Текст книги "Traded"

Автор книги: Rebecca Brooke

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

CHAPTER 21

Ashton

The awe in Elena’s voice made everything worth it. No one had ever bothered to treat her like a princess. My dad read me like a book the first night I brought Elena to his house for dinner—something about her called to me. I didn’t know what, I didn’t know why. I just knew. At first I told myself that it was all about saving her, but the reality was she’d found a way past the barriers I put up.

I watched her as we sat there waiting for the sun to come up, studying the curve of her jaw, the way her hair flowed around her, thinking Elena was beauty and elegance wrapped into one package but she didn’t realize it. It baffled me.

The sun continued its ascent and Elena sat watching, completely enthralled. All I wanted was my hands somewhere on her body; it didn’t matter where, as long as I was touching. I could have tried to tell myself it was about the feel of her body, the sex, but I knew it wasn’t. Every moment I spent with Elena, I found myself changing, becoming a man worthy of being with her.

I had so much more planned for the day: hiking, lunch in a fabulous restaurant not far from the park, then a quick plane ride back for the baseball game. I decided against taking her to the box; too many bad memories. They were things she might have to face eventually, but she didn’t have to deal with it yet. Not on our date, anyway. To avoid this, I’d bought seats behind the dugout, on the first base line. If she really wanted to watch the game, there were no better seats.

Thinking about the box, and everything it signified, brought my mood low. At some point I needed to decide if this was something I could keep doing for my dad. Did I want to continue to be the loan shark, or simply be the restaurateur and chef? Was it possible to do both?

The sun had fully risen in the sky. Elena turned her head to face me. “Thank you,” she said softly, placing a brief kiss on my lips.

“You’re so very welcome.”

She turned to gaze back over the summit. “Do we have to leave yet?”

“Nope.” I stood and reached my hand down to her and helped her to her feet. “I thought we might do a little hiking first.”

I produced a water bottle each and the smile on her lips was brighter than the newly emerged sun.

“Are you ready?” I asked, watching her take in her surroundings.

“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”

For the next few hours we hiked different trails, sticking to the easier ones. Elena hadn’t hiked before and I was afraid one of the harder trails might be too much. About an hour in, we stopped for a drink of water and to rest our legs for a moment.

Seated on the rock below mine, she looked up at me. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

She gestured to my face with the water bottle. “The glasses.”

“What about them?”

“Well, I noticed on the plane you weren’t wearing them while you were reading. You had them on top of your head.”

“Oh.” I chuckled. “I don’t need them for seeing things up close, only things in the distance. It’s just easier to wear them all of the time than only when I need to see far away.”

“Well, that makes sense.” She lifted her bottle to her lips again, taking a sip of the water and I was glad that she was no longer speaking because all I could think about was how much I wanted those lips wrapped around my dick.

Later, Ashton. Be patient.

“What about contacts?”

I snapped myself out of my fantasies. “Never had much luck with them. I own a set, but after a few hours they’re not very comfortable.” I wouldn’t mention my slightly narcissistic side. I knew many women had a thing for men with glasses—stylish glasses at least.

“Shall we finish up and head back to the car? I have more surprises planned.”

Her gaze snapped to mine. “More?”

“Yep. The first is a special place for lunch but you’ll see when we get there.”

“Okay.” Her smile was infectious and I found myself grinning inanely, something I didn’t do a lot.

It took us about a half an hour to reach the car. I loaded the bag into the back seat and climbed in the driver side. Elena had already climbed in the car before I had the chance to open her door.

“What did you think?” I asked as I drove down to the restaurant.

“It was perfect. I can’t think of a better reason to get up at three in the morning.” She paused and smirked. “Well, maybe one other reason . . .”

“Elena,” I groaned. “If you keep up with those comments, I’m going to pull the car over.”

When her hand landed on my thigh, I stopped the car on the side of the road, looking over at her and trying to remember all the reasons I shouldn’t push her.

But goddamn . . .

She’d removed the sweatshirt during the hike. The T-shirt she wore only defined her breasts even more, right down to the hard nipples, visible through the thin fabric.

The blood raced to my cock and reason flew out the window. Putting the car in drive I turned down a deserted side street and pulled over as far into the trees as possible. Without a word, I got out of the car and jogged around to her side, yanking open the door and popping her belt, hauling her out of the car. Her eyes flashed as I spun her around and pushed her torso down on the seat.

