“Hmm,” I managed, as all ability to put two words together faded.
He chuckled at my clear state of arousal, and pulled me closer to his chest. The rapid beat of his heart echoed through my entire body. I fitted so perfectly in his arms. My head rested on his chest, allowing him to rest his head on top of mine, and his hands fell to the small of my back while he cocooned me in his warmth.
“So, what does this mean? Why now?” he asked, repeating the same question I had asked. A question that set us on a completely different path.
I raised my head, resting my chin on his chest, and looked up at him. “It means that I get to kiss you whenever I want. It means I don’t have to live in fear of having someone overhearing me screaming your name when you fuck the life out of me. It means that I’m coming to my senses and seeing what I should have seen long ago. You and me, Joshy.”
“Ashy,” he whispered.
“But mainly, it’s because you, Josh Crawford, are mine, as much as I am yours.”
My body ached in delicious delight; every inch had been kissed and caressed until I fell asleep with him deep inside of me. Josh had decided to cancel his meeting with Ky, and we had headed back to his place where we spent the day in a marathon of sex.
After slowly untangling myself from Josh’s warm embrace, I headed to the bathroom, where I showered and sighed in contentment. As I wrapped a towel around my body, I chanced a glance in the mirror and couldn’t help but smile. Josh had won, but in the end I came out the ultimate victor, and the smiling girl looking back at me confirmed it. It would be stupid of me to deny that the fears had completely disappeared, but the bruises left by my past were fading fast, because the promise of the future was incredibly bright.
“Why am I waking up without you next to me?”
I jumped at the sound of Josh’s voice, still laced with sleep, the second I walked back into the bedroom.
“Because someone decided he needed to claim my body repeatedly, so I had to shower.”
His hand shot out and grabbed mine, and he pulled me back to the bed. I collapsed next to him with a thud, then his hands immediately went to work on the towel and I was soon naked.
“That’s much better. I want you naked all night. All day. Fuck, I want you naked forever.”
“You want other people seeing this body?” I teased.
“Fuck no. You’re mine, and for my eyes only.”
I moaned as he pressed his growing erection into me, and my body shuddered with need. No matter how many times he had me, I always craved more. My arms tightened around his shoulders as I gripped hold of him in silent plea to take me. “Show me that I’m yours,” I whispered into the ignited air.
His mouth crashed to mine and my lips immediately felt bruised in the most beautiful of ways. I opened my mouth, and our tongues battled, demanding, owning, and caressing one another. With every seductive sweep of his tongue, he ground his body against mine. I moaned as the ache and desperation for relief grew between my legs. This was a new beginning kind of kiss, the kind I’d always dreamed of. Our tongues danced the most intense kind of waltz, and he took the lead with possession.
“I’ll never get enough of kissing you, of touching you, of fucking you,” he murmured against my lips as our bodies continued to torment one another with the incessant grinding. Our eyes met as we moved, and our breath combined as one. “I want you to give me all of you. Let me treasure you, devote myself to you, and cherish you. Please give me everything.”
“I need you,” I whispered as I felt my eyes begin to swim with tears. My words held more meaning than I would ever know or believe, and his made me feel everything I had always wanted. He made me feel needed, like I had the ability to alter his world. “Please, Josh, I need to feel you. Make us become one.”
Without saying a word, Josh thrust deep inside me, and suddenly all I saw were bright lights. His groan of satisfaction filled the bedroom, and he dropped his forehead to mine. Deep breathing caressed the air around us as we both came to terms with our admissions. My legs wrapped around his hips, and my heels dug into his ass as I tilted my pelvis in silent invitation of what I wanted. With each movement, Josh entered me with the passion of a hundred lovers, thrusting deeper and filling me completely, and hitting my perfect spot every time.
“There will never be anyone as perfect as you, Ashlyn.” His voice was strained and profound. His eyes penetrated so deeply into my soul and feasted on my very being. This was a Josh Crawford and Ashlyn Hart kind of romance; the kind that left you constantly breathless and craving more. It was unpredictable, yet so right. It was crazy perfect.
