot passage. He paused, gasping with the strength and heat that surrounded him, but it was only a moment before he started moving his hips in a hungry rhythm. “Fuck, you’re tight. I could fuck you all night.” She didn’t answer. She simply coiled both arms around his shoulders again and dragged his mouth back to hers, matching the hard thrusts of his cock with her own raw need. His hands were everywhere, but when one found a breast and pinched her hardened nipple, Jenny moaned, driving her hips even more violently against his. “That’s it,” she rasped between kisses. “Fuck me like that, and I just might stick around for seconds.” The possibility was enough to make Ashley move faster, each stroke long and deep. His fingers abandoned her breast, and he replaced them with his mouth, biting her hard nipple through her dress, rolling it between his teeth. She keened at the contact, her back arching. Nothing about their fucking was soft. Their hands, their mouths, their bodies were demanding, hungry. She scraped her fingernails down his back, and Ashley wished they were naked. He wanted to feel her against his bare skin—wanted to feel her heat, her sweat, her nails, her teeth. Ashley moved his mouth away and found her lips again. “Stay,” he gasped. “Stay and I’ll fuck you any way you want.” www.samhainpublishing.com

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He felt her tremble. Before she replied, though, a slight shift in his weight drove his cock into her at a different angle, slamming her into the cold glass. Jenny screamed, arching away from his kisses as his name tumbled from her lips. Her orgasm was unlike anything Ashley had ever experienced; it was so intense, so hard and so fast it left him breathless. He slammed into her again, coming with a force that matched hers. She quivered around him, and he reached between their bodies, finding her clit, desperate to feel her come once more around his cock before they parted. He didn’t even have to do anything as drastic as pinch her. As soon as his fingers touched her clit, Jenny cried out, falling forward to cling to his waiting body as she spasmed yet again around his cock. His mouth moved along her jaw, her neck, up to her ear, and he moaned in satisfaction when she somehow turned her head to mirror his caresses. “Fuck,” Ashley sighed. “Fuck.” He licked a bead of sweat along her neck. “We’re definitely doing that again.” She answered him with a simple nod. *** Ashley shot in his hand, his body arching off the bed as spurts of hot come covered his stomach and chest. As he came down from the orgasm, gasping and shuddering, he knew Jenny was going to star in his dreams and fantasies for the foreseeable future. Ashley also knew that the next time he saw the dark-haired beauty, he was going to get a taste of her.

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Chapter Three The light from the hall cast golden stripes across Bryan’s chest, outlining the relaxed muscles as he sprawled in the middle of their bed. Jenny watched him from the doorway, trying to ignore the unsated hunger still humming through her veins. She had come twice before he had finally gripped her hips and slammed into her one more time, but somehow it wasn’t right, or wasn’t enough, or wasn’t…something. There had been no chance to pursue rectifying it, though, before he’d kissed her neck and promptly collapsed onto the bed at her side. She sighed, pulling the door shut. It was going to be a long night. Curling up in the corner of the couch, Jenny flicked through the channels, unable to settle on any single program for longer than a few seconds. Nothing satisfied her. Cartoons were too inane, dramas too heavy, infomercials too annoying. She was about to flip past an Elizabeth Taylor movie on AMC when the picture cut to a young Paul Newman, and she stopped, hypnotized by the blue eyes gazing at her from the TV screen. It wasn’t the movie that interested her. It was the slam of memories from the party that had her suddenly flushing all over. Ashley Edwards. And the potent offers he had made. And those vivid, vivid eyes boring into her, daring her to say no. How Jenny had found the strength to walk away, she still didn’t know. She loved Bryan. She did. And sex with him was always good. Satisfying. Except for tonight. And she knew that had everything to do with the attraction she’d felt for a near stranger. In spite of her appearance, Jenny had never been promiscuous. She and Bryan had been exclusive in high school, exclusive when he returned. In the years between, she’d been picky about who she dated, let alone who she slept with. Not once had she cheated on a guy she was with, nor truly entertained the notion. It wasn’t in her nature to betray


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another’s trust, no matter how much she might want to. And, for as frustrated as he made her sometimes, she would never dream of hurting Bryan by sleeping around behind his back. But the temptation had been there with Ashley. Those seconds of contemplation had been very real, her body’s reactions burning brilliant. If she was the kind of girl who cavalierly ignored her commitments, she would have accepted his invitation to leave the party without even blinking. She wanted him that badly. Except she didn’t accept. Because she wasn’t that kind of girl. Even if, in that moment, she really, really, really wished she was. Turning off the TV, Jenny tossed the remote aside in order to stretch out. She rested one leg along the back of the couch, the T-shirt she wore to sleep in riding up to her waist, while her other leg slipped over the edge, her foot flat on the floor. It exposed the still damp crotch of her black thong, and her hand idly began touching her inner thighs. Maybe it was his eyes, the way they glittered when they met hers. Or maybe it was his wicked grin, or the energy that seemed to come off him in waves, palpable from the very first touch of his hand on hers. Or maybe it was just the fact that Ashley Edwards had as much charm as he did looks and he was playing her for a quick lay. Jenny didn’t care. The end result was the same. Her body was already bowstring tight thinking of what it could have been like if, for just one night, she was the woman who said to hell with anybody else’s feelings and took exactly what she wanted… *** “We don’t have to stick around,” Ashley pointed out, checking his watch. “I’ve put in my time for the night. We should find somewhere a bit less…crowded.” Her nipples tightened at the suggestion. His bravado was as intoxicating as the champagne, and Jenny was dying to see if he planned to follow through on the unspoken promises in his eyes. “Tell me what it is that keeps you alone, and I’ll let you show me anything you want,” she dared. “My insatiable appetite. I just can’t be kept satisfied.”

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Her lashes ducked, drinking in his trim form. There was no way he was talking about food. By the time she lifted her gaze back to his face, she was sure her cheeks were flamed with heat. “Obviously, you haven’t found the right woman.” Ashley’s eyes had a wicked glint. “Maybe, but I haven’t given up the search.” Taking a step closer, Jenny pretended to brush a piece of lint from his lapel, then let her fingertips graze to his shirtfront. “That’s a good thing for me, then. Because I think I’m more than done with this hoedown. And I owe you a little something for giving up your secret, right?” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and she thrilled at the sudden twinkle of excitement in his blue gaze. “That was part of the deal.” Ashley looked around the room once more before gently cupping her elbow. “Do you have a place in mind?” Her mind raced. She hadn’t actually thought that far ahead. “I’m sure there’s a conference room or something like that you take clients when you need some privacy. Someplace…where we can lock the door behind us?” Ashley’s lips quirked as he began leading her to the door. “A room with a lock? I think I can find something.” Every step through the crowd made Jenny’s heart beat a little bit faster, her skin blaze a little bit hotter. Nobody seemed to notice them, but when she caught sight of Bryan out of the corner of her eye, his back mostly to her as he talked to a small group of men, she couldn’t help but shiver as she inched closer to Ashley. His hold on her tightened, as though he sensed her slight unease. “We can stay here and chat,” Ashley offered, nodding toward a corner. Jenny glanced where he suggested before shifting to look at him. “I don’t welsh on deals.” She smiled, just in case there was any doubt about her intent. “Especially when I’m pretty damn sure I’m getting the best end of the bargain.” “I think I’d dispute that point.” They reached the door, and people filtered in and out, but nobody deigned to look at them. The swell of guests fell behind them as they entered a long, cool corridor. “And win the argument.” Their footsteps were muffled against the carpet, their pace unhurried. With no crowd to lose her in, Ashley dropped his hold on her elbow. Before Jenny missed its absence, his hand reappeared in the small of her back, fingertips feathering along her bare skin as he guided her to a stop in front of the elevator.


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“Am I going to know what it is I’m getting myself in for?” she asked, her mouth twisted in amusement. The doors swished open, and the pair stepped inside. “Or do I get to be surprised?” “I could ask you the same thing.” Ashley hit a button—at random it seemed. “Do you like surprises?” She answered him with a hard shove into the mirrored wall, her fingers knotted in his suit jacket as she slammed her mouth to his. The need to at least get a taste of him had finally won out over patience, and Jenny groaned as she molded her body against his hard form. Ashley recovered quickly from her sudden assault, returning her kiss without pause. His hands snuck around her back, his palms pressing into her bare skin, and his tongue invaded her mouth as soon as she parted her lips. Even through his tuxedo, the heat of his skin reached hers, and his fingers almost burned where they splayed along her spine. “Want you.” Each kiss stole yet more of her breath, leaving her gasping as he tightened his embrace. “Want you to fuck me.” He spun, pushing her against the wall, and reached for the red button next to the door. The elevator came to a sudden halt, hanging between floors, and his mouth found hers again. “Is right now good for you?” he asked against her lips. “Now.” Her tongue traced the lower curve of his mouth. “An hour from now.” Jenny lifted a hand to the back of his neck, fingers tangling with the longer strands of his hair as she kept him close. “All fucking night.” Ashley made a sound in the back of his throat—a moan wrapped around a whimper. It sounded like an agreement. His mouth moved from hers, tasting and licking along her jaw to her neck. “All night,” he promised against her skin, his lips caressing the hollow of her throat as he shrugged his jacket off. She had imagined being laid out on a wide conference table while Ashley pounded into her, but the prospect of taking the edge off in the elevator made Jenny tremble with excitement, hands almost shaking as she helped him push his coat off his shoulders. Next came the tie, then the shirttails pulled from his pants, his mouth never once leaving her ever-warming skin. She was panting in short, sharp breaths by the time her fingers trailed around to his buttons, but she hesitated as he lifted his head to meet her desire-darkened eyes. “I’m engaged to be married, you know.” For some reason, it seemed important to get that out there. 24


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“Oh?” He pushed a loose curl behind her ear, his fingers trailing down her neck to come to a rest at the back of the neckpiece. “I was engaged once.” He moved deftly, unsnapping the dress and letting it fall to expose her breasts to his hungry gaze. They both looked down for a moment, as if surprised by the way her nipples hardened in the warm, almost stuffy, air. He trailed his lips down her chest, his tongue darting out to circle one rosy areola. “I won’t tell if you won’t.” Jenny arched away from the wall at the first warm, wet touch. “It’ll be our little”— his tongue flicked across the tip right before he sucked it hard into his mouth, making her gasp—“secret.” “Secret,” Ashley agreed, shifting his attention to the other nipple. She gripped his shoulder with one hand, and he took the other, encircling her wrist to guide it to his hard erection. He thrust against her hand before releasing her, his fingers curling around the thick material of her dress. “Never tell a soul.” She smiled, grasping his cock through his pants and squeezing with the same pressure he was attending to her breast. “I guess that kind of confidentiality makes me a client now,” she said, bowing away from the wall in order to help him push her gown past her hips. “Indeed.” The dress whispered down her legs. He bit her nipple playfully before dropping to his knees to continue his exploration. His hands skated up the back of her thighs, coming to a rest on her ass while he dragged his tongue along the edge of her thong. “And I am always very, very thorough when it comes to my clients. I do my best to go the extra mile.” When he pulled her against his mouth, Jenny lifted a leg and hooked it over his shoulder. It made her thong slip between her outer lips, and she leaned back against the wall as he sucked at her sensitive clit through the wet fabric. Idly, she lifted a hand to stroke her breast, pinching the nipple with the same pressure he was giving her pussy. It wasn’t enough, too little to satisfy the growing hunger his touch inspired. “God…” she breathed. “Is this part of what keeps the women coming back?” Ashley looked up at her from beneath his lashes, his blue eyes playful, almost boyish. “Part of it.” His fingers moved beneath her thong, testing her damp skin, teasing her with sweetly cruel caresses. “Are you ready for me?” “Yes. God, yes.” She thought he was going to stay on his knees and continue tormenting her with his mouth. But then he stood, her leg dropping off his shoulder, and his mouth was curved www.samhainpublishing.com

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into a mischievous grin for the split second before it came crashing back to hers. Jenny grabbed at his shirtfront to keep from losing her balance, fingers struggling with buttons, every scrape of the stiff cotton against her bare breasts making her ache for more direct contact. By the time she pressed their naked torsos together, the elevator felt like it was tilting around her, stifling and close and far too hot. She trembled in expectation for even more. Once his shirt was discarded, her hands went to his pants, fumbling with the buttons until his fly hung open. He hissed as she wrapped her fingers around his hard cock, stroking the silky shaft while he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He braced himself against the wall with one hand, the other moving between her legs to push her thong aside and urge her thighs apart. Ashley pressed his body against hers, the head of his cock slipping between her lips to tease her firm clit. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Jenny knew there was something she should be remembering, some detail that escaped her, but in this moment with this man and this hungry need burning bold inside her, she didn’t care. All she cared about was getting him inside her, feeling his skin slide against hers, devouring him as certainly as he was devouring her. It was all about the want. The want was all that mattered. Ashley pulled away from her mouth to look at her as his cock nudged against her wet opening, teasing her with its nearness before drawing back to graze across her clit. A silent dare passed behind his eyes, and Jenny smiled in response. “What are you waiting for?” she asked, lifting a leg to curl it around his hips. “That,” he said, drawing his fingers along her thigh to her ass, holding her in place as he thrust forward. His cock pushed inside her inviting flesh, and they both paused, their feet shuffling a little, their skin slick, their breath caught in their throats. She broke first, rocking her hips toward him. Once she started moving, Jenny didn’t stop to think about how much he filled her up, or how he followed her lead as easily as if they’d been fucking for years. She didn’t consider how the slight angle of his cock hit her g-spot on nearly every thrust, and she didn’t focus on how he didn’t waste time with shallow strokes, driving as much of his shaft inside her as he could each time their bodies came together. It took all her concentration just to remember to breathe, and even then, she was sure she skipped an inhalation or two. She matched his forceful tempo and hoped there would be something left of her after she came.

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Ashley’s mouth and hands were everywhere, seeking out her heated skin, caressing, kissing, biting. Each of his moans was muffled, his breath sending chills down her back even as he pushed into her harder, faster. He was hungry for her, and Jenny’s body responded to that hunger with its own desperation. His lips made their way from her neck back to her mouth, his tongue entwining with hers. The first warnings of her orgasm came far too quickly. Every inch of her enflamed, pulsed with the same cadences of her heartbeat, while her hands sought to touch anything that she could, scratching down his back, reaching down the loose back of his waistband to cup his taut ass. She needed the release as much as she didn’t want it yet, but the only control Jenny had was in riding the intensifying waves. When she came, it was with Ashley’s mouth still firmly devouring hers, swallowing down any scream that might have accompanied the crashing shudders taking over her body. It didn’t make him slow. If anything, Jenny thought it spurred him to fuck her even harder. The veins on Ashley’s temple stood out, and sweat glistened on his forehead. He was gripping her now, his fingers digging into her hips as he slammed into her again and again. Each time he thrust forward, the coarse hairs at the base of his cock brushed against her clit. Ashley dragged his mouth along her jaw, pulling her skin between his teeth and sucking hard as he climaxed. The slight pain countered the shivers still rolling through her body, making Jenny gasp as she dug her fingers into his bare back. “That was…fucking amazing,” she breathed. Ashley was nearly panting, but he didn’t let go of her or pull away. “Think you’re up for another round?” She met his blazing eyes, her mouth curving into a ready smile. “Hell yeah.” *** Jenny came with a stifled whimper, arching away from the couch as she buried three fingers inside her pussy. Her clit tingled from the pinch that had triggered her orgasm, but it was the palpable sensation of Ashley Edwards’ body pressing her into the mirrored elevator wall that lingered strongest, hot and cold and hard and slick all at the same time.


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Her head was a muddle, images from the fantasy mingling with the residual guilt at lusting so fiercely for a man she’d only just met. The latter was tamped down swiftly. It hadn’t been real. It was normal to harbor desires for good-looking guys. The important thing to remember was that she was never, ever going to act on them. She loved Bryan. She didn’t even know Ashley Edwards. It was only a fantasy.

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Chapter Four The living room was dark and cool as Jenny pushed open the door, evidence that in spite of her overtime at the garage, she had still managed to beat Bryan back to the apartment. Unbuttoning her coverall, she maneuvered around the furniture, glancing at the clock on the DVD player. Eleven o’clock. He could be out for hours yet. Jenny hadn’t hesitated when Otto asked her to stick around and work on the Corvair that had been brought in that morning. It was Tuesday. Bryan had made a point of reminding her at breakfast that he was going to be out late, having dinner and drinks with some of the lawyers from the new firm. Waiting up was pointless, and it was worth even less to hang around their lonely apartment when she could lose herself in the familiar scent of motor oil and the comforting clang of tools. Plus, any kind of overtime meant extra money. That was never bad. She toed off her boots and stripped out of her greasy coverall, carrying it to the tiny utility closet with the washer and dryer. It took only a few minutes to treat the stains and toss it in, the hollow rush of water filling the drum echoing through the empty rooms. The jeans and T-shirt she wore beneath were free from dirt and oil, but a shower was definitely in order at some point. Her stomach gurgled. She’d do it after she ate. The scent of garlic soon filled the kitchen as Jenny bustled with a quick vegetable stir-fry. Oil snapped as she tossed everything in the wok, and she reached for the cold Corona sitting on the counter at her side. The chilled beer soothed her tense muscles, making it simpler to lose the time while she cooked, and her mind drifted back to thoughts of work and the Corvair. The scraping of a key in the lock pulled her from her reverie. “Are you hungry?” she called out to Bryan. Setting down her spoon, she opened the cupboard and took out two plates, just in case. “I’ve got enough here for both of us if you want it.”


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His response was a grunt, followed by a soft thud as he must have sat on the couch. Frowning, Jenny turned off the flame below the wok before heading to the doorway to see what was wrong. Ashley Edwards looked up as she stepped into the room, his eyes twinkling like she remembered—like she had fantasized about. Jenny stopped short, perplexed, but he didn’t seem fazed by her confusion. “Actually, I’m starving.” He looked down at the red-faced Bryan. “I don’t think we should give him dinner right now, though. Not unless you want to see it again.” It took an impossible minute of staring at Ashley to follow his gaze down to the couch and to the sprawled form of her fiancé across its length. His normally crisp suit was slightly rumpled, his collar undone, his tie wadded up and hanging out of his pocket. Sweat beaded his brow, but Bryan’s eyes were closed as he rested his head against the arm of the sofa. Jenny rushed forward, oblivious to pushing past the man who had apparently brought Bryan home, and perched on the seat’s edge, worried eyes scanning over his unconscious form. She sighed. “You big idiot,” she murmured affectionately before looking up to where Ashley stood a few feet away. “Lemme guess. He had more than one drink tonight.” Ashley rubbed the back of his neck and had the good grace to look sheepish. “More than one, yeah. Closer to…six.” “He’s never been able to drink.” Reaching for the coverlet on the back of the couch, Jenny draped it over Bryan’s lanky torso, his long legs sticking out at odd angles from its end. “Usually, he just gets something with tonic and nurses it all night when he has to do these work things.” With her initial concern for Bryan eased, Jenny stood and faced Ashley, her scrutiny sweeping over him. He didn’t look nearly as bad. In fact, she would have said he hadn’t been drinking at all. “Do I want to know what happened?” Now he smiled with an innocent, boyish charm. “Nothing happened. We went out to the bar and lost track of time. We were talking business, and your boy looked like he needed a drink or twelve.” Ashley’s lips twisted. “If I had known that he couldn’t hold his alcohol, I might have cut him off a bit sooner.” She wondered what happened to make Bryan feel the need to drink so much, but knew it was a question that would have to wait. “Thanks. For bringing him home. He’s going to be embarrassed as hell in the morning, but I’m glad somebody was there looking out for him.” 30


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“Well, it was the least I could do, since I was buying the drinks. And ordering them.” He stepped away from the couch, toward the door. “Don’t go too hard on him.” Her heart leapt inexplicably as the distance between them grew. She didn’t want to let him go without repaying him in some way. Bryan would want her to be hospitable in return for the ride. “Did you say you were hungry?” Jenny tilted her head back toward the kitchen, the end of her long ponytail tickling down her back. “You’re welcome to stay if you want. It’s just a veggie stir-fry, but I really do have enough for two. And I can put on some coffee, maybe help you sober up a bit before going out on the roads again.” Jenny thought that Ashley wouldn’t hesitate—he’d either leave or he’d stay, but he would make his decision quickly. He didn’t disappoint her. He ran his hands through his hair, brushing the long strands out of his blue eyes. “Thank you. We didn’t get a chance to eat tonight. Unless you count pretzels as food, I suppose.” She was all too aware of him following her into the kitchen, and while Jenny had never thought of it as a small room before, suddenly it seemed incredibly cramped, the air hot from the stove, the counters too close as they navigated around the tiny two-seater table. She gestured toward a nearby drawer. “Forks are in there.” She didn’t look to see if he was getting them. It was taking everything she had to try and not pay attention to the rush of heat along her skin. “I like these better,” Ashley said. Her hands were busy dishing out the food onto the waiting plates. “You like what?” “Your jeans. I like them better than your dress.” The spoon clattered into the wok as Jenny jumped at the obvious appreciation in his voice. Her heart thudded at the thought of him checking her out, but when she glanced back, his amused eyes were on her face, not her ass, waiting for her to respond. She swallowed. “That’s because I’m more comfortable in these,” she said to try and explain the compliment away. “My work’s not nearly as dressy as yours or Bryan’s.” He tilted his head. “I don’t think Bryan mentioned what you do.” “I’m a mechanic. Classic cars, mostly.” This was better. Normal conversation. It made it easier to turn her back on him to pick up the plates. “Well, not just a mechanic. I do a lot of bodywork too.”


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“Bet you’re good at it,” Ashley murmured, almost inaudibly. When she looked up again sharply, he merely smiled. “I’ve got an old Ford truck that looks its age. Maybe I can bring it by your shop?” Bad idea, a little voice said at the back of her head. Bad, bad, bad idea. But the thought of this impeccably dressed attorney driving an old truck intrigued her. It certainly was in keeping with the Texas boy background he’d presented. “I suppose I can give you a card to the shop.” Jenny’s mouth canted into a halfsmile. “Who would’ve guessed my card would be used before yours?” “Do you still have my card?” She carried the plates to the table, setting them down before turning back to make the coffee she’d promised. It hid her flushed cheeks from him, because Jenny knew exactly where his card was. Tucked inside her wallet behind a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins. “Somewhere.” Ashley smiled at her like they were sharing a particularly amusing joke, but he let the subject drop. He sat at the table, handing her a fork as she passed him the plate. “I was thinking a deep red.” Her mind raced. She had to stay focused on the conversation. He was talking about the bodywork he wanted done, not something…else. “Why red?” Slipping into the chair opposite him, Jenny picked up her fork and dug into the stir-fry. Her hunger had fled, but she didn’t want him to see how his presence affected her. “Because it’s supposed to be a power color? I didn’t think you’d care about that kind of thing.” “Because red looks less ridiculous on an old Ford than purple does.” There was no mistaking his amusement this time, and Jenny laughed in spite of her tension. “Score one for the suit.” She saluted with her fork. “But for the record, black looks even better.” “Black is drab. I’m not driving a hearse, after all.” “Black is sleek.” She took a bite, chewing without looking away from him. “Sexy.” Ashley speared a vegetable with his fork. “So is red.” “The only guys who pick red are the ones who think they need to prove something.” Ashley shrugged easily. “Green, then. Something dark.”

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Jenny smiled at his quick acquiescence. More and more, she was learning he was a man who picked his battles wisely. When she heard the coffeepot hiss to a finish behind her, she rose to pour him a cup. “I thought you said you got a new car with your transfer. Do you keep the truck for sentimental reasons?” “It’s my truck,” Ashley said, as though that was the only answer she needed. “Got me through high school, college and the move to California.” “I’ve got a pair of jeans like that.” Reaching into the fridge, she pulled out the milk. She didn’t know how he took his coffee, and she really didn’t want to have to ask. “Bryan gives me hell because he says they’re too small for me, but they’re comfortable and they’re mine and I don’t care that I keep having to re-patch the hole on the back of the leg.” “No milk,” Ashley said, before she opened the carton. “I take it black.” His eyes moved down her body in open appraisal. “Bet they’re soft. Fit you like a second skin.” She froze. His blatant regard for her wasn’t unusual; other men found her attractive all the time. But every single time Ashley said something suggestive or looked her over in a certain way, Jenny felt it as a tingle in her thighs or a burn across her skin. It was probably just his way, she rationalized. Naturally flirtatious, accustomed to being able to charm women. He might not even know what kind of effect he was having on her. She had to keep it like that. If Bryan got in trouble because she had the hots for one of his new associates, Jenny would never forgive herself. Keep it easy. Keep it casual. Play the game without letting on that the game was playing her. “The second skin part is the part Bryan objects to,” she replied with a mischievous smile. “One of these days, I’m actually going to have to lie down in order to get them zipped up.” Ashley didn’t let the silence stretch until it became uncomfortable. “You drink Corona?” Her gaze flew to the empty bottle she’d left sitting on the counter. “I needed it after work.” She returned the milk to the fridge. “We’re working on this Corvair that was wrecked in a street race. Sixteen hours under its chassis, and that Corona was all I thought about on the way home.” “But Corona?” The disdain in his voice was impossible to ignore. “I suppose that’s fine if you don’t know any better.”


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“All I need to know is that I like the way it tastes.” As if to prove her point, she grabbed another bottle and popped the top, lifting it to her mouth and taking a good, long swallow of the cold beer. By the time she looked back to Ashley, her head was light and her thoughts a little scattered. “As long as I’m happy, who cares what anybody else thinks about it?” Ashley nodded, as if he was eagerly agreeing with her. “Well, of course it makes you happy. Why else would you keep going back to it? I just think there are other selections that would make you…happier.” “And I suppose you think you know what those would be,” Jenny dared. “Everybody has to have a hobby. And who doesn’t like to share their hobbies?” The glints in his eyes brought a fresh surge through Jenny’s veins. Beer. He was talking about beer. She had to stop turning everything he said into something sexual. “Well, the next time I’m looking for a new beer to try, you’ll be the first person I call for advice. I’ve still got your card, after all.” Picking up his cup, she walked back to the table and held it out for him. “Somewhere.” Ashley accepted the coffee with a small nod before she sat across from him again. “I’ll be happy to do more than just give you advice.” Her food was getting cold, but she tucked back into it anyway, aware that Ashley still hadn’t finished his yet. She had to find a different topic of conversation, something safe, something impossible to turn into innuendo, something that wouldn’t have her wondering what his kisses would taste like. It didn’t help that he pursed his lips for a moment to blow across the surface of his hot coffee. Her mouth watered without pause. “So what was the big deal in meeting up with Bryan tonight?” she said, tearing her attention away to focus on her plate. Ashley gave her a long, measured look before replying. “It’s just the standard complications that come up with business like this. It’s nothing that he can’t handle. Probably by this time tomorrow, it’ll be nothing but a drunken memory.” It was back, that itch to know what in hell had happened that night to drive Bryan to drink so much. It wasn’t like him, not in the slightest. And she thought that somehow Ashley knew a lot more than he was hinting at. “Can you help me move him into the bedroom before you go?” she asked in between bites. “There’s no way he’s going to wake up now, and if he sleeps on the couch, he’ll be useless tomorrow.”

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“Of course.” Ashley scraped his fork across the bottom of the plate. “My compliments to the chef, by the way.” A pleased smile curved her mouth. Taking their plates, Jenny carried them to the sink. “I’d offer dessert, but Bryan has a thing about sugar in the house.” Ashley blinked owlishly, and Jenny thought that if he were the sort to fidget, he’d be fidgeting now. Instead, he stood. “I have to be going soon. Got an early day tomorrow.” She nodded, though whether it was relief or disappointment flooding through her, Jenny didn’t know. Neither spoke as she led him back to the living room, and he waited in the background while she knelt at Bryan’s side. “Let’s get you to bed, slugger.” She slipped her arm around his back. He groaned, his lashes fluttering, but did nothing to help her get him to his feet. Jenny glanced back to Ashley. “You can step in any time.” Wordlessly, he crouched beside the couch, pulling Bryan’s arm over his shoulders. With one arm wrapped around Bryan’s ribs—and brushing against her skin—he straightened to his feet, pulling Bryan up with him. “Lead the way.” It had been a long time since Jenny had had to deal with a dead weight Bryan, but together, she and Ashley managed to bear his long frame to the closed door of the bedroom. There was a moment of fumbling when she reached for the knob, but when Bryan started to slip, Ashley quickly lowered his arm until it almost covered hers, bracing Bryan more firmly. She smiled at him in gratitude, but for once, his eyes were solemn. She didn’t risk flicking on the light, instead leaving the door open to allow enough illumination to guide them to the bed. Bryan fell heavily against it, his legs dangling over the edge, still out cold. “Sleep tight.” She regarded him and chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s almost like we just had sex or something.” “Or something,” Ashley agreed, though his voice sounded faint. His fist was clenched at his side, and when she caught his eye, his smile was a little strained. A moment of awkward silence fell over them before he retreated to the doorway. “Thanks for dinner.” She followed him out, wondering what she’d said or done that had closed him off so much. She almost wished she had the flirtatious Ashley back.


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They reached for the front door at the same time, fingers brushing against the other’s. Jenny expected him to pull away, but he kept his hand still, lifting his vivid gaze to meet hers. For a second, she was convinced he was going to kiss her. Her blood pounded in her ears, her skin scalding in the scant inches where they touched. It was so much like her fantasy about the elevator that Jenny had to take a deep breath to assure herself she wasn’t dreaming. “Thanks for bringing Bryan home.” Her lips barely moved around the words. Ashley took a step forward, closing the distance between them. It would be so easy to lift her chin, just a little, and he could lower his, just a little. “It was the least I could do.” There was a hint of longing in his tone. Or maybe she had imagined it. “Call me when you’re tired of drinking that piss water,” he said, breaking the moment and pulling the door open. Her smile was soft, but the mention of calling him reminded her of his earlier comments. Darting back to the living room, Jenny grabbed her purse and rummaged around before she found a slightly bent, slightly stained business card for the garage. “Bring your truck in,” she said, handing it over. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.” “Satisfaction guaranteed?” he asked with a small smile. There was another brush of their fingers in the exchange, but Jenny didn’t let the touch linger this time. “Always.” With a nod, she stepped out of his way, but as soon as he was gone and the door was safely shut between them, all her pent-up energy was lost with her long exhalation. She leaned her forehead against the door and closed her eyes, trying to block out the rampage that seemed to have taken over her body. It didn’t work.

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Chapter Five Ashley stood outside Jenny’s apartment for several minutes, fighting with the instinct to knock on the door again. Bryan wasn’t going to wake up. What harm would one kiss do? He just needed to taste her. It wasn’t like he was going to fuck her on the bed next to Bryan’s unconscious body. Fuck. He walked away from the door quickly, trying to will his erection down. Had she been able to sense how much he wanted her? Did she know that nearly every word she said sounded like an invitation to him? Had she been taunting him? Her card burned him through his pocket, and she had just seemed so very…eager. Except, she wasn’t eager. She was engaged. She was just a flirty, carefree, sweet creature who knew how to play nice. That didn’t mean she wanted him to slam her against her door and fuck her into oblivion. Even if she flirted back. Even if she offered her card. Even if she drove him to absolute distraction. Ashley didn’t know if he could make it all the way back to his apartment without shoving his hands down his pants, but he intended to give it the old college try. There was the chance that his blood would cool the farther he got away from her. Maybe he wouldn’t even need to jack off by the time he got home. That was too much unfounded optimism. He was still hard as a rock when he opened his front door. The table, he decided. Not the door. The table. Over the dinner she made for her fiancé, while he was passed out on the couch. And Ashley had absolutely no ulterior motives for agreeing to take Bryan home instead of just putting him in a cab. Ashley went directly to the bathroom, shedding his shirt along the way. It would only take a few minutes, and then maybe he’d be able to concentrate on all the work he still had to do.


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*** “And I suppose you think you know what those would be,” Jenny dared. Ashley was certain he knew what would make her happy, what she needed. He licked his bottom lip, his tongue toying with the skin for a moment, attracting her attention. “I know exactly what those would be.” Almost lazily, Jenny leaned against the counter, eyes dark and inviting as she set her beer bottle down and out of the way. “One of these days, I’m going to make you put your money where your mouth is.” “One of these days?” Ashley stood, stretching his legs before he approached her. He walked slowly, giving her the chance to bolt if she wanted to take it. “Why not today?” She never moved. Her eyes never wavered. “Because Bryan’s just in the next room.” “He’s not waking up. Still…” He touched a finger to his lips. “We’ll just have to be quiet.” When he stopped a hair’s-breadth away from her, Jenny finally let her sooty lashes dip long enough to glance at his attire and lower. “I’m not really good at being quiet. Especially if you’re half as good as you think you are.” “Actually, I’ve been quite modest.” His hands went to her hips. He moved his mouth over her jaw, never quite touching the skin, as he inhaled deeply. “I’m twice that good. But…” Now his lips skimmed over the same path, a light caress. “I promise, he won’t hear a thing.” Her sharp breath was audible, her subsequent exhale warm and ticklish in his ear. She didn’t fight the curl of his fingers into the soft denim, but neither did she add to the embrace by lifting her arms and pressing closer. She simply stood there, absorbing the feather kisses along her jaw, her pulse pounding visibly in the hollow of her throat. “You should stop,” Jenny breathed. “Oh, absolutely,” Ashley agreed, the trail of his mouth shifting, bringing his lips closer to hers. He rotated his hips, grinding his hard cock against her, his grip on her tightening. “Make me.” “Stop.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and when his mouth skimmed the corner of hers, her tongue darted out to taste him almost delicately. “I mean it.” “Okay,” he sighed, before his mouth closed over hers. Her lips were inviting, welcoming, and they parted for him without hesitation. The kiss began slowly, as though

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he really did think she’d push him away, but soon the pure lust that had been settled low in his gut since he saw her erupted through his body, and the kiss became something harder, more demanding. She clung to his arms, her nails digging through his jacket as he spun her around, backing her up against the table. Though she tasted faintly of garlic, the beer lent a sweet tang to her mouth as Ashley devoured her, every swipe of his tongue releasing a fresh explosion of flavor that had him hungry for more. Jenny shoved at his suit coat, until only the thin cotton of their shirts separated his hot skin from hers. She broke from his mouth, gulping for air. “You can’t kiss me forever. And if you make me come, I will scream.” Ashley smiled briefly at the challenge, his hands going to her pants. He worked them open with quick efficiency, his lips teasing hers in a series of hard, short kisses. His fingers dipped between her thighs, testing the dampness of her thong, and he knew she was ready for him, perhaps had been since the moment they shut themselves in her tiny kitchen. Her hands were busy as well. With his jacket gone, Jenny worked at his shirt buttons, pulling them free so roughly that he wondered if he would lose one or two in the process. “Want to feel you.” Her nails caught on his bare stomach, scratching up his torso as she pushed the shirt out of her way. “I can’t stop thinking about you. You’re driving me fucking crazy.” Jenny’s hurried words sent a jolt of desire right to his cock, and Ashley knew that he wasn’t going to be able to hold off. He wanted her too much; his need was almost palpable between them. He could almost taste it. He kissed her fiercely before turning her around, his hand moving between her legs to spread them apart. She put her hands flat on the table, looking over her shoulder at him with naked longing. “Are you trying to let Bryan know what’s going on between us?” she taunted. Ashley shook his head and tapped his lips again. “Shh.” He unzipped his pants, pulling himself out of the constricting material and guiding the head of his cock to her wet heat. Jenny didn’t look away as he slid into her, slow, measured, filling her an inch at a time. He didn’t want to force a gasp or yelp out of her. Ashley saw the strain on her face as she bit back the moan and knew it was a mere reflection of his own efforts. By the time he was fully seated, her inner muscles impossibly tight around his shaft, her thighs quivered from the strength of her control. Jenny swallowed one breath, then two, before speaking. www.samhainpublishing.com

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“I…I…you can’t expect me to do this.” This time, her voice was a hushed whisper he had to strain to catch. “Please. You have to stop. Bryan’s going to hear me.” “He’s not going to hear you,” Ashley murmured, his hand snaking around her neck to close over her mouth. She looked at him with wide eyes as he began to move in short, shallow strokes. “And you don’t want me to stop.” His words were almost below a whisper. “So you’re not going to make any noise at all, are you?” The shake of her head came without pause. Her breath came quicker, fanning over his hand, but her eyes remained locked with his, as if her willpower relied upon Ashley’s own. “Good,” he mouthed, gripping the table with his other hand, using it for leverage. He settled into a rhythm that was just fast enough to make sweat roll down his neck, but just slow enough to keep the chorus of moans building in his throat from erupting. Her eyes flashed with each thrust, and he heard her whimper and plead for him so clearly that for a moment he thought she actually was. But the kitchen was silent, even their rapid breathing subdued, the air held in their lungs for far too long. As Ashley stroked in and out of her tight passage, Jenny reached back to grab his hip, eyes daring him to stop her. He felt like chuckling. Like anything could stop him now. If anything, the flame of her touch spurred him a little faster, bowing forward in order to taste the salt of her neck. It was the thought of Bryan, asleep on the couch, that made the hot pleasure shoot through his body and gather at the base of his spine. He knew the other man could wake up. And even if he didn’t walk in on them, he would be able to smell their fucking, the scent heavy in the warm kitchen. Ashley’s body began to tremble, chills rolling down his back even as hot sparks of electricity raced in his blood. He released the table, burying his fingers between her thighs to find her clit. She bucked against his hand the moment he found the sensitive flesh, a whimper escaping her throat. For the first time since he’d started fucking her, Jenny squeezed her eyes shut, and he felt the shudders ripple through her body, her breath desperate gasps, her pussy clamping down around his cock as she fought against the power of her orgasm. Ashley tightened his hold over her mouth, both a warning and an effort to suffocate any other sounds she didn’t hold back. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice the way she parted her lips, the way she sucked on the fleshy part of his palm, but he did notice the way she bit him, her sharp teeth closing over his skin as she convulsed and trembled

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around him. His balls tightened, and he had to bite his own tongue to keep from shouting her name as he shuddered in climax. The second he began to pull away, Jenny twisted beneath him, tearing from his hands before yanking him back to her lips, mouth slamming to mouth as she took what she needed in a violent kiss. True to her word, she never spoke, but Ashley didn’t need to hear her words to know what their fucking had done to her. Every inch of her still quivered. *** Ashley washed his hands, staring at his reflection in the mirror as the come and soap swirled down the drain. His eyes had an unfamiliar light in them, and he blinked several times, but it didn’t fade. Shaking his head, he refastened his pants and stepped out of the bathroom. “Do you always scream when you masturbate?” Ashley didn’t jump at the question. He had long ceased being surprised by Yvonne’s sudden, unannounced appearances. “Not always,” he answered, crossing the room to the kitchen. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” “I missed you.” Ashley snorted and pulled open the fridge, grabbing two beers. He ran his thumb over the label of the expensive ale, wondering how Jenny would like it. “Your date cancel tonight?” “His mother’s in the hospital. Can you believe it?” “No. Tough break for you.” Ashley poured the beers into two tall glasses and carried one over to the blonde lounging on his couch. She looked at him with sharp, cat-like eyes and a lazy smile. Ashley returned the smile. He didn’t need to ask what the joke was. “And where have you been with your phone turned off?” Yvonne asked, her red fingernails tapping against the sweating glass. “A meeting. I can’t be at your beck and call twenty-four hours a day, Yvonne,” Ashley said dryly. He settled in the chair across from her with a sigh, toeing off his shoes before he polished off half his beer. www.samhainpublishing.com

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“Of course not. Was it a particularly exciting meeting?” Yvonne asked with an arched eyebrow. “You don’t want all the boring details.” He knew that Yvonne wouldn’t be jealous of whatever animal urges he had for Jenny—Yvonne wouldn’t even be jealous of any softer thoughts he might have had for Jenny either—but he didn’t feel like getting into it. He didn’t feel like explaining he wanted to fuck a woman he hardly knew over her kitchen table while her fiancé—and his business associate—was passed out twenty feet away. It was too complicated. And too simple. What was more simple, more basic, than animal lust? “I just didn’t realize you had that particular kink,” Yvonne said, and he didn’t know if she was being playful or not. “I could dress up like a stuffy old lawyer, if you’d like. Or whisper legal fine print in your ear while you’re fucking me. If it’ll help.” “That’s not necessary right now. But I’ll let you know if that changes.” “I have missed you,” she murmured, reaching behind her to untie the ribbons holding her flimsy shirt in place. She stood and approached him, letting her shirt fall from her body. Ashley took her hand, curling his fingers through hers, and pulled her onto his lap. She straddled him, her skirt riding high up her thighs, her arms draped over his shoulders. “What are you doing on Friday night?” he asked, his hands going to her waist. “Jason invited me to attend the Jorgensen party with him.” Ashley grimaced. “You’re not going with him, are you?” “You want me to go with you?” “I just don’t understand what you see in him,” Ashley said. She arched against his hands as he smoothed them up her back. “I mean, he’s all…slippery.” “Didn’t you just tell me that you’re not at my beck and call twenty-four hours a day?” Yvonne teased. “Besides, he’s nice enough.” “Rich enough, you mean.” Yvonne smiled—a little-girl, you-caught-me smile. “He’s that too. Why? Are you jealous?” “Come to the party with me,” Ashley urged, his fingers dancing down her spine. She leaned back, her eyes suddenly serious. “Business or pleasure?” “Business.”