“I warned you,” I whispered, my hand snaking between us to unbutton and unzip her jeans.

“Please,” she begged.

Dipping my hand past the waistband of her panties, I sunk my fingers into her. I nipped her earlobe. “You’re already dripping wet for me.”

My fingers continued to slip through her body’s juices. I locked her wrists in one of my hands, thoughts of dropping her pants right then and fucking her senseless crossing my mind. Instead, I plunged two fingers inside, rocking them in and out of her body, creating a delicious friction that I wished was on my dick and not my fingers.

She moaned from the back of her throat, pushing back against my fingers.

“Harder?”

“Oh God, please.”

“Only ’cause you said please.”

Done with the foreplay, both of our bodies screaming to connect, I pushed her pants down to her knees. Lowering my own zipper, I freed my cock and pulled a couple strokes off before I thrust forward. Her body clenched around mine, pulling me in deep, creating a sensation that made me half demented with need.

“That’s it,” she groaned.

My body slammed into hers hard and fast, each thrust making my cock leak and beg for relief as I brought her up and over the edge with me, coming hard, over and over again into her body.

“Ashton,” she said, her body collapsing on the seat.

A quick hard fuck: exactly what I needed before I brought her home tonight and introduced her to more of the fun things I kept in my bedroom.

Our bodies still connected, I slowly pulled out and tucked myself back into my jeans. Elena stood, her eyes widening as she took in our surroundings.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe we just did that on the side of the road—in broad daylight!” she said, quickly righting her clothes.

I wound my arm around her, drawing her up against my body. “Oh, sweetheart, there are so many ways I want to and will take you. This is just the start.”

“I’ve never done anything like this.” She blushed furiously.

“I know. And I’m so happy that you’re doing it all with me.”

“Ashton, I—” I covered her lips with my own.

“Don’t say anything. Just enjoy the moment.” I gave her ass a quick slap. “Now get in the car and stop distracting me.”

Elena raised her brows, but climbed into the car without another word. We both buckled up and I made a quick U-turn and put us back on the road to the restaurant. A soft, rumbling sound came from the passenger side of the car.

“Hungry?” I asked, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.

“Starved.” She rubbed her hand over her stomach. “The protein bar wore off. I need real food.”

“Good thing we’re on our way to eat.”

“Definitely.”

Elena had completely overcome her need to eat salads and small portions. Gone were the days when she had to worry about the overweight prick convincing her she weighed too much. She had a wide-ranging palate and was always willing to try something new, even if she thought it didn’t sound appetizing. I’d decided against taking her away from the Grand Canyon. For Elena, it wasn’t about the number of stars the restaurant had; she was more concerned with the atmosphere. Not to say she didn’t enjoy fine dining, but a fancy restaurant didn’t fit the day’s plans.

Driving into the lot, I found a parking space and Elena stared at the building before us. Designed like a hunting lodge, the restaurant was rustic and had a log cabin type of feel. The place was rumored to have the most spectacular view of the Grand Canyon, besides being on one of the trails.

She looked over at me. “This doesn’t seem like your normal choice of restaurant.”

“It’s not, if I were in the city but we, my dear, are in the middle of the desert. It seemed like the perfect place for lunch.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Well then, let’s go inside and see if it’s as perfect as you think.”

Her eyes lit up. “Let’s go.”

I led her inside. We were quickly seated. The place had the same decor inside as it did out. Rustic hunting lodge meets sit down dining. Elena gushed over everything she saw, even the animal heads mounted high on the walls.

The waitress was prompt in taking our order, something I appreciated, and quickly brought us our drinks. Elena picked up the bottle of beer, turning it around in her hand.

“I thought you preferred dark beers?”

Taking a sip, I savored the taste of the local brewery. “I do, but sometimes local brewed beers taste even better. Try it.” I nodded toward the bottle.

She lifted it to her lips, drinking down the liquid. “Oh, that’s really good.”

“I told you.”

Elena peeked up at me through her lashes. “Is it going to be bad, you missing so many days of work to spend time with me?”

I shook my head. “Not at all. Remember I own the restaurants; I can be out a few days. Besides, everyday you’ve been at rehearsals, I’ve been working. These are your last few days off before the show begins. I want you to enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you,” she said simply.

“Are you excited about the start of the show?”

She beamed. “I am. I never thought I’d be up there under the lights. After Dominic and I got married it didn’t seem possible. Now here I am, a few days from taking the stage.”

