Room for Two

  Dana frowned as she looked down at the text message from Ash. Obviously her meltdown that morning hadn’t changed anything in their business arrangement. She’d planned to end it after he’d pissed her off that morning but pride goeth before the fall and she needed the extra money that being his girlfriend brought in. But the sex . . . that shouldn’t happen again. It made things messy, and other than Paul, she tried not to double-dip. Knowing Ash, he wouldn’t be interested in a repeat anyway. Surely the incident with Brittany had taught him a lesson. So what if he’d been the best that she’d ever had? God willing, he’d never discover that. The man was conceited enough as it was.

  He’d definitely surprised her last night with the whole cuddling thing. And he’d remained wrapped around her all night. Maybe that was something he did with all of his women. It might explain why they were so confused and pissed the next morning when he tossed them out. That kind of intimacy could lead to expectations. Half of them were probably picking out their china patterns while they were using his toothbrush. Even she’d been a little off her game when she’d woken up plastered to his chest. She thought she might have felt him drop a kiss onto the top of her head at one point. She’d say he was naturally affectionate, but in her experience with him, that certainly wasn’t the case. She didn’t consider being called “fat” a term of endearment. Possibly he reserved stuff like that for her alone though.

  The only clear answer here was that they should never cross that line again. She didn’t intend to be one of his floozies. She’d wanted to take his head off that morning for offering to buy her pants. It seemed that already he was losing respect for her and flaunting his wealth. She might not have much in this world, but she had self-respect. Life had taught her the hard way that you could never depend on anyone because people would always let you down.

  Zoe was one of the very few people that she trusted. Thanks to her high school experience with bullies, she knew that help was rarely offered without an ulterior motive. Ash had simply been trying in his own way to pay her for sex, which was completely demeaning. It also was a way for him to let himself off the hook. Payment for services rendered.

  She’d made a mistake by letting their relationship cross over from a business arrangement into something more personal, and she’d remedy that immediately. So she quickly tapped out a reply that he should meet her at the bar down the street, and she hit Send. He probably expected to have a drink at the hotel, but she felt neutral turf gave them equal power. And she’d wear her work uniform. No sense in Ash thinking she was dressing for him. Come to think of it, she wouldn’t bother to brush her hair either. He’d get the natural version of Dana. That should send him running for the hills. He’d never been her biggest fan, and it was time to remind him of that fact. So with new determination, she locked up the shop and walked out to her car. It felt good to be back in control. He’d find that unlike most of the women he dated, she was totally immune to his charm. She had this, right? No problem.

  Was that Dana heading his way or a homeless person? Ash couldn’t help wondering if he had mistaken someone else for her when a vaguely familiar blond woman stopped next to his table. Her disheveled appearance included a stained shirt, hair that stood up in places, and pants covered in what looked to be flour. She even had smudges on her cheek as if she’d rubbed a dirty hand across her face countless times. So much for the smoking hot woman in the red dress from the previous night. “Hi. Did you come straight from work?” he asked with a smile plastered onto his face.

  “Oh no, I had time to go home and relax first,” she said brightly. “I’m glad you texted. I could really use another payday, ca-ching!” She said the last part so loudly that several people at nearby tables turned to stare at them.

  “Did you also have a few drinks while you were there?” Ash asked uncertainly. He thought he’d seen every side of Dana by now, but this was certainly a new one. She reminded him of the mean lunch lady he’d had in elementary school who tortured them if they opted for junk food over whatever the kitchen was serving. She usually looked as if she was wearing most of the meal on her outfit each day. She also tended to yell since it was rumored she was half deaf.

  “Nope.” She shrugged before flopping down into a chair opposite him and crossing her legs like a guy. She picked up a menu and it was then he noticed that she was chewing gum. She blew a bubble that covered most of her face and then popped it so loudly that it sounded like a gunshot. “So what’s good in this joint?”

  “How should I know?” he asked dryly. “You’re the one who picked it. I assumed you’d been here before.”

