“Are you good?” he whispered.
“I was worried about you,” I admitted freely.
“I just needed to get away from everything and be on my own for a bit. I went to the beach.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Not you, Ashy. Everything else.”
“Tonight was crazy,” I said softly as my memories shot to life and the night was replayed. “I still can’t get my head around what happened. How could someone change so much? There is absolutely no way I would even consider going back to Lachlan, but I’m not sure he understands that.”
“I’ll make sure he understands it,” he stated firmly.
I smiled. “Thank you again for what you said and did tonight.”
He shifted his body slightly on top of me, and my legs opened willingly to compensate him. “I meant what I said, and you never have to thank me for that. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. He doesn’t deserve another thought, especially right now.”
He was right. The more I thought about Lachlan, the more I felt myself slipping back into dark thoughts that revolved entirely around not being good enough. Tonight was meant to be a celebration of love for my best friends, not a reminder of fucked-up heartbreak and insecurities.
“Forget him.”
Josh’s idea of making me forget was in the form of distraction. His hands ran up my side and disappeared under the cotton shirt. All thoughts of Lachlan disappeared, and I jumped at the soft touch of his fingertips running over my ribs. My eyes slammed shut as his lips hit my jaw and peppered my skin with delicate kisses.
“You and me,” he whispered hotly into my ear. “Me and you.”
Fuck, I hadn’t realized how on edge I was until he started talking in his low, gravelly tone that told me he meant business. I couldn’t stop myself from shifting my body underneath him in hopes of getting some form of relief. I just needed something small to give me a tiny fix. All my thoughts of never letting him touch me again ran for the hills, because right then I just wanted his hands on me. His lips played havoc on my neck, and I bit my lip in an attempt at stifling the moan that was teetering on the edge of release.
“Get on your hands and knees.”
His ragged voice echoed in my ear, and a shiver ran down my spine at the intensity and determination in those six words. My eyes shot open as he pulled his mouth away from my ear, and I met his heated stare. That moment offered me everything I didn’t know I needed: desire, need, and protection. The knowledge that we were in a house full of people faded to nothingness, and I was thrust into a world where only we existed. I gasped as his finger traced my lips, and it was the most sensual form of seduction.
“Tonight was meant to be about us. He doesn’t get to distract you again, and I refuse to let him take away any more of the time I have with you. I’m making the rest of the night about you and me, so Ashlyn, get on your hands and knees.”
His I-am-going-to-make-you-come voice caused a shiver of anticipation to run down my spine. Nothing could have stopped me from doing what he asked. I was tightly strung, and the offer of relief was too hard to resist. He was too hard to resist. There was no chance in hell that I wasn’t already wet, because I was practically panting in eagerness. His voice alone did things to me, not to mention his dominating presence. Once again, my body won the battle, my thoughts fled, and all warnings dissipated. I crawled down the bed until my ass was in the air, then I sucked in a breath as the unknown awaited me.
“So fucking sexy,” Josh growled as he traced the back of my thighs with his fingertip, then slipped his hand inside the back of my panties. “I’ve been waiting all night for this. Fuck, I’ve been waiting since you ran off to Lilac Cove. I’m going to make you come with my fingers, and then my mouth is going to devour your sweet pussy.”
Holy shit!
I whimpered as he ran the tip of his finger through my slickness. My forehead dropped to the pillow below, and my eyes slammed shut under the tightness of pleasure that appeared. The electricity in my room was off the charts. The firmer he stroked, the louder my breathing soared, and the limper my body became.
“Your greedy pussy is so wet. Do you want it, Ashy? Do you need me to make you come?”
My hips shot up, needing his fingers to be inside of me, because I knew the pleasure those fingers were capable of delivering. Yes. I, Ashlyn Hart, had a greedy pussy, and of course I wanted what he could give me.
“Make me come. Make me forget,” I murmured.