“I need to see your eyes when you come.”
My eyes shot open. The hiss emitting from between his teeth as I clenched my muscles only added fuel to the fire burning within me. The intensity and deepness of his thrust increased, until I couldn’t take it any longer. Pleasure like I’d never felt before shot through me, and I bit down on his shoulder to halt the scream I wanted to unleash. I didn’t have a moment to recover, and I shook in unforgettable delight as we flipped over until I was straddling him.
“Ride me, Ashlyn.”
I sucked in a breath at the sound of his voice, so deep and dominate when he was moments away from his own release. I stared at him, taking in the wetness of his lips and the twinkle in his eye. His arm shot out and gripped the back of my neck, then he pulled me down toward his face. When Josh got rough, I knew I was in for a life-changing moment of pleasure. “Ride me like you’ve never ridden me before. It’s time for you to make me ache, baby,” he said in a growl, then he wrapped my hair around his fist and tugged on it. After pulling me to his lips, he grabbed my bottom lip between his teeth in a show that he wanted everything I could give him. His hand released my hair and fell to my hips, and I gasped as his fingers dug into my flesh. Leaning back, I laid my hands on his thighs and tilted my head back until my hair was grazing my lower back. While I slammed my body up and down, I took him as deep as I could with vigor and determination.
My skin was glistening with sweat, and I could feel myself soaring to another almighty high, when Josh grabbed my hips and took control. The sound of our bodies connecting, the slapping of skin, the broken breathing, and the chants of each other’s names were too much to handle.
“You are so tight, fuck, squeeze my cock.”
His eyes never left mine. They spurred me on as I gave him everything I was capable of. Our breathing became a vortex of pants and moans. His name fell from my lips, and mine escaped his mouth every time I would push onto him.
“I’m going to come,” he grumbled out, his fingers digging deeper into the flesh of my hips.
“Give it to me.”
Josh’s hands shot up from my hips and wrapped around my back, then pulled me until we were chest to chest, skin to skin, and heart to heart. We didn’t kiss, but our mouths hovered so close that it felt like we were breathing as one. At that moment, only Josh and I existed. The world could be spinning out of control, but nothing else mattered.
His hands disappeared into my hair, and his face went into the concave of my neck. He stilled, and muttered my name against my skin as I felt him flood me with warmness. I slowly continued riding him as we lay connected, and I felt him shake below me. Finally, he lifted his face. His hooded eyes locked with mine, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him.
He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, and it would seem that he was all mine.
LOS ANGELES WAS RIDICULOUSLY busy, so it made time go quickly, but I knew the flight home was going to go ridiculously slow. The week had been full of text messages, phone calls, and emails, but it didn’t compensate for being without her.
“I still can’t get my head around the fact that my best friend and brother are fucking,” Ky said as he flipped his phone over in his hand.
“For the last time, don’t refer to it as fucking. We are together,” I said, and shot him a frustrated look.
“I think my little brother is
growing up,” he said overdramatically, and held his hand over his heart.
“You’re an asshole.” I laughed and pulled out my phone. “Now, can I please text my girl, or do you have something else you’d like to discuss?”
“I’m sure I’ll think of something later.”
Ky diverted his attention to his phone, and moments later he spoke softly, so I assumed he’d called Eden. I opened my last text to Ashlyn and began typing, and I couldn’t stop the smirk that covered my lips.
I hope you are ready for me. A week is too long to be away from you, so tonight I’m burying myself inside of you after I play with that gorgeous pussy of yours.
Instantly, the bubble appeared on the screen showing that she was replying. Her name flashed in front of me, and I eagerly opened her text.
Now I have to go and change my panties, thank you very much. Just so you know, I haven’t touched myself all week because I only want to come with you, and I am getting desperate. I might jump you as soon as I see you, so make sure YOU are ready.