  “I have,” she said, nodding, “but I usually just drink my dinner, if ya know what I mean.” Before Ash could reply, their waitress showed up and he wanted to slink down in his seat and beg for divine intervention. Because naturally on the evening that Dana was acting stranger than usual, their server was someone that he’d slept with before. He hoped like hell she didn’t recognize him because he couldn’t remember her name. He was facing a situation that could get awkward in a hurry.

  He kept his head down, studying the menu. “What’ll you have, Dana?”

  “Hmmm, how about an order of hot wings? That sound good to you, Asher?” He wanted to cringe when she used his name.

  “Ash! I thought that was you. Where ya been, baby? I was just telling Marla that we should give you a call. We both had a blast that night after the concert. I thought you were moving back to South Carolina. Are you just here visiting someone?”

  Dana extended a hand to the other woman before she started speaking in a gushing tone. “You must be one of Ash’s girls. It’s great to meet you. I’m Dana, his sister.” He could only gape at her in shock as she continued to spin out a false story. “Ash, I can’t believe you didn’t let this lovely woman know that you live here now. What an oversight on your part.” She then proceeded to take a pen from her purse and write something on a napkin before handing it to her newfound friend. “This is Ash’s number in case you don’t already have it. Give him a call sometime. He’s been doing nothing but sitting at home because his last girlfriend has a scorching case of the crabs. But don’t you worry, Ash has been tested and there’s no sign of those suckers on him.”

  Ash was trying to decide if he wanted to laugh at her creativity or kill her when another voice joined in. “Damn, why didn’t you tell me, bro? I can’t believe I had to hear all about this in a bar from our . . . sister?” Ash turned to see his brother Rhett smirking down at him. He’d completely forgotten that he’d told him to join them if his flight got in early.

  “Yeah, it was news to me as well,” he muttered as the server scurried away.

  Instead of looking embarrassed, Dana seemed thrilled by the new addition to their table, which didn’t sit that well with Ash for some strange reason. “And who’s this?” She batted her eyes at Rhett.

  “Dana, this is my brother Rhett. He’s in town for a few days, but he’s based at the Miami resort.”

  Rhett gave Dana a smile that had Ash glowering at him. Then he made it even worse by taking the seat closest to her, instead of next to Ash. Not that he cared. He didn’t have any claims to her, nor did he want to have any serious claims on a woman. What did it matter if his brother was on the prowl? “I’ve heard my brothers mention you.” Rhett offered her a grin. “It’s good to put such a beautiful face with the name.”

  “Oh, I can only imagine what they’ve had to say.” Dana huffed out a sexy laugh. “I’m not exactly on either of their Christmas card lists. But I have to admit that Zoe was right. There isn’t an ugly Jackson among you, is there?”

  “Now you’re just trying to make me feel good.” Rhett chuckled. “I’ve always considered myself the mutt of the crowd.” Pointing to Ash, he added, “I’m not in the same league with this handsome devil here.”

  “He is pretty.” Dana shrugged. “But he knows it, which takes serious points away. So unless
you’ve slept your way through the entire state, you’re still ahead of him.”

  “I wouldn’t say the whole state,” Rhett mused, “but I’ll confess I’ve made the rounds in Miami. All work and no play, you know.” Then he put his hand over his heart and Ash thought he might barf when he said, “Now if I had the pleasure of seeing you each day, I’d have mended my ways long ago.”

  Ash knew he should find the whole thing laughable. There was Dana looking as if she hadn’t taken a bath or brushed her hair in a week, but dammit, she still looked hot sitting there making goo-goo eyes at his brother. And rather than being turned off by her unkempt appearance, Rhett was openly admiring her curvy frame and beautiful features. “Well, I’ll say one thing for you,” she purred, “you’ve certainly got the manners. The other two have their moments, but they’re assholes more often than not. Ash over there has spent the better part of the last year calling me as many versions of fat as he could come up with. And Dylan is constantly telling me to get on my broom and fly home.”