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Yvonne nodded. “I’ll call Jason tomorrow.” Ashley smiled. He knew Yvonne would pull out all the stops. He did not pretend to understand why showing up at the proper social events with the proper woman on his arm always seemed to equal good business sense, but it did. It was an image thing, and when it came to image things, nobody understood better than Yvonne. “You’re too good to me.” “You treat me well enough.” She arched her neck, the diamond studs flashing in the light. “I’ll get you the matching necklace for the party.” She leaned forward, trailing her mouth along his jaw before finding his lips. “Take me to bed?” “No.” She paused, obviously surprised. He thrust forward, his cock once again hard in his pants. “Let’s stay right here.”


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Chapter Six It didn’t take nearly enough time to strip Bryan out of his clothes, tugging at his trousers, pulling at his shirt until he was stretched out on their bed in only his underwear. It didn’t take nearly enough time to clean the kitchen, tossing the empty Corona bottle into the recycling and scrubbing the wok until it was spotless. It didn’t take nearly enough time for Jenny to peel away her jeans and T-shirt, to get under the relentless spray of her shower and bow her head beneath the scalding water. Because she could still see Ashley. She could still feel his hand on hers at the door. She still wanted desperately to know what it would be like to drown in that wicked smile, or whether that upfront charm translated to something more when he was fucking, or if he was as driven in the bedroom as he was out of it. She wanted it all. Bending her neck back, she let the water pound against her throat, splashing upward onto her jaw before running in streaming rivulets over her full breasts. He continued to surprise her. Why had he brought Bryan home? What could be so bad about work that Bryan was driven to drink so much in the first place? Why did Ashley slip into corners of her life with ease that should only have come with months of acquaintance? Jenny didn’t know. She didn’t understand the dichotomy of his background, and she didn’t get why he bothered to be nice to her, when there wasn’t anything in it for him to gain. There was the flirting-with-a-pretty-girl thing, but that didn’t come with a warning to ensure the safety of a pretty girl’s fiancé. It didn’t make sense. Neither did her continued lust for him. He wasn’t her type. He was a good half foot shorter than Bryan, dark where Bryan was fair. He was an overworked professional with delusions of grandeur while Bryan was simply eager to please. But there was something about Ashley, beyond the purely physical. As much as she hated to admit it, talking to him was easier than talking to Bryan. There was no sense of judgment like she got at home; he seemed to accept her for

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what she was. In fact, when he wasn’t checking her out, she would’ve sworn Ashley enjoyed her company. That made fighting the attraction even more difficult. Pushing her hair off her face, she let her hands glide down her body, molding over her hips as she remembered his appreciation for her jeans. If she concentrated—and really, she didn’t have to concentrate very hard, that’s how vivid it was—she felt his hands sliding over her ass to pull her against his lean body. He would be hard, of course. In her dreams, he always was. *** “And I suppose you think you know what those would be,” Jenny dared. “Do you think I don’t?” Ashley challenged. “I think you spend a lot of time talking and not so much doing.” Ashley quirked his eyebrow. “I’m generally a man of action. But words have their place too.” It was a gauntlet, no doubt about that. Jenny could ignore it, just like she’d ignored most of his other temptations, or she could put an end to them once and for all. Taking the few steps necessary to return to the table, she tilted her head to the doorway. “I’m not interested in your words right now. But if that’s all you’ve got to offer me…” There. If that didn’t put a stop to the games, she wasn’t sure what would. “No?” Ashley didn’t make a move to stand, but his eyes were dancing. “That’s a pity, because I was going to say some things I thought you’d like to hear.” He pushed away from the table now. “I guess I could show you the power of words later.” He unfolded his lean body from the chair, rolling his shoulders before approaching her. Now that he was right in front of her, the reality of her situation began to sink in, her blood roaring in her ears, skin already tingling though he had yet to touch her. Jenny swallowed once, twice before her voice decided to work again. “Talking will only wake Bryan up anyway. And I really don’t want him interrupting right now.” Ashley backed her against the counter without touching her. “Talking is much less disruptive than what I’ve got planned,” he pointed out reasonably.


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Her lashes ducked. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from his mouth. “And what’s that?” “Don’t be coy, Jenny,” he said, a mild rebuke. “It doesn’t suit you.” A flash of anger bubbled inside her. She’d show him coy. Grabbing his jacket’s lapels, she yanked Ashley forward, knocking him off balance as she pulled him against her body. “You don’t have the first clue what suits me,” she rasped, and then slammed her mouth to his. Ashley wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as he responded to the kiss. His hands snuck down her back to cup her ass, pushing her against his growing erection. His mouth was hot and fervent, his tongue demanding, but she responded in kind. That single kiss broke the dam on her desire. A groan came from nowhere as she coiled one hand behind his neck, the other at his waist, each digging in and holding him close for fear that he would stop with only the one caress. The thin cotton of her T-shirt left little barrier over her aching nipples, and rubbing against him didn’t dampen the growing fire beneath her skin. She pulled away, panting, reluctant, eyes dark with desire. “Bedroom. Now.” Ashley didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. The slow heat of his smile was answer enough for her. With her fingers curled around his waistband, she led him out of the kitchen, through the living room—and past a sleeping Bryan—to her bedroom. He walked close to her, touching her in maddeningly innocent ways. A brush against her arm. Trailing his fingers through her hair. But his touches shifted to something hotter, harder, as soon as the bedroom door shut behind them. “We have to be quiet,” Jenny whispered. Her breath caught as he tugged her shirt from her waistband, fingertips leaving sparks of fire where they skimmed across her bare stomach. She had to squeeze her eyes shut when he began sucking at her neck. “God, I fucking love your mouth.” “I love to taste you,” he murmured, then set about proving it. He whipped her shirt off, yanking it over her head without warning, and then attacked her with his lips. He kissed and nibbled her neck, the hollow of her throat, her pulse, then moved lower, his tongue gliding over her as he sought out her breast. Every time his mouth found a new patch of skin to explore, a fresh shiver shot down Jenny’s spine. Her warning about silence flew out the window as she breathed

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encouragement with every inch he traveled, her hands growing increasingly desperate as he sucked her nipple through her lace bra. “You do this to me, and all I can think about is throwing you to the bed and riding you until we’re both exhausted,” she admitted. Her fingers tangled in the longer strands of hair at the base of his neck. “You have no idea how many times I’ve got myself off thinking about your mouth on me.” Ashley fidgeted with the clasp on her bra until it gave way, exposing her bare nipples to his teeth and tongue. “Probably about as many times I’ve got myself off thinking about using my mouth on you.” The image of him with his cock in hand, face twisted in ecstasy as he came, made Jenny gasp, stumbling toward the bed and dragging Ashley with her. The back of her knees hit the edge of the mattress, but his arm shot around her waist, keeping her firmly upright while he attacked her breast. “On the bed,” she managed. “You have to fuck me on the bed.” Ashley moaned, his hands as busy as his mouth. They fumbled through the barrier of their clothes together, freeing buttons and unzipping zippers until their pants pooled at their ankles and his shirt hung off his shoulders. Their audible panting made her bite his shoulder to stifle the sounds, and he pushed her backwards, his hand slipping between her thighs as they fell together on the mattress. Jenny squirmed in pleasure when his fingers dipped between her folds, seeking her wet opening. She thrust back when he sank two of them inside, but it was the hand he slid around her ass in order to better hold her that drew her sharpest attention. “That’s it.” Hooking a leg around his hips, she met his questioning eyes with a halfsmile. “Bryan’s a breast man. I couldn’t get him to pay attention to my ass if I paid him.” “You do have nice breasts,” Ashley pointed out before circling a nipple with his tongue. “Very nice breasts. But…” He pulled away from her, letting her leg fall from his hip, and flipped her over without warning. His tongue danced down her spine as he cupped her ass, massaging the flesh gently. “Your ass is exceptional.” She fisted the blankets to keep from crying out when his fingers moved to trace the crease. Bryan never touched her like this. The only attention he paid to her below the waist was to fuck her or to go down on her on the rare occasion. Jenny had pressed the issue once or twice when they’d gotten back together—hoping that college had loosened some of his inhibitions about anal play—but he had made it very clear that he had no interest in it. She had long ago given up ever getting the opportunity. www.samhainpublishing.com

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“If you like it…” She twisted to glance back, her hair a dark fall over her shoulder, her eyes even darker with lust, “…you can have it.” Ashley looked up at her, meeting her eyes for an endless moment, before smiling and ducking his head. He ran the tip of his tongue over the curve of each cheek, before dipping it between her thighs to tease her pussy. He flicked his tongue over it delicately until she squirmed, then dragged his mouth back up her body, his fingers spreading her flesh apart to expose her tight ring of muscle. She gasped when she felt the first touch of his tongue over her hole. Jenny dropped her head back to the bed and pulled herself up onto her knees, opening herself further to his exploration, but Ashley seemed bent on teasing her, his mouth demanding where he licked and nibbled everywhere but where she wanted it most. The unexpected slide of his fingers across her wet pussy made her jump. He thrust two of them back inside, pumping once and then twice, and Jenny groaned when they disappeared. “You’re going to fucking kill me here. I swear, all you have to do is look at me, and I’m ready to come right then.” “Don’t come yet,” Ashley said, sliding his slick fingers into her ass. He held them there, not pumping, but allowing her to become accustomed to the sudden pressure. “You’ll miss all the fun.” In spite of the sudden fullness, Jenny looked back at him and grinned. “Who said I only had to come once?” “Maybe I’m only going to let you come once.” He moved his fingers in and out of her slowly. “So you better make sure it’s a good one.” The promise of his words rolled a shiver down her spine. Licking her bottom lip, she fought against the urge to begin rocking back against his hand. It would only make her come all the faster, and if he was serious about his intentions, she had to make sure that he was at least far enough along in fucking her not to want to stop. “Is this how you want me?” She lifted her hips a little bit higher. “Do you want to fuck me from behind like this? Or do you want me on my back so you can see exactly what you do to me?” “Want you like this.” He pulled his fingers from her, leaving her feeling empty and frustrated, but she saw him reach for the jar of Vaseline on the nightstand before he disappeared behind her again. “Want to see your pretty ass.”

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Eternity seemed to pass before Jenny felt him touch her again, this time with fingers cold and slick. She held her breath as he slipped the two back inside her, pushing past the tight outer ring with greater ease while his other hand caressed a taut cheek, but it took only a few strokes in and out before a third finger was added, stretching and teasing her in preparation for his cock. “Do it,” she panted when she thought she couldn’t take it any more. “I need you to fuck me already.” The mattress tilted beneath his weight as he settled on his knees behind her. Her blood roared in her ears as he slid the head of his cock between her cheeks, positioning himself before slowly pushing inside. Inch by exhilarating inch, Ashley pressed forward, and the hitch in his throat turned into a long moan as he seated himself fully, his fingers digging into her hips. She was shaking. She didn’t know if he felt it, but the moment he had his cock buried, the quivering began, starting with the burn seeping into her muscles so that she had to struggle to maintain control. Only one guy had ever fucked her ass before, and it had been so long ago that she might as well have been a virgin again. Her murmured exhalations were mostly incoherent while Ashley held still, letting her adjust to his thickness, but one intent came out loud and clear. “You feel so incredible.” “So do you. Fuck, this is amazing.” Ashley pulled out of her so slowly that it was more a caress than anything else. “So fucking amazing.” He thrust in completely once again, then began rocking his hips, making each stroke shallow and quick. Though she knew he was only going to allow her a single orgasm, Jenny didn’t think she was going to last long. Her skin flamed, ready to erupt at a single touch, and she gasped, desperate for air, every time he sank back inside her. It was all too much, not enough, just what she wanted, driving her to begin pushing back against him. Her earlier warning about staying quiet vanished as Jenny’s demands for harder, deeper, more grew louder and louder. Ashley shifted with each demand, willingly giving her exactly what she thought she needed—until he would adjust himself again and give her what he thought she needed. It seemed like only seconds had passed before he was driving himself into her, slamming her back against his body and onto his cock again and again. His harsh moans and halfwords of need covered hers as they both inched closer to completely losing control.


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The wet sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, the friction burning with stroke after deep stroke. Each drive forward rubbed her already sensitive nipples against the blankets until she loosed one of her hands from the bed to pinch and pull at them in order to relieve the pressure. Her orgasm hovered at the edge, teasing her before drawing back, but the second Ashley slipped a hand around her hip to find her clit, everything exploded. *** Her knuckles were white where her fingers gripped the tile, her muscles shaky as she eased back under the spray. Jenny rinsed her hair with her eyes shut, replaying the best parts of her fantasy inside her head, but his wicked smile still haunted her when she turned off the taps, his imagined touch still burned as she reached for a towel. Of course it wasn’t enough. It never was. She only hoped she didn’t spend the whole night tossing and turning because of more dreams about Ashley Edwards. When she stepped into the bedroom, the swathe of light from the bathroom revealed Bryan’s bleary face, and he squinted against the sudden illumination. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “Late.” Jenny flipped the switch, submerging the room in darkness again, and navigated blind to her dresser. “Go to sleep. You’ll feel better tomorrow if you do.” There was a rustle of blankets as he shifted on the bed. “I feel like shit. I think I drank too much.” She rolled her eyes. That would be the understatement of the year. “Did you get me undressed?” After stepping into clean panties, Jenny grabbed a T-shirt to sleep in before going around to her side of the bed. “Don’t tell me you think your new drinking buddy would do it,” she teased. “Though you should be grateful he brought you home. If you’d tried driving like this, I would have had to kill you.” Bryan didn’t move when she rolled onto her side and rested a hand on his stomach. “Probably feel better if I was dead,” he mumbled. He was quiet for so long that she thought he must have fallen back asleep. Then the muscles shifted beneath her palm as he reached to push her hand off him. “Don’t do that. It makes me want to throw up.”

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Her disappointment was a soft wave through her, but she did as she was told, unwilling to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was. “What happened? Ashley told me how much you had to drink. You never do that.” “Work. Sucks.” She waited for clarification, but it never came. “Does it have something to do with the Kyoto mess?” His response was a grunt. Getting answers was going to be like pulling teeth. Jenny debated whether it might not be better to wait until morning. “I didn’t think you and Ashley Edwards knew each other so well,” she tried instead. “We didn’t. This was supposed to be about work.” He sighed. “He knows when to shut up and listen, though. We should probably invite him over to say thank you.” Jenny stiffened. There was no way she was up to another face-to-face with Ashley so soon after her fantasies about fucking him in her and Bryan’s bed. She’d never be able to look him in the eye. “Maybe we could take him out to dinner at that seafood place near Alejandro’s,” she suggested. “Then we could spend the day at the beach first. It’s been too long since we did that.” “I like that.” He sounded like he was half asleep again. “I’ll set it up.” The next thing she heard was a light snore. She kept waiting for him to move or wake up, maybe give her another opportunity to quiz him about what was going on with work, but Bryan never moved. Jenny sighed. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered. It was probably not a big deal anyway, just his melodramatic tendencies making a mountain out of a molehill. It wasn’t worth getting upset about. Except it bugged her. Between that and her encounter with Ashley, she wouldn’t be able to sleep for a very long time. Jenny eased off the bed without disturbing him and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She glanced at the clock as she went over and picked up the phone. After midnight. Late, but she’d called later before. That was one thing about family. They never gave you grief when the need arose. He answered on the first ring, his voice deep and alert. Jenny sank back into the couch as the relief flooded through her. “Hi, Dad. I’m not interrupting anything, am I? I was hoping we could…talk.”


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Chapter Seven Two work parties in one week was not Jenny’s idea of a good time. The advantage to this engagement, though, was that it was far more intimate—only fifteen to twenty people in total, Bryan said—and it was over dinner. That meant she could busy herself eating if she floundered in the conversations. She couldn’t mess up if her mouth was full. She tried not to fidget as the butler took her purse and coat. Bryan had assured her that her red dress was more than adequate for a dinner party, even if it was in the hills, but without her jacket’s protection, Jenny felt a tad exposed. Her short skirt flared around her tanned legs, and the halter top revealed more than a little cleavage. Even with her hair down around her shoulders, she wondered if she was baring too much skin as soon as she saw a woman in a conservative white pantsuit bearing down on them. “Bryan!” The woman’s perfect smile was broken only by her air kisses, and she promptly stepped back to beam at both of them. “I’m so glad you made it. Peter kept telling me not to count on you bothering with my boring little party, but I told him, there’s no way you’d let me down.” She turned to Jenny. “And this must be your charming wife. I’m afraid I don’t know your name, dear. The only thing Bryan talks about when I’m around is work, work, work.” “This is my fiancée, actually,” Bryan corrected. With his hand in the small of her back, he prodded Jenny to take a step forward. “Jenny Rohm, this is Anne Jorgensen. She and Peter are—” “Oh God, he’s doing it again.” Anne wagged a scolding finger in his general direction. “I’m not a client tonight, so I strictly forbid any kind of work talk. Tonight is about friends, food and French wine.” She laughed at her alliteration, but the best Jenny managed was a smile. Gesturing toward a set of open double doors behind her, Anne added, “Dinner won’t be ready for another half hour or so. Go and mingle. Hopefully, somebody in there won’t bore you to death.” She laughed again, drifting past them to chase after a maid with a tray.

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“You heard the woman.” Bryan took her hand in his. “Let’s mingle.” Jenny followed his lead, cringing when her high heels clicked against the marble floor. The instant she stepped into the massive living room, however, her breath caught in her throat. Next to the oversized fireplace dominating the far wall stood Ashley Edwards. He was dressed in a trim dark suit, but even from that distance, she noticed the way the color offset his twinkling eyes. In one hand, he held a crystal tumbler, while his other rested with easy familiarity in the small of the blonde woman’s back at his side. She matched his height, willowy and perfectly coiffed with a gorgeous diamond necklace glittering at her throat, and the surge of dislike for her that suddenly coursed through Jenny’s veins made her stiffen. “I didn’t realize Ashley was going to be here.” The surprise in Bryan’s voice was genuine. “Come on. Let’s go say hi.” Jenny had no choice but to go with him. If she’d torn her hand away and fled the room, Bryan would have demanded an explanation. And the truth about her sexual fantasies would not fly. Ashley smiled warmly as they approached, though she didn’t miss the way his attention darted to the left, as though he was looking for an escape. “Bryan, Jenny, I didn’t expect to see you tonight. Bryan, you know Yvonne, I believe. Yvonne, this is Bryan’s fiancée,” and he lingered over the word for just a fraction too long, “Jenny.” She hung back while Bryan went through his usual pleasantries. Though her smile remained in place as she took the other woman’s outstretched hand, Jenny’s gaze kept darting to the men, trying to gauge their reactions. “I should’ve known Ashley would bring the most beautiful woman in the room,” Bryan said. Once the greetings were over, he slipped an arm around Jenny’s waist and pulled her against his side. “Next to mine, that is.” Yvonne smiled pleasantly, and there didn’t seem to be a hint of irony in her response. “Indeed, Bryan. Where have you been hiding her?” “I only get dusted off when he can’t get out of bringing a date,” Jenny joked. “Lucky for him, I clean up easy.” Ashley threw a wicked grin her direction, as though they were both in on some private joke, before turning his attention to Bryan. “I know Anne is insisting that tonight be about fun, but I need to corner you at some point and talk numbers.”


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Bryan nodded. “Just name the time and place. As long as Anne doesn’t catch us, we’ll be safe.” Desperate to break away from thoughts of what Ashley’s smile meant, Jenny looked to Yvonne. “How much do you want to bet we get abandoned in favor of work?” “Ashley’s very good at balancing his…commitments. Perhaps he could teach that particular skill to Bryan?” Yvonne suggested with an arched brow. Her dislike for the other woman took root in the backhanded insult, forcing Jenny to struggle not to let it show. “I think Bryan does fine on his own. He just knows where his priorities lie, is all.” “Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it,” Yvonne said smoothly. “Ashley has told me many good things about your boy here. Which is quite a change from the litany of complaints I’m usually subjected to.” Her words were tempered with an indulgent grin at Ashley. The second she felt Bryan’s hand on the small of her back, Jenny knew she’d gone too far. She was never going to get the hang of the big business version of chitchat. “It’s a good thing we both have such women in our corners,” he said with a forced smile at Ashley. “All they’re missing is pompoms.” Ashley smirked. “Jenny doesn’t strike me as the cheerleading type. Probably in shop class while the rest of the girls were flouncing about in mini-skirts.” He cast an appreciative glance at her dress. “Speaking of shop, I have a free afternoon next Thursday. Would you be able to make time for me then?” Yvonne’s raised brow and Bryan’s curious glance had Jenny flushing. “For your truck, you mean?” Ashley’s confirmation made her nod. “That’s probably enough leeway time. Bring it on by. I’ll see what I can do for you.” Yvonne touched Ashley’s arm lightly. “Why don’t we go distract Anne while you and Bryan have your chat? That’ll give you at least thirty minutes until dinnertime.” She smiled at Jenny. “I’ll introduce you around. The Palmers have arrived, and they’re such an interesting couple. He’s a base jumper. Can you believe it?” As much as she didn’t want to go off with Yvonne, it was worse considering standing so close to Ashley and remembering every detail from her very vivid fantasies without being able to do anything about them. And if this Palmer guy was into basejumping, odds were good he wasn’t nearly as stuffy as the rest of the people Bryan

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usually introduced her to. As far as offers went, Jenny had had far worse at these shindigs. She smiled at the men, stepping aside to join Yvonne. “Don’t get into too much trouble without us,” she said. The sudden glint in Ashley’s eyes had her turning swiftly on her heel, though the memory of it burned long after they’d left him behind. Ashley didn’t know what prompted Yvonne to rescue him from the situation, but he thought he could buy her another diamond necklace. Every single time Jenny opened her mouth, he wanted to flirt with her, kiss her, whisk her out of the room. Something other than stand there and smile pleasantly, like he wasn’t undressing her in his mind. Perhaps Yvonne sensed his discomfort—she was pretty good at that, especially in formal situations. Perhaps she was just trying to be friendly. Perhaps she really wanted to give him the chance to talk to Bryan alone. It didn’t matter; the result was the same. He could breathe a little easier and look Bryan in the eye because he wasn’t busy staring at his fiancée’s breasts. They watched the women walk away before Bryan turned back to face him with a tired smile. Ashley nodded sympathetically. “I guess I don’t have to ask if things have improved since we last met.” Bryan ran a hand over his short-cropped hair. “Portman hasn’t brought it up again, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still want me to fix those numbers. I think he’s just biding his time, letting me stew on it until I don’t have a choice on the matter.” His hazel gaze darted around the room, assessing who stood near them before continuing. “Listen, I’m sorry how things turned out the other night. I should’ve stopped way before it got to the point it did. Jenny’s still pissed at me about it.” Ashley laughed easily. “Didn’t you just tell her it was my fault? I’m the one who kept ordering drinks, after all.” “According to Jenny, I’m the one who should know my limit. Something about if I want to be a grownup, I need to act like one.” He shrugged. “She has a point, but she’s never understood what it is I go through. She always thinks things are so simple. If something’s broken, you fix it. That’s her philosophy.” “It’s a good philosophy,” Ashley said, leaning back against the wall. “But one that probably works better on cars than people.”


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Bryan jumped on his words. “Exactly. See, you and I know how the system works. Jenny, on the other hand, doesn’t realize there’s a game to be played. Like these work parties. I mean, she tries, and I love her for that, but…” He sighed, glancing over at where Jenny and Yvonne were chatting with the Palmers. “I’m sorry she reacted to your girlfriend like that. She’s just out of her element here. Stick her in the middle of a car show and she shines, but here, it’s like oil and water.” “I think she…” Shines. Ashley caught himself. If he didn’t want to bend her over a couch and have his wicked way with her, the compliment would come easily, but he did, and so it didn’t. “You have to be trained for this sort of element,” he pointed out instead. “Yvonne’s father is the CEO of Hartford Enterprises. It’s the only life she knows. At least Jenny is willing to make the effort.” “She did have a great idea. She suggested we take you out for dinner at our favorite seafood place. As a thank you for helping me get home the other night.” Ashley blinked, his mind working quickly. “You know it’s not necessary to thank me for getting you drunk, Bryan.” Bryan’s answering grin was sheepish. “Maybe not. But it is necessary to thank you for getting me home safely. Look, bring Yvonne if you want. The restaurant is right off the beach. We can make a day of it. Let the girls get some sun, maybe play some volleyball.” His smile widened. “It’ll be fun.” Ashley analyzed every aspect of a problem before committing himself to a choice. It was the sort of natural reaction that served him well in school and in work, and it also kept his ass out of trouble more often than not. He didn’t necessarily always choose the right path, but he was always fully aware of the consequences of the wrong decision. Like he was now. Spending any time with Jenny was a sort of torture that Ashley hadn’t known existed. He had been sexually attracted to women before, and God knew, he never wanted for a date. But there had never been anybody just out of reach the way Jenny was. Even as he smiled, Ashley knew he’d regret it. “It has been awhile since I’ve experienced anything resembling fun. I’ll have to talk to Glenda about my schedule, though.” Bryan seemed pleased with his response, visibly relaxing. “Just let me know what works for you. You’re the busy man here. It’s enough I can tell Jenny you said yes. That’ll get her off my back about one thing, at least.”

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Ashley was having a hard time reconciling the Jenny he knew to the woman Bryan kept referring to. He couldn’t imagine her haranguing the other man over his drinking choices, or nagging him about extending an invitation for a simple thank you. And then his mind went to getting Jenny on her back, and he sighed inwardly. “I’ll give you a call tomorrow or Monday,” he promised. There was a moment of silence before Ashley gave in to his rampant curiosity and asked, “How did the two of you meet?” “High school. Sophomore year. I played basketball, and she was the cutest JV cheerleader. She did this flip thing from the top of the pyramid at our first home game, and I was pretty much a goner.” His smile grew wistful, his eyes distant. “I wasn’t kidding about the pompoms. I think she’s still got them packed away in a box in storage.” Ashley quickly banished the mental image of Jenny with her pompoms and her short skirt and long legs. “So she’s always been your biggest fan then?” “Yeah. Well, mostly.” Ashley’s gaze slid across the room to find Jenny, looking friendly, if a little uncomfortable, while she listened to Yvonne talk to the Palmers. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair. He did not want to pry into her relationship, and he was certainly not eager to find out if things weren’t exactly sunshine and lollipops in the nice apartment she shared with Bryan. He was just being friendly. Interested. “Only mostly?” For the first time in their conversation, Bryan looked ill at ease. “She never liked that I went away for college. We broke up the summer after high school graduation and she didn’t say a word to me until I moved back after I got my degree. I had to work pretty damn hard to get her to go out with me again.” Ashley had the feeling that Bryan was not telling him the full version of the story. He didn’t think Bryan was lying to him at all, but there was the truth…and then there was the rest of it. If Bryan had been on the stand, Ashley would have happily thrown pointed question after pointed question until he got to the bottom of the situation. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the right to grill Bryan. “But you succeeded. That’s what matters in the end, right?” Bryan sagged, obviously relieved Ashley was dropping the subject. “Yeah. That’s what matters.” His eyes flickered to Jenny for a moment before his focus returned to their


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conversation. “I’m glad we’re going to be able to sort something out. You’re the only person I’ve ever worked with who Jenny remembered the next day.” “Probably because I’m willing to pay handsomely to get my truck fixed,” Ashley joked, but a part of him wondered if that was really the truth. She had responded to his flirting, and he had eyes. He had noticed the way she looked at him and….that way lie madness. It was hard enough to keep himself under control without thinking she would welcome his advances. “Probably,” Bryan agreed. “Now, about those numbers you wanted to discuss…” The dinner surprised her. Jenny ended up sitting next to the base-jumping Mr. Palmer and talking about various escapades along the coast each had taken, laughing and enjoying herself far more than she ever had at any other function Bryan had taken her to. More than once, she felt Bryan’s level gaze on her, and it prompted her to pull back, but all in all, the meal went by swiftly and pleasantly. It was a nice change. She even met Ashley’s eyes once or twice, comfortable enough not to shrink away from him this time. So what if she was attracted to him? They were both well aware that the other wasn’t available, and if maybe Yvonne’s background was a little more highbrow than hers, that didn’t necessarily make her a bad person. In fact, once Jenny got past her irrational first reaction to the woman, she’d been a bonus to have around, carrying conversations when Jenny faltered, making introductions when Jenny would have been too intimidated. Still, it was a relief to hear after dinner that Ashley had accepted their invitation, and even more so that he was going to bring Yvonne. It set up clear boundaries. It was ridiculous for Jenny to be embarrassed about fantasies that meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. The first time she saw Ashley alone, she excused herself from the conversation she really hadn’t been listening to anyway and crossed the sitting room in order to stand at his side. With her best smile, she said, “Bryan told me you’re going to try and find a date for us to thank you the right way for the other night.” “You already gave me dinner. I feel as though I’m taking advantage of your kindness.” “My cooking is not a kindness.” Ashley smiled. “I looked past the cooking for the company.”

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There it was. The warming in the pit of her stomach at a smile that shouldn’t have made her react that way. Jenny ignored it for the moment, reminding herself that it didn’t make a difference. “Bryan said you’re going to bring Yvonne,” she said instead. “Bryan invited Yvonne,” Ashley countered. “I don’t know if she’ll accept. She might have a date that night.” Her brows shot up. “Oh. I thought you two were… I mean, she knew so much about you. I just figured you two were exclusive.” “We’re only exclusive until midnight.” He checked his watch. “I’ll be free in another five minutes.” Jenny laughed. Part of it was surprise at the obvious flirtatious joke. It was the way he always seemed to be in her presence. Part of it was relief for the very same reason. “Then I probably shouldn’t monopolize what little time Yvonne has left then.” She turned, looking for the blonde in the crowd. “I should drag her back here so that she doesn’t lose out.” “Now, don’t be hasty. I’d hate to disturb her while she seems to be having so much fun.” He nodded at the laughing woman before touching Jenny’s arm. “It’s her own fault for not guarding my time jealously.” Though his fingers were light, her skin burned where they made contact, pulling her attention back to him as assuredly as a magnet. His smile lacked guile, but that twinkle was back, almost daring her to walk away now. “Maybe she’s not as smart as I thought she was then.” “She has her moments. And where’s Mr. Gillis? He disappeared after dinner.” “Networking, most likely. That’s what he does at these things.” “Yes, I suppose that’s what these things are for. Perhaps he isn’t as smart as I thought he was.” The sudden rush of blood in her ears almost deafened her to his words. His implication was all too clear, but it was probably nothing more than a response to her earlier comment as opposed to something real. It had to be. Anything else was going to get her into serious trouble. “So, you’re going to bring the truck around next Thursday?” There. A change in topic. Cars and work were always safe.


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“Yes. It’s in need of some TLC. Barring a last minute schedule change, which is always likely,” he added under his breath. “Just a general tune-up at this point. It’s been…at least a year since I’ve taken it farther than a block or two.” “A year?” Jenny bristled. She hated hearing about good cars getting wasted, and if the truck was a thing of love like Ashley suggested, it deserved better treatment than that. “No offense, but if you’re not going to drive it, what’s the point in keeping it around? A classic like that should be treated with respect. You can’t put her up on blocks and then expect her to perform on demand because you get a sudden attack of nostalgia.” She shook her head, her mind made up. “Drop her by as soon as you can. Doesn’t matter when. I’ll give her the works right now, get her engine so spotless she’ll make whatever Lexus or Beemer or whatever it is you drive instead look like a wind-up toy.” Ashley responded to her outburst with a quirk of his eyebrow. “Are you usually this passionate about old Fords, or do you just save it for special customers?” She grinned, unable to resist. “Both.” “Well, don’t lose any sleep over old Vera. I may not get to take her out as often as I like, but she’s living the sweet life down here in Los Angeles.” “Because you have her tucked away in a cozy little garage instead of bouncing over dirt roads in Texas?” Realizing she was going to go off on another rant, Jenny hid her sudden blush with a laugh. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop. I get a little excited about what I do, and I don’t get to talk about it nearly enough.” “I’ll listen to your car talk if you let me bore you with legalese,” Ashley offered. “Deal.” The agreement came without hesitation. Once it was out there, though, Jenny knew she didn’t want to take it back. It was too much of a relief to know there was one person—even one she was physically attracted to—that she didn’t have to pretend around. She held out her hand to seal the arrangement, meeting his bright eyes with a smile. “Just don’t expect me to understand it. Bryan’s been trying that for four years now and the best I’ve been able to do is remember the name of his company.” “No problem.” Ashley took her hand. “I don’t even understand it most of the time.” Even stronger than the warming in her stomach at his smile was the electric shock at the contact of their fingers. Warning bells pealed inside her head, but Jenny held on to his hand for the duration of the shake, wondering what in hell she was doing playing with fire like this. “I should probably go find Bryan,” she said, letting her fingertips graze along Ashley’s palm when their hands parted. “I look forward to seeing Vera when you bring her in.” 60


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“She’s looking forward to it too, I assure you,” Ashley murmured, his hand dropping to his side. She shot him one last smile before turning away. The memory of his skin against hers burned as long after she left as it had the night he’d brought Bryan home. Jenny wondered how long it would be before she could shake the man’s hand without immediately thinking of dragging him into her bed.


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Chapter Eight Ashley felt a curious combination of excitement and dread as Thursday approached. He didn’t have a great deal of time to think about Jenny—though she still snuck into his dreams—but Thursday hovered above him like a sly prize. Endless meetings, another date or two with Yvonne, golfing, drinks, dinners, and somehow, he found the time to actually work. But Thursday was always there, always in the back of his mind. He wanted to see Jenny again. There was no way around that. He wanted to see her in her overalls. He wanted to see her wide smile, the sparkle in her eye, the slight blush she always got when he teased her. He wanted to see what her hands looked like, stained and soiled and sure. Ashley wanted to see her in her element and out of his. But the hunger he felt humming low in his blood was getting harder to ignore. He even found himself thinking of her while having sex with Yvonne—which meant something was seriously wrong because Yvonne knew exactly what she was doing in bed. And yet, he had been thinking about Jenny. And dreaming about Jenny. And most of the meetings had included Bryan, with his young, pleasant face, and his eager-to-please smile, and his potential. Ashley liked the guy, for Christ’s sake. Not enough to stop him, though. Ashley dressed casually, in jeans and a button-down shirt. He would have felt extremely out of place and conspicuous wearing a suit that cost more than his truck did new. The truck ran smoothly. A little too smoothly. In fact, it didn’t sound like it needed a tune-up at all, and Ashley didn’t think he’d volunteer the fact that he put himself through school working in an auto shop. He didn’t want her to see through his ploy immediately, after all. Ashley pulled up to Jenny’s shop after ten, noting that the lot was already full, with more cars spilling out into the street. It was blistering hot outside, the summer sun reflecting hard on the blacktop, but surprisingly cool once he stepped inside the shop. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of gas and oil and dirt, before ringing the bell on the counter to attract somebody’s attention.

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The small TV mounted in the corner kept him distracted for the few seconds he had to wait. When the door to the garage bays opened, a tall, lanky man entered, wiping his hands on a rag. His steel-gray hair was buzzed short, the liver spots on his scalp clearly visible, but his leathered face was open and amiable. The name stitched on the breast pocket of his stained overalls said, “Otto.” “Can I help you?” A distinctive Southern twang shaded his query. “I’m here to see Jenny.” Ashley looked around Otto’s shoulder to the door that led to the garage, hoping to get a glimpse of her. “She’s expecting me.” Otto nodded. “Ford truck gone all citified, right?” “If by citified you mean polished and rust-free, then yes.” His sarcasm went ignored. With a jerk of his head, Otto motioned for Ashley to follow as he exited through the same door. “She’s in the belly of the beast of the moment.” He led Ash around the edge of the nearest bay. “We’ll let her know you’re here.” The noise level was louder in the actual garage, and men of varying shapes and sizes stood about, some working on a Thunderbird of indeterminable age, others tending to small jobs at workbenches along the wall. Otto walked past all of them, strides long and sure as he headed toward the opposite end of the building and a green Camaro that had seen better days. “Time to stop fucking around, Jen.” He banged on the trunk of the car. Ashley followed his gaze to a pair of legs sticking out from beneath the chassis. “Your Ford’s here.” “Don’t stop fucking around on my account,” Ashley said, leaning on a nearby workbench. “I’ve got time.” Otto shrugged. “It’s your dime. But if you’re waiting for her to finish what she’s working on, you’ll be here all day. And tomorrow. Not even Jen’s good enough to get this piece of shit going again.” “I am, too!” Her voice was muffled from beneath the car, her amused vehemence undeniable. Otto grinned and began heading back toward the Thunderbird. “That’s your bay she’s parked the beast in.” He looked at Ashley. “What you do with it is your business.”


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Ashley watched Otto walk away before he turned back to look at Jenny’s legs. He heard a grunt of frustration and the clang of tools meeting concrete. “So is citified a bit of technical jargon I’m not familiar with?” “That’s Otto-speak for keeping a car in a garage and not driving it.” The wheels squeaked as she rolled out from beneath the Camaro. The smile she turned to him was blinding. “All I did was tell him about you. What he calls you then is not my fault.” “I’d ask if it was all good things, but apparently I’m guilty of the heinous crime of living in Los Angeles,” Ashley said dryly. He fished the keys out of his pocket and tossed them to her. “Want to take Vera for a spin? See how she sounds?” Jenny caught them in midair before rising to her feet. Her long dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and there was a smudge of grease along her jaw near her ear. Beyond a little mascara and liner, he didn’t think she was wearing any makeup at all. It made an interesting change from their previous encounters. Her gaze flickered over his clothes. “You don’t have to go back to the office?” “When I started this gig, I was promised four weeks of vacation a year. By my estimate, that means they owe me nearly three hundred days. I thought I’d burn one now.” For a second, he thought she was going to say no. Her smile faded, her gaze still fixed on him, but then she nodded, and the moment was gone. “Let’s see what she’s got,” Jenny announced and brushed past him to head back toward the front office. Ashley followed at a close distance, watching the sway of her hips as she navigated through the crowded and dirty garage. She was the only woman in the place, but nobody else seemed to notice the way she walked, the way her graceful body moved. Ashley assumed they were all used to it by now—probably just saw her as one of the guys. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to it. Which was probably the source of all his problems. “I think it needs a new paint job more than anything,” Ashley admitted as they approached the truck. Jenny didn’t say a word as she circled the vehicle, head tilted with a critical eye as she looked it over. At one point, she crouched down and peered beneath, sure fingers running over the smooth metal. It almost looked like a lover’s caress. For the briefest of moments, Ashley wished he could trade places with the Ford. “You’ve taken good care of her.”

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“You don’t need to sound so surprised,” Ashley replied, as he climbed into the passenger seat. She settled in beside him, turning the keys in the ignition before adjusting the seat. Her legs were just a little shorter than his. Ashley wasn’t surprised at how at ease she looked behind the wheel. “I told you. She’s my truck.” She shot him an abashed smile. “I guess I’m too used to people telling me what they think I want to hear. It’s nice to have someone be honest with me for a change.” Ashley tilted his head, and he had the feeling that she wasn’t just talking about trucks. Most of the people who brought their cars in probably weren’t lying anyway— they probably just didn’t know better. “You do realize you just complimented a lawyer on his veracity, right?” “Yeah.” Her grin widened as she maneuvered them out of the parking lot. “Color me as shocked as you.” Ashley waited until she turned onto the street before speaking. “I have this Saturday afternoon free. If you’d like to do dinner then.” Her sharp intake of breath came first. Then the wheel jerked slightly in her hands, but Jenny straightened it expertly as she coasted to a halt at the red light. When she glanced over at him, confusion shone bright in her eyes. “Dinner?” Ashley didn’t chuckle at her reaction, but his smile wasn’t subdued. “You did invite Yvonne and I to dine with you and Bryan, right?” “Oh, right.” He didn’t think he’d ever seen her look more relieved. “Dinner for all four of us. Sorry. I wasn’t…never mind. Saturday, you say?” “Saturday,” Ashley confirmed. “Unless it’s not a good time for you? I can rearrange a few things, if there’s a better night.” “No, Saturday’s good. Bryan’s usually good about not bringing work home on the weekends, so that works out great.” The light changed, and she eased the truck through the intersection. “We were thinking we might make a day of it, actually. The restaurant is right off the beach, and we were going to take gear to play volleyball. You and Yvonne are welcome to come around early for that, if you want.” Ashley glanced out the window, weighing his options. He had already established that spending any extra time with Jenny was a poor decision. That was a given. But spending extra time with Jenny also seemed to be quite a boon. He stepped back and tried to look at the situation objectively. Clearly, they would be moving in the same circles for quite some time—for business and even pleasure. He had to become accustomed to


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seeing her, accustomed to the flash of heat and desire he experienced every time he saw her. He couldn’t be scared of that forever. “We might be able to do that.” Ashley tried for interested yet noncommittal. “I’ll have to check with Yvonne, though I’ve never known her to pass up a chance to spend time at the beach.” “I have to warn you…” her tone was light, faint laughter undercoating her words as she turned the corner, “…Bryan’s got a competitive streak a mile wide when it comes to sports. Beach volleyball is no exception.” That didn’t come as a surprise to Ashley. The man would have to have a strong competitive streak to make it as far as he had as early as he had. “That’s okay. I’ll let him win.” “Really?” Jenny glanced at him, genuine surprise in her eyes. “I would’ve guessed you were even more competitive than Bryan. I thought that would be a prerequisite for being a lawyer. Always needing to come out on top.” Ashley smirked slightly. “I don’t always need to be on top, Jenny. Not at all.” The smile disappeared but his tone was still light. “You learn when to pick your battles. If you spend your entire life fighting for every single possible victory, you burn out pretty quick. He can win a game of volleyball. It won’t destroy my masculine pride.” She fell silent then, navigating the truck through the busy streets. His eyes kept getting drawn to her hands, how confident they were on the wheel, how effortless she made it look. Every once in a while, they came to rest along the lower curve and stroked it, miniature versions of how she’d touched the exterior in her inspection. Ashley didn’t think she was even aware of what she was doing. “When did you say was the last time you had Vera checked over again?” Jenny asked, out of the blue. “Probably a year or so.” It wasn’t a lie. He performed regular maintenance, but it had been a year or so since somebody else checked her over. “Why?” “Because she runs like a dream. I’m starting to wonder what you really want me to do to her.” “Make sure she continues to run like a dream. Also, if you don’t do bodywork yourself, send me to somebody who does.” “All she needs is a lick of paint. I’ll double-check when I’ve got her on the block, but I didn’t even see any rust. She really shouldn’t need any more than that.” She laughed.