Her excitement was contagious. I already had plans for that night, but was keeping it all a secret. “Yeah, Alan still curses me out every time I see him for not bringing you to him sooner. I’m excited to see your first performance.”

“You’re coming?”

“I have front row seats.”

“But . . . I’m really excited . . . but I don’t want you to feel like you have to go.”

“Elena, have you ever known me to do something I didn’t want to do?”

I thought she might say something about the conversation we had the other night about our parents, but she left it alone. “No. Unless you count getting stuck with me.”

Covering her hand with mine, I got lost in her eyes for a moment. “I didn’t get stuck with you. If I hadn’t wanted to help you, I wouldn’t have taken Dominic’s offer. I would have dealt with him the way I normally handle that situation. And, I want to see you up there. Trust me when I tell you that.”

“I do trust you,” she said, solemnly.

Our food arrived not long after and we slipped into easy conversation. I still didn’t understand the connection with Elena. She’d been so shy in the beginning, now there she sat, offering me her trust. It was perfectly obvious at that point—I wanted Elena even after the three months were up. I had to come clean, but how?

Was it about getting her away from Tolley? Hell fucking yes. But more than that, I wanted her for myself, even if I couldn’t define it, or knew what that meant.

“I want to go and see Gretchen sometime next week.”

The only thing I knew about Gretchen was that she worked with Elena at the diner. They’d been friends since Elena started there three years ago, and the smart woman continually pushed for her to leave Tolley.

“Okay. I’m guessing she’ll be glad to know I’m not keeping you locked up somewhere.”

She giggled, the sound rushing over me. “I told her you weren’t some crazy creep when I called to tell her I was taking some time off.” She gave me a pointed look.

She’d been upset the night I told her I’d talked to her boss at the diner and told him she was resigning, although, she’d tried to hide it. I explained that I wanted to help her find something better. At the time, I hadn’t known how good she was at acting. I never imagined she’d be working downtown in one of the theaters.

“That sounds like a good idea. You can tell her all about your new job. When are you going to meet her?”

“I was thinking that I’d meet her at the diner in a day or two.”

That caught my attention. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” I knew Tolley lived only a few blocks from the diner, and if he knew she was there he might visit, starting shit when I wouldn’t be there to protect her.

“Why wouldn’t it be? I worked there for years.”

“Yes, but at that time you weren’t considering getting a divorce.”

She shrugged. “I’m stronger than I was.”

That certainly was the truth, but . . .

“Elena, please don’t take this the wrong way, because you are a hell of a lot stronger than you were, but you haven’t seen him since the night he left you with me. I have, and trust me when I say there’s nothing you need to hear from his mouth.”

Her eyes flashed. “You don’t think I can stand up to him?”

There was a small piece of me that worried she might cave if he pulled the same bullshit as the other night. Then again, I knew she needed to do it for her to ever be completely free of him. “No, it’s not that. He’s a complete asshole and I don’t want you to have to deal with him. If it were up to me, I’d keep you as far away from the fucker as possible.”

The tension left her shoulders. “Yeah, I’d like to never see him again, but that’s not realistic. We live in the same city—I could see him anywhere. And like you said, I’ll probably have to see him for the divorce proceedings.”

The thought of it made me want to punch something. Not that I had any idea how any of that shit worked, but I’d be doing my research. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it. How about you invite Gretchen to La Tratoria for lunch? Then she can meet me—see for herself that I’m not some pervert, holding you hostage for sexual favors.”

She laughed and I knew we were in the clear again. I hadn’t meant to get her all pissed off on a day where my goal was to impress her.

“How about Thursday?”

“I can do that. I’ll set up the table myself.” I lifted her hand from the table to my lips.

“That was delicious,” she said, setting her napkin down on her now empty plate.

“Well, we did work up an appetite.”

“That we did.”

As far as she’d come, I still enjoyed the slightly shy woman who appeared every so often. It was both adorable and sexy—a very interesting combination. When the waitress brought the check, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to John to have the plane ready to head back home. There was still more to come, but I wanted to get Elena home to rest for a bit first.

I paid the bill and stood with my hand out. “Ready?”

CHAPTER 22

Elena

“Where to now?”

“Back to the airport.”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I was slightly disappointed that the day was over. Ashton probably needed to be at one of the restaurants that night. “Okay.”