  Rhett looked faintly shocked when he glanced over at Ash. They might not have been raised by your typical strict or affectionate parents, but they certainly knew you didn’t speak to women in that manner. Rhett had always looked up to him, so Ash found himself wanting to make excuses when there really were none. He’d been a dick plain and simple. “I can’t speak for Dylan, but I have apologized,” he offered with his gaze trained on Dana. “I realize that it’ll never be enough, but not a day goes by that I don’t regret it. I hope you know that.”

  She seemed riveted by his words. And to his horror, he could see tears glistening in those beautiful eyes. But luckily the tough exterior, with which he’d become so well acquainted, kicked in and she blinked the moisture away. Once she’d composed herself, she told him in a sassy voice, “You’ll probably still go to hell for all that, but maybe the devil will give you time off for good behavior.”

  The next thing Ash knew, Rhett had thrown up his hand and called out, “High five, sis, you sure told him. If I’d known we had an awesome new sister, I’d have visited sooner. Ash never tells me the good stuff. Hey, Dana, have you ever thought of relocating to Miami? Just think, you’d be closer to the most charming brother and away from the jerks of the family. Something to consider, right?”

  “She is best friends with Zoe,” Ash snapped. “I think it’s highly unlikely she’s going to leave her for you. Plus, last time I checked, you were in a relationship with that yoga instructor.”

  Rhett shook his head. “Nope, that’s over. I think I was infatuated with all of those bendy moves she could do. But when the smoke cleared, she wasn’t the one for me. She was also a bit too territorial. I took a class she taught and she tossed another girl out for offering to show me how to do one of the poses. I thought there was going to be a catfight right there. It was freaking hot in a scary kind of way.”

  “Ah, that’s too bad.” Dana smiled sympathetically. “I’m in between people as well. Oh, unless you count Ash. But we’re seeing other people, aren’t we, baby?”

  Rhett looked between them, clearly intrigued. “Wait, so you’re dating?”

  Ash sat forward in his seat and did his best impersonation of a besotted fool. “Absolutely. Right, sweet cheeks? It’s a fairly new thing, but we’re happy. She does love to bust my balls like with that little scene you walked in on. Our waitress was a former—”

  “One-night stand?” Dana supplied helpfully. “Wait, she isn’t the one who peed on your towels, is she? But she did mention there being a friend who joined you, so probably not. I can’t believe Rosa hasn’t told me about them. Surely, there’s a story there.”

  “Damn.” Rhett whistled through his teeth. “Clearly your life is much more interesting than mine. And you live in Pensacola, where everyone goes to bed before the sun sets. How do you manage all this?”

  Before Ash could answer, Dana chimed in, “I’d say it has something to do with the company he keeps. When you troll for chicks at fast-food restaurants, you’re bound to have a few problems along the way. Of course, Brittany was a prime example of that. Do you know that she calls your brother ‘Ashey’? And sucks on his armpits in public? I had to pry her off him a few weeks ago. I was afraid she’d get some kind of deodorant poisoning if I didn’t remove her tongue from his body. Everyone in the place had their phones out recording it.”

  Rhett shook his head in disgust. “Dude, that’s nasty. I don’t think I envy you after all. I can’t believe what these people around here are into. Unless you’re gonna suggest Dana, I’ll pass on you setting me up with anyone.”

  “Well, it appears that you’re out of luck then.” Ash forced the words out through gritted teeth. “To start with, Dana is her own person and makes decisions for herself. And secondly, there’s no way I’ll be walking away so you should look elsewhere.” Rhett stared at him in surprise. Ash was afraid he’d revealed more than he’d intended, but the words had come out before he’d been able to push them back. He might not do relationships, but he did feel territorial where she was concerned. They had slept together, which admittedly usually wouldn’t mean much to him, but she was different. She always had been. Hell, he didn’t even know what to do or how to deal with how different he felt around her. The only thing he was certain of was that he wanted to spend more time with her. And do crazy things like find out about everything he didn’t know. Where did her family live? Did she have any brothers or sisters? This kind of thing was so out of character for him that he felt a cold sweat form on his brow.