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“Hell, I only wish some of my regulars treated their cars half as good as you treat Vera. Of course, then I’d be out of a job, so maybe it’s not such a good thing after all.” “So I guess you’re willing to admit that I’m not abusing and neglecting my poor truck in favor of the Lexus or Beemer or whatever it is I drive?” Ashley teased. The parking lot of the garage came out of nowhere, and Jenny eased the truck back into it, coasting to a seamless stop. When she turned off the engine to look at him, her eyes were dancing. “I think I can concede that.” “Good. Apology accepted.” Though she pulled the keys out of the ignition, she toyed with the ring instead of handing them over or getting out of the truck. “If you’re not going into your office, what are you planning on doing all day?” Catching up on work. Visiting an old aunt. Picking out a new couch. Running to the grocery store. Something. Anything that keeps me too busy to think about you. “I didn’t have any firm plans. I wasn’t sure how long I’d be stranded here while you checked Vera out.” “The actual tune-up shouldn’t take long. It’s just all the busy work with painting her that’s the big time eater.” The keys jingled in her hand as she fidgeted with them. “If you want…I could run you home so you’re not stuck here. Or anywhere you want to go. We don’t have any kind of taxi service, but since you’re the only customer I’ve got on my docket today, Otto won’t care if I skip out for a little bit. Then you can come back on Monday and pick Vera up.” There were big, red warning lights all over this one. Ashley practically heard the sirens. But he was an adult, not some horny, out-of-control, inexperienced teenager, and he could withstand the temptation. Damn it. “Actually, a lift home would be great. I was thinking of just calling a taxi, but you’re far more pleasant company than a cab driver.” When she smiled, everything about her lit up. “I just gotta get my keys then.” She climbed out of the car, Ashley following, and headed around the back of the garage instead of toward the front office. Jenny let him into a cool backroom area, with lockers lining one wall and a door leading out to the shop floor. Ashley hung back around the exit while she went straight to a locker on the end and flipped it open to reveal her purse hanging on the inside.


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She glanced back, her fingers dancing as she unbuttoned the front of her overalls. “How long does it take to get to your place from here?” she asked, pushing them off her shoulders. Ashley knew there wasn’t anything overtly sensual about changing out of greasy, filthy overalls, and yet, somehow, Jenny made it one of the most sensual acts he had ever witnessed. She didn’t reveal anything except jeans and a T-shirt, but it was easy enough to imagine her undressing completely. For him. He swallowed hard and tried to focus on the question she had asked him. “Just about thirty minutes, if traffic is light.” “Great.” She shoved her overalls into the locker, grabbing her purse at the same time. “I’ll be able to get lunch on the way back. I skipped breakfast this morning. I’m so hungry, I’m pretty sure I could eat my weight in tacos right about now.” “We’ll get lunch on the way to my place,” Ashley said quickly, before smiling sheepishly and explaining, “I skipped breakfast too.” The change in timing made her hesitate, her gaze leaping to search his. He didn’t know what she was looking for, but within seconds, her smile was back in place, her hand slamming the locker shut again. “Sounds like a plan.” In spite of the desire humming inside her skin, the encounter was going better than Jenny had anticipated. The flirting was still there, a hint below half his words and always in his smile, but their conversation so far had been mostly friendly. Normal. To be expected between acquaintances with a little bit in common. Sure, she’d rolled out from beneath the Camaro to have her mouth go dry at the sight of his lean legs encased uncharacteristically in denim, and, okay, there had been a moment of panic when he’d brought up Saturday and she thought he was asking her to dinner, but beyond that, Jenny was proud of her self-control. She could be around Ashley without succumbing to the urge to kiss him. She could. As he followed her back out to her car, Jenny tried not to pay attention to the scent of his cologne drifting up to her through the exhaust and motor oil in the street. “There’s a Mexican place a couple blocks over.” She rounded the back of her ’72 Gran Torino. “It’s small, but they’ve got the best tacos in a ten-mile radius. If you don’t mind eating outside, we can go there.” Ashley paused to study her car with an appreciative smile before tugging open the passenger door. “I’ll happily eat outside for the best tacos in a ten-mile radius.” 68


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She slid into the driver seat, the cushion molding beneath her ass as she settled behind the wheel. “Trust me. You try these, you’ll never go anywhere else again.” Though the lot was packed, she pulled out with ease, long accustomed to the length of the car and how to navigate it. Traffic was light, making their travel quick. There was no time for small talk; Jenny was almost disappointed by its absence. It was still early enough in the day that they beat the lunch crowd, though a handful of people were standing in line to order when they pulled up. Ashley waited until Jenny ordered before announcing he’d have the same, then slipped the cashier a twenty before Jenny had a chance to react. “After you.” He nodded to the door once they were handed their food. It made her a little uncomfortable knowing he’d paid for their lunches, but Jenny led him back out into the morning swelter, finding a small table close to the shade of the building. Her stomach growled audibly as they both sat down, and she flashed an embarrassed smile in response to his amused glance. “I left home pretty early this morning. You coming in was the first break I’d had since seven.” “I didn’t wake up until nine.” He peeled the foil away from his taco. “It’s my first day off in years,” he added defensively. She watched him, curious, as her practiced fingers unwrapped her food. “What’s the point of all the perks if you don’t get to enjoy them?” Ashley hissed and brought his finger to his lips, sucking a hot dollop of refried beans from his skin. “I’ll be able to take advantage of the perks eventually. Maybe.” He waved his hand and smiled at her. “I think the real point of the perks is the quality of status symbol. It’s a sign of power to have money and time at your disposal and never use it. That’s what I tell myself anyway.” Her eyes were drawn to the path of his hand, the way he popped his finger into his mouth so casually, the purse of his lips around it. She had to consciously will herself to stop when he addressed her, though the image of what else he could do with his mouth had already sped up her pulse. “Well, I’m glad that I can contribute to your imminent corruption.” She held up her taco in a mock-toast. “To being a slacker, if only for a day.” “Or the hour,” Ashley said, checking his watch. “Unless you want to contribute to my corruption for the rest of the afternoon.”


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She took a bite of her taco. “I thought you said to take you home.” “Actually,” he pointed out, pouring the thin salsa over his food, “you said you would take me home.” Frowning, Jenny had to swallow before responding. “Would you rather I took you someplace else?” Ashley looked at her a long moment, his eyes thoughtful. She shifted, unnerved by the intensity of his gaze. Before she said anything, he smiled and shook his head. “No. How’s your food?” “Good. It’s always good here.” As if to prove her point, she took another bite, hoping that it would encourage him to try his. It didn’t. He seemed too busy watching her eat. “It’s better when it’s hot, you know,” she commented around a mouthful. “I wouldn’t want to burn my mouth.” But he picked up the taco and took a healthy bite. She watched for his reaction and was rewarded with a close-mouthed smile. He sipped from his large cup of Coke and nodded. “It is good.” “Like I would steer you wrong. I can’t get Bryan to come down here and try it. I took it home for dinner once, and he accidentally took a bite of mine instead of his and spent the next half hour drinking ice water and swearing at me.” Ashley quirked his eyebrow. “You like it hot?” She grinned. “Let’s say I like it with flavor. Besides, Mexican really isn’t Bryan’s thing. He’s more Sunday roast than chicken enchiladas.” Ashley nodded. “A meat and potatoes sort of guy? Doesn’t really go in for anything…out of the ordinary?” “Nope. He’s a nine to five, always sleeps on his back, plan everything out ahead of time on a spreadsheet, kind of guy.” It dawned on Jenny as she picked up her drink how she was painting Bryan, and she hastened to add, “Which is probably a good thing because somebody has to keep me from going off half-cocked all the time, right?” “It’s good to have a stabilizing influence in your life,” Ashley agreed. “If that’s the sort of thing you need.” The corner of his mouth lifted as he said the latter, like he was daring her to disagree. Truth be told, some of Bryan’s more staid tendencies had a way of driving her crazy, but Jenny loved him and put up with them the same way he put up with her occasional need to go a little nuts. It worked for them. They had worked that way for as long as they had

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known each other. But she didn’t need Ashley to know she sometimes wished it were different. “So…” she dove back into her food, ready to change the subject, “…you don’t take Vera for long drives on the beach, you work obscene hours in hopes of someday being able to take advantage of the perks, and I can’t even get you to commit to a game of beach volleyball. Is there anything Ashley Edwards does for fun?” “Seduce innocent maidens.” She snorted. He had actually said it with a straight face. Well, as straight as Ashley ever got. The devilish twinkle in his eye made Jenny wonder if he was trying to get a visible rise from her. But she knew how to play his game. As long as she ignored the way her thighs clenched together beneath the table. “And you actually have time for that? Or do you have a ten-step how-to guide you follow to get their attention?” “Ten steps?” Ashley scoffed. “It’s nothing so elaborate. First, I buy her dinner. Then if we hit it off and I don’t mind the idea of spending more time with the young lady, I serenade her.” Her brows shot up. “You sing?” He might as well have told her he walked on hot coals bringing them breakfast in bed. “And they don’t see through your ploy?” Ashley smiled at her question. “Nobody’s seen through it yet. Or, if they do, they choose to ignore it.” “Because you’re that good.” “Yes, I am,” he agreed, as though challenging her to deny it. Heat crept up the back of her neck. Jenny didn’t know if he was talking about the singing or the seducing, but she did recognize her desire to reach across the table, grab his shirtfront and drag him back to her mouth was beginning to usurp her common sense. One taste. So that she could know. She had to suck down a long draught of her Diet Coke in order to stop herself from doing it. “At least tell me you don’t sing cheesy eighties love songs,” she managed after she’d set down her cup. “I think I’d have to do some serious reevaluation of my opinion of you if I found out you had a secret yen for Lionel Richie.” “Lionel Richie isn’t cheesy,” Ashley protested. “But no, no eighties love songs. I tend toward the cheesy seventies love songs. Or write a few of my own.”


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“Nothing wrong with the seventies,” she shot back with a grin. His confession intrigued her, if only because she would never have expected it. “But…you write your own? Really? Do you play too?” “It’s hard to serenade an innocent maiden without accompaniment. It’s cheaper to just learn how to play, rather than hire an entire mariachi band.” Her smile widened. “So it’s all a matter of economics, is what you’re telling me.” Ashley nodded. “You’ve got it. Time and economics, the two most important considerations for any seduction.” “And here I thought chemistry was the most important thing.” Shaking her head, Jenny balled up the foil from her taco and tossed it into the open bin a few feet away. “I guess that’s why you’re the high-powered lawyer, and I’m the grease monkey. I don’t think I would’ve put so much thought into who I wanted to seduce.” Her disclaimer came quick. “If I was in a position where I could, of course.” “I imagine you’d be very good at the seduction of innocents,” Ashley murmured. “If you were in that position, of course.” Her breath caught. Ignoring all those arguments she’d had with herself was starting to seem like an excellent idea, especially since every other word out of his mouth sounded like an offer to give her exactly what she wanted. It would be simple to say fuck it to working the rest of the afternoon in order to find out how good Ashley really was. But she couldn’t. She knew that. Because what wasn’t simple was the fact that the last thing she wanted was to hurt Bryan. She loved him. She wouldn’t hurt him to satisfy her own longings. She didn’t want Ashley to think he’d finally gotten her, though. Jenny gave him a teasing smile as she finished clearing her lunch. “Maybe you like the easy prey.” She rose to her feet. “But I’ll take a man who knows what he’s doing over an innocent any day of the week.” “Why? You interested in learning a few new tricks?” “It would make a nice change.” Her voice was even, her gaze sure. No way was he going to win. “Since I’m usually the one doing the teaching.” Jenny jerked her head toward the street. “C’mon, hotshot. Let’s motor. You’ve got a day of pretending to be a slacker ahead of you, and I have a truck to paint.”

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Chapter Nine The short ride from lunch to his apartment was silent by necessity. After giving her the shortest directions possible, Ashley didn’t trust himself to speak to her without inviting—no, insisting that she come upstairs with him. Ashley wasn’t known for his self-control, or his nobility, or appreciating delayed gratification, and the last hour spent with Jenny had sorely tested him. He couldn’t even look at her while she drove. He hoped she wouldn’t misunderstand and think he was ignoring her, or giving her the cold shoulder—except a part of him believed it would be for the best if she suddenly assumed he wasn’t interested in her. The thought of her believing such a lie annoyed him, but what were the alternatives? Trying to tell her the truth? She loved her fiancé. Hadn’t she made it a point to mention him? And Bryan seemed to adore her and… Ashley knew he was walking a very dangerous line. A line he didn’t have the strength to balance on any longer. When they finally reached his apartment, he looked at her for the first time since they left the Mexican restaurant and smiled ruefully. “I’m not sure I’ll be available on Saturday after all,” Ashley said. “There’s a client flying in from Chicago on Friday night, and he’s all business, all the time.” He shrugged in apology before jumping out of the car and slamming the door on her words. Ashley hurried up to the front of the building, hoping she wouldn’t follow. He felt like a right ass for that little display but he was… Scared. Ashley hated that most of all. He didn’t get scared. Not anymore. Not now that he had real power and money to back him up. But he was. Terrified there was more than lust brewing between the two of them. They had barely touched, never kissed, and had exchanged only a few heated glances and he was beginning to crave her company like a drug.


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Ashley crossed the room to his sideboard as soon as the elevator deposited him in his penthouse, desperate for a drink. “You did the right thing,” he assured himself as he poured. “Of course you did the right thing.” But the little lick of fear at the base of his skull and the frustration of doing the right thing weren’t enough to subdue the stirrings of desire low in his gut. He was already falling into the familiar pattern of replaying their entire conversation in his head, looking for clues, looking for signs, looking for a place where things might have been nudged into a different direction. Lifting the glass, he gulped his drink without pause, his gaze wandering over the room. It fell on the tie he had discarded thoughtlessly the night before. Red silk. It snagged in his imagination, and his groin tightened. Ashley shrugged. He had taken the entire day off, and he didn’t have anything better to do. It may be unwise to see Jenny again, but he could still indulge in a few fantasies. He poured himself another drink and headed to the bedroom, scooping up the tie as he passed. *** “Maybe you like the easy prey,” she said, “but I’ll take a man who knows what he’s doing over an innocent any day of the week.” “Is that a fact?” Ashley drawled. “Do you think you could keep up?” She paused at the garbage can, looking back at him with those all-knowing doe eyes. When she spoke, her voice had gone soft and deadly. “You don’t want to dare me.” Ashley looked at her, unblinking. “Maybe I do.” “That’s more than just a few minutes for lunch. And I thought you wanted me to take care of Vera for you.” “I’m more concerned about the other things you could take care of for me.” Her pace was deliberate as she returned to the table, but instead of sitting back down, Jenny leaned across Ashley in order to pick up her car keys where she’d left them. Her breasts brushed across his arms, her perfume heady in spite of the lingering scent of the garage. By the time she straightened, she was smiling. “I never turn down a dare. Especially one I know I won’t lose.” Ashley stood and gestured toward her car. “Show me then.” 74


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She led the way to where she’d parked, never looking back to see if he was following. By the time he slid into the passenger seat, the engine was revving, Jim Morrison was singing on the radio, and Jenny was watching him expectantly. “You’ll have to navigate. Because I’m assuming we’re heading to your place, not mine.” “My place,” he confirmed. “Turn left on Vine, and then take a right on Benson.” He watched her with half-closed eyes as she put the car into gear and backed out of the lot. “You always this eager to jump at a dare?” She cast him a sly look. “Only when it’s one I know I’ll have fun winning.” “What makes you so sure you’ll win?” Ashley challenged. “You probably don’t get a lot of practice keeping up with somebody who knows what he’s doing.” “Did I ever say Bryan didn’t know what he was doing?” “Clearly he knows exactly what he’s doing. That’s why you’re going back to my place.” A faint stain crept into her cheeks. “Or maybe I’m going back to your place because I’ve been hoping for an invite since we met at the party and this was the only way to get it.” Ashley put his hand on her thigh as they pulled to a red light, waiting for her to look at him before he spoke. “Maybe I was hoping you’d ask.” Her eyes glittered as they met his, and the rise and fall of her breasts from her breathing seemed quicker. “You always struck me as a guy who didn’t bother waiting for what he wanted. And if you wanted me…” A car honked behind them, alerting them to the change to green. The muscles beneath his hand flexed as Jenny pushed down on the accelerator, and it was a few long seconds before she finished her thought. “If you wanted me, all you had to do was say so.” Ashley smiled, his fingers slipping along her tight jeans to skim her inner thigh. “I’ve wanted to invite you back to my place since we met at the party.” Her legs separated further beneath his questing fingers, though Jenny never looked away from the road. “Then I think it’s about time we’re doing something about it, don’t you?” He brushed against her covered pussy, and a small whimper escaped her throat. “Though if you keep doing this, you’re going to have to tie me down to keep me from jumping you when we get there.” www.samhainpublishing.com

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“That won’t be a problem,” Ashley promised her, turning his wrist to grind the heel of his hand against her mound. “Have you ever been tied down before?” Jenny squirmed against him, her knuckles tightening around the steering wheel. “No,” she breathed. Anything further was choked away when he pressed harder, and his smile widened when she caught her lower lip between her teeth, trying to concentrate on the traffic. “I always wanted to,” she finally managed to say. “But Bryan’s not into it.” Ashley wanted to unzip her pants and bury his fingers in her pussy right there, but he contented himself with applying enough pressure to make her shift her weight and squirm. “You want to be bound, helpless, at the mercy of my whims? Do you like the idea of only feeling what I want you to feel? Only coming when I want you to come?” He leaned over, his mouth near her ear. “Do you want me to make you beg for it?” Her throat worked as she swallowed, the delicate muscles deceptive of the strength he was sure she had. “I don’t see why reality should be any different from what I’ve been imagining.” She turned the corner onto Vine, and he thought he caught her glancing at his crotch. “Though you do as much begging then as I do.” “Take a right at the next light,” Ashley instructed. He shifted in his seat, trying to find a comfortable position, but his erection was nearly painful. “How do you make me beg?” Jenny’s chuckle, a low, husky sound, went straight to his cock. “Usually, I’m riding you. You’ve dragged me onto you before I can even get my bra off, and I’m bracing myself on your shoulders as you hold on to my hips. You try to make me go faster, and I’m okay with that for awhile, but as soon as I can tell you’re getting close, I lean down and kiss you, and it distracts you to let loose enough for me to slow down again.” The next light was green, and Jenny made the corner without having to stop, though the slowing did allow her to look over at him with a wicked glint in her eye. “I’ve made you beg while I was on my knees, too,” she confessed. “Sometimes I like those daydreams even better.” Ashley moaned softly, glancing up long enough to see where they were. Just a block from his place. “Turn right at this alley. It leads to an underground lot. My spot is number eight.” As soon as they were off the main road, he began to kiss her neck and jaw, his tongue darting out to sample her salty skin. She tasted vaguely of the shop, of sweat, of the sun. He didn’t pull away until she guided the car into the garage and they were plunged into darkness.

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As soon as she parked and cut the engine, he was out of the car and reaching for her. He half-dragged her through the lot to the elevator, pushing her roughly against the back wall as soon as the doors closed behind them. Her response was instantaneous. Slim arms lifted and looped behind his neck. Hips thrust forward to meet the hard press of his erection. Lips met and parted beneath his, hungry and maddening and as determined as he was. And then she groaned, pulled back to catch a single, ragged breath, and he met her eyes, black with desire. “Kiss me like that again and I’ll be begging before we get out of this elevator,” she murmured. Ashley moved away from her with some effort. “Save it for when you mean it.” The doors opened to his floor, and he led her down the hallway to the penthouse, his fingers loosely wrapped around hers. Unlocking the door, he ushered her in. “Make yourself at home.” She didn’t waste time looking around his carefully decorated apartment. Instead, Jenny released his hand and headed straight down the hall, pausing only briefly to glance into each room she passed. She stopped when she reached the end, pushing the door to his bedroom open even wider. “This looks good to me.” Casting a swift, sinful smile over her shoulder, she disappeared inside. Ashley smirked and followed her. The bedroom was dark and cool, the thick curtains closed against the powerful California sun. Jenny stood in the middle of the room near the foot of the bed and removed the band on her ponytail. He approached her and ran his fingers through her hair. She kept still as he brought his other hand to the hem of her shirt and began to pull it up her ribs and over her head. Jenny shivered as his fingers grazed along her taut abdomen. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to feel only what you want me to feel?” The level of her soft voice matched the muted atmosphere, her eyes fathomless in the shadows. “Because so far, I think it’s working.” Ashley responded with a kiss, much different than the one they shared in the elevator. He teased her lips, brushing them and breaking away and then coming back for another caress, each a bit longer than the one before. He waited until she sighed, her breath fluttering warm around him in the cool air, before he let his tongue dip into her mouth. He tasted the lingering hot sauce on the inside of her lips, on the edge of her tongue, on the roof of her mouth, enjoying the light spice over her natural flavor. www.samhainpublishing.com

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The hand she lifted to his chest was trembling, but it stayed there only a moment before going in a blind search for the small buttons of his shirt. “Let me touch you,” she whispered in between kisses. Her fingertips found the uppermost button but then hesitated, the proximity of their heat searing while she waited for his approval. Ashley caught her wrist and shook his head. Pressing his other palm against her ribs, he backed her against the dresser, until the edge pushed into her back. He reached behind her for the discarded silk tie, allowing the end to caress her cheek as he moved in for another kiss. Each kiss was as tender as before, but his fingers were tight around her wrist, and the tie swayed back and forth, brushing against her skin almost mockingly. By the fifth or sixth stroke along her cheek, Jenny was moaning into his mouth, the hand he held firm curled into a fist as she braced against his chest. To her credit, she never deepened his caresses, never demanded more. She stood there, and she quivered, and she kissed him back, matching the pace he set without hesitation or fear. He almost imagined he could feel the runaway pounding of her heart tattooing against his skin, but that would have been folly to believe. She had miles to go before she would be barely able to beg for relief; Ashley was sure of it. He pulled her wrist down his body, held it level with his hip for a long moment while his lips moved from her mouth to her jaw, and then her neck. She tilted her head, another soft sigh warming his skin. He explored the newly exposed skin while bringing her arm behind her back. She resisted a little, her muscles stiff with tension, but Ashley didn’t ease his grip until she relaxed and allowed him to hold her fist at the small of her back. He dragged the silk tie down her cheek, over her shoulder, and down the curve of her spine until it met her wrist. “What…what are you going to do?” The breathy request hung between them, and he lifted his gaze to find her regarding him, large eyes dark and solemn. “I trust you, but it would be kind of nice to know what to expect.” “No, it wouldn’t,” Ashley countered. “That would ruin the surprise.” The silk wrapped around her wrist, and he brought her other hand down. Jenny didn’t say another word as he bound her slender wrists together, taking his time to loop the tie between them. She only watched. Waited. Breathed in shallow, inaudible gasps. Neither one of them looked away, not even when he was done. Once her wrists were secure, he fanned his fingers around her waist, holding her firmly against the dresser. The tie was loose and he wasn’t pressing against her too hard. She could have pushed him away if she wanted, could have ended the whole situation,

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but she remained still, except for the tilt of her chin, the whisper of her hair against her shoulders, and the way her fingers clenched and unclenched every time he looked over her shoulder to admire his handiwork. Without warning, he lifted her off her feet and set her on the flat surface, pulling her legs over his hips. There was no mistaking her sharp intake of breath this time, eyes widening at the unexpected shift of her position. Her calves tightened around his body, trying for a moment to draw him nearer. As soon as Ashley shook his head at her, however, Jenny stopped, easing her grip. “I have no idea how this works. You still have all your clothes on, and I can’t get them off you, not like this. I can’t even get my own jeans off.” “It’s quite the puzzle,” Ashley agreed, working the front clasp of her bra free. “Do you like puzzles?” He didn’t wait to hear her answer before drawing his mouth along the curve of her breast. He lapped at her milky skin with slow movements of his tongue, edging closer to the hardening nipple with each lick. He swiped the flat of his tongue across her sensitive, stiff flesh, then blew across the damp skin, watching with greedy eyes as her nipple grew tighter in response. “I like that.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her arms tense, itching to break free of their restraints. Part of Ashley would’ve loved to feel her pull him more tightly against her heated skin, but an even greater part wanted her helpless, wanted to know that she was yielding to his mastery. His tongue paused as he waited for her to relax, but the moment she did, he shifted his attention back to her full breasts. Ashley moved his hands around her hips to cup her ass and pulled her closer. Turning slightly, he let his thigh brush against her covered pussy, teasing her with the pressure. Using his hands to guide her, he rocked her forward against the line of his thigh, building a slow friction as his mouth continued to torment one rock-hard nipple. He used his lips, his teeth, his tongue, his breath. He wanted to know the taste of her, wanted to know each texture, catalog each minute reaction. She didn’t disappoint. There was the slight shudder that rippled through her when his teeth grazed the fine tip. There were the paired gasps, done quickly in succession, when the pressure of his leg nudged against her clit. There was the convulsive swallowing that came when he blew across her damp skin, cooling it in small fractions before heating it back up again with his mouth.


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Then there were the whispers. Those came when he felt her muscles tense beneath his hands. Too soft at first for him to make out, but Ashley didn’t care. Soon enough, her begging would be all too clear. Ashley skimmed his mouth across her chest to latch onto her other nipple. It was hard as well, pebbled in a sympathetic response. His fingers flexed and tightened against her tight ass, and he moved a bit faster, pushed a bit harder. Just below her whispered words, he heard his own panting breaths, and despite the coolness of the room, felt sweat bead his brow and the back of his neck. His groin ached, throbbing with each moan, with each shudder that went through her. The tightness of his pants was maddening, excruciating, but he didn’t make a move to free himself. Ashley lavished her nipple until she was writhing against his mouth, and then trailed hot, sticky kisses up the valley of her breasts to the hollow of her throat, and then back down again, catching stray drops of sweat, catching her moans and her whimpers. “Please…” It was the first word of hers he’d actually understood, and its significance made his cock jump. “Fuck, Ashley, go…go back. Do… Fuck.” Rasping breaths interspersed her whispers, coursing over and around his body to drive him almost to distraction. Jenny began rocking against his hard leg, encouraging him to speed up, her muscles taut beneath his ready fingers. Any earlier, and he might have discouraged her initiative, but now, he was too far immersed in her sounds and her scents and her tastes to be able to do anything about it. “I need… God, Ash…harder, please, just… Fuck, I need to come…please…” “Please what?” Ashley taunted, looking up to meet her eyes. They were heavy-lidded and dark, her lips were parted, and her cheeks were tinged with pink. “What do you want me to do?” The tip of her tongue appeared to moisten her lower lip. “Let me come. I…I don’t care how. Touch me, or…kiss me, or whatever you want. I just…I want—I need you to finish it.” She paused, swallowing. “Please?” Ashley pressed his mouth against hers, hard, tasting the lingering pleas on her lips. Her nipples were soft and hard and wet against his chest, and he let them scrape against his soft cotton shirt, moving his body against hers to encourage the friction, before dipping his head once again to find her flesh with his teeth. He bit into her plump skin, holding her nipple in place against his hot tongue, letting the pain slice through her to be chased with the slow, deliberate dance of pleasure.

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Jenny arched toward him, her legs tightening around his hips to slam his erection against her denim-covered pussy, his name a violent scream torn from her lips. If her hands had been free, Ashley was sure he would have had the nail marks down his back to validate the force of her orgasm, but without them, he had to settle for her body’s sudden rigidity, followed immediately by quivering she obviously couldn’t control. *** Ashley looked at the silk tie with a small frown of dismay. He had wrapped the cloth around his hand, and the orgasm had come so quickly and so hard, that he didn’t have the chance to pull the tie away. Now the silk was probably ruined, but given the fact that his muscles were still trembling, his breath was still coming in sharp gasps, and his heart was still hammering, he thought the price of a silk tie was worth it. He tossed it aside and stretched on the bed. The fantasies were becoming more intricate, the orgasms more intense. They all seemed so real. He supposed one way to get over this little obsession was to remind himself that he had no idea what Jenny would want, what Jenny would do. He was creating this elaborate image of her in his mind, and it was fun, but what if he was just setting himself up for disappointment? Ashley snorted at the thought. Setting himself up? Didn’t he just decide he wasn’t going to set himself up for anything? But this desire wasn’t going to fade. And he couldn’t ignore it. Ashley hated feeling this helpless. This out of control of his own body.


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Chapter Ten Jenny watched Ashley disappear through the front of his apartment building, her emotions in turmoil when he never even looked back. His sudden recollection of a mysterious client flying in to make Saturday plans difficult didn’t ring true, not in light of how he’d been the one to bring up Saturday in the first place and definitely not in light of his friendly manner ever since walking into her garage. He had been flirting with her over lunch, for God’s sake. Granted, he hadn’t said a word since they got back to her car, but she hadn’t messed things up that badly by flirting back, had she? Bryan was going to kill her. Easing into traffic, Jenny replayed their conversation over and over in her head, trying to figure out what she could have done differently. Maybe she’d been wrong to think she could be herself around him. Maybe she should’ve put her foot down about his behavior with her. Maybe she should’ve done a lot of things. She wasn’t sure she would ever know what the problem was, not if he refused to talk to her or turned down dinner invitations. By the time she pulled back into the garage lot, Jenny was done trying to figure out how to solve the situation. She had a job to do. Regardless of everything else, Ashley Edwards had left his truck in her care. She was going to make sure her work wasn’t going to be his excuse for any issues with Bryan. The tune-up went even more quickly than she had imagined. His engine was in pristine condition, better than most newer models, leaving her very little to do in the end. When she slammed the hood shut upon completion, Jenny was convinced that Ashley knew more about motor maintenance than he let on, but shoved aside the question of why he would bring Vera in anyway. It wasn’t her place to think. It was her place to fix. Except, as she drove the truck to the outer garage where the bodywork was done, his scent assaulted her every inch of the way. She easily imagined him behind the wheel, his guitar slung casually in the backseat, one elbow jutting out from the open window. He

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would be on his way to pick up a date, maybe dressed in the same well-worn jeans he’d worn to the garage, and he would have classic rock tuned from KLOS filling the cab. When she tested the radio and had her guess confirmed, Jenny smiled. The man had excellent taste. The bodywork garage was deserted. Pulling the keys from the ignition, she caressed the detailed dash, musing on the contradiction of the man she had been getting to know. It was pointless to deny it any more. She liked him. Beyond the attraction, beyond the flirting, beyond the confusion on whether she’d overstepped her bounds, more and more Jenny liked spending time with Ashley. He was easy to talk to, and he treated her with respect, sharing some of her interests without being pompous about it. It was ridiculous to think they couldn’t figure out some way to be around each other without all her thoughts turning to touching him. Kissing him. Fucking him. Kissing him again. Damn. Jenny glanced around the empty garage. The space was hers for the day, reserved for the truck she had known was going to need work. She had been wound tight during the entire encounter with Ashley, and though it had waned while she concentrated on the tune-up, thinking of him had brought it back in full force. Her thighs tingled as she remembered his blunt declaration about seducing women; her mouth went dry when she remembered his less than ten-step plan. In the dim light, her fingers undid the buttons on her overalls. If she didn’t do something to take the edge off, she would botch up the paint job for sure. Nobody would ever know. *** “Maybe you like the easy prey,” she said, “but I’ll take a man who knows what he’s doing over an innocent any day of the week.” She paused, her brain ticking over the possibilities as she dropped the rest of her trash into the bin. How many times had he professed his skills to her? He’d even done so


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the very first night they’d met. Jenny thought it was about time Ashley put his money where his mouth was. “How about a bet?” She kept her tone playful as she looked back at him. “Something small. Between friends.” “Friends?” He looked at her with a challenge in his eyes. “Is that what we are now?” A charge surged over her skin. “Do you have a better word for it?” Ashley shrugged. “I don’t normally want to drag my friends home and fuck them into the wall.” His candor brought a fresh rush of desire coursing through her veins, making her pussy clench in eagerness. She shouldn’t. She knew she shouldn’t. But fuck, when he looked at her like he wanted to eat her whole and then came right out and told her things like that, how the hell was she supposed to say no? Jenny took her time returning to the table. Instead of sitting, though, she leaned against its edge, her leg brushing his thigh. “Are you going to make me choose?” She clarified when he paused to answer. “Between being your friend or being someone you want to fuck into the wall.” Ashley’s eyes were dark and unfathomable. “I do tend to avoid fucking my friends. It makes things messy. But I’d make an exception for you, I think.” She smiled. “Good. Because I didn’t want to have to make that choice.” Gripping the side of his chair, she bent over in order to murmur into his ear, “Except I don’t want a wall. I think fucking you in your truck would be loads more fun.” “Fucking in my truck is loads of fun,” Ashley assured her. “But there’s no reason why you can’t have both.” His breath was warm against her skin, but he made no effort to move from where their mouths hovered. “But if you had to pick one?” She dropped her hand to his lap and traced the outline of his cock through his jeans. “Right here. Right now. I let you fuck me however you want, wherever you want.” Her tongue darted out to lick along his ear. “Choose.” “My truck,” he said immediately. “Right here. Right now.” She chuckled, drawing back and straightening. “Then c’mon, hotshot. Because right here, right now, can’t start until I get you back to the garage.” Ashley grabbed her hand, slipping his fingers between hers. He allowed himself to be led back to the car, the only contact between them his fingertips brushing softly, 84


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deliberately, against her palm. When she reached the door, he didn’t release her, and as she looked up at him questioningly, he pushed her against the car door and claimed her mouth. He tasted of spice and salsa, making her tongue burn, her head spin as he kissed her without abandon. Jenny groaned into the caress, only separating—albeit reluctantly— when her lungs threatened to explode. “How the hell do you expect me to drive now?” she panted. Ashley smiled. “Let me drive.” Wordlessly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys, handing them over without hesitation. Only then did Ashley release her hand, stepping back to allow her room to go around the car. Jenny was proud of herself. She only looked back at his wicked smile once. Though he drove over the speed limit, staying in fast lanes as much as he could, Ashley handled her car with ease, its added length not a problem for him as it was for so many others. Neither of them spoke. Sly, hungry glances were inevitable, though. They made the already stifling interior almost impossible to bear, a damp trail appearing at Jenny’s neckline as her rising temperature began to soak into her T-shirt. She had to sit on her hands in order not to touch herself and draw even more attention to her worked-up state than she already had. He turned into the garage lot with a squeal of tires, sliding into her empty space like he’d done it all his life. Before he shut off the engine, Jenny unbuckled and opened her door. “I’ll move the truck to the garage in back. Nobody else is scheduled for bodywork today, so we’ll have it all to ourselves.” Ashley was waiting for her in the back bay when she parked inside. He yanked open the door and pulled himself into the passenger seat, reaching for her as soon as the door was closed behind him. He tugged her against him, his mouth hungry against hers. “Fuck, I want you,” he said, guiding her hand to the bulge in his pants. The soft denim did nothing to hide his arousal, and Jenny molded her slim hand over his cock as she attacked his mouth all over again. “I thought about fucking you that night at the party,” she breathed between kisses. His hands were rough where they yanked her T-shirt up and over her head, and she pressed forward to his chest, trying to increase the friction against her aching nipples. “I’ve wanted this ever since then.”


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Ashley moaned at her confession. “Should have called me sooner. Should have called me the next day.” He rubbed her nipples with his palms, fingers curled to knead her flesh. “Should have left with me that night.” She found the zipper of his jeans and pulled it down, slipping her hand inside the warmth and finding his straining cock. “You had a date,” she reminded. “Remember Yvonne?” “So?” Ashley asked, bucking against her hand. “So did you. Tell me the truth. Would you have left with me?” “No,” she lied. She began pumping his shaft, swiping across the dripping tip with her thumb when she reached the head. “I love Bryan.” Ashley’s cock jerked in her hand. He looked at her with half-lidded eyes as he unzipped her jeans and pushed them down her legs. Once they were gone, he hauled her onto his lap, his cock brushing against her folds. “You do?” Ashley dragged his cock, dripping with pre-come, along her lips, his head teasing her clit. “Are you going to be thinking of him while I fuck you?” She couldn’t stop staring at his mouth. Leaning forward, Jenny traced it with the tip of her tongue, feeling her mouth water even more at the thought of kissing him again. “You do this right and I shouldn’t be able to think of anything at all.” Ashley smiled, the wicked gleam in his eye brightening. “I think I’m up to the challenge,” he said softly before burying his hand in her hair. He kissed her as he thrust his hips up, burying his cock in her pussy. They both sighed audibly, and his sigh turned into a groan as she began to ride him. She was torn between the urge to make it fast and furious, or to draw it out until they were both wet and exhausted and limp against his seats. There were advantages to both, but as every slam of their hips drove him even deeper, as his fingers tightened in her hair to hold her mouth to his, Jenny lost any ability to consider it. Ashley’s kisses were a takeno-prisoners assault. Unrelenting and hungry, his mouth had her trembling long before she anticipated. She had no choice but to slow their frantic pace, unwilling to come just yet. “God, you’re so good,” Ashley moaned. “So fucking good.” She smiled, meeting the fire in his eyes with her own. “This is nothing,” Jenny murmured. “This is just taking the edge off so I can fuck you right. Because if you think once is going to be enough for me, you’re not nearly as smart as I thought you were.”

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“I was hoping you’d say that.” His tongue darted between her lips. “I want to take you back to my place and fuck you on every flat surface. Would you like that?” Thoughts of him pressing her into walls, tables, countertops, mattresses, filled her head, flooded her pussy all over again, made Jenny grind against him on the next stroke downward until they were both groaning from the overload of sensations. “I don’t need a flat surface. I can bend in all sorts of interesting directions.” “Fuck,” Ashley gasped. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and her head fell back, but she continued with the slow pace, dragging out each and every stroke, prolonging the sweet torture. “What else can you do?” She caught her lower lip between her teeth, trying to find the breath to speak. Images danced behind her closed eyelids, pictures of his lean body writhing beneath her, glistening with sweat as she rode him to the peak of coming again and again and again. Those images blurred with fantasies of Ashley feeding her his cock and then flipping her onto her hands and knees in order to plough into her ass. By the time her voice was working again, Jenny felt like every part of her was blistering from the heat of him. All she could say as she tipped her gaze back to meet his was, “Anything you want.” “Is that a promise?” Ashley murmured before claiming her mouth for a hard kiss. He shifted his hips, angling to move even deeper in her, his hands sliding to her waist to guide her into a faster, harder rhythm. The spread of his fingers, pushing her to take him in further on every forceful stroke, almost convinced Jenny she could do it. She could promise him. If it meant satiating the fire inside, she could easily give him the next twenty-four hours to do with her as he pleased. “I can taste you already.” His renewed thrusts were driving her clit straight into the base of his cock, drawing her closer to her orgasm each time he pounded into her. At this rate, she knew she would be coming soon. It was going to be hard, and it was going to be fast, but she knew it wouldn’t nearly be enough. “God, you have no idea how much I want that, Jenny. I want you to suck me off until I forget my own name.” He was panting now. “I want to feel you come, Jenny. Right now. I need to feel you come.” She lifted heavy lashes to see his brilliant eyes boring into hers. Without breaking the bruising rhythm they had established, Jenny leaned forward and dragged her tongue along his jaw to his ear, feeling her pussy already start to quiver at the impending explosion. www.samhainpublishing.com

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“When I suck you off,” she whispered, clutching at his shoulders, “it’s going to be so good, I won’t even remember my name.” It was the too-vivid sensation of his cock pushing down her throat that sent her crashing over the edge, his name spilling from her lips as everything inside her burst and clenched and trembled under the fiery lash of her orgasm. Jenny clung to Ashley and prayed he would be strong enough to keep her from crumpling from the force of it. *** As annoyed as she was with herself for succumbing to the need to fantasize about Ashley, it did what Jenny hoped, taking enough off the edge of her desire to make her productive again. She slid out of Vera’s front seat, humming under her breath as she got to work. Before she knew it, it was seven o’clock, she was covered in dust, and Otto was yelling at her from the doorway to remind her to go home. Jenny grinned at her boss, using her sleeve to wipe away the sweaty grime from her forehead. “Since when do you care about charging a rich customer overtime?” she taunted. “Since I know you’re not going to clock the extra hours on account of his being your friend,” Otto snapped. He jerked a thumb toward the building behind him. “Leave it for tomorrow, Jen. The only one who cares about that old truck is you.” In spite of his grumpiness, Jenny followed him to the locker room, her step light. Your friend. It was probably an automatic assumption, since she was the one who’d brought in the business. Ashley had acted like one too, from the moment Otto had walked away to the moment they’d gotten into her car. A very flirtatious friend, but a friend, nonetheless. Maybe his excuse about his Friday client was genuine and she was reading way too much in it. She would have to let him know it was a standing offer then. If he couldn’t make it Saturday, they’d figure out another date. Bryan would like that too. Taking a risk that he hadn’t actually gone into work, Jenny slipped into the front office and pulled out his paperwork. In Otto’s bold print, Ashley’s home number stared back at her as she picked up the phone. Hopefully, she could catch him.