“What did you just text to Ash?” Ky asked beside me, while still holding his phone to his ear. “Eden said she just started blushing and giggled.”
“Do you really want to know?” I smirked and dropped my eyes back to my phone, and decided on one last text before I started working during the flight.
I’ll see you soon, Ashy. I miss my girl.
Immediately her response came through.
You make me swoon. I miss you too.
I dropped my bag by the door and followed Ky down the hall to where I could hear the girls talking. Ky and Eden had decided to stay at Ky’s old apartment, which he still kept for the weekend, and that was where we were now. As soon as Ky appeared, Eden came running and jumped in his arms, so I scanned the room for Ashlyn. I found Tanzi and Savannah, friends from the West Coast, who both worked for Beautify Magazine. Savannah smiled knowingly, and I knew I’d be pulled aside and forced to discuss all things me and Ashlyn before the end of the night. Who I didn’t see was Ashlyn.
Anticipation shot through me when a hand touched my shoulder and moved down my back. Fuck, I missed her, and I was afraid that the moment I saw her I’d want to tear off her panties and fuck her right there. I turned, eager to find the big green eyes that I craved and the pink pout I wanted to devour, but my eagerness quickly faded when I locked eyes with Tori.
“It’s good to see you, Josh,” she said, running her eyes over my body.
Fuck.
“Hi, Tori,” I replied, trying my hardest to be polite, and stepping away in the process. I didn’t have time to deal with her suggestive tone and blatant disregard for personal boundaries.
“Where’s Ash?” I asked, turning my back to Tori and directing the question to Eden.
“She went out about an hour ago.” Her brows furrowed. “I assumed she was going to pick you two up.”
Without a second thought, I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through to her number. As I impatiently waited for her to pick up, I paced the living room until her voice sounded.
“Hi, you’ve reached Ashlyn Hart. Sorry I can’t get to the phone right now. Leave your name and number, and I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”
“Ashlyn, it’s me. Where are you? Call me back when you get this.”
I ended the call and looked up to meet Ky’s questioning gaze. Something didn’t feel right, and unease sat deep in my gut. She knew what time our flight was coming in, so she knew what time we were due home.
“I’m going to try and find her,” I declared, and headed for the door, not having a clue where to start.
“Be back soon, babe,” I heard Ky say behind me.
Knowing that Ky was coming with me made me feel somewhat at ease. There were times when you just needed your big brother, no matter how old you were.
“Let’s go find her,” Ky said softly as we stepped into the elevator and headed for the garage.
All I could do was nod.
For an hour, we drove around, trying to find her car. The longer it took, the more on edge I became. My frustration spilled out of me, and my tapping foot gained Ky’s attention.
“We will find her. She is probably shopping or got caught up somewhere,” he said from the driver’s seat. Thank fuck he was here, because I would have broken too many laws if I had been driving.
“Something isn’t right. I can feel it. We were texting on the plane, so what the hell could have happened between now and then? Now she’s gone? Something isn’t right.”
“I’ve seen the way she looks at you, and I’ve seen you two together, so get the fucked up idea out of your head that she’s gone. Knowing Ashlyn, she probably decided to buy a new dress because she wanted to look good for you. I won’t be surprised if we find her with way too many store bags.”
I could only hope that it was as simple as that. “I just want to find her and make sure she is okay.”
There was nothing I could do but wait. This wasn’t the best thing for a man who had very little patience when it came to Ashlyn. I tried calling her cell, and once again got her voicemail. Then I called Eden to see if she had turned up, but there was no sign of her.
The car took a sharp right turn. “There’s her car.”
Ky pulled into the parking lot of Edward’s Tavern, and I shot out of the car before it came to a stop. I ran across the gravel parking lot with the double doors in sight, and pulled them open. The low light of the bar diminished my sight. When my eyes adjusted, I scoped out the place for any sign of Ashlyn.