He laughed. “You can get that look off your face. I have other stuff planned for tonight, but first I want to take you home. You need a nap. I did get you up at the crack of dawn.”

“You can say that again.”

He led me out to the jeep and we took off for the airport. John was waiting for us when we pulled up to the hanger. He didn’t spend more than a few minutes talking to Ashton. The flight back seemed longer, maybe because I spent it curled up against Ashton instead of sleeping, but it was a much more enjoyable way to spend the flight.

Well, second to sex in the air.

When we arrived back at the house, I followed after Ashton, who was entirely too energetic given the amount of sleep he’d had, dragging my heels. A yawn escaped my lips.

“I have a few phone calls to make. Why don’t you go and rest? I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Ashton followed me up the stairs. For a moment I thought he was going to try something, but then he pulled back the sheets and helped me in, pulling them up and over my shoulders, tucking me in. It was a sweet gesture.

“How long before I have to get ready,” I asked sleepily.

“A few hours. I’ll be up to join you as soon as I make sure everything is ready for tonight.”

And as exhausted as I was, I barely saw Ashton leave the room before my lids grew heavy and I drifted off to sleep.



A buzzing noise came from the dresser. It took me a minute to realize it was Ashton’s phone. I opened my eyes and saw him reach out and shut off the sound. The sky was still light, but nowhere near as bright as it had been earlier.

“What time is it?”

I heard the familiar sound of his hand tapping around on top of the table, looking for his glasses. His hand finally smacked them and the bed moved as he rolled to his side. “Five.”

“I guess we need to get up.”

Reaching out, he curled his body around mine. “As much as I want to strip you naked, there’ll be time for that later. You can get in the shower first.”

“Okay.” I sat up and looked at him. “Any clues as to what I should put on?”

“Something casual. I’m wearing a pair of cargo shorts. Not sure if you’ll be cold later on tonight.”

What does he have up his sleeve this time?

“I’m guessing we’ll be outside again?”

“You guessed right. Just throw on a tank top for now. I have something for you to wear.”

“Another surprise? You’re spoiling me.”

His hand came up to caress my face. “You deserve to be spoiled, and I like doing it.”

“I like that it’s you spoiling me,” I said, not looking at him. Truth was, I was a little embarrassed about just how much he was doing. I didn’t lie—I loved that he wanted to spoil me. I just didn’t quite understand why.

I wondered how it was going to feel when I left. Ashton hadn’t mentioned me staying and no matter how connected I thought we were, I’d never assume that he’d want me there. It would be very easy to get used to all the trappings of this lifestyle.

I grabbed a white tank and a pair of jean shorts and closed myself in the bathroom, the whole time feeling Ashton’s gaze on my body. Whatever he had planned, I was sure it included naked time together.

After my shower, I dressed quickly and finished drying my hair before stepping out of the bathroom. In the first week or so after leaving Dominic, it felt weird to care about my appearance. Even taking more than ten minutes to get dressed caught me off guard. I’d learned that I enjoyed taking the time to look nice, not for anyone else, but for myself. It made me feel more confident.

Ashton sat on the edge of the bed, a box in his hands. He wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a simple white T-shirt. Not what I expected. He lifted the box up.

“I want you to wear this tonight.”

Curious, I took the box from him and removed the bow holding it closed. Inside the box sat a purple Rockies T-shirt. Taking the shirt from the box, thoughts of the last time I stepped foot into the stadium flashed before me. Without a word, I pulled the tank top over my head and switched it for the T-shirt. It fit perfectly. I noticed Ashton had also pulled on a jersey.

“Ready?” he asked, watching me.

“I guess.”

Did I want to go back to place where everything I knew got turned on its head? It might have been for the better, but that didn’t mean I wanted to remember the things that were said in that room. Things I’d worked really hard in the last two months to overcome.

“You’re nervous,” he muttered.

“Kind of.” I stared off into the corner of the room.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you we’re not going to the box tonight?”

My eyes snapped to his.

“Because we’re not.”

My stomach settled and filled with excitement; the same excitement I’d felt the first night I thought I’d get to see a game. I pushed those thoughts aside. Had it not been for that night I wouldn’t be with Ashton now.

“Then, I’m very ready.”

He held his hand out for me. “Let’s go.”

The entire ride to the stadium, my knee bounced up and down, only stopping when Ashton lay his hand on my thigh, sliding it up to the hem of my shorts. The air was still hot, and my body grew even hotter with each one of Ashton’s caresses.