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Ashley picked up on the fourth ring with a raspy hello. He cleared his throat, and it sounded like he was drinking something before he repeated himself in a much clearer tone. “Hello?” For a moment, Jenny regretted calling. She hadn’t intended to bother him, but she had him on the phone now and she should probably make the best of an awkward situation. “Hey. It’s Jenny Rohm. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” “No,” Ashley said quickly. “No, not at all. Is there a problem with the truck?” Some of her worry eased at his friendly tone. “No, Vera’s doing fine. I’ve just spent the past eight hours in and under her, getting her ready for painting tomorrow.” She picked up a pen and began doodling in the corner of his history card. “I was calling about Saturday actually. I know you said you’ve got a client coming in, but I wanted you to know, if you can’t make it then, we can do it whenever works for you. Like an open date. I mean, work shouldn’t get in the way of friends getting together, right?” “I…” Ashley hesitated for a moment. “I actually spoke with Yvonne this afternoon, and she already cleared her schedule for Saturday. She was really looking forward to the outing. Threats were involved. We’ll be there.” “Oh, great!” Her rush of excitement rang in her voice, and Jenny hoped she didn’t sound as ridiculous as she suddenly felt. “Not that she threatened you, of course, but, well, you know what I mean. Did she say anything about making it early for beach time?” “Yes. Apparently, she intends to make a whole day of it, and I’m not to ruin her day in the sun. Like she’s never been to the beach before.” “It’ll be fun for all of us.” Jenny paused, relieved the issue had been resolved. “And maybe we can finally get some color into that pale, lawyer skin of yours,” she teased. “I’ll even make sure I’ve got SPF 50 so you don’t burn.” “You think I need a tan?” Ashley asked with mock hurt. “Nah, I’m just angling to see you without your shirt on,” she baited, comfortable with him again. “Besides, are you really telling me you don’t want to lie back while Yvonne slathers you up with sunscreen? Bryan tells me all the time that’s his favorite part about going to the beach.” “You don’t have to drag me out to the beach to get my shirt off,” Ashley returned. It was impossible not to smile. He was back to his flirtatious self. Everything had to be all right again. “Maybe not. But it gives me something to look forward to when I’m


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stuck in a hot garage filled with paint fumes tomorrow, taking care of your truck.” She tossed the pen onto the counter, slipping his card back into the customer file. “See you on Saturday, Ash.” “I’m looking forward to it.” She hung up, her smile still gracing her mouth. Saturday. Bryan would be pleased. Jenny suspected, however, he would not be as pleased as she was.

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Chapter Eleven They got a later start than they planned. Jenny slept through Bryan’s morning rituals, and by the time he shook her awake, it was already well past ten. “Why didn’t you get me up?” she asked fuzzily, pushing back the blankets. He stood at the dresser, broad shoulders flexing beneath his tank as he pulled clothes out and tossed them into a duffel. “You looked like you were enjoying your dreams.” He shot her a grin. “Were they good?” She snapped awake, hurrying into the bathroom to hide the rising flush in her face. “They were okay.” They had been better than okay. They had been hot and heavy and all about pushing Yvonne aside to slick Ashley up with sunscreen herself, her hands molding over his shoulders and down his bare chest as she straddled him in the scorching sun. She could still feel his erection firm against her pussy, the hard line of his abdomen under her fingertips. It amazed her she could get so worked up without either of them losing their bathing suits. Splashing cold water on her cheeks, Jenny avoided meeting her own guilty reflection in the mirror. She sincerely hoped seeing Ashley and Yvonne together would quell some of her naughtier thoughts about him. After all, lusting after somebody in a committed relationship you witnessed had to be hard to do. She specifically refused to think about his reminder at the dinner party that they weren’t exclusive. Half an hour later, she stepped out of the steamy bathroom to find a change of clothes for dinner already packed and the volleyball resting on top of the bag. Dressing in her favorite black bikini only took a few minutes, and she was buttoning her jean shorts when she walked out to join Bryan. “Let’s go,” she said with a bright smile. They took the Toyota, since the heat made Bryan complain about her car’s lack of air conditioning. By lunchtime, they were spread out on the beach almost directly in front of www.samhainpublishing.com

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the seafood restaurant, Jenny on her stomach as she soaked in the hot sun, Bryan sitting at her side. The sound of the pages flipping in the magazine he read was all she heard for nearly fifteen minutes. Then he spoke up. “They’re here.” Jenny lifted her head to see him twisted around, watching the parking lot. “They’re early.” Ashley wore long shorts, exposing muscled, hairy legs, and a tight blue T-shirt that molded itself against his defined chest and arms. Yvonne’s white hat shaded her face while her swimming suit left very little to the imagination. Her limbs were long and sleek, her skin sporting a tan that spoke of hours in the sun, and her athletic build gave further proof that she knew how to do more than just wear a dress. Ashley had one arm around her, and the other carried a bag. As they approached, they were both smiling. When Bryan stood and extended his hand. Ashley let go of Yvonne to take it. “It’s a good day to visit the beach,” he commented, taking off his glasses. His gaze slid to where Jenny was still stretched out on her towel. “Lovely, even.” She was already warm from the sun, but something in the naked appreciation of his eyes made her burn a little hotter, forcing her to roll over and sit up while she matched his and Yvonne’s smiles. “It’s been good to clear my head of all the paint fumes from the garage. We’ve just been lazing about.” Bryan chuckled. “Apparently, Jen either didn’t get enough sleep last night, or she’s trying to get those dreams back that had her smiling like a kid in a candy store. Usually, we head straight for the courts—” “Don’t listen to him,” Jenny interrupted. Dreams were dangerous territory. The last thing she needed was for the conversation to shift to why she might have been smiling in her sleep. “That’s how he throws you off.” She quirked a brow at Bryan. “I already told Ash what you’re like with volleyball. You’re not going to con him, you know.” “Is it just volleyball? I thought Bryan had to be the best at everything,” Ashley said good-naturedly. “Like you’re any different,” Bryan replied. He looked to Yvonne. “Come on, help me out here.” Yvonne’s lips twitched. “You’ll find Ashley already believes he’s the best at everything. It makes him much less competitive.”

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Ashley shot her a grin. “Not everything, Yvonne. Just at the stuff that counts.” The general easy camaraderie smoothed Jenny’s nervousness about the get-together. There had been moments, both the previous night and that morning, when she wasn’t sure if maybe she was trying to gloss over problems, that maybe she’d forced Ashley to do something he hadn’t really wanted to or that her own fantasies about the man would make everything awkward. But this was going good, nobody seemed uncomfortable, nobody had said anything that would ruffle anybody else. It was entirely possible she’d been making a mountain out of a mole hill with all her worrying. “So what’s the game plan?” she said, rising to her feet. She knew she looked good in her suit, but compared to Yvonne’s svelte lines, Jenny always had the overwhelming urge to pull herself taller, suck in her stomach even though there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. “Are we sunning or are we playing?” Bryan scooped the ball out of his bag and rolled it off his fingers toward Ashley. “You wanna play?” Ashley caught the ball with a grin. “How are we going to divide up here? Ladies against gents?” “Oh, right, because that’s completely fair.” Jenny bent down and grabbed her shorts out of the bag, slipping them on over her suit. “At least give me a fair shot at winning a game first.” “And who’s the competitive one here?” Bryan teased. “Let’s do couples. Me and Jen, against you and Yvonne.” Yvonne regarded Jenny. “You don’t think we can beat these two?” No, I need to see you two together, Jenny wanted to say. But she didn’t. Whether the other woman realized it or not, the simple inquiry carried with it a silent challenge, a question of whether or not Jenny measured up, and it made her hesitate putting her more self-centered needs first. Yvonne thought winning was possible, which meant she thought she was good enough to carry her half of the team. It only remained to be seen whether or not Jenny could do the same. Her gaze flickered to Ashley, who was watching the exchange with a glint of amusement in his eye. That was all it took to make up her mind. “Guys against girls,” she announced with a jut of her chin. “We’ll even let you serve first.” “Care to put a wager on the game?” His question held more than a hint of a dare.


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Her stomach twisted. How could she not take the bet without looking as insecure as she felt? It was out there now, and no way could she back off. Not in front of Ashley. “You’re on.” She scrambled to think of something to bet with, though her gaze never wavered from him. “We win, we get all our whims catered for the rest of the day. You buy dinner, drinks, do whatever we want until it’s time to go home. No questions asked.” “Isn’t that their job anyway?” Yvonne asked archly. Ashley rolled his eyes at her before responding. “Same deal if we win. Fair enough?” “Deal.” Bryan laughed, rubbing his hands together in excitement. “I hope Yvonne is as good at massages as Jenny is, because that’s definitely my motivation to win. These days, I can only get her to give me one if she’s feeling guilty about something.” “I’m sure I won’t have any complaints,” Ashley said lightly, tossing the ball into the air and catching it. “Let’s do it.” The foursome walked over to the courts, choosing an empty one on the end. Bryan dropped their towels and bag at the side of the net, while the others positioned themselves accordingly. Taking Yvonne’s elbow, Jenny pulled her to the back, out of earshot of the guys. “Bryan always goes long and hard,” she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. “He’s predictable that way. If we keep him away from the net, it messes with his game. Don’t let him spike if you can help it. He loves that shit.” Yvonne smiled. “He’s not even going to get a chance to touch the ball. When you set the ball, keep it as close to the net as you can. We’ll be sunning ourselves in less than an hour.” She looked over Jenny’s shoulder and shouted at Ashley, “You ready for us?” “Always!” With the hum of the game already starting to surge through her, Jenny took the position Yvonne indicated, watching Ashley and Bryan do the same. Even from that distance, she saw the gleam in his eye as he prepared to serve. Any thought about what it meant, though, vanished as soon as he hit the ball. She did exactly as Yvonne had said, racing to get under and set it near the net where the other woman waited. Her jaw nearly dropped when Yvonne leapt to meet it, slamming it hard and fast into the hole that lingered between the men. “Our serve,” Yvonne called brightly, holding her hands out for the ball. Ashley tossed it over the net with a small grin. “Thanks!” 94


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“What was that?” Bryan asked. “Three years on the varsity squad at UCLA,” Ashley said. “Three and a half,” Yvonne corrected, moving to the back corner of the court. “I’m ready when you are, boys.” Jenny caught the look of alarm in Bryan’s face and had to stifle a laugh. He’d taken the bet convinced he was going to win, of that she was sure. It was going to kill him for the rest of the game knowing he was playing someone as good as Yvonne. Her gaze slid to Ashley as the game resumed. He had known. He had made the bet anyway. Why? There was little time for contemplation. Yvonne was swift and deadly with her serves, and the height that had always worked so well for Bryan in the past seemed to make him clumsy as he tripped over his feet more than once. Jenny pushed herself as hard as she could to keep up, unwilling to make it look like this was just Yvonne’s game, but always, she was aware of Ashley in the corner of her eye, laughing, smiling, answering every taunt with a laidback comment of his own. The final point came off a spike from Yvonne that landed at Bryan’s toes. His face turned bright red, and Yvonne turned to Jenny with a wide smile. “Good job setting that up. You got the ball right where I needed it.” Her burst of laughter was uncontained, in spite of the scowl darkening Bryan’s face. Wiping away some of the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, Jenny walked over to their bag, grabbing the bottle of water and downing a long swallow. “I guess that means we win the bet,” she said, her voice a little too loud and a little too gleeful. “When do we get to start collecting?” Yvonne smirked. “Unless y’all want to try best out of three.” Bryan brightened considerably at the notion of a rematch, but Jenny stepped in before another game got started. “Why rub it in when we’ll just beat ’em again?” She pushed the loose tendrils that had escaped her ponytail off her cheeks. “I’m going to wash up. You guys have fun fighting over the ball.” Her step was light as she walked around the courts to where the outdoor showers were located. Behind her, she heard Bryan’s voice as he argued about salvaging his pride, but it was blocked out as soon as she turned on the spray, stepping underneath the cool


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water to rinse away the worst of the sweat and sand. Jenny closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She hadn’t had this much fun in a very long time. “You forgot your towel,” Ashley said, his voice surprisingly close. Startled, she opened her eyes to see him standing just out of the reach of the spray, his bare chest glistening in the sun, her towel hanging loosely in his fingers. He watched her with intense, questioning eyes, as though he was unsure of what he was looking at. Jenny smiled to try and dispel the flutter in her stomach. “Thanks. I do that all the time. I guess I’m always in too big a hurry to get the sand out from between my toes.” She held out her hand and he passed it over, allowing her to drape it out of the way on a hook behind the shower. It also let her tear her gaze away from his muscled chest. Obviously, having a desk job didn’t mean Ashley didn’t know how to work out too. “Where’s Yvonne and Bryan?” she asked, pulling the band out of her hair in order to duck her head under the spray. Ashley nodded toward the court. From her angle, she couldn’t see them. “Bryan asked Yvonne for a clinic. Apparently, he thinks he can learn all her moves in an afternoon.” She chuckled. Of course he would. “Is that why you were the one who brought my towel?” She turned her back to the showerhead, shaking out some of the water from her hair before running her fingers through to comb it. “You get stuck being my whim caterer until Bryan’s done?” “Something like that.” Ashley took a step forward. A familiar light sparked in his eyes. “Do you have any whims you need me to cater to right now?” He was within touching distance, stray droplets of water splattering unheeded onto his bare chest. It wasn’t more provocative than anything else he had ever said to her, but the fact that it always kept coming back to some indirect proposition or innuendo made some of her amusement fade. “Yeah.” The confusion tumbled free, her hunger for some resolution to her chaotic thoughts greater than her common sense. “But not a whim. A question. All these things you say to me…are you ever serious? Or does it always come back to trying to wind me up? Because I gotta tell you, sometimes it really works, and I don’t know if I’m coming or going around you.” Ashley took another step forward, pinning her with his eyes as he moved. “What would you do if I were serious, Jenny? Would you let me go on? Or would you tell me to stop?” 96


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Every inch he came closer drew more heat to the surface of her skin, drove more clarity from her thoughts. She knew the answer to this one, but it refused to come to her lips, leaving her throat dry and her ears burning as she tried to make the words obey her. “Fuck,” she muttered when they failed. “I don’t know. I can’t…damn it, this is always so much easier when I—” She cut herself off as she realized what she’d been about to admit, finding fresh strength in her near error. “I’d tell you to stop.” But Ashley and his sharp lawyer mind wasn’t distracted by her shaky assertion. “It’s always so much easier when you what?” he pressed, and now he was close enough that the water hit him in the face, plastering his hair to his forehead. “Are you ever serious, Jenny, when you flirt back?” She knew she should step away. He was advancing for a reason, and her better sense was shouting at her to snap out of it and get out of there. But Jenny’s better sense wasn’t in control at the moment, not with Ashley so near, his electric eyes boring into hers, his wet skin within licking distance. “I can’t be.” The confession made something in her snap, her subsequent words grateful to be liberated. “Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter that I think about you all the time, or that it’s all easier in my fantasies because then I can say whatever the hell I want to you. None of it’s real.” Ashley stopped less than a foot away, his head tilted, his eyes still caught in hers. “Fantasies are easier,” he agreed softly. “In mine, you never tell me to stop.” Her mouth had a mind of its own. “You fantasize about me?” “Yeah.” His hands curled at his sides. “I do. All the fucking time.” Her nerves surged in excitement even as she recognized it was a very bad thing to do. She had never considered her desire would be reciprocated. “I do it even when I know I shouldn’t. Like that night you dropped Bryan off.” “Jenny, I…I know that we shouldn’t. I do. But I…” He reached out, his fingers grazing her shoulder. His gaze shifted from her face to the patch of skin he wasn’t quite touching, and she caught her breath. He slid his fingers down her arm, cupping her elbow, and then pulled her toward him. The cool water pelted her back, but Jenny was too absorbed in how he felt to notice, her nipples aching where they rubbed through her bikini against his bare chest, his fingertips hot where they curled around her arm. Her skin vibrated from the force of her


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heartbeat, and her mouth was dry from the realization not that this was actually happening but that she really wanted it to. Her eyes flitted from his to his mouth and back to that vibrant blue before she managed to swallow once to try and wet her throat. Just one kiss. A little taste. Nobody would see. Nobody would know. And God she wanted it so fucking badly. Just one. Slowly, without looking away or closing her eyes, Jenny leaned a little closer, stretched a little higher, in order to skim her lips over his, the tip of her tongue tracing along the seam. Ashley remained still, letting her come to him. He parted his lips slightly, allowing her to move deeper, and they held that position for the space of several heartbeats, the kiss barely a kiss at all. She shifted her weight forward, and Ashley reacted instantly, gripping her other arm with strong fingers and plunging his tongue into her mouth. Jenny shuddered at the sudden force. The last of her control slipped, and she leaned against him, using his hold on her as leverage as she returned his assault with every ounce of the desire she’d pent up over the past few weeks. That single kiss put every last one of her fantasies to shame, more potent, more intoxicating, more alive than all of them rolled together. It left her panting, her skin tingling, by the time they tore apart to gasp for air. It left her wanting more. Jenny opened her mouth to say…something. She wasn’t sure what. But it didn’t matter. Before she said a word, he pushed her back against the wall, further obscuring them from view. His body blocked hers from the spray, and the cold water rolled down his face to mingle on their lips. His wet shorts left nothing to her imagination, and she felt the heat of his erection against her bare thigh. He pressed a hard kiss against her mouth before lifting his head. “Fuck.” His eyes searched her face. She could only nod before he kissed her again. This time, her arms coiled around his neck to hold him to her, and she lifted a leg to curl it around the back of his flexed thigh. Their new position pinned his cock firmly against her pussy, hot and hard and driving her crazy enough to grind against it, but the wet material only made the friction across her clit even more electric. A cascade of giggles cut through Jenny’s arousal sharp enough to make her pull away from Ashley’s luscious mouth, panting as her head turned toward the sound. At the end of the showers, she saw a trio of prepubescent girls, standing in a tight cluster while they watched Jenny and Ashley. The second the girls realized they’d been noticed, they erupted with embarrassed laughter and disappeared toward the volleyball courts. 98


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She turned back to Ashley. As his mouth began to return to hers, however, reality came crashing around her. “Oh God.” Her arms fell from his neck, hands flat to his chest as she pushed him away. “Stop. What the hell are we doing?” Ashley stumbled back and, to her relief, didn’t try to close the space between them again. He watched her with unwavering eyes, his breath hitching. “We were kissing.” Jenny didn’t need his reminder; her lips were still quivering. “Well, we can’t do that. Bryan’s your friend.” Ashley frowned. “Bryan is my business associate. And what does that have to do with anything?” “Because that should matter. Because…because…” It made more sense in her head. When she was out of his presence. And her body wasn’t shouting at her to close the distance and pick up where they’d stopped. She lifted a shaking hand to her mouth, rubbing it as if that would make the taste of him disappear. “I shouldn’t have let that happen,” she tried again. “I’m sorry.” Ashley continued to look at her, unblinking. “I’m really not.” “What? Why not?” “Why should I be?” Her brows shot up. “Because I’m engaged? Or maybe, because of Yvonne? Or how about, because we both know nothing can happen between us? Pick your reason, counselor. They all work.” Ashley folded his arms across his chest. “Your engagement has nothing to do with me. Yvonne doesn’t care what I do or who I do it with, and how do I know nothing can happen between us? We’ve never actually discussed what can happen between us.” He made it sound so reasonable that Jenny had to stop and think about it for a second. “Nothing can happen,” she managed. “I don’t cheat. I don’t care how good you kiss.” Ashley considered her for a moment before nodding. “I’m not going to ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable doing, Jenny. You don’t cheat? Fair enough. I won’t kiss you again.” He looked sincere, and, in spite of the irrational question bubbling inside her, the don’t you want to kiss me again? threatening to spill from her lips, she was grateful he was backing off with little fight. It gave her time for her pulse to return to normal and her www.samhainpublishing.com

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skin to stop burning. Her mouth still felt swollen, though. Jenny wondered how long it would take for that to go away. If it ever would. “Thanks.” She sagged against the wall, though the feel of it behind her brought back a rush of memories, his tongue entwined with hers, his hands hot on her arms. “This is going to be hard enough as it is.” “Why?” Their earlier confessions made it pointless to pretend. “Because not kissing you and not wanting to kiss you are two entirely different things.” “I know. I think we should…I’m going to send my assistant to pick up Vera.” Someplace deep inside, disappointment pitched at his answer. It was exactly what she needed to hear, exactly what needed to happen, but still, in a place dark and private and kept only for her most secret self, Jenny wished it didn’t have to be this way. “What about dinner? This isn’t…I don’t want this to fuck up anything for Bryan. Don’t walk away because of this. Please.” “Yeah. We’ll stay for dinner. I’ll just have to…keep my distance.” She shouldn’t ask. She knew it. She did anyway. “If I hadn’t stopped us, how far would you have taken this?” Ashley’s eyes glinted in the sunlight. “I guess we’ll never know now, will we?” “No. I guess we won’t.”

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Chapter Twelve In light of the disastrous dinner, saying good night was one of the easier things Jenny had dealt with all day. The quartet stood in the parking lot with only the streetlamps and surrounding neon for light, and she shook Ashley’s hand when it was extended, kissed Yvonne on the cheek, and made the proper responses when it came her turn. Thank you, it was fun, we have to do this again some time. It helped that the darkness hid Ashley’s eyes from her. She suspected it would have been a lot harder if she’d been able to see him. But kissing Ashley was the least of her worries. As she and Bryan drove home in silence, Jenny kept her attention focused outside her window in order for him not to see how hurt she still was by his caustic disregard for her questions. His words had stung when he’d uttered them, and they stung now. She didn’t even understand what the big deal was; it wasn’t like his drinking night out with Ashley had been a big secret. It was the whole purpose in inviting him out, after all. “No, thanks,” Bryan said, waving off the drinks menu Yvonne was offering. “Just water for me.” Jenny grinned as she took it instead. “Definitely. The last thing we need is a repeat of the other night.” Bryan stiffened at her side. “Not now, Jen.” His voice was low, meant for her ears only, and when she glanced over, his head was bent, his attention fixed on the food menu in his hands. “What’s the problem?” she asked, confused. She glanced across the table at Ashley and Yvonne. “I mean, it’s not like Ashley wasn’t there.” He folded his menu with a crisp snap. “I said, not now.” “Is it because of the work stuff?” It was hard not to press. It had been killing her for over a week that she didn’t know what could be so bad Bryan had to get drunk over it. “Maybe if all of us talk about it—” www.samhainpublishing.com

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“Which part of ‘not now’ is so hard for you to understand?” Bryan snapped. “Jesus, Jen, I know you have a problem with knowing when to shut up, but how many different ways do I have to say I don’t want to talk about this?” She was still replaying the scene in her head when he unlocked the apartment door, and she followed him inside. Neither of them said a word as he dropped the duffel bag behind the couch, and she could only watch as he disappeared into the bedroom. She wasn’t sure if he would come out again. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to. Fifteen minutes later, she was curled up in the corner of the couch, trying to lose the memories of the day in a cut-to-hell version of Die Hard on TNT, when Bryan emerged. He was dressed in the baggy sweats he slept in, his upper body smooth and muscular. Any other time and it might have distracted Jenny from her mood, but not now. Now, she just wanted to be mad. “You coming to bed?” Jenny shifted on the cushions, resting her head on the arm so she faced him directly. “Why do you do that? Put me down in front of others. All I said was maybe we should talk about whatever’s going on with your work. You didn’t have to make me feel like I was fucking five years old.” Bryan rolled his eyes, exhaling loudly. “Damn it, are we back to this again? Let it go, Jen, and just come to bed.” “No.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I couldn’t get you to talk about it at dinner, so I want to talk about this now.” “I didn’t want to talk about it in front of Edwards and Yvonne because it’s none of their business!” His nostrils flared, his temper rising in accordance with hers. “It’s called privacy, not that I expect you to understand the concept.” Her brows shot up. “Excuse me?” “You heard me. I’m already embarrassed enough that I got so drunk a business associate had to bring me home. But then you had to go and rub salt in the wound by bringing up work, even when I asked you not to.” “What the hell does that have to do with anything?” She sat up, her skin crawling in anger. “And you know, maybe I wouldn’t have brought it up if I knew what it was that was bothering you. Did you ever think of that?” Bryan snorted. “Oh, please. You don’t give a damn about my job.” “I do when it has you drinking when you should know better.”

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Her words made him snap straight, hazel eyes flashing. She waited for him to argue back, to say something that would give her a clue about what was going on inside his head, but after a long minute, Bryan simply turned on his heel and walked back into the bedroom, the door slamming shut behind him. Jenny stared at the empty space in shock. It was one thing for Bryan to not want to talk about it in front of outsiders, but she was supposed to be the exception. If she expressed an interest in wanting to know what was wrong, he was supposed to at least accept it instead of running away and hiding in his cave. Jumping up from the couch, she marched to the bedroom and shoved the door open to find the room in darkness, Bryan already in bed. She flipped on the light, not surprised when he didn’t roll over. “Why won’t you talk about it? Why are you shutting me out like this?” “Because there’s nothing to talk about,” came the reply. “You didn’t want to listen to me when the Kyoto deal first came up, you didn’t want to listen to me when Portman put me in charge of it, and you didn’t even hear me when I told you we had to bring in legal eagles in order to clean the mess up.” She had to grant him the last; he was right about that one. But… “That’s because you turn everything into a big drama, Bryan. I listened to you complain for two weeks about that guy in Marketing—what was his name?” Her mind raced until she found it. “Heydenburg, Josh Heydenburg. Remember how convinced you were he was padding his expense reports to pay for his new car, and it turned out he paid for the car with money he got from his dead uncle?” “That was—” “And what about when they asked you to go to Seattle for that conference. You whined for three days that they were getting you out of the way so that they could promote that bald guy with the bad teeth.” “You’re taking things out of—” “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” She had always considered his overreactions a taboo subject, one of those things she thought but never voiced. It was part and parcel to loving someone, she had always thought. But if he was going to try and throw it back in her face now, he had another think coming. “I’m sorry if I don’t know which of your crises is the real thing. And I’m sorry you think I don’t care about your job. But that


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doesn’t change the fact that I can tell something big is going on right now, and that maybe, just maybe, I might want to help if I can.” Silence followed. She wanted him to roll over, say something, do anything, but all Bryan did was sigh softly. “It doesn’t matter, Jen. I’m done trying. You win.” She stared at his back in disbelief. “I win? Since when did we turn into a fucking race?” “Where have you been for the past ten years?” The words hurt. More than his refusal to talk to her. More than his irritable condescension at dinner. They punched through the last of Jenny’s defenses to leave her nearly shaking. “I’ve been where I’ve always been,” she said, her voice low and terse. “Right here. I’m not the one who disappeared for four years, remember?” It took her taunt to pull him onto his back to look at her. Bryan’s eyes were dark and shuttered, his jaw so rigid she could see the muscles twitching even from across the room. “And I can see I’m still paying for that. What’s the going rate for paybacks, Jen? Two years for every one I was gone?” She couldn’t say anything in response. It was an old argument, one that had split them up after high school, one that had had Jenny putting Bryan off for nearly two months after he’d moved back. He would never understand how his deliberate choice to go across the country had hurt, how all his platitudes about finding themselves and being sure they were meant to be had sounded like so much bullshit to her. To Jenny’s ears, it had sounded like an elaborate excuse to fuck around, but Bryan had never admitted to that. He stuck to his original statements. She’d always felt she’d had no choice but to cut all ties. She wasn’t going to be the girl sitting around mooning over her boyfriend while he messed around on her behind her back. With one last glance at Bryan, Jenny stormed to the closet, yanked open the door and grabbed her backpack from the floor inside. Behind her, she heard Bryan sit up, the blankets rustling as they must have slipped down his hips. “What are you doing?” “I can’t be around you right now.” She pulled open her drawers and grabbed a few essentials from each, stuffing them without thought into her pack. “I’m going to my dad’s.”

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Marching from the room, Jenny grabbed her keys and was out the front door without ever hearing another sound from the bedroom. *** Ashley ignored Yvonne as she followed him up to the penthouse, intent on getting a drink, a shower and checking his messages. Not necessarily in that order. His temples ached and his fingers trembled slightly, the way they did after a particularly intense negotiation that lasted well into the night and even the next morning. He didn’t want Yvonne there, but the way she drifted into the apartment and settled on the couch like a sleepy cat told him she had no intention of leaving. He undressed as he walked, reaching the kitchen in his boxers. Despite his need for alcohol, he grabbed a bottle of water first, realizing he was dehydrated. He brought the bottle to his lips, but nearly choked on the liquid as Yvonne finally spoke. “So, have you fucked her yet?” “No,” Ashley sputtered, setting the water aside. “No.” “Why not?” Yvonne asked, blinking. Ashley sighed. “It’s complicated. I have to work closely with Bryan on the Kyoto project, and that’s a mess that’s not going to be cleaned up in a few weeks. Plus, we don’t need bad blood between the firms right now. Things are tense enough as it is. And why am I explaining myself to you?” “Because I asked. So it’s purely professional reasons then?” Ashley looked up, meeting her eyes before looking away again. “Yeah.” “Bryan’s a nice guy, but oblivious. A bit of a bore too.” Ashley winced. “Oblivious? Were we being that obvious?” “Oh, you’re not obvious about anything, Ash. But I know you well enough, and I’ve seen enough women chase you to know the signs. She wants you, too.” Ashley collapsed on the chair, his headache intensifying. “Yeah. I…I kissed her today. After volleyball. I would have done more. I could have fucked her right there on the beach in front of Bryan and God and everybody. But she…she’s not interested in an affair.” He held his hand out in front of him, watching his forefinger twitch.


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“I thought you weren’t, either.” Yvonne stretched her legs. “And since when has any of this stopped you? You slept with that Elizabeth Johnson, and she was married to the CEO of Winstrom.” “Yes, and thanks for reminding me of that rather painful and embarrassing chapter of my life,” Ashley muttered, wishing he had grabbed the bottle of whiskey. Dinner that night had been bad enough without Yvonne making him stroll down memory lane. “I’m just saying that it’s not like you to stand back when you want something. Or somebody. Besides”—she flicked her hair behind her shoulder—“she probably won’t be with Bryan for long.” Ashley looked up sharply. “What are you talking about?” “Are you making a run for Bryan’s title or what? The only thing that distracted her from gawking at you was sniping at him.” “Bryan’s been under a lot of stress. It’s probably weighing on their relationship. Hell, that’s probably why she’s interested in me at all. I don’t think that means they’re going to call everything off.” Yvonne sighed. A long-suffering, exasperated sigh. “You’re a smart guy, Ash. But when it comes to these sort of things, you’re a bit blind.” “I’m not blind.” “How many relationships have you been in that lasted longer than six months?” Ashley blinked. “What does that have to do with anything?” “Just answer the question.” “One. I was with Marie for eight months. And hey, we’ve been dating for two years now.” “We’re not in a relationship, so it doesn’t count.” “How is this not a relationship? I take you out, I buy you expensive jewelry, we fuck. It sounds like every other relationship I’ve been in.” “And that’s exactly my point, Ash. You don’t know anything about relationships between men and women. Bryan is unhappy with Jen right now, and I think she might be losing that loving feeling.” “You can tell because of a minor spat over dinner?” “The air was so thick with tension, it was ruining the taste of my food.”

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Ashley sank back in his chair, thinking about this. Yvonne had a point. He might have seen it sooner, but he had been trying to look for reasons to not pursue Jenny. Because, God help him, he really didn’t want to push Jenny into something she didn’t want. He really didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. He really didn’t want to hurt her. When she pushed him away, the sun in her eyes and her hair, the smell of her sweat beneath the salty air, and the taste of her still on his mouth, he had been more than disappointed. The rejection had caused a physical pain. He wanted her, and he was beginning to think he needed her too, and he didn’t want to make her hurt. “So what do you suggest I do?” Yvonne laughed. “I have no idea, sweetheart. You’ve never sought my advice before.” “I guess I must be desperate or something.” Yvonne looked at him thoughtfully, and then shrugged. “Let her go.” “Let her go? That was my plan anyway, so why did you bring it up?” “Let her go if you’re not going to take a few risks for her, Ash. She’s either worth it, or she’s not. And if she’s not, stop panting after her like some kid who just discovered his dick.” “I’m not panting after her…” Yvonne smiled at him gently. “Look, we have a good time together. I won’t lie to you; I don’t want to lose that. But you’ve never looked at me the way you looked at her when you thought nobody was watching. So if you want her, you have to fight for her. Otherwise, stop leading her on.” “What if she doesn’t want me to fight for her?” “What if she’s waiting for you to do just that?” “What if it’s just lust?” “Your hand is still shaking.” He held his hand against his chest. “Sometimes you really bug me.” “That’s why you’ve kept me around for so long,” Yvonne countered, unfolding herself from the couch. She crossed the room and bent to skim her lips across his. “I’ll give you a call some time.” “You’re not staying?”


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“I don’t think you want me to.” She brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead before turning to the door. “I’m going to the club this weekend with Jake.” Ashley considered that for a moment before nodding. “You could do worse.” “Have a good night, Ash.” The door shut behind her with a hint of finality that made him a bit uncomfortable. Briefly, his mind drifted back to their kiss, and he let himself think about kissing Jenny again, and again, and letting his fingers caress her body. But it wasn’t the same as before. He couldn’t maintain the fantasy; the memory of her telling him it was wrong kept distracting him. Sighing, he stood and went to the sideboard. But he wasn’t quite interested in the whiskey anymore either. He poured himself two fingers anyway, downing it in one gulp before going to his big, empty bed. A part of him wished Yvonne had stayed. At least she would give him something to focus on besides his own thoughts. He checked his messages, and, as he expected, there was all sorts of drama and excitement waiting for him. Firing up his laptop, he stretched out on the bed and prepared for a very long night.

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Chapter Thirteen Ashley waited until the room was empty before leaning back in his chair with a heavy sigh. His job was always hard. That’s why he liked it. It was supposed to be challenging. It was supposed to tax him. It was supposed to make him test his endurance to the breaking point, and then push him just a bit beyond that, because that’s when he did his best work. But it wasn’t supposed to be dull. And the meeting had been dull…and long…and dull. His mind kept drifting to other matters. It would snap back to business every time his gaze fell on Bryan’s somber face. A small sound near the door alerted him to the fact that he wasn’t alone. He lifted his head and wasn’t entirely surprised to see Bryan standing there. His shoulders were slumped, and he still looked very serious. His eyes were dark, and his hair was standing on end, as though he had run his fingers through it compulsively. Ashley frowned. “Oh. Bryan. Can I help you with something?” For a moment, Bryan hesitated, indecision clearly warring over his even features. He took a deep breath before finally speaking. “I wanted to apologize about dinner last Saturday.” Even his voice sounded tired. “I know things were a little…tense. The last thing I wanted was to spoil the day for you and Yvonne, so if that happened, I’m sorry.” Ashley actually hadn’t minded the tension between them. It took the attention off of him entirely. Which made it a lot easier to function through the meal, since he couldn’t stop thinking about the way Jenny tasted. “Don’t worry about it. It hardly spoiled the entire day.” He considered asking if things were better now, but found he didn’t want to hear the answer either way. “No, just dinner,” Bryan muttered. His long fingers came up to run through his hair again as he exhaled. Ashley didn’t know how it was possible for such a big guy to deflate so visibly. “She picked a fight as soon as we got home. I tried to get her to let it go, but…” He shook his head. “Maybe it’s a good thing she spent the weekend at her dad’s.”