Her eyes connected with mine from across the bar, and I saw a mix of relief and reluctance flash within them. Relief that I found her swamped me, but it was quickly overshadowed by anger. Gaining her attention meant I also gained the attention of the person sitting opposite her.
Lachlan motherfucking Johnson.
“What the fuck is she doing?” Ky hissed beside me.
Like a madman, I stormed across the bar with fury burning through my veins. My first thought was that I needed to protect her and get her out of here before he poisoned her mind any further.
“We were wondering how long it would take you to get here,” Lachlan sneered when I reached the table. “Just so you know, it was Ashlyn who called me.”
I felt like someone had stabbed my in the gut and was dragging it up to my heart. “Why the fuck would you call him?”
Ashlyn went to speak, but Lachlan decided to twist the knife a little further. “Obviously, she is slowly coming to her senses and knows what cock she truly wants.”
“Don’t be an asshole, Lachlan. I said what I needed to say,” Ashlyn spat, then stood from the table.
“Let’s go,” I demanded, wanting to get the fuck out of there as quickly as possible.
She didn’t object. Without a word or another look at Lachlan, she grabbed her bag and walked out of the bar, with Ky close on her heel. I stuck with Lachlan. When she was out of sight, I swung back to him to find his eyes locked firmly on the door Ashlyn had just disappeared through.
Leaning over the table, I got in his face, and his arrogant gaze fell to mine. My jaw clenched as the need to wipe the smug look off his face hit me full force.
“Ashlyn is mine, and what’s mine I will protect until I take my last breath. I don’t care what I have to do, but I will do anything to protect her. Leave her the fuck alone.”
“You are a joke, Josh. She will come to her senses. It’s only a matter of time. She came back to me once, the second time will be the icing on the cake.”
“Fuck off. You’ve been warned.”
There was no point in sticking around. With anger seething through my body, I left the bar before I lost control. What the fuck was she doing here? Betrayal and confusion were a dangerous mix. The sunlight hit my eyes, and I pulled my sunglasses on, which helped avoid Ashlyn’s gaze. She stood beside Ky near her car, and her eyes burned into me as I crossed the parking lot.
“I’ll drive Ashlyn’s car,” I stated without
any emotion.
Ashlyn broke the distance between us, but I needed to get my thoughts in check before I could even touch her.
I stepped away. “I need a minute.”
“You okay to drive?” Ky asked nervously, his brow furrowed and concern flickering over his face.
“I need to drive.”
Without fighting or complaining, Ashlyn handed over her keys. Avoiding her gaze, I headed toward the car, pushed the button for the locks, and slid into the driver’s seat. In the silence of the car, I took a couple of deep breaths and rested my head against the seat. This was beyond fucked up. The passenger door opened, and I watched Ashlyn climb in. Her eyes showed her nerves and reluctance. As I pulled out of the parking lot, quiet filled the car. This was not how I imagined today going. After not seeing her for a week, I should have been kissing the fuck out of her by now.
“Can you please say something?” Ashlyn asked in a timid voice beside me. Her hand came to rest on my thigh, and she offered a gentle squeeze.
“I’m pissed off. Just let me calm down and I’ll be fine.”
Her hand remained on my thigh, and she didn’t say another word. The apartment building appeared, and I drove into the parking garage. Neither of us said a word as we walked with Ky to the elevators.
“Are we not going to your apartment?” she asked as the elevator didn’t stop on floor eight.
“Nope, everyone is at Ky’s old place.”
When the doors opened on the tenth floor, the three of us stepped out and headed to the front door. Her hand shot out and grabbed mine before I had a chance to follow Ky into the apartment. Her fingers entwined with mine and she pulled me close to her body. Finally, I got the chance to really look at her and have her close for the first time in over a week. I was beyond pissed, but more than anything I was completely in the dark about what she could possibly be doing with Lachlan. Insecurities were a fucked up thing, and right now, mine were taunting me. I was always a confident man, maybe too confident at times, but with Ashlyn, my insecurities seemed to appear more often than I’d like.