Walking into the stadium was even more nerve-racking than I’d expected. Even knowing we were heading to different seats, I couldn’t stop the slight tremble of my hand. Ashton gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as he led us down the stairs.

He led me passed rows and rows of seats until I finally realized where he was taking me.

“We’re sitting behind the dugout?”

The corners of his mouth curved up. “I figured if you’ve never been to a game then you needed to have the perfect view.”

We took our seats directly behind the dugout on the first base line, or at least that was how Ashton described it to me. For me, someone who didn’t really understand baseball, they were just seats but Ashton went out of his way to explain things.

As great a view as we had, I was having more fun watching the Jumbotron; at least, until the kiss cam started. Not in a million years did I expect the camera to end up on us, but with the way Ashton made sure to lean toward me the entire night, I should have.

The second our faces appeared on the big screen, Ashton ran his hand up around my nape, bringing my lips to his. The moment his tongue slipped into my mouth the stadium around us fell away. His thumb lightly tickled my neck, sending sparks everywhere. It wasn’t until the catcalls started around us that we finally broke the kiss.

Ashton’s face didn’t move far from mine. “Now the whole world knows how badly I want you.”

Emotions I didn’t want to acknowledge filled me. How I wished that Ashton felt more than a desire to have me in his bed. In reality, it was a pipe dream. I wouldn’t let it ruin what happened to be the best day of my life. Ashton had planned the perfect date. Smiling, I stole a brief kiss and cuddled into the crook of his arm to watch the game.

After the seventh inning stretch, I excused myself to head to the ladies room. The Rockies were only ahead by one run and I didn’t want to miss too much of the game. Dodging the people heading for beer and food, I was a few steps away from the restroom when someone grabbed my arm, jerking me to a stop.

“When I said you should spread your legs for Ashton, I didn’t mean you should practically fuck him in public,” a familiar voice snarled in my ear.

My head snapped around.

“Dominic?” I squeaked. It pissed me off that I let him affect me like this, but the shock of seeing him sent my mind into a frenzy. He yanked my arm and I was trapped, caught in his gaze. His eyes were cold. “Maybe I need to remind you who you belong to.”

Before I had a chance to respond, his mouth came down on mine in a bruising kiss. It might have been the first time Dominic had kissed me in at least five years, but it wasn’t done out of love. That kiss was meant to punish and degrade me. Shock held me immobile, until he tried to stick his tongue in my mouth. Shoving at him with all my strength, I managed to push him off of me.

“What are you doing?” I wiped my hand across my lips, trying to get rid of his touch.

He sneered. “Reminding you who you’ll be coming home to in two weeks.”

I shook my head, taking a step back. “No.”

“No, what?” he snapped.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I took another step back. “I’m filing for divorce.”

“What?” he shouted, a vein pulsing at his temple.

The sight of his hands clenched into fists kicked in my fight or flight response, but when I tried to move I couldn’t because I was backed into the wall; the sound of cheers erupting in the stadium drowned out by the sound of the pounding of my heart.

Dominic grabbed my arms, pulling me toward the exit.

“You’re mine. There will be no divorce.” His voice sent chills down my spine and everything instinct I’d fought so hard to quash during the two months I’d been away returned in full force.

“What are you doing?” someone yelled from behind me.

“We’re not done,” he snarled, giving me a shove and I fell backward, hitting the ground awkwardly. I wrapped my arms around myself, watching him take off as two guys ran over.

“Are you okay,” the taller one asked.

“I am,” I answered, carefully hiding my trembling hands. “Just an ex who doesn’t understand he’s an ex.”

“Do you need us to walk you back to your seat?” the other chimed in.

I shook my head. All I wanted was to get back to Ashton as quick as possible. “No. I’m pretty sure you guys scared him away. Thank you.” I forced a smile, hoping to make it more convincing.

The tall one looked around, scanning the crowd. “If you’re sure. Can I at least walk you to your section?”

“I’m right across the concourse.”

Forgetting about the ladies room, I let them lead me across the way to my section, my eyes darting everywhere, wondering if Dominic had really left, or if he was somewhere nearby, watching me.

“Be careful,” they said and I nodded before walking through the entry and down the stairs toward my seat.

“You missed—” Ashton looked over at me and froze. “What happened?” His eyes searched mine.