  “That sounds oddly like a back-off warning,” Rhett mused. “I can’t remember getting one of those from you since . . . Well, it’s been a hell of a long time.”

  Dana had her face propped in her hand as she studied Ash. He was beginning to feel like a science experiment. When Rhett got up to go to the restroom, Dana shifted her chair closer. “Is there another game at play here that I’m not aware of? Am I supposed to pretend to be your girlfriend around your family as well?”

  “What’re you talking about?” Ash asked impatiently. “If this is cramping your style because you’re trying to hit on my brother, then that’s too damned bad.”

  “You’re so juvenile,” she said with a scathing eye roll. “I’m not doing anything with him. He’s a flirt in case you haven’t noticed. He’s also very likable, so it’s all in fun. Are you playing the part of the jealous boyfriend now? If so, it needs a little bit of work. But you’ve got the cranky aspect of it down.”

  Ash reached for his wallet and pulled some bills out before tossing them onto the table. “You know, it occurs to me that the only time we communicate well is when we’re naked. So let’s get out of here. We’ll go back to my place and I’ll bend you over the nearest surface and fuck the attitude right out of you.”

  He could have probably timed that declaration better, he thought as she spewed water at him. He hadn’t noticed she was taking a drink until it was too late. He calmly picked up his napkin and began mopping himself up. “I’m going to assume you didn’t do that on purpose,” he murmured. His face and neck were now dry, but his shirt was uncomfortably damp. It was amazing how far a little liquid could go.

  Instead of being embarrassed, she smirked at him. “You deserved that. Too bad I don’t have some contagious illness. Although you’ve probably got plenty of germs already.”

  Ash shook his head before getting to his feet. He extended a hand to her, saying curtly, “Let’s go, baby.”

  She looked momentarily nonplussed. Obviously, she hadn’t expected him to back up his earlier words, but she should have known better by now. “I— What about Rhett?” she asked as she glanced around the crowded bar. “I’m sure he was planning to spend the evening with you.”

  Without taking his eyes from hers, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and sent a quick text to his brother. “There, problem solved. He has a room reserved at the hotel and a rental car, so
he’s all set.” He could literally see her inner struggle as she remained seated. She wanted to go with him, yet her need to resist on principle was making it hard to give in. She needed a little nudge and he was happy to give it to her. Leaning over, he placed his lips against her ear, letting the tip of his tongue drag across the outer shell before saying, “I’d love a reason to spank that ass. It’s your call, honey.”

  Dana popped up so fast they almost collided. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were flushed. Her voice came out unusually high when she said, “You’re a bully. It must run in your family. No wonder your sister is such a sweetheart.”

  He planted one hand on her ass as she attempted to stalk past him. “You’ll leave your car here. I know better than to let you out of my sight. You’d take off just to spite me.”

  She turned, leveling a frown at him. “What if someone steals it?”

  He chuckled, remembering that she was playing the part of his pretend girlfriend because her car was basically falling apart. “How likely is that? I feel confident it’ll be safe. If by some chance it’s not, I’ll take care of it.”

  “I hate you,” she grumbled. “I’m only going because you’re decent in bed. It’s really your only redeeming quality. The other ninety-nine percent of the time, you’re just a jerk. I guess it is true that you can get away with anything as long as you have a big dick.”

  Ash wanted to take it as a compliment, but he was afraid if she noticed, she’d put a knee to that part of his body. She was a little spitfire and he fucking got off on it. He was forced to put his hands in his pockets and try to hide the fact that she had him hard as a rock. The self-control he’d always prided himself on was nonexistent when she was around him. A few insults from those luscious lips and he wanted her in a desperate way that he never had another woman. That alone gave her a power over him that scared the hell out of him. He felt absurdly vulnerable where she was concerned. The fact that he was even using that word was insane. He made an effort to keep his voice level and his face carefully blank as he put a possessive hand on her lower back and steered her toward the exit. “Luckily for you, I know what to do with it.”