My gasp rang through the room as he plunged two fingers deep inside of me and frantically pumped in and out. I squeezed my eyes shut when he teasingly grazed his thumb against my clit. Damn it, and his magical fingers. My body was on the verge of collapse under the intensity of pleasure switched on within me. Thankfully, his arm weaved around my stomach and held me up as my body quickly became useless. I wished I could see his eyes, his face, his expression as he made me completely fall apart. I was a woman on edge. My body was screaming at me, telling me that I wasn’t far from exploding around his beautifully-crafted fingers and taking a journey of a thousand fireworks. Fuck me, Josh didn’t mess around. Whenever he got me, he knew exactly what he wanted, and it was like he could sense exactly what I needed. The shirt I was wearing had bunched up under my arms, as I remained on my knees with my ass in the air and panties pushed to the side. As he thrust into me repeatedly with his fingers, his lips danced on my heated skin, leaving kisses down my spine. The combination of his sweet kisses and the ferocity of his fingers was overwhelming.
“Josh, I’m going to come.” My stomach muscles gave me the signal that I was about to erupt in a low moan of his name.
As my body rose to the brink of orgasm, Josh lifted me with the arm around my waist and turned me onto my back. Not once did his fingers slip from deep within me, and with precision he made sure he kept driving into me with enthusiasm. I swear he was the god of finger fucking. My eyes shot open, and immediately they found his dark, lust-filled pits of desire staring back at me, as I was dangerously close to losing all control. That was exactly what I wanted to find. I loved that look. I craved that look. It was the look that had tempted me and utterly destroyed me from day one.
“Are you ready for orgasm number one?” Josh growled and removed his fingers.
I pouted at the loss of fullness, and the sexiest, most devious, smile hit his lips. His strong hands lifted my hips as he slid my panties down my thighs, before flinging the expensive lace to the other side of the room. I had completely forgotten that I was even still wearing them. Yep, he was officially the god of finger fucking, because he made me forget about everything.
“Someone is over-eager,” I teased, allowing my thighs to fall open and immediately feeling sexier than ever.
He sucked one of the fingers that had just been inside me into his mouth before removing it with a loud pop. “If you tasted your sweet candy, you’d understand.”
A wicked glint flashed in his eyes as he, once again, ran his finger through my wetness. Every time he touched me, I shivered with delight. He pulled it out and I couldn’t stop myself from focusing on the glisten of my arousal as he slowly lifted his finger. My breathing faltered as he leaned over, wrapped his free arm around my middle, and pulled me up until I was in a sitting position.
“It’s time for you to taste my favorite candy, Ashy.”
He placed a finger to my mouth and traced my bottom lip with wetness. The thought of my own arousal being painted on my lips was like nothing I had experienced before. I’d never felt this turned on in my life. My tongue darted out, and his eyes blazed at the sight of me zealously tasting myself. The lioness within me roared to life. I moved closer, and Josh didn’t budge an inch. Any inhibitions ceased to exist, and I didn’t consider anything other than right now. My gaze locked onto the finger that had traced my bottom lip and, with a smirk, I took his finger into my mouth, then slid my tongue up and down, swirling and caressing the tip and consuming my taste like I was starved. The groan that echoed from deep
within his chest encouraged me to take it a step further.
“Fuck,” he stammered, as I sucked his finger deep into my mouth and devoured it with wild abandon. I shifted forward, closing the distance between us. I went to take his other finger into my mouth, but he pulled back.
“We share this one,” he mumbled and moved his mouth to mine. Josh’s tongue touched mine as he ran the length of his finger before our tongues tangled. If I wasn’t soaked already, this would have been the moment. He pulled his finger away, but our mouths never parted. It was only when I felt his fingers slid back inside of me that I gasped and pulled away. I shifted my hips and rode his fingers as the pressure to explode shot through me. My head fell to his bare shoulder and I felt myself begin to come undone. My teeth dug into his flesh as I shattered around his fingers and soared to one of the best and most intense orgasms of my life. While I came down, he gently laid me on the bed and removed his fingers. My eyes fluttered shut as the feeling of being completely spent washed over me.