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Ashley didn’t know why Bryan had decided to volunteer the information, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know more. He could politely, yet firmly, ask Bryan to leave, thus stopping him from further confessions. Or he could take advantage of the opportunity to fish for some more info to do…what with? Ashley decided the reason for more information was irrelevant. Knowledge was power, after all. “That’s rough. I’m surprised things got to that point.” Bryan shrugged. “It’s not the first time. She does this every time she gets pissed at me. Says it helps her clear her head.” “A little breathing room never hurt anything,” Ashley commented, though in his case, it didn’t seem to be helping either. Since that fateful Saturday afternoon, he’d had nothing but breathing room, and things had not improved. “It’s been a stressful month for you. It’s not a surprise a bit of that has leaked over to your private life.” “Maybe.” Pulling out a chair, Bryan sat back down, dropping his case to the floor. “I don’t sleep too well when she’s not home, either. And then to have to sit through these meetings?” He snorted. “I’m surprised I stayed awake.” Ashley smiled good-naturedly. “You have to stay awake. This is your show.” “Yeah, well, I’m beginning to wish I’d had the balls to tell Portman no when he gave it to me.” “Why? It’s a bit sticky right now, but it’s nothing that can’t be sorted out.” Bryan picked at a cuticle, keeping his eyes averted from Ashley. “Because I never thought I’d be putting thousands of people out of work, that’s why. I thought we just wanted their patents. I didn’t know they wanted to dismantle the entire Kyoto operation.” Ashley blinked. “That’s pretty standard, Bryan. It’s business.” “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” “No, but it does mean you’re going to have to deal with it if you want this deal to go through.” “I’m dealing, I’m dealing. It’s…not what I expected. And doesn’t really seem all that ethical.” “It may not be. But there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re just a very small cog in a very big machine, and if you won’t do it, somebody else will.” “I know.” Bryan’s head dropped against the back of the chair so that he was staring up at the ceiling. “It’ll get done. Don’t worry about that. I’ve never dropped the ball on an

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assignment, and I’m not about to start now. But this would be a lot less stressful for me if I didn’t have Jen’s crap to deal with too.” Ashley thought the entire situation would be much less stressful for him if Bryan didn’t think it was appropriate to share details of his personal life. “I think most men find their lives would be infinitely less stressful without the fairer sex. And yet, they can’t seem to keep to themselves. It’s an age-old dilemma.” “You and Yvonne seem to have it good. Now there’s a girl who knows how it all works. If I was taking Jen to the picnic this weekend, I’d hit Yvonne up to teach her a few tricks.” “If we have it good, it’s because we don’t have anything as antiquated as commitment and love between us.” Bryan sighed. “These days, I’m not so sure you don’t have the better deal.” Ashley scoffed. “Are you telling me that you’d rather have nobody to go home to at night? Do you know what, or who, Yvonne is doing this weekend? Neither do I. It works for me. I doubt you’d find it quite so pleasant.” “I haven’t had anybody at home all week,” Bryan countered. “Maybe I haven’t been sleeping that great, but I haven’t had any more fights with Jen, either.” “I thought she just went away for the weekend?” For a second, Bryan grimaced, as if being caught out in a little lie. “It’s only been a few days more than that,” he said, sitting up in his chair. “And her dad lives closer to her work, so she probably stayed there because it was easier. It’s only Wednesday. It’s not like she’s been gone a week or anything.” “So you think I have the better deal, but you can’t sleep without Jenny?” Ashley shook his head. “Sounds like you don’t know if you’re coming or going.” Bryan didn’t have an answer for that, leaning over to pick up his case again. “I’m not so sure there’s a difference anymore.” He rolled his shoulders as he rose to his feet. “Now, if I could get things with Jen the way they used to be, that might be a step in the right direction.” “The way they used to be? When she was just the cheerleader on the sidelines?” The question was more pointed than he intended, but he couldn’t call it back. Yvonne was right about one thing; sometimes Bryan really was oblivious. “Things were simpler then. And if I’d thought for a minute I’d come back from college and find


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her elbow high in grease, I would never have let her work on my car in high school. It was supposed to be a hobby, not a job.” Ashley tilted his head, honestly perplexed. “What does her job have to do with anything?” “Don’t you see? It’s all part of the same problem. Jen spends all her time at the garage and doesn’t understand how things in the real world work. If I could get her to get a real job, maybe she’d start to see what I go through.” Ashley’s confusion only grew at Bryan’s explanation. “What sort of job do you have in mind for her?” “I don’t know. Something in an office, maybe. Or she could go back to school. I’ve always told her she was smart enough to go to college, but she never listens to me. The point is, anything but what she’s doing now. How else is she going to figure out how to fit in with the people I work with? Because all these parties she hates going to so much aren’t going away, that’s for sure.” Ashley was beginning to wonder if this sort of shoddy logic carried over to Bryan’s job. Maybe that’s why they were in the mess they were in. “You know, I spent five years in college before settling on law school, and I don’t recall a single course in the proper way to enjoy a stuffy old party full of snobs. Bryan, I’ll be honest, I like you, but I’m having a hell of time figuring out what you’re talking about.” To his credit, Bryan flushed with embarrassment. “That’s because talking about Jen these days only gets me all flustered.” He backed toward the door. “I’m sorry, it was unprofessional of me to bring it up in the first place. I guess I thought since you’ve probably seen more of the real Jen than anybody else I work with…” He shook his head, as if dismissing that train of thought. “Never mind. Mine and Jen’s problems aren’t yours. Again, sorry about that.” Ashley leaned forward, interested in the conversation for the first time. “I’ve seen more of the real Jenny than anybody else? Don’t you ever invite anybody over for drinks, or go out like we did on Saturday?” “Not really. I told you. You’re the only one she’s ever shown any interest in getting to know outside of the work stuff, which I guess I took as a sign that she might be coming around to fitting in better. And until she jumped on me at dinner, I thought it was going good. Volleyball was great.” He paused, a small line appearing between his brows. “Well, except for losing to the girls. That part kind of sucked. But you saw her. She was

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laughing, talking. Having fun. Now why can’t I get her to be like that around the rest of the company?” The solution seemed obvious to Ashley, but suddenly, he wasn’t in the mood to offer helpful advice. “Maybe because we were there for fun, and she didn’t feel like she was on display.” A thought occurred to Ashley. A very dangerous and possibly ridiculous notion that nobody in his right mind would agree to. He floated it anyway. “Jenny could be the center of attention, the life of the party, if the situation is handled correctly.” Bryan blinked. “You think so? How?” “It’ll be easier to show you than tell you,” Ashley said, watching Bryan closely. “This Saturday, at the picnic.” He could see the wheels turning inside the other man’s head, putting the pieces together. “You’d do that for me?” Bryan finally said. “Because Jen can be a handful. She really hates these things. That’s why I was letting her off the hook with the picnic.” Ashley wavered for a moment. He felt vaguely guilty for plotting to seduce the man’s fiancée right under his nose, in front of all his coworkers and friends. But only vaguely. “I’d be happy to help you out. If you think she’d be willing to spend a whole afternoon with me.” For the first time since they’d started the conversation, Bryan smiled. “Oh, that’s going to be easy to sell. The hard part’s going to be telling her about the picnic. I’ve known about it for weeks now and haven’t said a word.” “Just get her there. And I’ll take care of the rest.” *** Jenny hung back as Bryan unlocked the door to their apartment, her duffel bag thrown over her shoulder. The last thing she’d expected was for him to walk into her garage, but he’d done just that, an apologetic smile on his face, two tickets for the newest Owen Wilson comedy in hand. So she’d gone, and they’d laughed, and they’d gone out afterward for burgers, and neither one of them had mentioned the fact that she’d been gone for four days, or what had prompted her to leave in the first place, or what—if anything—was going to change. And it had been good. Until he brought up the picnic on Saturday.


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Having separate cars had been a relief because it gave Jenny time to think it over without distraction. What was Ashley playing at, suggesting he take her around? Had he been serious? Was Bryan misunderstanding? Was this Bryan’s way of fobbing her off again because he didn’t want to have to deal with her? And what happened to her and Ashley deciding they needed to stay away from each other? Had Ash decided she wasn’t that much of an attraction after all? Too many questions. No answers. One man who could satisfy all of them. Though she and Bryan went to bed together, the moment she heard his soft snore, Jenny slipped out from beneath the blankets and padded silently to the living room. The business card was exactly where it had been since he’d given it to her, and she palmed it as she carried it and the telephone into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she punched in the numbers of his cell and waited for him to answer, hating her heart as it chose that moment to stampede out of control. “Hey,” he greeted easily, as though he had been expecting her call. He sounded good—very good—and Jenny had to smother the definite thrill that went through her at the sound of his voice. “Hey,” she replied and decided to jump straight to the point. “You’ll never guess what a little birdy told me today.” “What?” “Something about a picnic, and you, and an insane offer to, quote, make me the life of the party, unquote. Is that true, counselor?” “It’s true. Bryan was going on about how you don’t fit in. I think he’s wrong. So I’m going to prove it.” Part of her was annoyed that Bryan would say something like that to Ash in the first place, but really, it didn’t surprise her. She knew how he felt about all of it. What was surprising was Ashley’s confidence that he could prove Bryan wrong, and she blurted the question before she could think not to. “What happened to keeping your distance?” “I changed my mind.” “Miss me that much, or finally figure out it’s not that hard after all?” “Actually, while I was listening to Bryan today, I decided that I’m going to seduce you.”

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She nearly dropped the phone from the shock of hearing him admit it. “Excuse me?” she sputtered. “Did you fall and hit your head or something? Nothing’s going to happen between us, Ash. I thought we decided on that.” “I changed my mind.” “Maybe I didn’t.” She could almost hear him shrug. “Then don’t come to the picnic on Saturday. But I don’t think you ever really meant it when you said nothing was going to happen between us.” “Obviously, your fantasies weren’t as good as mine then. Because trust me, those have been more than enough to get me off.” “Is that little tidbit of information supposed to prove to me that you were serious? Or that I was right?” Jenny exhaled, wishing that her body would stop betraying her every time he opened his mouth. It had been hard enough while she was gone. Every night had been spent remembering that kiss at the beach, coming up with scenario after scenario where she didn’t tell him to stop, where those stupid girls hadn’t interrupted them, where Ash fucked her right there against the wall where anybody could walk up and see them. It was one reason why she hadn’t come back right away; she didn’t want to have to face Bryan, knowing she was lusting after someone else. But when he’d sought her out, something he had never done before, Jenny had shoved that disloyalty aside. She was with Bryan. Decision made. Except now she had Ashley hell bent on seducing her. And in spite of knowing how wrong that was, Jenny couldn’t stop her imagination from veering off into visions of how he would accomplish that. “Plan on taking your guitar then?” Her mouth would forever be her downfall. “Because I’m not nearly as easy as you seem to think I am.” “Would you like me to bring the guitar? I’m flexible. Perhaps since you’re not as easy as I think you are, you should give me some pointers. To better my chances of success.” It was so hard to take him seriously when he spoke about it so bluntly. The smile played on her mouth as she got sucked into his game. “Only if you plan to use it. There’s nothing more frustrating than a guy who’s all talk and no action.” “Have I ever done anything to make you believe I’m all talk and no action?”


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“No,” she admitted, and realized it was true. “Though I used to wonder just how much you meant when we’d talk.” She slid down so that she was lying on the floor, her nightshirt falling up around her waist, baring her legs. “Make me laugh. Like you did that night at the charity gala. That’s a good way to score points.” “I never told you anything I didn’t mean,” Ashley assured her. “I think I can handle making you laugh. What else have you got?” “Talk to me because you want to, not because you have to or because you’re bored and don’t have anything else to do. And let me talk about something other than the weather. That shit gets old really fast.” “You mean in order to get you in bed, I have to have an actual conversation with you?” Ashley paused. “Yes, we can do that.” Her smile widened. It was probably a very bad idea to tell him that they hadn’t even made it out of the elevator in her first fantasy about fucking him. “Don’t be afraid to let me take control if I want it,” she said, continuing the game. “I’m not dumb. I can do things. And I like being the boss every once in awhile.” “Is this before I get you in bed, or after?” “Both.” “I don’t mind being bossed around occasionally.” “Is this before we get into bed, or after?” she taunted. “Both.” This time, Jenny laughed, keeping it low in order not to wake Bryan. “I suppose if I go to the picnic, it’ll be the perfect chance for you to teach me what you think makes a good beer.” “If those cretins have good beer,” Ashley scoffed. “They never have yet. But we’ll have plenty of time after the picnic.” “After? What about Bryan? How does this brilliant plan of seduction of yours get rid of him?” “I don’t really care.” In that moment, she believed him. He really didn’t care. Another tremor raced through her at the thought, settling between her thighs. “You know what I like about you, Ashley Edwards? You’ve got more nerve than anybody else I’ve ever met. I actually think you’re going to go through with this crazy plan.” 116


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“I am going to go through with this crazy plan, if I see you on Saturday.” “Keep up this kind of talk and how can I not go?” “I don’t think you’re taking me seriously.” She paused. “Is that what you want? For me to take you seriously? Two days ago, you couldn’t even come pick up your truck, Ash.” “Two days ago, I thought doing the right thing meant leaving you alone.” “And now you think the right thing is to try and fuck me right under Bryan’s nose?” She whistled. “That must have been some talk you two had today.” “Leaving you alone was the right thing when I thought you were happy with Bryan.” She had been having fun with the banter, even as she knew it was incredibly dangerous to continue it. But this wasn’t fun. This was getting real again. “I stay at my dad’s all the time,” she said, pitching her voice low and even in order to shift the tone of their conversation. “That doesn’t mean I’m unhappy with Bryan.” “No, it doesn’t. But you didn’t kiss me like somebody who is happy with her fiancé. And you didn’t look at me on Saturday like somebody who is happy with her fiancé. I told you in no uncertain terms that I intend to fuck you on Saturday, and you seem to believe me, yet we’re still having this conversation. I may have never been engaged, but I’m certain that this is not typical behavior for a woman deeply in love with her future husband.” His assessment annoyed her, maybe because there might be a small grain of truth somewhere inside his assertions. “And you can’t just look like the most fuckable guy I’ve ever met?” Jenny countered, hoping to distract him from the topic of Bryan. “I don’t believe that you’re that sort of person.” She swallowed. Damn it. “What do you want me to say, Ash? Nothing is going to make this right.” “That’s not my concern. I don’t have any loyalty or allegiance to Bryan. This is your decision. I’ve told you the truth. You can do what you want with it. You have…three nights to think it over. Pleasant dreams, Jenny.” With that, the line went dead. She stared at the phone in shock. Her first instinct was to call him back and force him to finish the conversation until he let this crazy idea go. Only…she didn’t think he was going to. She thought he had every intention of doing exactly as he said, and if she showed up on Saturday, there was every possibility she would end up caving, because


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hell, she was halfway there already, Bryan be damned. If she didn’t go to the picnic, though, Bryan would want to know why. Fuck. Her mind wandered back to his assertions about her happiness. She loved Bryan; no matter what Ashley said, that would always be true. But his beliefs forced her to reexamine just how satisfied she’d been with her life lately. Was she interested in Ash simply because something else was missing? No. Unless she was responding to him because he seemed to genuinely like her as opposed to Bryan’s tolerance. Even if it might only be a ploy to get into her pants. Fuck. This would all be much simpler if she didn’t hate her emotions at the moment. That was the kicker. She liked Ashley. He made her laugh. He treated her with respect. All those things she’d given him as pointers…it would probably amuse him to no end that it was all shit he already did. Well, except for the guitar. And Bryan only did any of it when he was trying to score points or soothe her ruffled feathers. Like tonight. Being as quiet as she could, Jenny returned the phone to its base in the living room and tucked Ashley’s business card back into her purse. There had to be a solution to all this that she was missing. Something that would make it possible to go to the picnic on Saturday without Ashley determined to seduce her. She wondered if she would ever find it. She wondered even more if she really wanted to.

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Chapter Fourteen It took an unexpected answer from Bryan for Jenny to make up her mind. They were in bed on Friday night, the room in near darkness. Though the blinds were drawn, slivers of streetlight slipped through and danced on the wall, giving Jenny something to focus on as she listened to Bryan breathe. “Why didn’t you tell me about the picnic until Wednesday?” she asked, breaking the quiet. The bed groaned as he shifted his weight toward her. His shoulder grazed hers, hot and sticky in spite of the running air conditioning. “Didn’t I tell you already?” She rolled her eyes. Thank God it was dark. “No, or I wouldn’t have asked.” “Oh.” Silence. “I thought I was doing you a favor. You hate these things.” Jenny rolled onto her side to face him. It broke physical contact which made it easier to think. “That’s never stopped you before. Did Ash say something to you?” Bryan sighed. It seemed he’d been doing that a lot lately, though maybe Jenny was only really noticing it for the first time. “Now, this, I know I told you. He said he thought you could be the life of the party, that you needed to think you were having fun and you’d be just fine. That’s why he’s going to take you around tomorrow, remember?” Jenny had to bite back the urge to tell Bryan that wasn’t Ashley’s sole motivation. “What if I said I didn’t want to go?” He turned his head to look at her. “What? You said you would. And you like Edwards, don’t tell me you don’t.” “I know. I do.” Too much. “But what if I changed my mind about going?” “But why would you do that?” “Just answer the question, Bryan. Is it so hard to give me a straight answer for once in your life?”


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A minute stretched into two while he regarded her. She wished she’d thought to turn the light on so that she could see what he was thinking. “Honestly?” The alarm had gone from his voice, replaced with a resignation she recognized. It came when he had given up on fighting with her. “It wouldn’t surprise me. You only think about yourself these days.” Bryan rolled away from her, his threadbare Tshirt stretching across his broad shoulders. “You do whatever the hell you want, Jenny. Go, don’t go, whatever. I don’t care.” She knew she should tell him why she was waffling, that if he knew about Ashley’s intentions, his response might be different. But as she reached to touch his back and try to make the situation better, Jenny paused. All she had thought about for the past forty-eight hours were Ashley’s words. Leaving you alone was the right thing when I thought you were happy with Bryan. It was like somebody had turned a light on in a darkened room, and now she had to watch all the cockroaches go scuttling back to the shadows. The infestation had always been there, but she had chosen to blind herself to it, ignoring the little signs and faint scratching behind the walls to believe in her rose-colored world. Her hand fell away. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day. *** Jenny pulled into the parking spot next to Bryan’s Toyota, trying to quell the sudden rush of jumping beans that had taken up residence in her stomach. There’s still time to turn back, a small voice said inside her head. Send Ashley Edwards a message, once and for all. She stomped on the voice as soon as she heard it. She wasn’t here to succumb to Ashley’s insane idea. She was here to prove to him once and for all that she was an adult woman, capable of self-control around an attractive man. Jenny had survived the Jorgensen party without jumping him, and she’d managed most of the day at the beach, the kiss notwithstanding. She could resist temptation with his flirtatious behavior for one simple picnic. Still, she glanced in the mirror one more time before climbing out to join Bryan. Her makeup was simple and sheer, her hair loose in thick waves around her shoulders. While Bryan had opted for the LL Bean catalog ensemble, Jenny went for comfort, wearing her favorite hip-hugger jeans with a soft white blouse tied below her breasts. It revealed her 120


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tanned midriff, but this was a picnic and it was hot outside. If Bryan wasn’t bothered by the ensemble, she knew that it would do. She didn’t expect Bryan’s frown when she approached, though. “I hope nobody saw you.” She thought for a minute that he was referring to her appearance, but noticed his gaze focused over her shoulder. “Because we came in separate cars?” “It looks bad.” “No, it looks like I have to go somewhere after this shindig is over.” That was a lie. Jenny’s one concession to her fear was an escape route. If Ashley ever got to be too much to handle, she’d simply leave. In order to explain it, though, she’d used her dad as an excuse, saying she needed to go over and help him finish some engine work that they’d started the previous weekend. She didn’t like the idea of lying to Bryan, but it was better than telling him the truth. Especially if he didn’t care enough to hear it. Bryan’s hand engulfed hers as he took it and led her toward the large group already congregating in the park. “Let’s just not think about it and have fun, okay?” The smile he shot her was small but seemed genuine, softening Jenny’s frustration. She squeezed his hand and said, “Sounds good to me.” Ashley stood near the long barbecue, a red plastic cup in one hand and a cookie in the other. He was listening intently to what his companion had to say, nodding politely, and he didn’t seem aware that she and Bryan had arrived. She couldn’t help but notice his tan, muscled arms, and the way his black T-shirt hugged his chest. Smoke was already drifting from the grill, and women fluttered around the table, chatting and delicately nibbling on their cookies. Bryan walked over to Ashley, but Jenny held back. Ashley didn’t let her hang back for long. As soon as he saw Bryan, he smiled widely, shook his hand and then took a direct path to Jenny’s side. “You look wonderful,” he greeted. Her pulse leapt at the frank admiration in his voice, warming her so that she matched his smile without thinking. “Thank you.” Her gaze darted to the cup he still held. “So are they serving the good stuff or not?” “Horse piss. But it takes the edge off on a hot day.” He looked up at the sky, shielding his eyes against the sun. “Or a mildly warm spring day.” Jenny took his brief distraction to glance at Bryan. He seemed oblivious to Ashley’s initial appreciation, perhaps waiting for Ashley to take the initiative in his so-called


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lesson in showing her how to have fun at these types of events. She decided to make it easier for all of them. “Well, maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll have Corona.” Turning her back on Bryan, she met Ashley’s gaze dead on. “Wanna show me where they’re serving?” Ashley took her arm, his fingers barely brushing against her elbow, and guided her toward a table that seemed to be bending under the weight of a wide variety of beverages. Before she had the chance to reach for a drink, he plunged his hand into a bucket of ice and pulled out a Corona. Without speaking, he popped the bottle open and handed it to her. “Thanks.” The cold liquid soothed some of the heat simmering inside her, but Jenny allowed herself only a long swallow before lowering the bottle. She needed to stay with it, especially today of all days. “I should probably take one to…” Her voice trailed off as she saw Bryan had already moved away to talk to a long-legged redhead with glasses. “Or maybe not.” “Siobhan Young,” Ashley supplied. “She’s offering support on the Kyoto project. They’ve brought her in from Boston.” He glanced at his cup with distaste, tossed it away and reached for a fresh bottle of beer. “Chicken or beef?” At her look of confusion, he nodded toward the grill. “If it’s beef, you should put in your order now.” “Oh. Beef.” When his fingers returned to her elbow, they were cold from his plunge into the ice, and goose bumps erupted along her arm. Desperate to distract herself from the sudden tingles shooting through her veins, Jenny asked, “How many people are coming to this thing anyway?” “Oh, it’s an intimate party with a hundred of John’s closest friends.” He raised his voice a little. “Isn’t that right, John?” John looked up from his grill. He was a well-built man in his mid-thirties, and when he spotted Ash, his smile was quick and easy. “I don’t know any of these people.” “Are they all crashing?” “They’re just here for the free booze and food.” John looked at the bottles they were both holding. “Which I see you’ve already found.” “Set aside a few steaks for us, will you? Rare.” “No problem.”

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Ashley nudged Jenny forward a bit, pulling her into the conversation. “Jenny, this is John Crandle. John, this is Jenny Rohm.” She noticed that he didn’t add she was Bryan’s fiancée. “She might be able to help you find that part you’re missing for your Mustang.” Though he continued to smile, John looked at her with skepticism. “Nobody in town has been able to find it. I’ve resorted to looking on eBay, that’s how desperate I am.” “What is it you’re looking for?” He glanced at Ashley before answering. “Valve covers for my ’69 Mustang. But like I said—” “You looking for the twist-on breather caps?” John visibly straightened at her direct question, as if it was the last thing he’d expected her to utter. “Well, yeah. Don’t tell me you know where I can find them.” Jenny grinned. “I can do you one better than that. I can get you a discount off what he’s asking for them.” She didn’t think a guy could move that fast. Before anybody else could approach, John had pulled his Blackberry off his belt and was punching in the information she fed him, his delight growing with every keystroke. “He’s been fucking around with that Mustang for about three years now,” Ashley told her good-naturedly. “He’s never going to get that hunk of junk running.” “Hey,” John said. “That’s a classic.” “It’s a classic in the proper hands. In yours, it’s a mess.” Ashley looked to Jenny for help. “He’s had it up on blocks since he bought it.” “A ’69 Mustang is a classic, no matter where she’s parked.” To John, she added, “Bring her down to my shop. I can show you where you’re going wrong, and then you won’t have to put up with Ash’s shit any more.” “Oh, do you own your own shop?” John asked. For a second, she hesitated. She never talked about her work at these things; Bryan hated whenever she brought it up. But a quick glance to Ashley told her he was waiting for her to answer as much as John was. Obviously, the rules were different today. “Some day,” she replied. “Right now, I’m still enjoying getting my hands dirty. Nothing’s better than hearing the sound of an engine revving that you’ve just rebuilt.” The faint touch of Ashley’s hand in the small of her back made her breath hitch. “Well, almost nothing.”


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“You’ll have to excuse John. He thinks everybody should be a multi-millionaire by the time they’re twenty-five.” John seemed to be ignoring Ashley. He was watching Jenny with shrewd eyes. “How many engines have you rebuilt?” “Enough to tell you that if you haven’t converted from points to a PerTronix ignition yet, you’re wasting your time fixing her up. The PerTronix will give you a smoother idle, and the engine will be more reliable in the long run.” She regarded him with amusement. “Want me to get you one of those, too?” “I’ve heard that,” John said, “though I haven’t had the chance to look into it myself. Rebuilding cars was my first love, and then I went to college and got a little…distracted.” Ashley snorted. “Yeah, distracted by the chance to be a multi-millionaire by the time you were twenty-five.” “I got lucky.” John waved at somebody over Ashley’s shoulder. “Look, we’ll meet up later when I don’t have to be the good host, and talk about this some more.” “Sure.” Jenny smiled. “It was good meeting you.” John returned her smile warmly. “It was definitely my pleasure.” He hurried away, shouting at a man she didn’t recognize. “I’ll bet he wants to talk business later,” Ashley murmured. That possibility hadn’t even occurred to her, but as she glanced back over her shoulder, Jenny caught John looking her way even though he was already embroiled in a fresh conversation. In all the times she’d attended parties and get-togethers with Bryan, she had never had as easy an encounter as she had with John. Well, except for Ashley. She shifted back to meet his dancing eyes. Ashley was proving an exception to a lot of things. She frowned. “What do you mean?” “John had that look in his eye, like he just found a new prize. I could practically see him making business plans while he was talking to you. He’s always looking for new investments.” “Really?” Jenny had to fight the urge to twist and look at John again. The warmth that had already started in her stomach spread, her smile slowly returning. “Does this mean I’m going to have to owe you a commission if he brings his Mustang in?”

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“Oh, he’d probably rather just open his own shop and hire you on, which means a lot of work for yours truly. But you don’t need to worry about paying me a commission. His retainer is enough.” His hand was on her elbow again, and they were moving back amidst the crowd though he didn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry to talk to anyone else just yet. Most of Jenny’s nerves had fled. Ashley wasn’t acting like he wanted to seduce her; he was acting like a friend. Maybe he had given up his insane idea after all. “I have to tell you,” she said, sneaking him a sideways glance, “this is already probably the best party Bryan’s brought me to. He always introduces me to people who wouldn’t know a carburetor from a spark plug. If he’d been with me right now, he would’ve changed the subject away from my work so fast, John would’ve had whiplash.” “Bryan is short-sighted. In more ways than one. I didn’t introduce you to John because he knew about cars. I did it because he’s the host, and he’s responsible for the steaks. You probably have more in common with these people than you think.” He looked up, his face brightening. “Why, is that Mrs. Parker?” he drawled, his accent suddenly thick. A young woman turned and answered him with an excited smile. She spoke rapidly, her accent matching Ashley’s. “Ash, is that you? I haven’t seen you in a dog’s year! What have you been doing with yourself? And who is this lovely lady?” “This is Jenny Rohm. Jenny, this is Louisa Parker. Louisa organizes the company’s softball and basketball teams. She’s also a hell of a goalie.” She didn’t have time to get nervous before the woman was shaking her hand with as much energy as she spoke, making a joke about the intramural soccer team she played on. “I tried playing soccer for awhile in high school,” Jenny commented with an answering laugh. “But I pretty much sucked at it. I’m more hands-on than coaches tend to like.” “Oh Lord, that’s why I always played goalie. I couldn’t resist the impulse to catch that damned ball!” She eyed Jenny up and down. “You know, we have a few positions still open on the softball team. We need a first baseman that knows her ass from a hole in the ground.” “That sounds like fun but…” Jenny glanced at Ashley for the briefest of moments, “…I don’t work for the company.” Louisa laughed. “Neither does the pitcher! Fortunately, nobody checks our credentials. Oh, don’t look at me like that, it’s not cheating. Did you know that Wilson


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and Sons recruited from the minor leagues? Those boys don’t even have a job in the mailroom.” It wasn’t a smart idea, and Jenny knew it. Then again, showing up at the picnic knowing full well what Ashley had had planned hadn’t been smart either. “I’d love to, then.” She tilted her head toward Ash. “And I guess if anybody has a problem with it, I know a good lawyer to bail me out.” “Hell, most of the time we need a good lawyer to bail Ash out of trouble. That’s why he’s not allowed to play in the league anymore.” “Hey,” Ashley protested. “That bastard was out.” “That’s your story and you’re sticking to it,” Louisa agreed. “It’s a shame too, because he really was the best outfielder we had.” Ashley narrowed his eyes. “I should have been playing shortstop.” “Honey,” Louisa said with an affectionate pat on the arm, “I may be coaching a ragtag team of flabby lawyers, but I still play to win.” She turned to Jenny. “Practices are informal affairs where more beers get hit than balls. Thursday and Saturday nights, at the park on Vine.” “I’ll be there.” She listened as Ashley and Louisa bantered a little bit longer, taking the time to grab a cookie from the table. When the other woman moved on, Jenny turned to face him, blocking him from the rest of the guests. “I think I’m disappointed you don’t play anymore.” Her voice was low so nobody else could hear. Ashley laughed. “If you ever saw me play, you wouldn’t be saying that. I’m a horrible softball player, and a worse cheater.” “Maybe. But I’ll bet anything you make the game more interesting.” “Always. But not everybody appreciates my unique brand of interesting.” “Then they don’t know what they’re missing.” She could feel her control over the conversation slipping, the desire to flirt and even more edging into her words. Lifting her beer to her mouth, Jenny took a long swallow as she shifted and scanned the crowd, looking for Bryan. “Do you need to refresh your drink?” Ashley offered. What she needed was to understand what the hell was going on inside her head. “No, that’s okay. I shouldn’t drink too much. I have to drive.”

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Ashley opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a meaty hand fell on his shoulder. “Ash, by God, I’ve been looking for you all morning.” Ashley stepped away easily, but there was a certain coldness in his eyes as he regarded the man. “Why?” “Look, those contracts you sent me are…” Ashley held up his hand. “Rick, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re at a party.” He looked at Ash blankly. “So?” “So, unless you plan to pay me my regular fee, plus overtime, plus a pain-in-my-ass fine, I don’t have time for you right now. Go. Drink. Get a steak from John.” “Ashley…” Ashley held out his hand. “I don’t accept checks on holidays.” Rick’s face turned red, his mouth twisting. Before he could say anything more, Ashley turned his back on him. “You don’t have to drive. There will be a whole fleet of cabs and limos here tonight. John is good at planning ahead.” It took until Rick walked away for Jenny to realize what had happened. If she’d been with Bryan, she had no doubt that she would’ve been subjected to either abandonment or boredom as Bryan started in on the work talk, resolving whatever issues Rick needed. Ashley had not only rejected the opportunity for work, he’d literally turned his back on it, making her his focus of attention instead. She stared at him in mild disbelief. “You don’t have to do that on my account. I’m okay if you want to go take care of whatever it is he wants.” “Well, I don’t want to take care of whatever he wants. I’m not at his beck and call. He knows where my office is, and he knows how to schedule a meeting.” Ashley took a long swallow from his beer. “Besides, you’re a far more pleasant companion for such a nice afternoon.” It should have sounded like a line. Considering he’d been more than honest about his intentions for the day, anything that complimentary coming from Ashley should have set off warning bells inside her head. But standing there, watching him, listening to him, Jenny couldn’t find a shred of duplicity in his demeanor. Maybe it was all part of his grand plan, the one she still wasn’t sure he was following through on, but at that moment in time, Jenny discovered that she really didn’t care.


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“I think I got the better end of the deal here,” she said, a soft smile curving her mouth. “Not from where I’m standing. Speaking of…” He led her out of the sunshine into a long patch of shade. “Wait here.” He disappeared to return just a few short minutes later with two chairs. He positioned them, moving them and adjusting each one to his satisfaction, before indicating she should sit. “I can smell those steaks on the grill. Gotta claim our place now, or else we’ll be stuck in the sun by the garbage can. You laugh, but it’s happened to me before.” “And this doesn’t count as being antisocial?” She took her seat. “You can do your best Scarlett O’Hara impression and draw all the men to you,” Ashley suggested. “Soon they’ll be hovering and begging for the chance to wipe the sauce from your cheek.” “Nah.” She waved at the crowd with a dismissive hand. “This has been fun, but I like the company I’ve got better.” “Enjoy it while it lasts,” Ashley leaned back, his foot resting on his knee, looking the picture of casual contentment. “Louisa will tell everybody about the new player she just recruited, and John will brag that his Mustang will be street legal before the end of summer, and you won’t even get a chance to enjoy your food before people start making their way over. And then I won’t get any time alone with you.” Out of the corner of her eye, Jenny appraised his nonchalant appearance. His muscled arms were relaxed on his chair, and somehow, reclining made his T-shirt mold more snugly across his chest, reminding her how it had felt when she’d been pressed against it. There was even a small smile playing on his mouth, like he had some secret he was dying to share. “Why haven’t you told anybody I was Bryan’s fiancée?” she blurted. “Why haven’t you?” “You were the one doing all the introductions.” “You seemed to have the conversations under control. You haven’t even casually mentioned him. That has nothing to do with my introductions.” She pursed her lips together. One of these days, she was going to learn to not get into a debate with Ashley. That damn lawyer logic of his always backfired on her. “People are going to start thinking I’m here with you instead of him.” “But you’re not here with him.” 128


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“Why? Because you’ve introduced me to a few people?” “You didn’t arrive with him. You’ve barely spoken to him. You’re not eating with him. You haven’t sought him out. You won’t be leaving with him. In what sense are you here with him?” There was nothing confrontational in his tone. In fact, she would’ve said that Ashley even looked amused by the whole discussion. “How did you know I didn’t arrive with Bryan?” Jenny asked. “You can hear that car of yours from three blocks over.” “Hey!” Protesting was an automatic reflex and garnered a wider smile from Ashley. “My baby’s not that loud.” “Please. You’re going to be lucky if you don’t get cited sooner or later for noise pollution.” “I’ll have you know, she’s one hundred percent legal.” Jenny’s gaze grew calculating as she leaned across the arm of her chair toward him. It dawned on her that this had been his scheme all along, to get her comfortable and relaxed and accustomed to having him at her side so that leaving with him would be the next natural step. If she’d been paying attention instead of losing herself in his company, she might have seen it sooner. As it was, Jenny wasn’t convinced that what he’d done had been such a bad thing. She was genuinely enjoying herself. Why was that wrong? “Maybe she seemed loud to you because you were too busy listening for us to arrive.” “I am rather interested in your comings…and goings.” “Were you that sure I was going to show?” Ashley didn’t answer immediately. “I was sure you wanted to.” “I almost didn’t. But just because I’m here, doesn’t mean I’m planning on leaving with you, either.” “And just because you said that doesn’t mean I’m going to change my plans one bit.” “I know.” Jenny smiled. “I think that’s one of the things I actually like best about you.” “Why?” This day would be infinitely easier if he wasn’t so damn inquisitive, Jenny decided. Did she tell him the truth? It only took a second to decide to hell with it.


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“Because there’s something to be said about a man who knows what he wants. You say something, and I know you mean it. And frankly? That’s sexy as hell.” “So come home with me.” The matter-of-fact tone of his voice matched the penetrating regard of his gaze. It was impossible for Jenny to try and pretend any longer that all of this hadn’t been foreplay. “Did you bring your guitar?” Maybe that was the first question she should have asked. “Yes. John usually asks me to make a fool of myself after dessert is served. But if we go now, you can have a private show.” She scanned the crowd. Nobody was paying them much attention, too lost in their private conversations. Even Bryan was still busy with Siobhan; Jenny wondered if he’d noticed any of her interactions with his colleagues at all. Then she decided it didn’t matter. “Well, it’s one way to guarantee alone time with me. How do you explain to John he’s not getting his floor show?” Ashley drew his eyebrows together thoughtfully. “Why is an explanation necessary? He’ll figure it out when I’m gone.” They could do this all day. Back and forth, Ash pressing, Jenny dodging. But what would be the point? He wanted her, and when it came right down to it, she wanted him. They could continue to play the seduction game, but really, he had been right all along. If she didn’t want this, all she had to do was stay home. And she had come. Jenny rose to her feet. “You better have food at your place. Because I’m missing a steak dinner by doing this.” “I think I might be able to find a way to make it up to you,” Ashley promised, rising as well. He discarded his bottle in the nearest trash bin before guiding her further from the crowd. Nobody seemed to notice they were slipping away, but Jenny didn’t think Ashley would care if somebody did see them. Once they reached the lot, he nodded to her car. “Do you want to follow me?” She nodded. “Bryan’s expecting me to go to my dad’s. If he sees my car here, he’s going to ask questions.” Ashley laughed at that, then surprised her by pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. He released her quickly. “Try to keep up.”

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Her mouth was tingling, but she smiled at him anyway as she pulled out her car keys. With her decision made, she felt lighter, exhilarated, and more than a little anxious to get going. Now. “Just you wait.” She opened her door. “That’s going to be my line to you before the day’s through.”


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Chapter Fifteen Ashley split his attention between the road and the rearview mirror. He couldn’t stop looking at her car, couldn’t stop checking to make sure she was still behind him. Once or twice, a car slipped between them, and he was tempted to pull over just to make sure she didn’t lose him. His fingers tapped a ragged tattoo against the steering wheel, and his heart seemed to be lodged in his throat. He hadn’t been nervous about a woman in years—maybe not since he was a kid. But he did feel nervous about Jenny. Maybe she would change her mind? Maybe she would simply turn around and drive the opposite direction and that’d be the end of it. But she didn’t turn around, and something in his chest shifted. He understood she wasn’t going to drive off, run away or try to talk him out of it. Jenny had made up her mind, and like him, she wasn’t going to back down. She would follow this through to the end. That’s why he liked her. She pulled up beside him in the parking lot and bounced out of the car, the color on her face high, her eyes sparkling. She took his breath away. He was forced to just watch her for a moment, absorbing her beauty, her vivacity. And for once, he could look. He could absorb every detail without worrying about somebody noticing him, without worrying about her turning her back on him. But it wasn’t just looking. She came toward him with a sly gleam in her eye, and he took her by the arms, pulling her against his chest. She didn’t resist him. He didn’t kiss her, only held her, soaking in the warmth from her body. Jenny looked up at Ashley with confusion, and he smiled, running his hands down her back, before guiding her to the door. Ashley kept her near him as they entered the building. Her tongue darted out and licked her lips, drawing his attention to her mouth. Tension built in his chest, made him sweat, made his groin ache. It was amazing to him that such a simple action could make

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him so hard, but Ashley had been thinking about her mouth—obsessing over her mouth. So maybe it wasn’t so surprising. They moved closer during the long elevator ride, until there wasn’t even an inch between their bodies, but he still didn’t kiss her. He didn’t want to start until he knew he didn’t have to stop. The doors whispered open, and they were one step closer, one measure nearer to the realization of all the fantasies that had occupied his thoughts. Ashley led her down the hall, her fingers laced with his, but when he pulled his keys from his pocket to unlock his door, Jenny moved behind him, pressing into his back as her free arm slid around his waist. “Know what I’m looking forward to?” she murmured. Her breath was hot through his T-shirt, her cheek almost more so, and his abdomen tensed from the feather strokes of her fingers. “Getting you all to myself. I keep wondering if you’re going to taste as good as I think you will.” Ashley sighed softly, forcing the door open, though he could barely see it. He pulled her inside after him, his hand beginning to shake a little. Pushing her against the shut door, he buried his face in her neck, inhaling the sweet smell of her hair and skin. It intoxicated him, made his head spin. “Funny. I wonder the same thing about you.” He felt her shiver, heard the scant catch of her breath before her hands grew bold, slipping beneath the hem of his shirt to slide up either side of his spine. “I’ve never fantasized about us here. An elevator at your office, my bed, even your truck, but I could never imagine what your place looked like.” She grazed her teeth along his shoulder, the thick cotton softening the scrape until her mouth found the bare skin of his neck. “Did you ever figure out I got myself off in Vera’s front seat? I could never decide if the smell of the garage covered up the smell of me or not.” Ashley groaned. “I thought of bringing you here. Of having you in my bed.” He pulled at the knot in her shirt, then made short work of the few buttons to expose her skimpy bra. “Do you think if I knew you got yourself off in my truck, I’d be able to wait until now?” That sly smile was back, her dark eyes gleaming with mischief. “Maybe I did it, hoping to get caught.” Her hands slid around his sides, smoothing up his abdomen so that her thumbs scraped over his nipples. “Then again, maybe I did it because it was the


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closest I could get to you at that point. I still haven’t figured out how I’ve managed to hold out this long.” Ashley cupped her breasts, massaging them with his palms, feeling her nipples harden beneath his touch. “You could have been as close to me as you wanted, Jenny. You just had to say the word and I would have done…anything for you.” Some of her bravado faded, her gaze flying from where she’d been watching the play of her fingers through his shirt up to his face. Twin spots of color had arisen high upon her cheeks, but it was the deliberate regard in her eyes that held him, as much as the hammering of her heart he could feel beneath his hands. “And now?” Her mouth barely moved as she spoke, her soft alto mere exhalations. “If I asked you to kiss me, if I said…I need you, Ash…what would you do?” “Maybe you should ask me and find out.” The tip of her tongue appeared between her lips, moistening them as she seemed to ponder his statement with far more deliberation than he would have thought she had mastery of at that moment. Her hands came out from beneath his shirt, and she lifted one to his mouth, tracing it with her fingertip. “I like your smile. Did I ever tell you that? Probably not. I’ve been too chicken to tell you much of anything.” Her breath was quickening, warm where it fanned across his chin. “Would you kiss me? Like at the beach. One of those fucking amazing kisses that make everything else disappear. Even if half the time all you have to do is walk into a room and I lose focus on anything but you. Go figure that one.” “I know the feeling,” Ashley told her, before lowering his head, his mouth seeking hers. He teased her lips at first, the tip of his tongue darting out simply to taste her. The beer made her mouth a little bitter, but he could also taste the sweet sunshine and a hint of cookies on her lips. She was so warm and pliant, her body straining against his. After only a few moments of the slow kiss, she gripped the back of his head, urging him for more. Ashley deepened the kiss with his entire body—he still moved languidly, but with a deep thoroughness. The door at her back gave her no room to move, forcing her curves to meld against his harder lines. While she kept her hand at his nape to hold him close, Jenny yielded to his lead, answering his caress with her own. Her skin burned through the fabric of their clothes, and Ash couldn’t resist stealing a hand around the small of her back, splaying it flat in order to soak up as much of her heat as possible.

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When their mouths finally parted, her breathing was so ragged that her nipples scraped against his chest with every hitch. “God, I love the way you kiss.” And then her lips were back on his, eager and soft and ready for more. Ashley agreed with the sentiment. He could kiss her for hours, and he had every intention to do just that. He wanted to taste every inch of her, wanted to know the smell of her skin, wanted to know the texture of her body, wanted to hear her moans of pleasure, her cries of passion. He honestly didn’t think a single night would be enough to do everything he fantasized about, and he didn’t want to spend too much time on any single activity. Yet, he could kiss her for hours. Every time they broke apart for air, his mouth was drawn to hers again. At some point, her free hand slid beneath his shirt again, fingers and nails marking him in random patterns. “Didn’t you say something about…a bed?” she managed after a particularly long kiss that left his lungs burning. Ashley hated to put even an inch of space between them, so he walked backwards down the hallway, pulling Jenny after him. They stumbled into the bedroom together, their feet wrapping around each other as they moved to the bed. Ashley began fumbling with her clothes again, pushing her shirt off her shoulders and then tossing his away after it. Her soft flesh against his heated chest elicited a groan of need. His hands went to her waist. Without the offending cotton in her way, Jenny’s explorations grew more brazen, and her kisses began to stray from his greedy mouth. “I wanted to eat you up after volleyball.” As if to prove her point, she nibbled along the tender skin beneath his jaw. “Lick all that water off you.” The flat of her tongue dragged down to his shoulder. “If those girls hadn’t shown up…” The rest of the sentence was lost as her mouth came back to his, her fresh hunger driving him back until his legs touched the bed. There were so many moments that could have gone differently. If those girls hadn’t shown up, if Ashley hadn’t been intent on being noble, if he had taken her home the night they met. But none of that mattered now. As soon as he felt the bed behind him, he spun her around and gently pushed her to the mattress. She pulled him down on top of her, her hands flat against his back, holding him down. He thrust his hips against hers, grinding his erection against her crotch. Jenny bucked beneath him, her nails digging into his back. “We have too many clothes on.” Her hands slid lower, scratching a path to the waistband of his jeans. “Want them off. Now.”