“Nothing.” I linked my fingers through his. “Let’s watch the game.”

“Don’t pull that shit, Elena. Look at you—you’re shaking. Something happened and I want to know what it is.” His tone left no room for argument.

I swallowed and my voice shook as I said, “I ran into Dominic.”

“Jesus Christ.”

He lifted his hands to touch me and I couldn’t help it; I flinched.

“Fuck.”

His hands dropped to his sides but I could see the tension in his body. He took a deep breath then asked, “Are you okay?”

I shook my head.

“Okay,” he said, but his voice was so low I knew he wasn’t talking to me. “I’ve dealt with him enough to know that you don’t just run into Dominic without him saying something stupid. Want to tell me what he said?”

“He . . . umm . . .”

Ashton reached up and pushed the stray hair out of my face and behind my ear. I wasn’t entirely comfortable but I allowed it, knowing that he wouldn’t hurt me.

“Elena, it’s okay. I’m right here. I won’t let him get to you again.”

Needing the comfort, I leaned into his side. “At first he yelled at me for kissing you on screen, then he kissed me.”

Ashton was out of his seat and halfway up the stairs before I could stop him. Leaving our things by our seats, I raced after him. He beat me to the concourse.

“Ashton!”

He stood about ten feet in front of me. The reflection on his glasses from the lights above was not enough to mask the cold determination in his eyes. Needing to be close to him, I ran over and slipped my hand in his.

“Don’t leave me,” I begged. I didn’t care how desperate I sounded. I didn’t want to be alone. And I definitely didn’t want him doing anything stupid.

When he turned to me his features softened. “I won’t leave you, but I also won’t stand by and let that prick put his lips on you.”

“I told him I was filing for divorce.”

“You did?” Ashton’s face was a mixture of confusion and wonder. He paused for a second, thinking something over before he asked, “How did he take it?”

“He said he wouldn’t allow that and pushed me up against the wall near the ladies’ room.”

He ground his teeth together. “I’m going to kill that bastard when I get my hands on him.”

I was still freaked out and just wanted to push it out of my mind. Focusing on the fun we’d had would help. “It’s been a perfect day. Can we just watch the game and worry about Dominic later?”

Ashton took my face in his hands, placing the sweetest, softest kiss ever on my lips. “Okay. Let’s go.” He took my hand and walked me back to our seats. I could see the tension in his shoulders, but knew he was trying to hide it—for me.

The second we sat down, Ashton pulled out his phone. His fingers flew across the keys as he sent text after text. A few minutes later, he put it away and sighed.

“We’re getting you self-defense lessons.”

I thought about arguing, but it couldn’t hurt. Even if I never had to use the skills I’d learn, knowing that I’d be able to overpower Dominic if he ever came at me again would give me some comfort. Ashton wouldn’t be around forever. It was the smart thing to do.

I nodded and Ashton turned his head back to the game.

There was only one inning left so it ended pretty quickly. Since it had been such a close game, people stayed all the way through, it took longer to get out of there. Once we reached the exit gate, I noticed Brock standing there waiting for us.

“Ashton. Elena. I hear you had some trouble tonight.”

“A bit,” I answered.

“Brock will drive us home. In case we have to deal with Dominic again, I don’t want you left alone.”

All of it sounded so possessive and protective. Ashton and I climbed into the backseat of the car and waited for Brock to pull out of the lot. Ashton sat so rigidly that it made me want to scream in frustration. I couldn’t let my problems ruin an absolutely wonderful day. I knew talking wouldn’t solve anything, but there was one thing that would help ease the tension.

I ran my hand up his leg, knee to thigh, my palm coming to rest over his zipper. His sharp intake of breath told me I was doing something right and I let my fingers slide down his other leg, then retraced my path. His hand covered mine.

“If you keep that up, we’ll give Brock a show,” he whispered in my ear.

The heat rose to my cheeks but was quickly forgotten as Ashton cupped my jaw and took possession of my lips. Opening my mouth, he slid his tongue inside, tasting every square inch. Absorbed in the kiss, I didn’t notice when we pulled up in front of the house until Ashton released my seatbelt and lifted me out of the car.

We made our way into the house and up the stairs. Heat blazed in his eyes when he finally set me down and I knew I’d succeeded in making him forget about Dominic, if only for the moment. Ashton’s mouth returned to mine as he lowered me to the bed.