I felt the bed move, and then his mouth was on me. Holy fucking shit. I couldn’t handle another orgasm, not yet, but boy was I going to try. It took all of four strokes of his tongue to send me soaring sky high again. That had to be a record. My whimpers were like silent pleas, begging for him to take me to that magical place again. One of my hands gripped the sheets, while the other ran through his hair as he had his feast. Yes, men had gone down on me before, but this was completely different. He wasn’t lapping at me like a dog the way other men had; no, Josh was feasting like I was his favorite food and he wanted to savor every single taste. After giving me my second orgasm of the night, he crawled up the bed and pulled me into his arms. My ragged breathing filled the air, while my mind went crazy. I’d succumbed once again. I had fallen for the charms and promise of distraction that he offered. So much for telling him that he wouldn’t touch me again; that was clearly a dismal failure. I felt myself crashing into much needed sleep, but I wanted to give him the relief his body clearly needed.
My hand ran down his stomach and made it to the top of his sweatpants, before his hand came down on top of mine. I looked up at him with confusion. He had just given me two orgasms, so I would definitely be repaying the favor, because I knew he was rock hard. Indecision flashed in his eyes as he reluctantly entwined our fingers and lifted my hand from his stomach.
“If you go anywhere near my cock I’m going to want to fuck you, and I can’t fuck you at my parents place, because, Ashy, when I have you again, you’re going to be screaming my name.”
Holy shit, I had completely forgotten about his parents.
“I forgot we were here,” I whispered in disbelief.
“That means I did a good job.”
“It was okay, I guess,” I said, teasing, and rolled to my side to face him. In the moonlight I saw him smile, and my heart fluttered.
“The bite marks gracing my shoulder tell me it was more than okay.” He matched my movements until he was on his side facing me, and his arm rested over my waist allowing his hand to fall to the small of my back. “We should get some sleep.”
“Thank you for whisking me away to my favorite place,” I whispered as exhaustion slayed into me.
His arms tugged me closer, until our bodies were flush and our legs tangled together. “Where’s your favorite place, Ashy?”
“Right here. Right where I am now. I like to call it Josh Land. The most enjoyable place in all of the lands, where incredible highs are guaranteed and orgasms are provided without question.”
His soft chuckle sounded like sweet music to my ears. “Well, Josh Land is open all year round to you, for whatever you need.”
“Even if it’s just cuddles on the couch and not anything that could lead to my panties ending up on the floor? Although, what we just shared was hands down the hottest moment of my life,” I said with a satisfied sigh.
“Even cuddles. Whatever you want,” he said softly.
He was going to ruin me for all other men at the rate he was going. I dropped my face to his chest and burrowed in as sleep was pulling me in. With my eyes shut and calm sweeping through me from the vibrations of his heart against my cheek, I whispered, “You truly are a girl’s favorite kind of friend.”
That night, I slept the best I had in a very long time, and it would seem it was all because of the guy that wrapped me in his arms all night.
My beautiful confusion.
My secret temptation.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
The sound of light knocking intruded my peaceful slumber. I opened one eye and glanced at the closed door. Evidence of a new day flooded the room since the blinds were left open, and warmth curled around me. My body was wrapped tightly around the curves of Ashlyn’s, and her light breathing ricocheted off my bare chest. Instinctively, I licked my lips, desperate for any lingering taste of her. Fuck, last night was incredible. Knowing that we could’ve easily been caught seemed to unleash the lioness within Ashlyn. Her reluctance came to a crashing halt the moment I touched her greedy pussy, and her fieriness came to life. Her pants and soft moans were like music to my ears. I’d be lying if I said I could wait to hear her screaming my name as she clawed my back while I thoroughly claimed her. Fuck, I was in deep.
Movement sounded from out in the hall and our solitude was about to be shattered. The door opened slowly and Dad appeared. His face was washed with hesitation before his eyes locked onto Ashlyn in my arms, then all hesitation fled.