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Ashley pulled away from her with great difficulty and moved to unbuckle, unbutton and unzip his pants. He had never undressed so quickly, and he wasn’t entirely graceful about it. Once his pants were gone, he shifted to help Jenny. She had her fly unzipped and her hips lifted off the bed. He grabbed her waistband and ripped her pants off, leaving her stretched on the bed in her bra and matching thong. He licked his lips as he looked at her, an unconscious sign of his growing desire. Jenny reached to skim her fingertips along his stomach, down to his hip, carefully avoiding contact with his aching cock. Her eyes were black with desire and fixed on where she touched, her throat working convulsively as she swallowed again and again. “I want to taste you.” She said it simply, as a matter of fact, and rolled onto her side in order to get closer to him. One finger brushed across the glistening head, catching the pre-come collecting there, and as Ashley watched, Jenny brought it back to her mouth and sucked it clean. Ashley’s cock jerked as he watched her cheeks hollow, and he could almost feel her lips wrapped around him. He took her other hand, his fingers entwining with hers, as she bent to slide her tongue over his head, collecting another line of pre-come. He didn’t close his eyes, though he wanted nothing more than to drop his head back and lose himself to her wicked mouth. She swirled her tongue around him, teasing him, but that was fine. He didn’t mind if she wanted to tease him a little, didn’t mind if she wanted to play with him, prolong the torture, because already it was nearly ecstasy. Her fingers floated over the front of his thighs, brushing against his heavy balls, before circling his shaft at the base. Holding him steady, Jenny opened her mouth a little wider to take in more of his cock, hot and wet and aching where the suction of her lips stayed tight around his length. She stopped just past the head, but her tongue never did, dancing and dipping into the slit and finding every ridge and every nerve she could. Then she half-moaned, half-sighed. The vibrations shot straight through him. Ashley was normally a very vocal lover, offering encouragement and direction and, on the odd occasion, begging for more. But at the moment, his power of speech was gone. He couldn’t even get a proper moan out. Half-sounds and ragged breaths were all he could offer—not that she needed encouragement. She slowly pulled him deeper in her mouth, licking elaborate patterns along his shaft and occasionally scraping her teeth along his hot skin. His balls were tight by the time she swallowed him completely, and she paused with her nose near the base of his cock, her moan echoing his.

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Jenny held him like that for what felt like an eternity. When he glanced down, he saw her lashes dark against her flushed cheeks, the flare of her nostrils as she struggled to even her breathing. It didn’t look like it was working. He could feel each warm gasp, each husky breath. The fingers they’d laced together tightened against his, but before Ash could wonder why, she was moving, pulling back up his shaft, her lips red and swollen where they clung to his cock. Ashley reached for her with his other hand, sliding his fingers along the curve of her thigh. Her muscles tensed and quivered beneath his touch, and her skin erupted in goose bumps. He scraped his blunt fingernails along her leg before dipping his hand between her thighs, seeking her hot pussy. She was wet—unbelievably, intoxicatingly wet. Ashley caressed her swollen lips before seeking her hard clit. It pulsed against his skin, and her whole body jerked as he pressed his fingertip against it. Her next slide down his cock was quicker, rougher, spurred perhaps by his deliberate touch. The hand she gripped around the base tightened, but rather than assume a steady pace, Jenny pulled almost all the way off, kissing and sucking at the sensitive tip. “Did you imagine this?” she murmured in between caresses. He felt the words more than heard them, burned into his already flaming skin. Her wicked tongue traced around the ridge, followed quickly by the unexpected edge of her teeth, and Ashley groaned as she soothed it over again with her lips. “I think I could do this all day.” That sounded like a brilliant idea to Ashley. The way polishing off an entire bottle of fine wine always sounded like a brilliant idea. “I did,” he moaned, jerking his hips. “All the time.” Maybe he had been a little bit obsessed with the thought of her red lips moving up and down his cock, but in his defense, she was even better than he imagined. “But I didn’t know it could be like this.” She paused, dark lashes lifting to look up at him. In the absence of her mouth, her hand began pumping him instead, her rhythm slow and firm. “So not just me then.” “Fuck no,” Ashley grunted. Her clit was throbbing against his fingers now, and he wondered if she was as close to coming as he was. Only one way to find out, he reasoned. She moaned in protest as he moved his hand back down her body, abandoning her clit to thrust two fingers deep into her pussy. She yelped and clenched around him. Her head fell back, hair trailing in long tendrils against his bed, and her swollen mouth parted as she gulped for air. “Fuck me,” she said in between breaths. “Now. Don’t make me…” She whimpered when he thrust his fingers in again, and the hand she’d had


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on his cock moved to his hip, nails digging into the taut flesh. “Fuck. Just do it, Ash.” Her eyes flashed. “Haven’t we waited long enough?” Ashley nodded, moving his hand free of her pussy to yank her thong off and out of his way, flipping her onto her back as soon as it was gone. His other hand was still entwined with hers. “We have waited much too long.” Jenny squirmed as he positioned himself between her legs. His heart hammered in his ears as he thrust into her, and they both cried out. He felt a heady sort of relief, and every muscle in his body tightened as his blood roared. “Should have done this the night we met,” he said, his tone challenging her to disagree. She didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. We should’ve.” Then her mouth was back on his, demanding and sunshine sweet as her leg curled around his ass, a deliberate coax to get him to begin moving. She didn’t fight the entanglement of their fingers, instead twisting her arm up over her head in order to give Ashley something to brace against, and her free hand went around his back, molding anew with every shift of his muscles. It became impossible to tell where he stopped and she began. He couldn’t even tell if the telltale pulsing in his chest was his or hers. A million images cluttered his mind. He wanted it slow. He wanted it fast. He wanted to take his time and tease her until she was at the very brink of orgasm, only to stop and build the slow process again. He wanted to pound into her until they were both shouting and shaking. He had imagined her above him, and below him, and against him, and surrounding him so many times that now he simply didn’t know what he wanted— what he needed more. But even if his brain was clouded, his body knew what to do, knew the rhythm he needed to find. She matched it without pause, never breaking from his lips, never loosing the caress of her hand along his back. The only times he lost the taste of her were when Jenny sought another part of his jaw to kiss, words tumbling from her tongue with heady promises about what was yet to come. They made him shudder in anticipation, colliding with the pictures he’d already created. All Ashley could do to control them was return to her sinful mouth. He felt the beginnings of her orgasm as a tremor at his back, her hand arrested in its mapping before raking a path down to his ass. Jenny tore away from his kisses, arching back into the bed and exposing the graceful line of her neck as her body tensed beneath him.

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“God…don’t…don’t…” But she couldn’t finish it. Whatever it was Jenny didn’t want him to do was lost in her scream as her pussy clamped down around his cock. Ashley howled as she tightened around him, and he knew that he was only seconds away from coming. His entire body strained toward that release—his hips moved faster and his mouth was desperate against hers, teeth and lips and tongues clashing. She surged upwards, meeting him thrust for thrust. But a part of him resisted, wanting to hold onto this moment for as long as he could, because it seemed that he had been waiting for this his entire life. He didn’t want to lose her tight flesh around him, didn’t want to lose the taste of her mouth, didn’t want to lose the sensation of her slick skin sliding against his, warming him. Ashley knew she intended to stay, but he wanted to hear the words anyway. He needed the reassurance. “Don’t leave,” he panted. “Need you…need more…” “No,” Jenny breathed. Her eyes sought his, dark and brilliant. “I couldn’t…” A small cry was wrenched from her throat, followed by the unmistakable fluttering in her pussy walls from another orgasm. It took several seconds of her frantic gasping and shaking for her to find her voice again. “I’m not going anywhere.” Ashley tensed, his muscles clenching, and he thrust forward once more. His orgasm left him winded and aching in all the right places. His mouth found hers, catching the last of her whimpers as his heart began to slow once again. The kiss was languid. Ashley was too satisfied at the moment to put any real force in it, but the longer they kissed, the more his hunger grew. Her hand skimmed up his spine, coming to rest at his nape. Slim fingers played with the sweat-damp strands of his hair, and when they parted for a moment to breathe, Jenny brought them around to ghost over his lower lip. “I’m going to sound like a broken record.” She ran her tongue over her lip at the same tempo she touched his. “But that was amazing.” Her fingers were salty against his lips. “It was.” He bent his head and kissed the corner of her mouth. “And we’re just beginning.” Jenny had thought that finally indulging in their attraction would lessen her hunger for Ashley. The logic made sense in her head. Take the edge off. Remove the allure of the unknown. Learn that he would somehow disappoint her once they got started.


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She hadn’t been prepared for kisses that made it impossible to breathe properly, or the naked desire in those bright blue eyes that he didn’t bother to hide anymore, or how just the taste of him—his skin, his cock, his delectable mouth—had her wanting more. She hadn’t expected how intensely he would focus on her, how his hands were always trying to be everywhere at once, how every time they separated he went in search of fresh contact—fingers lacing through hers, an arm around her back. She definitely hadn’t anticipated how he could make her laugh without warning or how relaxed she felt in his embrace. Succumbing to his request to stay had been easy. Too easy. The hard part was going to be figuring out how to leave in the morning. Lying on her side, Jenny propped her head up on her hand, watching the rise and fall of Ashley’s chest as he stretched out next to her. His skin glistened from the efforts of their fucking, and there were slight scratches on his shoulders where her nails had dug into his skin as she had ridden his cock with an abandon that took her by surprise. That orgasm had been as shattering as the first. Even Ashley seemed momentarily sated. Still, Jenny fought the urge to lean over and run her tongue over the marks to soothe them. She wondered what he would do if she did. “You know, if your muscles are working, you can always show me the rest of your apartment. Unless you’ve got some quirk I don’t know about where the only place you’ll fuck is in your bed.” Ashley smiled at her. “Well, I don’t have to fuck in my bed, but it’s sure comfortable.” “Don’t tell me we have to resort to comfortable already.” She reached out and curled a finger in the dark hair around his soft cock. A sticky line of come connected the head to his belly, and impulsively, Jenny leaned down and caught it on her tongue, chuckling when his cock twitched at the faint contact. “And here I thought the magic wasn’t gone yet,” she finished as she returned to her original position on her side. “What do you have in mind?” Ashley asked, resting his hand on her hip. “Hot and soapy in the shower? The leather recliner? The kitchen counter? The cloak closet?” Her eyes danced. “Yes.” “You’re a glutton,” he teased. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” “Nah. Gluttony is my favorite sin.”

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She laughed and pressed closer to him, her sensitive nipples rubbing against his bare arm. “I always figured you for the insatiable type.” “I don’t think I’ve ever been truly satisfied.” “Ever?” She circled a single fingertip around the velvety head of his cock. “You’re not daring me, are you?” “Why? You can’t resist a dare?” He smirked. “Wish I would have thought of that two weeks ago.” “Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have spent the night.” “That’s because two weeks ago, I didn’t ask.” She wondered if he really believed that, if this arrogance ran as deep as he wanted people to believe. There had been a few moments when she had first arrived, when he hadn’t kissed her and instead had simply pulled her into his arms, that Jenny had questioned whether or not Ashley had expected her to show up. That…relief, almost, that she was actually there. She refrained from pushing on it, though. This was one of the things she liked most about him. “So what’s it going to take to satisfy you?” Jenny quizzed. “Constant fucking until I leave tomorrow morning? The blowjob of a century? What?” Ashley merely grinned. “How am I supposed to know the answer to that question if it’s never happened before? I guess we’ll have to experiment.” “That sounds like an excuse for any and every kind of sex under the sun.” She finally conceded to the urge to stretch and lick the scratches on his shoulder. “Not that that’s a bad thing.” “I don’t believe an excuse for any and every kind of sex under the sun is technically necessary,” he said, a funny catch in his voice. His hand settled on the back of her head, his fingers curling against her scalp. “Though it is handy.” Jenny had already suspected Ashley had a licking fetish, but his light grip confirmed it. Deliberately, she slowed, taking her time to run her tongue over the slight breaks in his skin, pointing the tip to follow the ragged paths before dragging it back up to his throat. It made her mouth prickle and her pussy clench, ready to feel him inside her. She sighed, momentarily drying his shoulder before going back to wet it again. If they had time, she was going to taste every last inch of him. She swore it. “It’s a shame we skipped your seduction routine and came straight here. I was kind of looking forward to being serenaded.”


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“This is much more fun.” Now he sounded a little breathless. His cock stirred against his thigh, and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he was hard for her again. Drawing her hand up along his stomach, Jenny moved her mouth down at the same time, following the contours of his chest with both tongue and fingertips. One traced his right nipple, while the other concentrated on the left, both remaining slow and steady. “Did I imagine the part of the picnic where you promised me a private show? Or are you just greedy and don’t want me to stop?” “Greedy.” His back arched off the bed slightly. “Do you want your private show now?” She was torn. Part of her was dying to hear what he sounded like, to know what it was like to have a man who desired her singing just for her. Another part didn’t want to stop what she was doing, wanted to suck him hard and then climb on for another ride. Curiosity ended up winning out. But only because her desire had been momentarily quenched. “Now.” Sliding up his body, she took his mouth in a long, lingering kiss that threatened to overpower her resolve, her head spinning by the time she pulled away. “I have all night to eat you up.” Ashley groaned good-naturedly before pushing himself out of bed. He walked across the room, not the least self-conscious about his nudity, and took an acoustic guitar out of the closet. He casually strummed the guitar a few times, frowned, and then fiddled with the knobs. When he finished making his adjustments, he looked up with a smile. “What do you want to hear?” The instrument he held was different than the one she’d seen in his backseat, making her frown. “I thought you left your guitar in the car?” Ashley gave her a lopsided grin. “I have more than one. Five, in fact.” Her brows shot up in surprise. Owning that many guitars meant this was more than a casual hobby. Add that new knowledge to the fact he performed in public at work functions, and Jenny was glad she’d chosen the serenade option. “You said you’ve written your own?” she asked, sitting up and scooting over. “Play one of those.” Ashley cocked his eyebrow. “An original song? I usually don’t break those out until the second or third date, at least.” “You bought me lunch when you brought your truck in. We’ll count that as our first date.”

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He settled on the edge of the bed, resting the guitar on his lap. “We’ll do that, but that means I get to do everything else I usually save for the second or third date.” Jenny smiled, her heart jumping in excited anticipation. “And what would those things be?” “What? And ruin the surprise?” He began strumming the strings lightly, his fingers moving over the fret board with unconscious ease. At first it sounded as though he was just moving through random chords, but soon a melody began to take shape, and the music from the guitar grew louder and louder. And then he started to sing. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the soft tenor that rose above the voice of the guitar. His accent was stronger when he sang, his tone less modulated, and the lilt gave the simple lyrics a haunting bend that brought goose bumps to her arms. Jenny shifted closer, fascinated by the almost elegant dance of his hands, by the softness of his mouth, by the thick sweep of his lashes as he kept his eyes lowered to his fingering. The urge to touch him was fierce, but she waited until a natural break came in the lyrics to rise to her knees and crouch behind him, her breasts heavy and aching where they brushed against his back. “I might not be so innocent,” she breathed in his ear, “but this would have completely worked on me. I think I get why you don’t need a ten-step seduction plan now.” Ashley sighed, never breaking the rhythm of the music. “Sure. Now you tell me.” He played through the bridge, and then set into the second verse. Or maybe it was the third? It was getting harder for Jenny to concentrate on the music itself. Her fingertips fluttered up his bare arm, faint enough not to disturb his playing. “In my defense, you never actually asked me until I called you this week.” She closed her eyes and skimmed her mouth over the scratches on his shoulder, letting his voice wash over her. “You’re stuck, you know. I’m going to want a serenade every time I see you.” “Every time?” Ashley nodded. “It’s a small price to pay for the pleasure of your company.” “No talking,” she chided. She nipped at his ear. “Singing.” “I’d rather be doing something else with my mouth.” His fingers moved faster on the strings, and he slipped into a new song. A very dirty song. The sort of song that could make a girl blush.


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Jenny’s breathing quickened. Dropping a hand to his hip, she dug her nails into the muscle as she pressed harder to his back. “Unfair. You’re doing that on purpose.” “You told me to sing,” Ashley countered, before launching into a chorus that didn’t rhyme, but made substantial use of the words tongue, lick, kiss and ass. Her hearty laughter filled the room. “Fine. You win.” “Oh?” He tilted his head back to look at her. “What do I win?” “Whatever you want. I say a private show like that deserves it.” Ashley carefully set his guitar aside before twisting and pulling her into his lap. His cock stirred against her thigh as she straddled him, and he kissed her with a deliberate leisure. She could feel her blood pressure rising with each sweep of his tongue against hers. “Whatever I want?” he asked when he pulled away. She nodded, something warm winding through her stomach at his slow smile. “I think I’d like a shower.” “A hot and soapy one,” Jenny agreed. She slithered down his legs as he stood, but though her arms fell away, Ashley didn’t let her move beyond his reach, catching her hand and leading her toward the en suite bathroom. She smiled. When he made up his mind about something, Ashley was resolute. It made a refreshing change. The bathroom was large and decorated in beige and browns. It was luxurious, but at the same time, utilitarian. His bathtub was large, and she realized that if she didn’t want to shower, they could always take a long, soapy bath. It would easily fit both of them, and possibly a third and fourth party. He wasted no time in turning on the water, and steam began to rise out of the deep tub. Ashley helped her into the shower, the hot water stinging her face and chest. Before she had the chance to adjust to the heat, he had her pressed against the cold tiles. Jenny gasped at the chill against her nipples. It was delicious after all the sweaty warmth of his bed, but dissipated quickly with the sluicing water and her body heat. Ashley’s mouth was on her neck, pushing the damp strands of her hair out of the way as he attacked with lips and tongue, and she shivered at the prod of his hardening cock against her ass. “We haven’t even gotten to the soapy part yet,” she teased. “You want to do this before the soapy part. Otherwise, you have to do the soapy part twice.” “And that’s bad because…?”

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“I prefer to focus on the good stuff,” he said, running his hands down her ribs. She didn’t have time to ask about what the good stuff might be before he’d slipped one hand between her thighs, fingers coaxing her legs to spread so that his hard cock could slide through the outer lips of her pussy. There was no attempt at penetration, no angling for entry. Ashley seemed content to just nestle there, his hips flush with her ass, as he continued to devour her neck. His hands were as busy as his mouth. He reached around to grab the soap, hot water dripping down his face and against her shoulder. He traced her arm with the corner of the bar, letting it slide along her wet skin without attempting to do more. His other hand traced light patterns along her stomach, and then her thighs. He rocked his hips gently, moving his shaft along her flesh. Jenny sighed at the slow roll of sensations cascading beneath her skin. Letting her head fall back to rest against his shoulder, she closed her eyes so that she could focus on how good it felt, how she fit against his chest, how he always seemed to know exactly where to touch her that would send the strongest sparks through her body. There were other, more confusing thoughts beneath the pleasure, but for the moment, Jenny pushed those down. There would be more than enough time to consider those later. “I’ve never thought about having you in the shower,” Ashley admitted, his voice low. “But I can see now I should have.” “I’ve thought of you while in the shower,” she said. Reaching back, she trailed a hand along his hip, loving how it flexed beneath her fingers. “Does that count?” “I think it does.” He smiled against her skin. “What did you think about?” “The first time…” Jenny had to swallow when his teeth grazed her neck, driving rational thought at least momentarily from her brain. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, though this time, her voice was more than a little hoarse. “The first time, it was the night you dropped Bryan off. I couldn’t stop thinking about how close I’d come to kissing you, so by the time I got into the shower, I was so fucking horny that it didn’t take much to get me off once I started.” It dawned on her that she hadn’t actually answered his question, but she wasn’t sure how much more to reveal. To hell with it. Somehow, she doubted Ashley would stop because she showed a little kink. “I came thinking about you fucking my ass. In mine and Bryan’s bed.”


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Ashley’s cock jerked against her, and he swore under his breath. “Christ, Jenny.” He spun her around suddenly, pressing her back against the wall. Taking her hand, he guided it to his hard cock, hot and smooth and quivering ever so slightly. “Do you want me to do that? Want to feel my cock in your ass?” His eyes were uncharacteristically dark, blazing with desire as they bored into hers. She wasn’t entirely sure what he was searching for, but knew that it was impossible to hide the force of her need from him. “Yeah.” She began pumping his cock, the water and her lingering juices making it easy to slide up and down his length. “Haven’t you gotten it yet? I’ve never wanted anybody like I want you, Ash. I want you here, there, in my pussy, in my ass, in your bed, in mine. I don’t think there’s anything you could suggest that wouldn’t have me wet and ready.” Ashley’s eyes widened slightly before he smashed his mouth against hers. The kiss was harder, more demanding than she expected, and his tongue and teeth were almost desperate against hers. He braced himself on the wall, his hands on either side of her head, his chest touching her breasts. The assault untethered what little control Jenny had had over her desire. With a groan, she returned Ashley’s kiss, matching his hunger, her free arm coiling around his neck in order to hold him as close as possible. Nails raked against his muscled shoulder, while her other hand tightened its grip on his cock, dragging the sticky tip across her stomach with every pass. She couldn’t even feel the pounding water on her skin anymore. All that she was aware of was his mouth, his heat and the uncontrollable trembling that had taken over her flesh. “God, Jenny, I can’t wait…” He hooked one of her legs over his hip. “I need you right now.” She couldn’t either. Jenny fought her traitorous lungs as she angled his cock down, positioning him at her opening. She had barely let him go before Ashley was thrusting forward, slamming inside with as much force as he’d poured into his last kiss, stopping only when she felt him grinding into her clit. Part of her didn’t want him to ever move. Part of her would kill him if he didn’t. “Did you ever think about it?” Her voice was so rough she almost wondered who was speaking. “Did you ever think about fucking my ass? Come on, counselor. Share your kink. I can take it.” When he still hadn’t started moving, she leaned forward and licked a wet path along his jaw to his ear. “Hell, I want it. So do it. Tell me.” 146


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“I thought about it. I thought about fucking your ass, fucking your mouth. Just thinking about your lips made me hard. I could hear you screaming my name.” He thrust forward, pulled back, then thrust harder. “I thought about you begging me for more. Thought about how my name would sound when you shouted it.” She shuddered as he set a bruising pace, fighting to keep her leg hooked around his hip. His cheek was rough as it brushed hers, his uneven breath hot on her neck. Jenny squeezed her eyes shut as need surged inside her, but it did nothing to stop the words from tumbling from her mouth. “I hear you all the time. And I see you, I see the way you look at me…” She cried out when a slight shift in his hips drove the base of his cock against her clit, the electric jolt making her clench even more tightly around his shaft. “Fuck…you want to hear me beg? I almost think…” Jenny gulped at the sultry air, wishing it wasn’t so difficult to breathe. “I almost think it’d be a relief. I can’t…I don’t know how I’m going to be able to bottle all this up again when I go tomorrow. I don’t.” “We’ll just have to get it out of your system. Make sure there’s nothing to bottle up tomorrow morning.” She murmured something that probably sounded like agreement, but Jenny knew deep down that she didn’t believe it was possible. If it hadn’t happened yet, it wouldn’t, not any time soon. She was going to leave wanting Ashley as much as when she’d walked through his door, and she was going to do so with full knowledge of what exactly he could make her feel. Ashley didn’t slow from the furious pace he set, and somehow, he managed to keep his footing in the slippery shower. The water began to cool as it rolled down her arms and splashed her face, but she barely noticed. The steam enveloped them, like the fog in her mind, and he kept gasping her name. Every thrust shoved her closer to the edge of coming, but something was missing, something was holding her back, something dark and tangible just beyond her reach. Jenny struggled to figure out why, even going so far as yielding to the begging Ashley had already expressed the desire for. But not even the harder and the please and the don’t stop was enough to spur her release. So she turned her head, sought the wicked mouth that had been the source of so many of her fantasies. And there it was. A puzzle piece slipped into place. The first tantalizing brush of his tongue against hers pushed Jenny that little bit further, her pussy spasming around his cock, her world pitching as she clung to his broad shoulders. There


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was no screaming of his name or cries for more, but that didn’t matter. There would be ample opportunity for that later. Ashley tore away from the kiss as his body shuddered, and he did shout, her name echoing off the tiles. As he lowered her back down, she could feel his thighs and back tremble, and he rested his forehead against her shoulder, fighting for air. They stood slumped against each other for several long minutes until he lifted his head and bestowed her with a smile that wasn’t wicked, or a challenge, or a smirk. He just looked happy. Jenny reached up and pushed back a strand of wet hair plastered to his forehead. “So what was next on that list?” she asked, her voice soft and teasing. “Something about a leather recliner?” Ashley groaned. “I wish I met you when I was eighteen. Back then, I had the sort of stamina you need.” She shook her head and leaned forward to brush her mouth across his. “You’re the one who said he was insatiable. All I’m doing is keeping up.” “I’ll do my best to live up to my reputation.” Jenny kissed him again, this time lingering long enough for him to return the caress. Her hands slipped down his arms then around his back, holding him against her in an almost gentle embrace. “Don’t think I’m here because of any reputation. I’m only here because of you.” Ashley looked at her with thoughtful eyes for the space of several heartbeats before kissing the corner of her mouth. “Leather recliner, you say?” She smiled. It was easier than trying to pretend. “I say.”

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Chapter Sixteen Dawn was streaming in through the window when Jenny woke up. They had finally drifted asleep, spent and exhausted amidst his mussed blankets, with Ashley sprawled on his back and Jenny on her stomach at his side. The last thing she remembered seeing was his strong profile, his mouth curving into a sated smile. She was pretty sure there was one on her face too. Sometime while they slept, though, both had moved. Now, they spooned, his arm loose around her waist, his chest warm against her back. It was that which had woken Jenny, she realized. The heat and pressure were alien sensations; she and Bryan weren’t touchers in bed. But this…this wasn’t heavy or stifling or possessive, like Bryan always complained. This felt natural. Comforting. Easy. Her grogginess vanished. More than anything else, that was the most difficult part about being with Ashley. It wasn’t supposed to be easy. It was supposed to be fun. An escape. A burning off of a mutual passion. Being with him wasn’t supposed to show her how bad things had gotten between her and Bryan. She was supposed to walk away from this, content to start a future that didn’t have Ashley in it. The prospect of that future now filled her with dread. It would be years of not being good enough, of Bryan trying to push her into a mold she didn’t fit, of not understanding how to get through to him. Was that what she wanted? Was that what Bryan wanted? Was any of this fair to either of them? The answer came without any necessary contemplation. No. This wasn’t fair. Bryan had an ideal she didn’t meet. He deserved to have someone who wouldn’t resent half the things that came out of his mouth, someone who understood the game he was trying to play without needing a flow chart. Someone who wasn’t in


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serious lust with one of his coworkers. He needed someone he could trust not to betray him. She needed to break it off. Maybe it would end up working out in the long run if Bryan saw how serious she was. Maybe he’d be willing to make concessions so that they could stay together. Somehow, though, she sincerely doubted it. Holding her breath, Jenny slid out from beneath Ashley’s arm and rose from the bed, reluctant to wake him. Leaving would be easier if she didn’t have to speak with him. As amazing as the previous day and night had been, she knew it wouldn’t be able to go any further, not until she resolved her issues with Bryan, not before she discovered what it was she wanted for herself. She suspected he would want it to remain casual, like his relationship with Yvonne. That might be good later on down the road, but right now, Jenny needed to be alone in order to decide the course of her future herself. She was slipping on her jeans, her back to the bed, when she heard him stir. “Leaving?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep. Jenny risked a glance back to see Ashley propping himself up on his elbows, watching her get dressed. “I want to get to my dad’s early.” The to make my alibi stick went unspoken. Ashley nodded in understanding and rolled over in order to rise. “I’ll walk you down.” “You don’t have to do that.” Zipping up her jeans, Jenny stepped into her sandals. “I’m all ready, and you’d have to get up.” She smiled. “Don’t try telling me that won’t be hard. You’ve got to be as sore as I am. I’m surprised my legs work enough for me to get out of bed.” He fell back onto his pillow, his heavy-lidded gaze following her as she walked to the door. “Not too sore to give me a kiss, are you?” Her feet moved of their own accord back to the side of the bed. It was enough to make Jenny wonder how she was going to manage any self-control if she ran into Ashley again, but those thoughts were chased away as soon as he slid his hand around her neck to draw her down to his mouth. The kiss was slow and deliberate, a reminder of how fantastic the night had been, and she had to break it off far too quickly, lest the last vestiges of her resolve vanished. “Go back to sleep,” she instructed. Jenny retreated to the door again, grateful when he didn’t protest, and tossed Ash one last smile before leaving. There were no promises

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to call, no requests for another assignation. She had no clue what he might want, but in the end, it was better for her this way. A clean break. From both men. Traffic was thankfully light all the way to her father’s house, and Jenny kept from dwelling too much on how she was going to talk to Bryan by keeping the radio blasting as loudly as she could take it. Singing along to Jim Morrison wailing to break on through was more therapeutic than she would have given it credit for. The narrow street was dead when she pulled onto it, shades still drawn against the Sunday dawn. Her dad’s pick-up sat in the driveway, and Jenny parked behind it, killing the motor as soon as she could. Her car wasn’t as loud as Ashley claimed, but in the silent suburban morning, it was a full choir announcing her arrival. She ignored the front door and headed straight for the back. The spare bedroom Jim Rohm still kept for his only daughter was located off the kitchen, so by going in the rear of the house, Jenny avoided having to walk in front of his room and risk waking him up. That was the plan, at least. The reality of walking in on him sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee, had never occurred to her. “You’re up early.” Dropping her car keys to the counter, she shut the door behind her, listening to the screen click to a gentle close on the other side. “I was hoping not to bother you.” Jenny turned her back on her father, busying herself with pouring a cup of coffee. It didn’t work. She could still see him there, strong fingers drumming against his mug, black eyes boring into her beneath his salt and pepper buzz cut. Those had always been his most powerful weapon against her. He was a large man, but the two hundred pounds of solid muscle on his six-one frame had never intimidated her. For as big as he was, Jim Rohm had never relied on his size to get his point across. Silence and probing statements were far more effective. “There’s eggs in the fridge. If you’re hungry, I could whip us up some omelets. I might even have a vegetable or two to toss into ’em, since you always get pissy with me when I don’t.” She smiled, though he couldn’t see it. “I don’t get pissy.” “You do. And sometimes violent.” “Poking you with a spatula is not violent.” “I wish I knew where you got this stubborn streak. It’d be nice to know who I can blame.”


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“Gee, I have no idea.” Her mood was already lighter, the smooth banter mitigating some of the darker threads of her thoughts. Jenny carried her coffee to the table and sat down as gingerly as she could. She hadn’t been kidding with Ashley about how sore she was. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been fucked so thoroughly. Jim’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “Bryan called last night looking for you.” When her start made her coffee spill over the rim, he shook his head. “I didn’t tell him you weren’t here. Said you were exhausted and had gone to bed early.” He began turning his cup in a circle between his hands, a common habit of his when he was treading in territory he didn’t like. “Do I want to know why you lied to him about where you were going to be?” Her cheeks flamed, her eyes downcast. “Probably not.” “You two fighting again?” It would be simple to tell him yes and leave it at that. It would make her night with Ashley seem less like cheating and more like a natural response to a blowout with Bryan. If she gave her father the answer he was looking for, maybe then he wouldn’t look at her afterward with disappointment. She’d only have to look at herself that way. Sagging in her chair, Jenny pushed her cup away, her appetite for the coffee gone. “I think we’ve moved beyond the fighting phase, Dad. He backs off as soon as conversations start going someplace he doesn’t want to. Just Friday night…” She stopped. Bryan’s words still hurt. “Did he tell you he got somebody he works with to take me around the picnic we went to yesterday? Apparently, Bryan thinks I need professional coaching on how not to embarrass him in public. And even then, he didn’t stick around to see how I was doing. As soon as Ash and I went to get beers, Bryan was off talking to some redhead who probably knows her debits from her mergers.” “But you and Bryan have never been the sorts to stay in each others’ pockets.” He frowned. “Well. Not since high school, at least.” There was truth there, truth only outsiders seemed capable of pointing out. But that didn’t make it easier to stomach. “What would you say…” Jenny chose her words carefully, “…if I told you I was breaking things off with Bryan?” “I can tell you what I wouldn’t say.” He waited until she looked up to meet his steady gaze. “I wouldn’t tell you I was surprised.” “But you like Bryan. I thought you were glad we were together.”

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“I do. I am. Bryan’s dependable and I know he’d take care of you, which is all a father could ask for. But I’m not the one who’s got to live with him, and I can see you’re not happy, Jenny. If you think you have to leave him, then that’s what you have to do.” “Would you let me move back in here until I found a place of my own?” He smiled for the first time since her arrival. “That’s probably the dumbest question I’ve heard you ask in a long time, little girl.” Satisfied that this wasn’t the fiasco she had imagined it could be, Jenny reached for her coffee and sipped the cooling liquid. She had no idea what she was going to say to Bryan, or how he was going to take it, whether he’d be as easy to deal with as her father had been. Maybe it would make more sense after she took a shower. It was hard to concentrate on the wreck of her relationship when she could still smell Ashley on her skin. Jim rose from his seat and went to the sink, rinsing out his cup before setting it aside. “I didn’t like lying to him last night. Does this decision have anything to do with where you were?” She should’ve known it was too good to last. Bracing against the worst, Jenny said, “Yes. No. Well, only in the sense that I had my eyes opened about how bad things have really gotten between me and Bryan. If you think I’m doing this so I can be with someone else, I’m not. I’m doing this because it’s not fair to either me or Bryan for things to keep going the way they are if we’re not happy.” “I won’t lie to him again.” “I won’t ask you to.” “So long as we’re clear on that.” He made a sweeping motion toward the hall. “Now go shower and change. I’ll get some breakfast going and then after, we’ll go out back and you can help me with Mrs. Hoffman’s Bug. I still can’t get the damn thing to turn over.” “Okay.” Work was her father’s solution to everything. Keep your hands busy and your mouth shut. For whatever reason, life always made more sense to Jenny after she’d spent a few hours under a car’s hood. It was like rediscovering that every puzzle piece had a place, after all. In the doorway, she hesitated, glancing back to see him rummaging around in the refrigerator. “Thanks, Dad,” Jenny murmured. He didn’t look away from what he was doing. “Don’t thank me yet. You haven’t seen what that old biddy did to her car this time.”


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She smiled. Perspective. That’s what it was about. She needed to remember that when she finally sat down with Bryan. *** It didn’t happen on Sunday. When she arrived home that evening, Jenny found a note taped to the bathroom mirror, saying that Bryan had had to fly to Boston with Siobhan for something regarding work. Sorry I couldn’t tell you last night. I’ll call when I know more. Bryan. That was it. No elaborate explanations, no queries about how the picnic had gone. He didn’t even ask if she’d enjoyed herself. Jenny threw herself into her work that week, staying late on Monday, going in early on Tuesday. Bryan called Tuesday afternoon, but the exchange was short—so busy here, be back before the weekend, love you. There wasn’t time for her to ask what had prompted the trip, and since there was no way she was going to break up with him over the phone, Jenny played along, letting the details slide in favor of dealing with everything when he returned. She was surprised at how easy it was, and even more surprised at how little she thought about him. It only confirmed that her decision about their future together was right. On Wednesday, John Crandle showed up. Otto called her in from her lunch break when John specifically requested Jenny be the one to work on his Mustang, and only left after hearing Ashley was the one who’d made the referral. “A little protective, isn’t he?” John joked when they were alone. “We’ve had our share of guys walking in with joke jobs because they want to see me under their hood,” Jenny replied. “Normally, I tell him if I’ve got people coming in, but you and I never got a chance to confirm things on Saturday, and I didn’t want to presume.” “That’s because you bailed on my party,” came the good-natured response. “Not to mention, you stole my after-lunch entertainment. But hey, I won’t hold it against you. Just get me on the road.” She laughed and made the arrangements for his Mustang to get towed to the garage, all the while wondering what he thought her relationship with Ashley really was. John didn’t mention him again, but after he left, her eyes strayed to the phone. Did Ashley

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think about her? Had they worked his attraction to her out of his system? Was that why he hadn’t called? It didn’t matter. Things were better this way. Even if she had dreams about him every night. Thursday was softball practice. There was a brief period during the afternoon when Jenny had debated backing out of the arrangement, but when she left the garage that night, she deliberately aimed for the park at which Louisa had said practice would be. She’d made the commitment because she wanted to play, and that hadn’t changed. If Ashley showed up, she’d cross that bridge when she got to it. Or if somebody discovered she was Bryan Gillis’s fiancée and began questioning why she’d been hanging out with Ashley, she’d deal with that too. She couldn’t hide from what she’d done forever. Neither possibility cropped up. It was three hours of joking, and drinking and messing about with practicing. Jenny caught more balls than she dropped, and if her hitting wasn’t quite up to par, the fact that she slid into first to tag a batter out and scraped her stomach at the same time impressed Louisa enough to keep her on the team. She left with a smile and a promise to return on Saturday. By Friday afternoon, Jenny had forgotten that Bryan hadn’t called since the beginning of the week. That was why when she walked out to her car at six, she was genuinely shocked to see him parked next to her. He got out as she approached, and the first thing she noticed was how rumpled his clothes were. “Did you just get back?” “Yeah. I came straight here from the airport.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him look so tired; it even showed in his voice. “We need to talk, Jen. I mean, really talk.” Her stomach lurched, but she tried to hide the sudden shaking in her fingers by digging around in her purse for her keys. Her mind raced with questions. Had he found out about her and Ashley? Had he known all along? Was that why he’d gone off on this sudden trip? Fuck, she hadn’t considered that as a possibility. He’d seemed so…himself when they’d talked on the phone, even if the call had only lasted for a few minutes. What else could he possibly want to talk about? “You want me to follow you home?” It amazed her that she could sound so normal, like her insides weren’t doing a flamenco in reaction to his request. “I was thinking we could go get dinner and talk while we eat.”


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Talking in a public place. He didn’t want her to make a scene. This was not going to go well. Jenny nodded and got into her car, waiting until Bryan had done the same before starting the ignition. In spite of the warm, early summer air, her skin had broken out in goose bumps, her fears about the upcoming encounter wearing past her defenses to make their presence known. She didn’t have long to worry. Bryan pulled into the parking lot of a Denny’s three blocks away. “I figured we’d have to wait anyplace else. Friday night, dinnertime. And it’s not like either one of us is dressed for anything fancier.” They went inside, neither saying another word until they were seated in a booth near the bathrooms. Even then, all they exchanged were questions about appetizers and idle small talk. It wasn’t until the waitress had come and taken their orders that Jenny decided to take the bull by the horns. “So,” she said, slipping her napkin into her lap, “did you get done in Boston what you needed to?” Bryan opened his straw and stuck it in his Coke. “Yeah. Boston was…educational.” He paused. “Did you get a chance to meet Siobhan Young at the picnic?” “Not face to face. Ashley said she was here to help you out with Kyoto.” “That’s…not completely right.” Jenny frowned. “She’s not involved with the project?” “No, no, she is. She’s just…” He stopped, taking a long breath before lifting his glass and taking an even longer drink. “She’s going to take over my position in getting it fixed.” “Why?” Bryan was having difficulty meeting her eyes, playing with his torn straw wrapper, wiping the beads of sweat from his glass with his thumb. “Because I asked for a lateral transfer within the company. They offered me Siobhan’s job. In Boston. And I took it. That’s what I was doing there this week, scoping things out, seeing if it was a change I’d be happy with. And I decided…yeah, it’s worth it.” She had known things were bad. Everything had been pointing to Bryan’s unhappiness with his work, from his drinking with Ashley to his shortened temper. But she had never expected this. 156


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“In Boston. On the other side of the country.” Her deadened tone seemed to bring him back to life. Leaning forward, Bryan reached for her hand, only for Jenny to pull it back and place it in her lap. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I know what you’re thinking—” “No, I really don’t think you do.” His mouth thinned. She could see his anger starting to rise and wondered if he regretted doing this where they couldn’t yell at each other. “You want me to turn it down so that you don’t have to move.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you, Jen. I thought you’d grown up. Can you for one second think of someone besides yourself?” “Excuse me?” The last thing she’d wanted was to get mad, but this was ridiculous. “And you called me when to talk about this decision before you made it?” “I told you—” “Take the job, Bryan.” Her response made his head snap up, his eyes widen in surprise. “You’re going to be miserable if you don’t. But I’m not going with you.” It was almost a relief saying the words out loud. She’d been weighing her decision for almost a week now, convinced more and more with each passing day that it was the right thing to do. She loved Bryan, yes, but his absence hadn’t been much more than a fleeting issue on the periphery of her day-to-day life. In fact, she liked her life better when she wasn’t constantly trying to second-guess how he might misinterpret choices she made, or worrying about saying the wrong thing to him. “This is college all over again. You’re too afraid to make the change.” “I’ve been thinking about this for awhile. Before you left, even. You taking this transfer just makes it a little more real.” “Gives you an excuse, you mean.” Bitterness laced his tone, but she refused to give in to the surge of sympathy by backtracking now. “It’s not like that. Think, Bryan. What do we have in common anymore? You hate my job, you’re embarrassed by me in public—” “That’s not true.” Her brows shot up. “Then why did you have Ashley take me around the picnic last week? I know what you said to him. It pretty much confirmed things I’d thought all along.”