“Bud, we are organizing breakfast. Will you and Ash be sticking around?” he questioned softly.
“Yeah, just give me a few minutes and I’ll wake her up.”
He turned to leave, before stopping and looking back to us. “Take care of her heart, Josh. She doesn’t deserve the shit she’s been handed.”
The door shut and I looked down at the blond hair splayed over my chest. A soft murmur echoed through the room, and Ashlyn started moving as the first signs of consciousness hit her. Slowly, she rolled away until her back was to me, and she snuggled deep into the pillow. I followed her lead until my chest was pressed against her back, and my hand disappeared under her shirt until it was resting on her stomach.
“Ashy, you’ve got to wake up,” I said softly into her ear.
She wiggled back until her hand rested on top of mine, and I entwined our fingers.
“Shh, just a little longer. I’m sleepy,” she whined in a baby-like voice.
“I really wish I could stay in here and have you rubbing your cute little ass against my hard on, but I really don’t think Mom will stay out of here for long.”
“Crap, I forgot again.” She rolled onto her back, and I finally saw her face. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me with clear green eyes. Her pink pout was still slightly swollen from our attack on one another’s mouths and, as I allowed my gaze to roam over her features, her cheeks flushed rose.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Like a baby, I was exhausted.”
I couldn’t stop the smirk covering my face. She slapped my chest and rolled her eyes dramatically. At least she wasn’t fleeing the bed and claiming that last night was a huge mistake, so I’d take attitude and an eye roll over everything else.
“I cannot believe we did that, in your childhood bedroom, with your parents down the hall,” she said with a gasp as fear and concern tainted her face. “Was I loud? Josh, I’m always loud. What if they heard me? Oh my god, the shame.”
I ran my finger along her cheek and traced her lips. “You weren’t loud. But Ashy, I will make you scream . . . very soon.”
Her eyes changed from concern at being heard by my parents, to heat at the thought of me making her scream. The shift intrigued me, encouraged me, and motivated me not to stop until I got exactly what I wanted.
“I need to have a shower if I’m going to start feeling human,” she stated in a low tone as she began climbing out of bed and changing the subject. The shirt hung loosely on the top of her thighs and her hair hu
ng over her shoulders. I couldn’t ignore the air of innocence that surrounded her. There were no words that needed to be said. Her eyes flashed to mine as she looked through her overnight bag and pulled out her toiletries and clothes for the day. “I’ll meet you downstairs,” she said softly as she slipped through the door and into the hall.
The second my bedroom door closed, I stretched, then got out of bed and pulled on some jeans and a tee. I opened and closed my hand to get some movement and stretch the annoying ache that continued to taunt me. The throbbing was evidence of just how hard I hit Lachlan, and I hoped the fucker was hurting this morning. The sound of the shower turning on caused me to smile. I stepped into the hall and headed to the kitchen as the soft sound of voices floated up the stairs.
The kitchen was crowded with people, and chatter filled the air. All eyes fell on me when I stepped into the room, and conversation ceased. Talk about being under the spotlight. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, though, considering I went all Mike Tyson in the backyard at my parents’ house during my brother’s engagement party. Mom glanced over my shoulder, and the excited look on her face dropped as her eyes found nothingness.
“Where’s Ashlyn? I thought we were all having breakfast together.” Disappointment laced her words.
“She is in the shower. She will be down soon.”
Her face changed from disappointment to excitement in a split second, and she immediately gave Grandma Crawford and Aunt Carole a look that made me nervous. The three of them together were dangerous, and as I watched them walk out of the kitchen carrying dishes of eggs and bacon, I knew they were up to something. Dad and Eden soon left, and it was just Ky and I. We hadn’t spoken since I left, and I hated how we left things, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to discuss what had happened.
“I was a prick last night. You know I’m protective of Ash, so I won’t apologize for that, but I will apologize for being a prick,” Ky stated, and handed me a freshly-brewed coffee. I leaned against the kitchen island beside him, and we both looked outside to the back deck where Eden and Mom were setting up breakfast.