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He had the grace to look sheepish in response to her statements and ducked his eyes back to the table, watching as he pushed his glass back and forth along the slick surface. “He shouldn’t have told you those things.” “You’re right,” she agreed. “You should have.” “Those aren’t reasons to break up, Jen. Those are reasons to talk.” She sighed. “We’ve tried that already. It doesn’t work, remember?” “So we try again.” “Why? So we can start fighting again? We’re different people now. We’ve been different people for a long time. We’ve just been too stuck in our ways to see it.” It made perfect sense to Jenny, but it was frustrating that Bryan wasn’t getting it. She decided to try one last tactic. “Answer me something. And be honest. Why didn’t you call again after Tuesday?” Bryan squirmed in his seat. “I was busy.” “Really? You said you were out there scoping out Siobhan’s job. How busy could you have been?” She didn’t give him time to answer. “You didn’t call because you didn’t even think of me. Or if you did, you got all wracked with guilt about telling me what you’d decided, so you didn’t call because you didn’t want to have to deal with it. Isn’t that it?” His silence was damning, but it gave Jenny the impetus she needed to slide out of the booth. “I think we’re better people when we’re not together.” She dug around in her purse and pulled out some cash, placing it on the table. “And all I want is for us to be happy. Whether you want to admit it or not, Bryan, we’ve been coasting on the way things used to be.” On a whim, she leaned down and brushed a kiss across his cheek. “We deserve better.” She was two steps away when he found his voice. “So that’s it?” Bryan’s tone made Jenny glance back to see his hurt gaze fixed on her. “Seven years together, and you’re just walking away?” “We’ve been walking away from each other ever since you came back after college. It’s time we actually opened our eyes to realize it.” Her pace resumed. This time, she didn’t stop.

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Chapter Seventeen Ashley almost told Yvonne no, not interested in her tight jeans, her brand new Beemer or her tickets to the Angels’ game. He didn’t care if the seats were just behind home plate. He was tired, his eyes were gritty, and his head ached. More than once throughout the day, he caught himself drifting to sleep in his chair. Each time he did, he dreamt that he was at home, in his bed, and curled around a very warm, soft body. So when Yvonne breezed into his office in designer jeans and a softball cap, the words I’m not interested were on the tip of his tongue. She must have seen his intentions, because she held up a hand, forestalling his protest. “I talked to Julie today, and she said you haven’t left your office since yesterday at lunch.” Ashley frowned. “That’s not true. I…” His frown deepened and he searched his memory for the pertinent information. He distinctly recalled sleeping at his place the night before, but he was wearing the same clothes. The same rumpled, wrinkled clothes. “Well, I lost track of time.” Yvonne sighed. “Ash, you’re going to work yourself into an early grave.” She perched on the edge of his desk. “What’s got you locked away?” He gestured to his desk, covered in leaning stacks of documents. “The shit has hit the fan. Everywhere. It was like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, at precisely nine o’clock on Monday morning.” Yvonne surveyed the mess with a critical eye. “Did you get it fixed?” Ashley smiled for the first time since she entered the room. “You know how I hate to brag.” She grabbed his tie and gently pulled him out of his seat. “Come with me, then. I’ll even let you drive my new car.” “A new car? Who bought it for you?”


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“Mike. It’s a pre-engagement present.” “A pre-engagement present? I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Yvonne smiled brightly. “He’s softening me up so I’ll take his ring.” “Mike Dumass?” “He’s a nice guy.” Ashley grabbed his jacket. “Would you have ever married me?” Yvonne straightened, smoothing her hand down the front of her T-shirt. “Would you have ever asked?” “Maybe. Eventually.” Yvonne smirked. “If I waited for you, I’d see the grave before I saw the altar.” “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Looping her arm through his, she met his eyes, her smile still radiant. “You thinking about marriage, Ash? Who’s the lucky girl?” Ashley grimaced and looked down. Now would be a good time to change the subject. “I’m a confirmed, lifelong bachelor.” “That doesn’t answer the question.” Ashley opened the door and ushered her out of the office. It didn’t answer her question, but it was the only one she was going to get from him. The week had been so long that he hadn’t spent too much time thinking about anybody or anything that wasn’t work-related. But he knew that if he had had the time, he would have spent it thinking about Jenny. A part of him wondered if she would call him. He knew that he would take the time to see her if she contacted him first, his clients be damned. But he couldn’t quite be irresponsible enough to call her. He kept telling himself he would once things slowed down, but he was seriously beginning to question that ever happening. “Are you going to the party next Saturday?” Yvonne asked as the elevator doors whisked closed. “What party next Saturday?” It was an effort to even speak. He didn’t know how he was going to make it through an entire baseball game. He didn’t even like baseball that much. “For Bryan.” At his blank stare, Yvonne rolled her eyes. “Bryan Gillis? You should know him, Ash, you’re banging his fiancée.”

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“What the fuck are you talking about?” “Well, you know how they are over there. Any excuse to drink. It’s not like people don’t get transferred every week.” Ashley leaned against the wall and tried to make sense of what she was saying. Normally, he’d be able to piece it together, but then normally, his brain actually worked. “Bryan is being transferred and they’re having a party to celebrate it?” “Got it in one.” “Where?” “Boston.” “No.” “No what?” “No, I’m not going.” “Why not? Do you actually have a sense of shame?” Ashley glared at her. “Drop it, Yvonne. I’m not in the mood.” She seemed taken aback by his soft words, but she did let the matter drop. She did not, however, let him drive her car. Ashley was disappointed, but it was probably for the best. He could barely keep his eyes open. “Yvonne? Can’t we just go back to my place?” “These are really good seats, Ash.” “Then go without me.” She was quiet for a long moment, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. He didn’t think she was going to respond or turn around, but she eventually nodded. “It’ll be on TV anyway.” Ashley felt a slight stab of guilt when he heard the disappointment in her voice, but he didn’t dwell on it. He didn’t call and ask for her, she came to him. As she always did when she was bored, and it didn’t matter if he was ready for her or not. If he wanted her or not. “Maybe next time,” he said, as a halfhearted effort of appeasement. “Yeah.” The silence wasn’t at all comfortable, and it disturbed Ashley. They had had their disagreements before, but never did it seem that just being in the same area was stressful.


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She was supposed to be the person who offered him a bit of respite after a long week at the office. He was supposed to be happy to see her. When they reached his penthouse, Yvonne didn’t speak. She went directly to the bar and poured him a stiff drink. He offered her a genuine smile of appreciation before downing it in one easy gulp. She pulled her baseball cap off and shook her long hair free, returning his smile with a coquettish grin. “If baseball isn’t your thing, I can find other ways to help you relax,” she offered. For a bizarre moment, Ashley considered turning her down. He had a plethora of ready-made excuses. He needed to check his e-mail. He needed to make several phone calls. He still had a contract to read over. He was fucking tired. And he still needed to digest the news she had so blithely deposited on his lap—Bryan was moving to Boston and he, no doubt, planned to take his fiancée with him. Before he could give in to that impulse, she pressed her body against his. Looking at him from beneath her lashes, she trailed her hand down his chest to his belt. He sighed under the caress, and his cock twitched as she hesitated at the buckle, tapping her fingernail against it lightly. “Well?” “I think I might like that,” Ashley said, still smiling. She pushed him backwards to the couch, fumbling with his belt and zipper as he stumbled back. Before he collapsed on the plush cushions, she had his pants down around his ankles. He closed his eyes and sighed as she pulled his cock free of his boxers, losing himself to the sensation as she began to stroke him slowly. Ashley groaned and rested his hand on the top of her head as her tongue darted out to lick the tip of his cock. Slowly, the tension of the week began to seep from his muscles, and as she slid his shaft deeper into her mouth, he felt the knots in his neck and back begin to unwind. Yvonne knew what she was doing, knew how to play him and manipulate him and make him moan for more. In his more cynical moments, he wondered if that was part of her grooming as well. After all, hadn’t she been destined since birth to be a top executive’s wife? She even worked with a sort of detached efficiency that reminded him of particularly effective housekeepers. She didn’t always have this detached quality. She could be as passionate as any woman, but he never felt anything like need from her. No need, no keen desire, no all-

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consuming, basic want. Normally that didn’t bother him, but he noticed it now, and no matter what, he couldn’t stop noticing it. It didn’t detract much from the experience, though. Her tongue was hot and wet, soft and pliant, wrapped around his cock, teasing his head, sliding down his shaft. She cupped his balls with one hand, softly squeezing then gently rolling them around her fingers. She stroked him with her other hand, her fingers holding him tightly, following the rhythm of her head as she moved forward and pulled back. It was the rhythm she set more than anything that lulled him out of thoughts of work and stress and loss. Slow and deliberate, she didn’t give him the chance to think of anything except her mouth, and the way his balls tightened, and the tension in his thighs, and the coiled heat in his gut. It was so wonderfully mindless that he felt himself floating after the pleasure, his mind drifting like a balloon, touching on one thought then another, then moving on. Yvonne kept him in this state of limbo for what could have been an eternity; Ashley had no way of tracking the time. All he knew was that his body was gradually tensing, the wave of pleasure taking its time to crest, until with a final turn of Yvonne’s wrist and twist of her tongue, it reached its peak and washed over him. She relaxed her throat, swallowing his cock completely as he came. Ashley shuddered and arched off the couch, his hand resting loosely on the top of her head. He thrust forward weakly, moving his hips twice before collapsing on the couch, his eyes already shut. He could smell Yvonne’s perfume—it was almost cloying that close—and hear her as she stood and began removing her clothes. He imagined she would want him to return to the favor, but she had done her job too well, and now he just wanted to sleep for about seventy-two hours. “That was nice,” he murmured, in case she couldn’t tell from the smile on his face. “Hmm.” She eased her long body against him, her legs draping over his. “Where were you?” “Where was I?” The question didn’t make any sense to him at all. “You seemed…” “I’m just tired.” She rested her hand on his cock—his erection was gone. “Apparently.” “Yvonne…” Annoyance crept up his spine. What did she want from him? “Ash…”


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This silence wasn’t only uncomfortable, it was heavy. While he was thinking of ways to break it, she blurted the last question he expected to hear. “You did sleep with her, didn’t you?” “Why do you ask?” “Because I’ve heard some things.” Ashley opened his eyes now. “Heard what from who?” “It’s no secret you left John’s party together, Ash,” she said, her tone slightly reproving. “Are we the talk of the town?” Ashley asked dryly. “I know you don’t care, but she might.” “What’s there to care about? She’s going to be leaving for Boston with her fiancé and next week, nobody will even remember her name,” he said, more than a hint of bitterness lacing his words. It occurred to him that she might have finally slept with him because she knew she would be leaving. Knew she probably would never see him again. He wanted to tell himself that he didn’t care about that. What did it matter why she came home with him? Regardless of her reasons, he got what he wanted and it had been more than worth it. But the thought weighed on him. Was she really going to leave without saying anything to him? He didn’t think she could. Not because the fucking had been great— though it had been—but because she seemed to like him. And he liked her. “You’re usually more discreet,” Yvonne pointed out. Ashley sighed. “What are you getting at, Yvonne? Do you want me to apologize? Should I call John and ask for his forgiveness for leaving the party early? What?” Yvonne sat up, and he could tell she was stung by his tone. “I just worry about you. You’re my friend. I don’t want to see…” “What?” She pushed herself to her feet, and he immediately missed the weight and heat of her body against his. “What if she wasn’t leaving for Boston?” “What if frogs had wings?” Yvonne shot him a withering look. “I’m being serious. Was it a one-night stand or are you looking for a repeat performance?” “Are you my keeper? Since when do you care who I fuck?”

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She sank in the chair across the room, looking frustrated and a little beautiful, with her hair mussed and her cheeks flushed. “I think it’s only fair to tell me, Ash. I don’t understand why you’re being so defensive. We are friends, aren’t we?” Ashley sat up, feeling ashamed of himself. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, and looked at the floor. “We’re friends. Honestly, Yvonne, I thought…well, I thought that I could work her out of my system. Nobody’s ever had this effect on me. Not this powerful.” “But she’s not out of your system?” “No. I haven’t had a chance to call her this week, but now all I can think about is the fact that she’s moving across the country, and she couldn’t even be bothered to tell me. And maybe that’s why she slept with me in the first place. And that…I don’t even know how that makes me feel.” “Used?” Yvonne supplied. Ashley looked up sharply. “Used? No. It’s just…well, okay. Maybe a little.” “You could always call her.” “When’s the party?” “Next Saturday.” “Be my date?” He smiled, a little sadly. “One more time.” “For old time’s sake?” Yvonne asked, and her smile matched his. “What are you going to do?” “I have no idea.” “Maybe I’ll accept Mike’s ring,” she mused. “I don’t like him.” “Do I need to submit my prospective husbands for your approval?” “Do you love him?” Yvonne looked at him oddly. “Since when do you care about love? Was the fucking that great?” Ashley smirked. “Maybe you don’t know everything about me.” He checked his watch and reached for the phone. “Let’s order some food. I’m starved.” “I still want to watch that game.” Ashley tapped the couch beside him. “What do you want to eat?” “I wanted peanuts and a hot dog, but I think I’ll settle for some Chinese food.” www.samhainpublishing.com

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“You know, Mike would never take you to a baseball game.” “I’ll invite your girlfriend when I have an extra ticket,” Yvonne announced. “She’d appreciate the excellent seats, I’m sure.” Ashley merely smiled and shook his head. “What?” she asked. “I’m just thinking of the two of you out on the town.” “Exciting, isn’t it?” “Scary,” Ashley said with a wink before bringing the phone up to his ear. “Hey, Jian, it’s me. Yep, I’ll get the usual.”

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Chapter Eighteen Ashley couldn’t help but wonder if Bryan knew even half the people who arrived to wish him well. The party was small—smaller than most at least—and held in a rather exclusive club, but all the smiles and congratulations seemed genuine enough, if a little distant. Ashley stationed himself near the bar, waiting to catch sight of Jenny. He skimmed the room with his gaze, but he never saw even the hint of her. Occasionally Yvonne would flutter by, and he would ask if she had anything to report, but she kept insisting there was no sign of Jenny anywhere. He waited for nearly two frustrating hours before he finally decided to call it a night. It made sense that Jenny wasn’t there. She hated the parties, these weren’t her friends, and she probably wanted to avoid him. The thought sent something bitter and hot through him, and he just wanted to chase it with a stiff drink. As he decided to go, he caught sight of Bryan’s head above the crowd. Plastering a smile to his face, he crossed the room and clapped Bryan on the shoulder in a friendly gesture. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me to finish Kyoto on my own,” Ashley said. Bryan tensed under his grip and carefully edged out from it. His eyes were flinty as they met Ashley’s, his jaw hard. “You’ll have Siobhan. With the way you operate, you’ll probably prefer working with a woman anyway.” Well, this is interesting. “I don’t really have any preferences when it comes to my working partners.” “Just other people’s partners. Right. My mistake.” He began to turn away, but in mid-shift, Bryan changed his mind and came back, more than a step closer this time. When he spoke again, his voice was noticeably lower. “I can’t believe you have the nerve to show your face here tonight. What, you couldn’t resist having one last laugh?” Ashley wondered if Jenny had confessed everything, or if Bryan was just responding to the rumors Yvonne had alluded to. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bryan.”


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Bryan snorted. “Ever the lawyer. Fine. You want to pretend you didn’t put a wrecking ball through my engagement, you be my guest.” That sounded promising, but Ashley didn’t react visibly. He still refused to walk into Bryan’s trap. He wasn’t going to confirm or deny anything until he knew what Bryan thought he knew. “Why don’t you pretend I still have no clue what you’re talking about and fill me in?” For a moment, Ashley thought Bryan might actually hit him. His hands balled into fists at his sides, and it took several seconds for him to shove them unseen into his pockets. “Don’t try and tell me you didn’t leave the picnic with Jen,” he warned. “I’ve had more than enough people decide to share that little tidbit all week. She won’t talk about it, but I’m not as dumb as you two must think I am. There is no way her leaving me when I got back from Boston is a coincidence.” “There is absolutely no way it could be a coincidence,” Ashley agreed, a sharp relief piercing his chest. “I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact you didn’t even notice she left the party with me, and how long did she have to prepare for a move to Boston? One week? Two? It probably had nothing to do with that, either.” Bryan’s jaw twitched. “I can’t believe I trusted you. Did she tell you I called her at her dad’s? I’ll bet you two had a good laugh about it while I was away.” Ashley’s first impulse was to laugh and explain they didn’t talk about him at all, much less laugh at him. “No, I didn’t find anything funny about the situation. And I haven’t seen or spoken to her at all in two weeks.” “So…what? Did you do it just to see if you could? Jesus, I’m beginning to think I never knew either one of you at all.” “Maybe you don’t,” Ashley said mildly. “Maybe if you knew Jenny better, you would have noticed she was unhappy. Maybe you would have realized she just needed a little bit of time and attention from you. A sign that maybe you cared about her almost as much as you cared about your job.” He shrugged. “Or maybe we were just horny. I wouldn’t presume to know Jenny’s mind, but I can tell you, that doesn’t really seem like the woman I know.” “Guess it doesn’t matter now anyway. The one good thing to come out of seeing you tonight is knowing that at least you haven’t been fucking her the past two weeks. Though I guess you’ll have all the time in the world for that once I’m gone.”

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“Guess so.” The fists were out before he could react, a smooth right slamming into his jaw and sending him reeling back against a small, high table. The crowd parted around them, but Bryan didn’t move from where he stood, his eyes cold as they fixed on Ashley. “This might be a good time for you to call it a night,” Bryan ground out. Ashley touched his lips to make sure he wasn’t bleeding—he wasn’t—before giving Bryan a slow smile. “Feel better?” Yvonne rushed over to his side before Bryan responded, positioning her body between the two men. “What the hell is going on?” she demanded, looking at Ashley. “Bryan is just working on some anger issues,” Ashley said. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be conscious right now.” His eyes flickered to Yvonne. “You can do a hell of a lot better than this piece of shit.” Ashley nodded somberly. “You probably could.” He glanced at Bryan. “Too bad this stunning specimen of manhood is going all the way to Boston.” “And yet, Jen hasn’t called you since that day,” Bryan said. “Maybe I’m not the only one she’s done with.” For a moment, Bryan’s rejoinder almost stung. But Ashley shrugged it off. He could worry about what Jenny wanted from him later. “You’ll note, I haven’t called her either. Maybe we both got what we wanted.” Bryan snapped forward a step, fists ready, but came up short when Yvonne blocked his path. He lifted a warning finger to Ashley instead. “Don’t talk about her that way.” Ashley realized that he didn’t want to get in a real fight with Bryan—physical or otherwise. Something like guilt began to worm its way through his mind, and he knew that anything he did would just make the situation worse. He believed firmly that if Jenny left Bryan, it didn’t have anything to do with him—wouldn’t she have called if she was leaving her fiancé for him? But at the same time, he knew Bryan would never understand that. He took Yvonne’s arm. “Come on. Let’s go get a drink.” They had taken only a few steps when he heard Bryan snort in derision. “Well, at least it took Jen four years to be done with me this time. Apparently, Ashley’s only good enough to last one day.”


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Ashley turned and smirked. “I think you’ve got it wrong. It didn’t take her four years to see what she was missing, it only took a day. A day, I’m certain, that she’s never going to forget.” “Because she’s banging down your door for another go?” Bryan shook his head, ignoring the crowd that still watched the exchange. “That’s what I don’t get. Why go to all this bother? I asked Jen, but the most I could get out of her was, you were her friend.” The last word was almost a sneer. “What the hell does that even mean in this mess?” Ashley straightened, tilting his head slightly. “It means I was her friend, Bryan. It means we talked about music, and about old cars, and we shared jokes, and I introduced her to my friends. I treated her like she was a real person with real interests. Why go to the bother? Because she was worth it. Did you forget that?” “Worth it? You just said you haven’t called her. I think we can all see just how worth it she really was to you.” Ashley nodded. “You make an excellent point. I think I’ll call on her on Monday. Thanks for the suggestion.” Dumbstruck, Bryan stared at him for several seconds before finally jerking straight again. With one final glare at Ashley, he pivoted on his heel and marched through the crowd, heading straight for the bar and away from the confrontation. Ashley turned to Yvonne, but whatever words he might have said died on his lips at the dark look in her eyes. Yvonne detested scenes, and she always hated it when he got her caught in the middle of one. “How ’bout that drink?” “How about I take you home before you get yourself knocked out?” she suggested, her tone less than friendly. “The two options aren’t mutually exclusive,” he muttered, looking around the room. Most of the onlookers drifted away once Bryan headed to the bar, but a few were still watching him with appalled amusement. Yvonne merely rolled her eyes and marched out of the room. Ashley was left with no choice but to follow. *** Ashley woke up late Sunday morning with a pounding headache and blurry vision. His jaw hurt. It took several minutes to piece together the activities of the night before,

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but he didn’t have to have perfect recall to know that one drink with Yvonne became several drinks by himself. He couldn’t exactly remember why he drank so much—the confrontation with Bryan had been unpleasant, but it really had been full of good news. The engagement was off. Jenny wasn’t going to Boston. It was that thought that made him want another drink. He moaned, covering his sensitive eyes with his arm, and tried to think things through logically. Jenny wasn’t leaving and she wasn’t getting married. This made him very happy. Happier than he had any right to be. This happiness frightened him, because he didn’t quite know what it was or what it meant. As a defense mechanism to the fear, he drank. Until he passed out. And if the vague itching in the back of his mind was any indication, he was about to start the cycle again. He resisted the call of more scotch and stumbled into the bathroom. By early afternoon, he was showered, shaved, dressed and sitting in front of his laptop, prepared to catch up on his correspondence. His jaw still hurt, and every time he tried to write an email, he found himself mentally composing a letter to Jenny instead. Ashley didn’t actually write the letter. For one thing, he didn’t quite know what to say. For another, even he understood that whatever it was he needed to tell her should be said in person, and not through something as impersonal as email. So call her. But he had to dismiss that notion as soon as it occurred to him. It was a Sunday afternoon and she probably had better things to do than sit near the phone. Besides, he didn’t have her cell, and he didn’t have her new number. Ashley checked his watch. If he could wait about eighteen hours, he could see her again. And he would need that eighteen hours because he still didn’t know what he would say. Somehow wanna fuck? lacked the nuances and subtlety he was aiming for. Ashley pushed through the task of writing several emails, and then gave up, deciding that what he really needed was some Mexican food and a good movie. He had the phone nestled between his ear and shoulder, a menu in one hand and a diet soda in the other, when a slight knock on the door distracted him from his call. Frowning, he set the phone down and pulled the door open. Jenny stood in the hall, faded jeans hanging low on her hips, a gauzy blouse barely concealing the tanned skin of her abdomen. Her hair tumbled in thick waves around her shoulders, but it was the flicker of her dark eyes over his face, lingering on his jaw, that drew his attention, followed by the definite line deepening between her brows. www.samhainpublishing.com

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“Damn,” she muttered. “He really did it.” Ashley touched the bruise on his jaw with a slight grimace. “Yeah, he really did it. But to be fair to him, he was provoked.” She took a step forward, her hand lifting to touch it, but stopped halfway there, as if talking herself out of the idea. “The way Louisa made it sound, I wasn’t sure. That’s why I came over to see for myself.” “How did Louisa make it sound?” “That the two of you were going at it like frat boys and you only stopped short of whipping out your dicks.” Sliding her hands into her back pockets, Jenny edged back into the hall. “I’m sorry he hit you. He was more than a little pissed when I wouldn’t tell him whether or not we had sex.” “Why wouldn’t you tell him?” A faint pink stain appeared on her cheeks. “Because it wasn’t any of his business.” “Well, he obviously disagreed with that,” Ashley said, watching as she took another slight step back. “He seemed to think it was very much his business.” He pushed the door open wider. “Do you want to come in? I was just ordering some lunch.” Her gaze jumped past his shoulder to the apartment behind him as she weighed the invitation. At least she hadn’t flat out turned him down. That had to say something. “Can we get Mexican?” Ashley smiled. “I was just putting in an order for a burrito and some enchiladas.” He ushered her into the apartment and picked up the phone. “What would you like?” “The same. Hot, if there’s a heat preference. With extra guac.” “No problem.” Ashley redialed the number and began placing his order once again. He gestured to Jenny to sit while he repeated his credit card information, and he couldn’t help but wonder how long she planned to stay. And if she really only showed up to see if Bryan had, in fact, laid him out. “Something to drink?” “Diet Coke.” For the first time since arriving, Jenny smiled. “I’m betting you don’t have Corona.” “You’re lucky I have Diet Coke,” Ashley said as he walked to the fridge. “So I guess there’s been several changes in your life since we last saw each other.” “A few. You know the biggie, I’m guessing. And I’m staying with my dad until I can find something of my own. I couldn’t stay at the apartment. Obviously.”

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“Are you looking for a new place or will you be moving back to the apartment once Bryan is gone?” “A new place.” Her frown was back as she took the drink from him. “Bryan had already told Siobhan he’d sublet our place to her, so I couldn’t go back there even if I wanted to. But this is better. It makes a cleaner break. I can pick something out that works for me this time.” Ashley sat in the reclining chair, instead of beside her on the couch. If he sat within touching distance, there would definitely be touching. And she hadn’t given any indication that she was there for that. “I know a few agents who can help you out with that.” Jenny didn’t reply right away. Her fingertips ran absently along the condensation collecting on her glass, and her dark eyes were fixed on him, serious and reflective. “I think your agents might be a little out of my league right now. But thanks for the offer. I’ve got a lead or two, and I can afford to wait until I find the right one. Dad’s not making me pay rent. Yet.” Her lips parted as if to say more, then closed for a few seconds as she seemed to change her mind, only to open once again as the words chose not to contain themselves. “Louisa said you were there last night with Yvonne. Did she know? About us, I mean.” Ashley shrugged. “I didn’t tell her anything, but she was able to jump to the same conclusions that Bryan did, and I didn’t deny it. And I was there with Yvonne, but I wasn’t with Yvonne.” She waved a hand in dismissal. “Whatever you call it. I don’t think I’ll ever understand the relationship you two have.” “There’s a pretty straightforward category for the relationship we have. Friends with benefits.” Ashley paused for a moment before adding, “Only recently we’ve decided to drop the benefits package.” That seemed to get her attention. “Really? Why? I thought you were both happy with the arrangement.” Ashley didn’t have a clear explanation for that himself, so he settled on a nonanswer. “That part of the arrangement was no longer working for us. We both have different, incompatible goals.” Her brows shot up. “And one of you doesn’t want to get off anymore? Somehow, I find that very hard to believe.”


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Ashley smiled. “One of us wants to get married and settled down in her proper role as an executive’s wife. And one of us…doesn’t really know what he wants.” The answer seemed to satisfy her, and Jenny nodded as she sank back into the corner of the couch. “The insatiable Ashley Edwards would have to give up his pursuit of innocent maidens. Gotcha.” “Not innocent maidens. Not plural…not anymore. And the maiden I have in mind isn’t quite so innocent, in my experience.” She had been about to take a sip of her Coke, and the glass froze in midair, her gaze jumping back to his. The flush in her cheeks returned, and he saw her swallow twice before she finally spoke. “I thought you said you didn’t know what you want,” Jenny said, matching his tone. “No, but I know who I want.” “You already had me.” “Yes. Repeatedly, and in several interesting positions. Even so, I find that there’s a part of me—a large of part of me—that wants more of you.” Slowly, Jenny leaned forward and set her glass on the coffee table. “Which is why you never called.” “I spent the last two weeks working twenty hour days,” Ashley returned. “Which is one reason why I never called. Another reason is that until last night, I believed you were still engaged, and what’s more, moving to Boston.” “My being engaged never stopped you before. I seem to recall you telling me more than once that my relationship with Bryan wasn’t your problem.” “I wasn’t interested in sharing you with your fiancé.” He heard her sharp inhalation, though her attention never wavered as his meaning took root. “Oh,” she breathed. “Well. That’s definitely new. I thought…never mind. But I guess that explains last night then.” “Which part of last night?” “I couldn’t figure out why you’d pick a fight with Bryan. You’ve never let him get to you before.” Rising to her feet, Jenny skirted the corner of the table to stand in front of the chair. She lifted a hand and skimmed it over his sore jaw, her fingertips cold from her glass. “Louisa said you didn’t even throw a punch back. That you just took it.” “I didn’t mean to pick a fight with him.” Ashley leaned into her touch. “I went to wish him well, and he started throwing accusations back at me. I suppose I should have 174


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just walked away but…” He averted his eyes and offered a quick grin. “And he was awfully provoked into throwing the punch. I figured he deserved a free one.” “You? Piss somebody off?” Her sudden smile dispelled some of the sobriety that had hung over her. “Gee, I can’t see that happening at all.” His grin widened. “It’s never happened before, either.” Her fingers continued to caress his jaw, drawing closer to his mouth with every stroke. “Were you really going to call me tomorrow? Or was that just to annoy Bryan enough to hit you again?” “Why would I want to be hit again? It fucking hurt enough the first time.” Jenny chuckled. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips over the bruise, her mouth soft and warm, but before Ashley could react, she was gone again, sitting on the coffee table in front of him. “I didn’t leave Bryan for you, you know that, right?” “I never thought that you did. But look, Jenny, there’s something I need to talk to you about. Something I need to tell you.” She stiffened, but nodded anyway. “Go for it.” “I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t know what I wanted. I have no idea. I’ve never had a healthy relationship, and I guess my best relationship, just in terms of the longevity, has been with Yvonne. I don’t think I’ve ever been truly monogamous, marriage isn’t even in the top one hundred things I want to accomplish in my life, and I’m a workaholic.” Her lips were twitching again halfway through his speech. Several seconds of silence met him afterward, and then she said, “And? Where’s the part I’m not supposed to know yet?” “I want to try to have a healthy, adult relationship with you.” This time, her silence was more surprise than amusement. “Yeah. That would be the part.” “I thought it might be.” He wanted to appear neutral, impassive, as though he was in the middle of standard negotiations. But he was neither neutral nor impassive, and he was almost as shocked by his declaration as she appeared to be. He saw the slight tremor in her hands before she stood and began pacing around the room. “Louisa asked me about us, you know,” she said. “When the talk started going


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around. I told her we were friends and if people assumed the worst, that was their problem. And she told me that we were both crazy.” “She’s been saying that about me for years.” “Well, say hello to the new vice-president of your club.” When Jenny came to an abrupt halt, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. “Do you know how hard it was for me to leave that morning? And it wasn’t just the sex, as amazing as that was. It was because being with you is so fucking easy. Maybe I didn’t leave Bryan for you, but I sure as hell went through with it because of you.” “Does this mean you want to try to be in a healthy, adult relationship with me? Because you know, it’s easy for me to be with you, too. Bryan asked why you referred to me as your friend, and I realized that I do consider you a friend.” Ashley floundered, not accustomed to being helpless with words. He never had a hard time expressing himself, but now everything he tried seemed…wrong, somehow. He finally finished lamely, “I like being with you.” She seemed to take pity on his discomfort and returned to his side. Taking his hand in hers, Jenny pulled Ashley to his feet, guiding him around the coffee table to sit on the couch with her. “My turn to tell you a few things.” She ticked them off on her fingers as she spoke. “I’m coming out of the longest relationship I’ve ever had, and worse, it’s the guy who was my first love. That completely fucks the odds of whatever relationship I have next because technically, that makes it a rebound. Regardless of what happened at the picnic, I still pretty much hate the thought of any kind of corporate shindig and would much rather curl in front of the TV with some good Mexican and an episode of American Chopper. Oh, and given the right circumstances, I can put in as many hours at work as you can. Except my bonus is that I come home smelling like motor oil.” She smiled. “Still want to talk about that healthy relationship?” “Most relationships in my experience are statistically fucked before they even begin. I like a challenge. I hate corporate shindigs too, but they serve a real purpose in my world. We can find ways to keep each other sane, if you accompany me. And I’ve long held that the aroma of motor oil on the right person is a powerful aphrodisiac.” “Don’t tell Otto your theory. He’s way too protective of me as it is.” “I’ll keep it to myself for now. It needs further testing anyway.” Jenny rested her hand on his leg, her nails scratching against the denim. “You just want to fuck me in your truck.” 176


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Ashley grinned, his hand covering hers. “Well, if you’re taking requests…” She leaned forward, her soft blouse doing nothing to hide the hard tips of her nipples as they pressed into his arm. “Can I make a request of my own?” “I’m happy to entertain any request.” “A kiss to seal this insane deal.” Jenny stopped, her lips only inches away, her breath warm and sweet. “The hardest part of the past two weeks was dreaming about your mouth every night.” “Happy to oblige,” Ashley murmured before closing the distance between their mouths. Her lips were warm and welcoming, slightly parted in invitation. Ashley took his time with the kiss, beginning with the barest caress. It was just enough to reacquaint him with the sweet taste of her mouth and to light a low fire in his gut. She dug her fingers into his shoulder, and he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with slow strokes of his tongue. But his self-control was already thin, and the hungry noises she made in the back of her throat drove him to kiss her harder. Jenny wasted no time in responding, her hand sliding up his shoulder to the back of his neck, threading through his hair to pull him closer. Her legs shifted, twisting beneath her so that she could straddle his thighs, and Ashley matched her groan as she pressed against his growing erection. “God, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you.” Ashley wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against his body. The heat from her flesh seeped through their clothes, but it only served to torment him. He wanted to feel her skin against his, wanted to feel the friction of their bodies. He pulled her shirt up her back, then slid his palms up and down her spine. “Missed you, too.” Jenny shivered with each stroke. When she broke away from his mouth, he began to chase her with his own, only to have her pull back further. “Last night…” She was almost panting as she spoke, her breath stolen from the fevered kisses, her eyes luminous as they bored into his. “You thought I was leaving with Bryan. Did you go to the party to say good bye?” “Not quite. I thought I’d be able to talk you into staying.” She chuckled. “I should’ve guessed that. You have got to be the most confident man I’ve ever known.” “I ain’t never been wrong yet.” He slid his mouth down her throat. “Now come to bed with me.”


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Her lashes fluttered shut as her head tilted back, lengthening the line of her neck and thrusting her breasts tantalizingly closer. “What about our lunch?” “I’m suddenly not very hungry for food.” “Promise me you won’t cancel it, and I’ll stay for as long as you want.” She smirked, though her eyes remained closed, too busy still enjoying his exploration. “I’ve seen your kitchen. We don’t get that Mexican and we’re going to starve.” Ashley paused long enough to check his watch before returning to the slim column of her neck. “It’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. I promise, I won’t let you starve. Though I do think we’ll work up an appetite.” “Fifteen minutes, huh?” Her head came up again, her lips skimming his cheek as she uncurled her arms and moved them beneath their torsos. Ashley groaned when she undid the buttons on his shirt and slid her palms flat against his hot chest. “That’s not a lot of time.” “It’s enough time to get started…to get a taste.” He demonstrated his point by sliding the tip of his tongue along her jaw. “And if we’re a bit distracted when the delivery guy shows up, he’ll leave it outside the door.” “God bless credit cards.” Her mouth came back to his, kissing him with that delicious hunger that made his balls ache. “Now what was that about a bed?” Ashley stood without losing his grip on her. “This way.”

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Chapter Nineteen Jenny heard the unmistakable sound of a car pulling into the driveway five seconds before the horn honked, spurring her to hasten slipping on her shoes. Her small bag, ready with the ticket and backstage pass for the auction, rested on the bed at her side, but her focus was on rehearsing her spiel, her scarlet lips mouthing the words as she finished getting dressed. Muffled footsteps came down the hall and stopped at her door. “Taxi’s here,” her father announced. “Coming!” Grabbing her purse, Jenny stood up and smoothed down her gown before opening the door. “Well? How do I look?” Jim’s dark gaze swept over his daughter, a slow, proud smile curving his mouth. “Beautiful. You’re going to knock ’em dead tonight.” “As long as they bid really high before they keel over,” she shot back with a grin. “A lot’s riding on this.” He stepped aside to let her exit, but before she had taken two steps down the hall, Jenny whirled on her heel and bolted back inside, coming to a stop before her full-length mirror for one last look. The dress was new, a strapless black velvet with a sweetheart neckline highlighting her full breasts. Silver sequins adorned the edge, curving down and around her sides to a vee in the small of her back. More silver was scattered along the slight train, with another faint line along the thigh-high front slit. Not bothering with jewelry, Jenny had pulled her hair up and off her neck in order to expose her shoulders. The dress spoke for itself. Not even the heat of late July could mar its magnificence. Jim appeared in the reflection, shaking his head. “You look perfect. And if that’s not the first thing out of Edwards’ mouth, I’m a monkey’s uncle. Now get out of here. You’re going to be late.” “I’m going, I’m going.” Stretching, Jenny brushed a kiss across his cheek before heading out again. “See you in the morning!” www.samhainpublishing.com

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The cab driver’s irritation faded when she gave him the address of the theater. Probably expecting a big tip, she thought in amusement as she settled back into the seat. Well, considering her high spirits, she’d humor him, even if her cash flow wasn’t quite as flush as he probably imagined. Not yet, at least. If the auction went as John predicted, it would only be a matter of time before she was in the canary seat, job-wise. When John Crandle had first approached her back in June about the idea, Jenny had hesitated. Fixing his Mustang was one thing. She only had to please him. But John wanted to make a big splash with this charity auction, wanted everybody to remember his donation when next year’s auction came around. It didn’t matter that he was bending the rules of the auction to make it happen. “As long as we bring in the highest bid of the night,” he’d said, “nobody’s going to care. And hey, ask any teenager on the street if ’62 isn’t ancient history. You’ll get a unanimous vote that forty-five years is old.” The donation call had been for antiques; Jenny didn’t think the 1962 MGA convertible he’d purchased to fix up qualified. In the end, though, she went along with John’s plan. Even when he insisted on keeping the entire thing a secret so that he’d get the maximum shock value when it was revealed. She justified it as not actually lying to Ashley; she really had been working on a new restoration. The lies didn’t come into play until Ash asked her to attend the auction with him. Then, she feigned ignorance of the entire affair and used work as an excuse, promising to make it up to him afterward. She was going to be glad when the night was over. It had been nearly impossible not to let him in on the story. She instructed the driver to drop her off at the rear of the theater, doubling the tip for his trouble. Flashing her pass to the security guard, Jenny entered the dark hall that meandered backstage, trying to remember the layout John had shown her the previous day. In the distance, she heard the soft sounds of the party already in full swing, but closer, there were voices, discussing the details of the auction that was about to start. She angled toward them, grateful when she spotted John’s familiar back. He turned as she approached, a gleaming smile announcing his excitement. His eyes widened when he saw her dress, and the smile closed into a low, appreciative whistle. “Nobody is ever going to believe you fixed that car up.” “They can believe whatever they want. As long as they spend lots of money to buy it.” John laughed. “Come on. I’ll show you where they parked it.”

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She followed him around to the other side of the stage. As they walked, he outlined the plan again, as if she hadn’t been going over it all day. The event itself was simple. An hour for people to mingle and drink enough to put them into a bidding mood, and then the auction, with dancing and more drinking after that. John had made special arrangements to be the last item on the block; Jenny only hoped that Ashley didn’t get bored with the whole thing and slip out before she made her entrance. She was dying to see the look on his face when he realized what she’d been up to. A special ramp had been put in to allow John to drive in the MG, and as they climbed it, Jenny felt a surge of satisfaction as more of the car became visible. When he had brought it to her, it wouldn’t even start, the engine sand-logged from extensive runs on the beach. The electrics had been shot and the clutch gone, forcing her both to strip out all the British gear and start from scratch and then to replace the transmission. In spite of the fact that it still looked pretty good, only really needing a fresh coat of candy-apple red paint, John had got it for a song. If all went well tonight, they’d earn back at least six times what he originally paid. Two burly men dressed in black jeans and T-shirts guarded the car. “Mike and Gary are going to pull back the curtain when it’s our turn. You’ll be able to hear everything onstage then.” “Got it.” Her voice sounded far calmer than she felt. Her stomach was starting to roil in anticipation, making Jenny very glad she had chosen not to eat before leaving the house. Had it really only been three months since she would have hidden in a corner during this kind of event? Now, she was going to be center stage. Literally. She was insane. That was all there was to it. John left, his usual words of encouragement filling her ears, and Jenny slid behind the wheel, automatically checking to make sure everything was all right. Keys in the ignition. Gas tank full. Mirrors adjusted. The only thing left to do was wait and try not to listen too closely to the voices on the other side of the heavy curtains. It came all too soon. Jenny blinked against the sudden flood of lights from the stage. As the next donor, John was already out with the auctioneer, his jokes loud and clear as he made the introduction, but the moment she heard their prepared speech, her nerves disappeared. She knew this. Backwards and forwards. And the last thing she had to worry about was John making her look foolish. www.samhainpublishing.com

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Her cue to begin was a slight pause in John’s speech. With her hands light on the steering wheel, she revved the engine, listening to the gasps from the audience. Then came the slow roll onto the stage, followed by more gasps and added laughter. A smattering of applause covered what John was saying, but Jenny understood her role all too well. She turned on her best smile, turned off the car and opened the door, the slit in her dress exposing one long, shapely leg as she climbed out. “And no, the winner doesn’t get Jenny, too,” John joked. “I can think of at least one person here who would have more than a few words for me if I sold her as well.” Laughter filled the time it took her to cross to John’s side. When she turned to the audience, microphone in hand, she was disappointed to find out it was impossible to discern individual faces. The lights were too bright for her to be able to see more than a blur as she started her presentation. She just had to hope Ashley was still around. Talking about what she’d done on the MG was easy, and before she realized it, she was done. As the auctioneer began his part, John took her elbow and led her offstage. “It’s a shame that Jenny didn’t come with the car. I would have bought it myself,” Ashley commented, emerging from the shadows. Her heart pounded a mile a minute already, but seeing him in his well-cut tux, his bright eyes dancing, only fuelled the fire. Jenny left John’s side and closed the distance to Ash, fingers curling around his lapel to pull him against her. “Like you really need another car anyway,” she teased. She brushed a kiss across his mouth, fighting not to deepen it. There would be time enough for that later. “Enjoying the party?” His arm snuck around her back, trapping her against him. “I am now. But I almost missed your big entrance.” He lowered his tone and leaned in. “It’s dull as shit out there.” She laughed. “Try sitting in a convertible in a velvet evening gown for forty minutes. Then we’ll talk about who had the worse deal.” Ashley stepped back, studying her with appreciative eyes. “You certainly don’t look the worse for wear. Though I suppose the view could have been improved if you were sitting in that convertible naked.” “Nobody would have looked at the car then,” John remarked from behind her. “Not to mention, my dad would never have let me out of the house,” Jenny added. She glanced back to John. “We done?” He made a shooing motion with his hand. “Go. Have fun. You’ve earned it.”

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Lacing her fingers with Ashley’s, Jenny led him away from the curtains, past the gaffers and into the back hall. “Please tell me they’re serving more than champagne out there. I’m parched.” “They are.” He pulled her into a dark recess, out of the bright fluorescent lighting of the corridor, and pushed her against the wall. “But I’m not eager to share you with that crowd just yet.” The shadows hid most of his face, but Jenny didn’t need bright lights to recognize the devilish glint in his eye. Sliding one hand to the back of his neck, she played with his tie with the other, shifting her hips so that she ground lightly against his hardening cock. “What happened to wanting me to be your date tonight? Doesn’t that mean actually mingling?” “It was just a ploy to see you.” He ran his fingers down her bare arms. “I planned to whisk you away before the auction even started.” Jenny smiled. “You’re always trying to whisk me away.” Though his soft strokes made her breathing quicken, half her attention was still on the events onstage. “Was it a good surprise? Do you think people are bidding like crazy on the car?” Ashley seemed to consider her question for a few moments before nodding. “I think it was the best surprise of the night, and I imagine John is getting exactly the sort of response he wanted. Although”—he bent to brush his lips along the ridge of her shoulder—“I might have to take exception to him using my girlfriend to further his own agenda.” She sighed in satisfaction, tilting her head to the side to encourage him not to stop. “To be fair, John wasn’t the only one with an agenda…” Her voice trailed off, Ashley’s words breaking through her post-presentation fog. They didn’t use words like “girlfriend” or “boyfriend”. Ever since that afternoon after the fight with Bryan, they had been very vague about what it was exactly they were doing, mostly because neither one of them really knew. They’d spent the last two months dating when their schedules allowed, spending time together either out or at his place. There were phone calls when they were too busy to get together, which usually led to phone sex, and the occasional work party he asked her to accompany him to, which always led to real sex. It was relaxed and fun. In fact, the closest Jenny had come to admitting Ashley was a definite part of her new life was letting him come over on the odd Sunday afternoon to watch Nascar with her and her dad, barbecue a little bit of food, maybe tinker on whatever motor her dad had parked in the back.


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They didn’t talk about labels or feelings. They had been content to simply enjoy each other’s company. Until now, apparently. “I hated not being able to tell you. I think John’s more paranoid than Oliver Stone.” Ashley snorted. “If you ever saw his contracts, you would know he’s more paranoid than Oliver Stone.” He traced the outline of her breasts through the material of her dress, his touch light and teasing. “What was your agenda?” “John’s opening a shop, like you said he would. But I wanted this whole auction to fly so I could talk him out of it.” Ashley frowned. “Nothing you just said made sense to me. Except the part about him opening his own shop. I knew that.” “Do you know what the return on the MG is going to be? I was thinking I could talk John into doing that on a bigger scale. Kind of like people who buy houses to renovate them for resale. Only with cars. Everybody in this town is always looking for something different and flashy, and all that money has to go somewhere.” Now that she’d started talking about it, Jenny couldn’t stop. The idea had been percolating ever since John had made his first proposal. “His return wouldn’t be as high as having a garage, but it would be a hell of a lot more fun. You should have seen him every time I let him come in to work on the MG. Like a kid at Christmas.” “Hmm, you need to draw up a business proposal and submit it to him. I know, you’re thinking it’s easier to just tell him your brilliant plan, but trust me, John is a numbers guy. None of it will seem concrete to him until he sees some figures. I can help you with that, if you want.” He stepped back and flashed a grin. “Of course, that would just be a formality. You’ve got the man wrapped around your finger. It’s a good thing I’m not the jealous type.” She laughed. “He is not. And do I really have to do a proposal? Those are so boring.” “He is, you do, and they are boring. Like this party.” His hands went to her hips. “Let’s blow this joint.” Jenny lifted her leg, the long slit in her dress allowing her to curl her foot around Ashley’s calf unencumbered. “You have something in mind, counselor?” “I was thinking of giving my new car a test drive.” Her leg froze. “What new car?” “Well, I’m not sure it’s mine yet,” Ashley admitted. “I authorized Chad to go as high as it took, and he’s pretty good about following instructions.”

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“You bid on the MG?” She knew she sounded like an idiot, repeating what was so obvious, and the fact that he was grinning at her didn’t help. “Why? I mean, it’s a fantastic car, but you’ve already got a great car. And the Beemer. Why do you want another?” “There’s not a limit to how many cars a person can own. Besides, how many cars do I own that you rebuilt?” Jenny stared at Ashley for only a few seconds before she threw her arms around him, driving him the few feet back into the opposite wall and slamming her mouth to his in a passionate kiss. He responded instantly, fingers tightening into her hips, lips parting to allow her questing tongue inside, but it was over far too fast, the rush of emotion inside her chest making it difficult to breathe. Jenny broke away and buried her face in his neck, drinking in his delicious scent as her lungs came back under control. “God, I love you.” Ashley stiffened but he didn’t pull away from her embrace. “I…you what?” She realized what she’d said too late. Apparently, one reference to her as his girlfriend and the floodgates had taken that as permission to let loose on everything that she had been bottling up. She’d never even considered love as a possibility, but now that the words were out there, Jenny knew they were true. Fuck. There was no taking them back. Better to take the bull by the horns and deal with whatever fallout might come from them. “I love you,” she repeated. Carefully, she peeled back in order to meet his darkened eyes, but kept her tone light as she went on. “I don’t know why you’re so shocked. You can be pretty damn irresistible most of the time.” Ashley stepped back, his gaze darting away from her face. He looked flustered, and that took her by surprise. Ashley Edwards never looked flustered. “I am pretty irresistible.” But his smile seemed forced. He shook his head. “I’m sorry. You just…I didn’t expect it. Nobody’s ever said that to me before. Well…nobody that mattered to me.” Her stomach dropped. Maybe she should have pretended he’d misunderstood her. Anything was better than him pulling away like this. “It doesn’t change anything. Not for me, anyway. I like what we have. I didn’t say it expecting you to say it back or anything. I said it because…it just hit me. Nobody’s ever


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treated me like you do, and then this thing with the MG…” She sagged against the wall. None of this was coming out right. “Damn it. Sometimes I really hate my mouth.” Ashley’s smile softened into something more genuine. “I love your mouth.” He stepped forward, removing the distance between them. “And I love your hands. And your eyes. I love the way you say my name. And I love the way you look in this dress.” She risked touching him, lifting her hand to slide it beneath his lapel, savoring the warmth seeping through the stiff cotton of his shirt. “I thought it was time to get something new. And I wanted to knock your socks off tonight.” She glanced up through her lashes as she let her nails graze across his chest. “I figured I had to make up for all that overtime I put in on the MG.” “Considering the fact that I not only get to take you home tonight, but I get to do it in style, I think we can call it even.” He dipped his head, his lips almost touching hers, but not quite. “Every man in that room is going to be jealous when you leave with me.” His proximity made her mouth water, but Jenny held still, her heart thudding. “That requires going back out into the party,” she whispered. “We’ll make a short, socially acceptable appearance, I’ll get the keys to the car from John, and then I’m going to take you someplace private.” “Sounds perfect.” She lifted her chin the bare inch necessary to skim her mouth over his, wondering if he could feel the faint tremble in her lower lip. “Lead the way.” *** Ashley’s short appearance stretched longer than either wished, people Jenny didn’t recognize coming up to talk to them about the car or her entrance or any combination thereof. More than one man flirted with her, and while it was flattering to get so much attention, the steady warmth of Ashley’s hand in the small of her back and the heat of his body pressed into her side kept her responses bordering on polite. She had no interest in anyone but him. It dawned on her that that had been true for a very long while. John was the one to come to their rescue, stepping in effortlessly when one older gentleman began debating the merits of the MGA against earlier models. He guided them toward the front exit, chattering on about Ashley’s deep pockets and potential controllability with his usual affable demeanor. It wasn’t until the valet had pulled the car

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up in front of them and John was handing the keys over to Ashley that Jenny realized what he’d even done. Neither of them spoke during the ride back to the penthouse. Though the night was warm and the sky oddly clear for Los Angeles, Jenny didn’t notice them. She was torn between gauging Ashley’s reactions and listening for any little rattle that might indicate a problem for her to fix. The last thing she wanted was for something to fall apart, especially since Ash had paid a small fortune for the car, but watching his pleased smile as he shifted smoothly from third to fourth was worth every ounce of anxiety. “Well?” she prompted, when he pulled into an empty space at his apartment building. “What did you think?” “I think this was a very good decision,” Ashley said, his hand moving over to her leg. The long slit of the dress and the heavy weight of the velvet exposed Jenny to his touch, his fingertips gliding across the silky surface of her hose. She shifted in the narrow seat, silently hating the tiny interior that prevented her from doing more, and sighed when he stroked her inner thigh. “One of these weekends, we should go out on a long drive along the coast. You, me, lots of sun.” A wicked grin curled her mouth. “A teeny, tiny bikini…” “Only if the bikini is very teeny and tiny.” “Sometimes I think you’d leave me naked all the time.” Before she could encourage his touch any further, another car squealed into the underground lot, its headlights sweeping along the wall as it parked a row back. As tempting as it was to continue, Jenny wasn’t in the mood for interruptions. Staying in the MG would only end up frustrating both of them. Playfully, she leaned across and took the keys out of the ignition. “Come on,” she said, opening her door before Ashley could stop her. “Let’s go see about getting naked a little bit sooner.” Ashley followed her out of the car and to the elevator, his fingers brushing hers. He never completely touched her, but he stood close. Close enough that she could feel the heat from his body, and hear the softly familiar rhythm of his breath. The elevator doors swished shut, and she expected him to press her into the corner, or run his fingers down her arm, or kiss her—or all three at the same time. Instead, he folded his fingers through hers.


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She let the silence wrap around them, leaning her head against his shoulder as they rode up to his apartment. Jenny couldn’t pretend to understand this mood he was in, but considering what she had blurted back at the auction, she wasn’t surprised. No more talking. It wasn’t worth making him even more uncomfortable by saying something worse. She only hoped that she hadn’t wrecked what they’d had. His fingers stayed entwined with hers as he led her to his door, unlocking it with one deft hand and then pulling her inside. As soon as it closed behind them, Jenny toed off her sandals and exhaled in bliss when her feet sank into the plush carpet. “I hate those shoes,” she breathed. “I’m beginning to think it doesn’t matter how good they make my legs look.” “Oh, it matters. Of course, I can say the pain is worth it because I didn’t have to experience it. Come here.” He led her to the couch and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. His fingers danced over the bottom of her foot until she giggled and tried to pull away, but he caught her ankle and straightened her leg again, forcing her to hold still. He moved his hand up her calf, smoothing his palm over the lean muscle, before continuing to her thigh. Wrapping his other arm around her, he held her tight against him and caught her mouth in a slow kiss. His heat seared through her skin, leeching into her hands to surge up her bare arms and into her chest, but all she could feel was the deliberate caress of his mouth, the firm sweep of his tongue. Beneath her, the line of his erection made her thighs clench, and a tiny whimper came from the depths of her throat. Her desire for Ashley was as strong now as it had been that first time after the picnic. It rattled Jenny every time he touched her. His hand moved up her back until his fingers found the zipper he sought. The air was shockingly cool against her skin as he slowly dragged the zipper down, and his skin was unbelievably hot when he pressed his palm against her back. He slid his hand beneath the material, working it down her body gradually, until her breasts and ribs were exposed to his touch. Jenny shivered as his mouth trailed down her neck, lingering in the hollow of her throat. “I’m going to be naked before you even have your shoes off.” She could feel him smile against her throat before he pushed the dress over her hips. He dipped her back on the couch, then moved to cover her body with his, his mouth and hands never breaking contact with her skin. 188


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“I’m not worried about my state of undress at the moment.” The more he touched her, the less worried Jenny got too. Ashley caressed her with meticulous care, as if he was taking the time to preserve every spare inch of her body in the memory of his muscles. The hunger that usually distinguished his kisses was tempered by a languor he reserved for the wee hours in the morning when they were both half-asleep and their bodies were worn from fucking. It was slow and deliberate and made her ache in all the best ways. By the time his tongue began tracing a path between her breasts, Jenny was trembling. Her hands skimmed over his shoulders. With his clothes still on, she had to settle her fingers at the back of his neck in order to touch his bare skin, but even that brief contact was scalding. Ashley slid the dress down her legs, leaving her stretched out beneath him in her hosiery and bra. Through the thin silk, the heat of his breath made her nipples ache. She kept expecting to feel his mouth, hot and wet and hard, cover her nipple, but he moved the tip of his tongue over the outline of her bra instead. She was so distracted by where his tongue was—and wasn’t—that she didn’t notice he was freeing the front clasp until her breast was bare against his rough palm. Jenny gasped, arching away from the couch. “Ash…please…” But her breathy appeal went ignored, his mouth continuing to follow the soft swell of her breast while his thumb stroked the underside of the other in ever-maddening caresses. Her leg slipped free of his weight and wound around his, allowing her leverage to rock against the muscle, but the scant contact against her clit frustrated more than it satisfied. “Ash…” she tried again. This time, she reached down to dig her fingers into his hip. “I need to touch you, too.” Ashley pushed up on one hand and used the other to quickly unbutton his shirt. The material hung off his shoulders, smooth and warm where it brushed against her stomach as he lowered himself to her. His stomach and chest slid against hers, his skin hot over taut muscles. He scraped his teeth over her nipple lightly, then followed the sharp caress with his tongue. Jenny bit her lip to stifle the small whimper that his mouth elicited. It was enough to finally be able to slide her hands beneath his shirt and around his back, to relish the flow of his body over hers. When the muscles twitched at her initial contact—though she imagined that could’ve been her own excitement instead—she smoothed her palms over


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the warm skin. He was unusually tense tonight, and she worked at the knots, matching the slow rhythm he was setting with his tongue. Ashley moaned softly, and he almost melted against her as she continued to massage the tense muscles in his neck and shoulders. She could imagine him, hunched over his computer for hours at a time, his body unnaturally contorted and stiff. He was built for a more active lifestyle. He broke the kiss and rubbed his cheek against hers, his mouth near her ear. “Are you comfortable? We can move to the bedroom.” Though there was an allure to letting their passions take them over on the couch, his response to her massage told Jenny what the better answer would be. “Bedroom.” Her lips skimmed his jaw. “I’ve been looking forward to stretching out with you in it all day.” Ashley gradually pushed himself off the couch, pausing almost continuously to kiss her, or touch her, or caress her, like it would cause him physical pain to lose the contact. As soon as he was standing, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. He began moving to the bedroom without loosening his hold, walking backwards down the hall, his mouth pressed against hers in another slow kiss. It was reminiscent of their first time, of the way they’d stumbled along the hall, too engrossed in the other to be aware of their surroundings. Jenny wasn’t cognizant of the cold along her bare skin, not with Ashley’s hot body flush with hers, not with his strong arms tight around her waist. She didn’t know when they stepped from dim light into darkness, not with her eyes shut and her head swimming, lost in his thorough kisses. She only became aware of the shift in their locale when they stopped and his hands finally eased from around her, settling on her hips to start pushing her hose down. Panting, she broke away from his mouth and gazed at him shrouded in shadow, her blood roaring in her ears. “This is my favorite part of going to those work things with you.” Though she could only see the broad planes of his face, Jenny lifted her hand and traced his jaw, ending by running her thumb over his lower lip. She gasped when he captured the pad between his teeth, the tip of his tongue tickling over the skin before letting her go. “It makes it all worth it.” “My favorite part is watching every head turn when you walk in a room, and knowing that you’re coming home with me. That you’re mine.” She froze. Except for the tremor that had suddenly settled in her fingers.

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“You…” Jenny stopped. While she had been worried about his reactions to her earlier declaration, she had never anticipated this. It had been huge enough to hear him refer to her so casually as his girlfriend. Unable to find any more words, she slid her hand along his jaw to the back of his neck and pulled Ashley back to her mouth. This time, her kiss was slow, sweeping. This time, she poured more than her passion into it. Ashley responded by following her lead. He didn’t force anything. His tongue moved against hers easily, his lips were firm yet soft, and every time she pulled back a little, he followed, as though he couldn’t get enough of her. His fingers were playing her body with a musician’s skill, teasing her flesh, drawing a symphony of reactions from her, accompanied by her soft moans and his answering sighs. Her free hand dragged down his chest, settling at his waistband. She wanted to push his pants out of her way, the hard outline of his cock as seductive as his kisses. She wanted those kisses to never stop, to stand there and let him touch and tease until her head spun and her legs gave out. She wanted a lot of things. It amazed her she could have any one of them. When Ashley stole a moment to catch his breath, Jenny took advantage of the break to utter the words that had finally come to her. “I am, you know.” There was just enough light filtering from the hall to see the faint question in his eyes, and she sought to banish it, never looking away as she added, “Yours.” Ashley smiled slowly. An unknown smile. His normal expression was cocksure and proud, each smile a testament to his own confidence. But this was different. It was a little shy, a little surprised, and pleased in an unassuming way. “I need to be inside you now.” He reached between their bodies to unzip his pants. Jenny pushed Ashley toward the bed, only separating from him when he fell back onto the soft mattress. He stroked his cock, waiting for her to join him, but she took that moment to pull his pants off first. Experience told her he’d be grateful for the freedom later. Her thong was next, then the last pins from her hair, and finally, she was climbing onto the bed with him, crawling up the length of his body until she straddled his slim hips. His hands went to her waist, lifting her up as she positioned him at her opening. She didn’t hesitate before sinking down, though she shivered with every throbbing inch. Both of them needed this, warm and familiar and so overpowering that she had to curl her


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fingers into his shoulders in order to keep from losing her balance. She didn’t stop until she felt the coarse grind of his hair against her clit. Ashley gripped her hips, his fingers digging into her skin, holding her as tightly as she held him. They both gasped for breath as she settled on him. They paused in that position for a dizzy moment, and then Ash began to rock, guiding her along his shaft in short, shallow strokes. His flesh was hot against hers, and the muscles in his chest and thighs tensed beneath her, rippling with the effort. The dim illumination made specifics impossible to discern, but Jenny could still feel the intensity of his gaze as he watched her above him. Bending down without breaking their fresh rhythm, she brushed her mouth over his, not surprised that they could keep it so gentle while their bodies were taut with the need for more. Nothing about the way they came together each time was like anything she’d had before. She was growing increasingly sure that it was the same for Ashley, too. He dragged his hand up her body, his fingers grazing over the light sheen of sweat on her ribs, her chest, her shoulder, before curling around to hold the back of her neck. He caught her against his mouth, holding her there and skimming his tongue over her lips. “Some days,” he said, his words a whisper of warm air, “you…this…is all I can think about.” The confession made her melt against his chest. “Me too,” Jenny breathed before sliding her arms around his neck. Their mouths fused, their pace still languid, and she tightened her hold on him to roll them to the side, not stopping until she was on her back and her legs were coiled around his hips. “And then I think about this,” she added with a soft chuckle. Their eyes met. “But it’s always about you, Ash.” He smiled at her, and this time, it was the smile she knew. A smile that meant, Of course, who else would you think about? He kissed the corner of her mouth before letting his lips explore her skin, finally settling over her pulse. She could feel it hammering against his mouth. She arched back, hungry for more of him, more of everything. Ashley looked up, catching her eye in the dusky light, and a fresh frisson of desire rolled down her spine. He shifted his rhythm, his hips moving faster, at a sharper angle. “God, yes…” Jenny raked her nails down either side of his spine, urging him to go deeper, thrust harder, continue driving her toward the edge of orgasm and the explosion that was now inevitable. Her mouth found the salty skin of his shoulder, her tongue dragging along the sinuous muscle to his neck, and Ashley shuddered within her arms, his head falling to the side as he exposed even more for her tasting.

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Ashley moaned her name as she nipped gently at his skin—the soft moan was rich and secret and heavy with passion. He cupped her breast, massaging her hard nipple with his palm until she was panting. As she twisted beneath him, moving into his touch, he slid his hand down her body. Her breath quickened as he skimmed her lower stomach, and the air hitched in her lungs as his fingertips finally brushed against her clit. She was so close to coming, it took only his slight touch to set Jenny off, bowing away from the blanket as everything inside her flared and tensed. “Ash!” she cried out, fingers digging into the tight muscle of his ass. In spite of the tremors that wracked her body, she coaxed him to continue his hard thrusts, knowing that there was more to be had, more to feel, his orgasm somewhere out there, lurking on the periphery. She was still trembling when he gasped. “Oh…God…Jenny.” Her name hung in the air above them as he shuddered against her. She felt his cock jerk, his muscles tremble, and her name came spilling out of his mouth again and again. Her hands slid up his sweat-slick back, holding him as close as she could as she buried her face in his neck. “A girl could get spoiled like this.” “I’m trying,” Ashley muttered, making no effort to pull away from her embrace. She smiled unseen. “You’re succeeding.” Ashley lifted his head and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “Let’s take that drive up the coast.” “Okay.” She leaned into his touch, her smile softening. “Do you want me to call you on Monday so that you can look at your schedule to see when will work?” “I mean now.” Her brows shot up. They rarely had the chance to be so spontaneous. “Now? Really?” “Why not? Do you have other plans?” “No, but all I have to wear is that dress. It’s not exactly a teeny bikini.” Ashley grinned. “We can stop at your place first.” It was impossible not to get caught up in his enthusiasm for the idea. “You always have an answer for everything.” She kissed him soundly, catching his lower lip between her teeth as she pulled away. “But I like that answer. Let’s do it.” That seemed to be all Ashley needed to hear. He jumped to his feet and reached for her hand, pulling her from the bed. “Maybe I’ll even let you drive a little.”


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Jenny just smiled as he gathered his clothes before leading her out to the living room for hers. “Any ideas on where we’re going?” she asked when he finally let her go long enough to slip back into her dress. “Am I grabbing a toothbrush from home, too?” “Sure. And maybe more than one change of clothes.” He tilted his head and mused out loud. “Think of it as an adventure.” Turning her back to him so that he could help her zip her dress, Jenny said softly, “That pretty much describes my entire life since I met you, Ashley Edwards.” He pulled the zipper up and wrapped his arm around her waist. She tilted her head back to look at him, noting the way his eyes danced. “I like to keep things interesting.” “That, you do.” She couldn’t resist the impulse to kiss him, leaning against his hard chest as the world was forgotten around them for the long seconds he kissed her back. When they parted, her pulse was thundering again, her body quivering just from the promise his embrace always held. “Now let’s motor.”

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About the Author Jamie Craig is the sum of two wholes: erotica writers Pepper Espinoza and Vivien Dean. Pepper has been writing since she was a child, but began her professional writing career in 2005 and now writes full time as well as attending graduate school and working toward a Masters in British and American Literature. A former resident of Los Angeles, she now lives in Utah. Vivien, the daughter of an author and sportswriter, also began writing at an early age, but eventually explored storytelling through acting and film production before coming back to prose. Vivien, her British husband and two children live in Northern California. To learn more about Jamie Craig, please visit www.jamie-craig.com. Send an email to Jamie at [email protected].

Look for these titles by Jamie Craig Now Available: Liaisons in Jubilee Craving Kismet

Coming Soon: Trinity Broken

Sometimes the truth is the greatest aphrodisiac.

Liaisons in Jubilee © 2007 Jamie Craig Available now at Samhain Publishing Katie Mayes is the Executive Manager for a large, east coast beach resort. Unfortunately, her boss has discovered her one secret—her seasonal flings with Caleb Beckett, the Entertainment Director for the resort. Company policy dictates no internal fraternization, especially between managers and their subordinates, so her boss gives Katie a choice. Caleb or her job. She avoids personal encounters with Caleb, until one fateful night a week before the resort’s big summer launch. Then, she runs into him at a local nightclub. When Caleb approaches her, she tries to give him the cold shoulder, but he follows her onto the dance floor where the music, her desire, and his persistence break her will. She claims it’s only one more night before they break it off completely, but Caleb insists on more. Far from an ending, he views the summer as their true beginning. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, spanking, light bondage. Enjoy the following excerpt for Liaisons in Jubilee: It didn’t matter if Caleb was speaking or singing. There was a velvet lilt to his voice that always sent a rush of warm electricity down the back of her neck. It might have been weeks since she’d felt him so close, months since she’d had him even closer, but the absence did nothing to lessen her body’s reaction to his presence. If anything, it seemed to have made it stronger. Her pussy clenched, and her skin heated, and she had to fight not to lean back against the hard wall of his body right then and there. Caleb still hadn’t moved by the time she set down her empty bottle. “Brilliant deduction,” she said, twisting around on her stool. He only moved enough not to get knocked over by her long legs, but it was still too close for Katie’s comfort. Resting her elbows against the bar, she looked anywhere but at his hungry eyes. “The crowd looks lively tonight. Lucky for me.” Caleb never looked away from her. She could almost feel the weight of his eyes. “Do you think anybody here could keep up with you?”

“Does it matter?” She risked a glance back at him, only to get caught by the sight of his full mouth. How many times had she lost herself while kissing him? Too many to count. The sudden thought of what his newly acquired facial hair would feel like against her inner thigh made her cheeks flame, and Katie jerked her attention back to the thrashing crowd. “It’s just dancing. It’s not like I’m taking the guy home to fuck his brains out.” “Oh, it’s never just dancing with you, Katie.” He leaned forward. “But if that’s what you want, I’ll give you a few turns around the floor.” Caleb smiled, managing to look charming and not at all lecherous. “Maybe you’ll change your mind about the second part.” She faltered for a fraction of a second. It was tempting—so tempting. She’d never known a man to move like Caleb, in and out of bed, and after all, it was just a dance, no matter what he might profess. Except there was her job to consider, and she was his boss, and any concession now had the possibility of being disastrous later. Katie slid off the stool and met his gaze without wavering. “I’m not going to change my mind,” she said. He stood so close that their bodies brushed against each other as she headed for the dance floor. She didn’t need to find a partner before she got there. Experience told her she wouldn’t be alone for long once she started moving. She watched Caleb from the corner of her eye as he slipped onto the dance floor. She tried to avoid him, but he adjusted his body, weaving with the rhythm and sliding between the writhing bodies that surrounded her. He positioned himself behind her, gripping her hips lightly. It felt like the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Though her first instinct was to push him away, Katie knew that would start a scene she wasn’t prepared to follow through with. Coming to the Wooden Nickel might give her a measure of anonymity, but if she got involved in a commotion, it would spread along the boardwalk faster than wildfire. And she knew Caleb. He wouldn’t let something like attracting attention stop him. Hell, he was a performer at heart. He’d take that attention and use it to his advantage. So she went with it. She didn’t have a choice. Within seconds, though, the heat of the room and the throb of the music and the buzz from the beer made her initial concerns dissolve away. Her arm coiled up and around to caress Caleb’s neck, her eyes fluttering shut so that she could focus on the pure physical pleasure suffusing her body. Caleb knew exactly how to fit against her, and somehow, knowing they were his hands holding her against him just spurred Katie to grind her ass back into his burgeoning erection.

Caleb followed her lead on the floor, and to her surprise, kept his hands firmly on her hips, instead of allowing them to wander over her curves. His body was so hot against hers and it was impossible not to let her mind drift to the very thing she said she wasn’t going to do. But for the moment, she was happy to dance with him, to feel the rhythm of his hips, to feel the life pulsing from him with each step. The music shifted from the upbeat tempo to something slow and sensual. Caleb tightened his grip and began directing her, leading her into the new tempo. Gradually, Katie became aware of the other guys drifting away, and she opened her eyes to the swirling lights, wondering what in hell she was doing. So what if Caleb moved like liquid fire against her? So what if she felt like she was going to explode just from the firm caress of his hands? She was asking to get burned by letting him do this. Twisting in his arms, Katie meant to walk away, but his searing gaze kept her pinned against his chest, just as effectively as his hard hands. She leaned forward, her breasts crushing to him with a familiar ache, and settled her mouth at his ear. It took a moment to say the words. His scent made her mouth go dry and she had to swallow more than once in order to find her voice again. “Quentin knows,” she breathed. “So? Is he the jealous sort?” Caleb joked. When she didn’t smile, the light in his eyes dimmed, and he managed to look like he might be taking this seriously. “What did he say to you?” “He gave me an ultimatum. You or my job.” She couldn’t resist. It only took turning her head the scantest of inches to trail her mouth along his jaw. “You think anything else could’ve kept me away?”

Roping the naughty girl is all fun and games until someone falls in love.

Knotty Girl © 2007 Maggie Casper Available now at Samhain Publishing Shelby Langley was not sub, slave or Mistress, she was merely kinky. Point her to a BDSM club where she could watch and experience pretty much anything the mind could conjure, without the tangled web of an actual relationship, and she was in orgasmic bliss. Long into the lifestyle, Craig Jensen was able to spot a submissive in denial from a mile away. Usually he left them be to find their own way, only keeping an eye out for their safety while on his turf, but there was something about the sweet, young blonde who had a love for rope bondage that called for him to claim her as his own. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, anal play and an overall spanking good time. Enjoy the following excerpt for Knotty Girl: She tasted sweet and hot, a mixture so erotic he felt an inexplicable need to go deeper, get closer, claim her for his own no matter the cost to either of them. It was Shelby’s whispered plea announcing the impending orgasm about to rack her body that finally pulled Craig from the depths of her cream-soaked cunt. “Not yet, little one. Hold it back.” She thrashed as much as the ties binding her would allow. Craig could only guess at what her frenzied movements were causing the rope still imprisoning her nipples to do. “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t…” The chanted words as well as the bunching and tightening of her thigh muscles against his palms told Craig just how close she was to coming. He continued to work her clit and the pretty pink folds now swollen with desire. Deepening his voice, Craig warned, “Don’t you dare come without permission.” His words didn’t seem to penetrate the fog of heat and need shrouding her, preparing her for the climax rapidly building in every cell of her body. Craig slowed his torment of her clit. Once again lifting his mouth from her core, he spoke. “Look at me.” His words insisted she listen, demanded it.

Her head rolled back and forth on the pillow. Each languid circle his finger made around her clit caused her to shiver anew. “Now, Shelby!” Something in the tone of his voice finally broke through whatever barrier surrounded her, causing Shelby to lift her head slightly, just enough for him to pin her with his gaze. “You will do as I ask, Shelby, so concentrate.” She was going to kill him. Kill him and gut him and feed his balls to the wild animals. Of course, in order to do that he would have to stop and God only knew that was the last thing she wanted. His finger passed across the ultra-sensitive swell of her clit, stealing her breath. The single torturous digit slowed for a brief second, just enough that she could catch her breath, before starting over. Around and around it went in ever-narrowing circles until once again moving right over her clit. No longer could she think, understand or acknowledge what was happening to her. The only thing her body and mind would allow was for her to feel. Every nerve ending was alive. Sensation so piercingly intense washed over her and for a minute Shelby thought she might faint from the overwhelming need for completion. When the first peak of her orgasm got so close Shelby knew there was no holding it back, a strangled cry burst from her lips. Without thought to her actions, she shifted her hands from the headboard to the apex of her thighs, an unconscious plan to anchor them on Craig’s head, to hold him where he was so she could ride the wave of her release with the warmth of his breath upon her. Her impending climax ranked right up there with all things too good to be true. Before the first crest could cause her to tumble over, a sharp sting to her inner thigh pulled her from the warm crashing waves of what would surely have been the most intense release of her life. To say she was pissed would be putting it mildly. It took a second for Shelby to gather her wits and realize the sting had come from an open-palmed swat delivered by Craig’s hand, but when she did, the fight was on. “What the fuck did you do that for?” Not planned in the least and yet said all the same, the words tumbled from her mouth. Shelby’s hair stuck to her face, uncomfortably irritating her more. The expression on Craig’s face warned Shelby she’d made a terrible mistake.

“Are you using your safe word?” Menacingly low, his voice promised punishment. And yet, there was no inner argument, no worries for her physical well being. “No.” “You disobeyed by moving your hands. Your punishment was a swat to your thigh. The extent of your outburst will cost you even more.” Craig edged off the bed. It sounded as if he was rustling through his bag but from her bound vantage point, Shelby could not see what he was doing. The not knowing made her nervous, even a bit scared. Not enough to safe-word out or ask Craig what he was doing, but frightened nonetheless. When he returned, his hands were full. Of what, Shelby had no idea. Without so much as a word, he eased back onto the bed, this time to sit between her widespread thighs. She lifted her head from the mattress, wanting to know what he was doing. The view to greet her eyes caused a spiral of sensations to cascade one after another across her flesh. His brown eyes bore into her as he tore open a box, removing a new purple butt plug, one that appeared to be ominously wide. He proceeded to spread lube across its tip. Shelby wasn’t sure whether she was tugging at her bonds in an attempt to gain her freedom or beg him to hurry the hell up. All she managed was a whimper of anguished need when he placed a single finger over the swollen bud of her clit. “You belong to me right now, Shelby. Unless you safe-word out you will be experiencing a crash course in control. This…” Craig held up the lube-glistening plug for her inspection, “…will remind you with every movement of your body, with every thrust of my finger into your weeping pussy, to obey me.”

Can a jaded lawyer and a reformed criminal really find true love in the tropics?

Fijian Fling © 2007 Sami Lee Available now at Samhain Publishing Dumped by her boyfriend and on thin ice in her law career, Sophie Edison badly needs to re-evaluate her life. She escapes to her favorite hideaway on the tropical island of Fiji, where the attentions of the resort owner – the enigmatic and lethally sexy Dominick ‘Nick’ Dufour – prove a temptation too great to resist. Nick’s obvious desire to take her to bed is just the salve her battered confidence needs, and she embarks on an affair that leads her to unchartered waters. Before long she starts to wonder if she can ever go back to her old life. Nick has lusted after Sophie for years. When she turns up at his secluded resort alone for the first time he wastes no time in making her his lover. Sophie is his perfect match in bed, and in the ocean and the shower…but although he might long for something more, Nick knows theirs is just a holiday fling. For he is keeping the secret of his checkered past from Sophie and it could prove the ultimate deal breaker… Enjoy the following excerpt for Fijian Fling: Nick’s cabin was set higher than the guest bungalows, on a plateau accessible only by a narrow wooden staircase that passed through lush tropical vegetation. The view from the deck was spectacular and Sophie took a minute to appreciate it as Nick pushed open his front door. Soon his heat enveloped her as he wrapped her in his arms and pressed his lips to her neck. “This place is so beautiful,” Sophie sighed, enjoying the moment. “You’re beautiful,” Nick countered, the strain in his voice reminding her why she was here. He ran his tongue over her skin. “You’re also salty.” Sophie tried to sound flippant over the lump of anticipation clogging her throat. “You don’t like salt?” “I like the idea of you in my shower more. Come on.” He took her by the hand and led her inside. Sophie barely registered the rattan and white furnishings, the assortment of bachelor clutter—fishing poles and discarded footballs—inhabiting the room. She went willingly

with Nick to the small bathroom at the back of the cabin. The shower stall was twice as long as an ordinary stall and lined with functional white tile. Nick drew back the clear plastic shower curtain and leaned in to run the water. Heart thumping wildly, Sophie realized that she’d never actually showered with a man before. Brad and she had always respectfully allowed each other privacy to conduct their ablutions alone. She had a feeling that the remainder of her holiday was going to be full of new experiences. The thought sent an excited shudder through her. Her excitement only intensified when Nick turned back to her and gave her a slow, devilish smile as he ripped open the Velcro fly on his boardshorts and casually slipped them down his hips. “Any time you want to join me,” he offered and stepped under the spray. Sophie gulped. She was almost afraid to lower her gaze, knowing Nick was naked. Intense curiosity won out over modesty in the end. Her mouth lost all moisture. His backside was pure steely muscle, the skin olive, lighter in tone than the rest of him. He turned around and she gasped at the sight of his shaft protruding magnificently proud from the thatch of glossy dark hair at the juncture of his thighs. His member was long and smooth, gloriously thick and erect. Lust pooled in her middle, sliding down until wet heat gathered in her bikini bottoms. Sophie wanted to tell him to forget the shower, to move straight to the part where he worked that stiff piston inside her, stretching her muscles in delicious new ways she’d thought she’d never experience. But she wouldn’t know how to ask for such a thing if she were game, so she reached for the tie of her bikini top and released the knot. She felt Nick’s eyes on her as she discarded her bikini, something wickedly thrilling about undressing in full view of a naked, hungry man. By the time she stepped into the shower stall she was painfully aroused. Nick was rubbing a bar of soap in slow circles over his chest. Sophie watched, mesmerized as the water washed the suds down his body until they pooled in his thick pubic hair. “Do you like what you see?” The arrogant satisfaction in his voice told her he already knew the answer. But Sophie said, “Yes.” “Does watching me turn you on?” Sophie could hardly get the words out. “Oh, yes.” Her enthusiasm elicited a groan from him, then a command. “Touch me, Sophie.”

She reached out and tentatively touched her fingers to his solid pectorals. His chest hair was a thick, damp pelt, an erotic sensation against her fingertips. More boldly she threaded her fingers through it. There was something intensely masculine about Nick’s abundantly haired chest that made her feel more feminine in an intrinsically primitive way. Just touching him made her breasts feel tight. “Lower,” Nick demanded and Sophie immediately complied. She moved her hands down over his flat abdomen and out to his hips. Her fingers brushed the taut flesh of his buttocks and thighs. Nick groaned at her slow examination, discarding the soap. His fingers speared through her wet hair. “Touch my cock, baby. Please.” His rasped please sent Sophie’s excitement into overdrive. Moaning, she gripped him, his width filling her hand. He was slick with soap, and Sophie slid her hand down to the base of his member until her fingers touched his balls. She fondled him gently. Nick’s hips bucked. “Fuck!” He grasped her hand, crushing her fingers around his cock. He held her hand still, his chest heaving. She felt him pulse against her palm. “Do you like sucking cock, Sophie?” His question made her gasp. She’d always approached the act with dispassion. But right now she could hardly wait to taste him, to fill her mouth with him. She licked her lips. “I’d like to suck you.”

Samhain Publishing, Ltd. It’s all about the story… Action/Adventure Fantasy Historical Horror Mainstream Mystery/Suspense Non-Fiction Paranormal Red Hots! Romance Science Fiction Western Young Adult www.samhainpublishing.com

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