by London James
“Is this as boozy as the one you made at the 4th of July party?” Ben asks, taking the drink back.
“That one isn’t. I think too many people wrecked themselves that night, so I didn’t make both of them alcohol bombs,” Ash says, giving me a brief, knowing look. I want to glare at him, but Ben and Daisy would notice.
“It was a fun night, though.” Daisy takes one of the margaritas; the one Ash created with her in mind. “This one is amazing too. You’ve outdone yourself.”
“Please, you’re making me blush,” Ash cracks dryly, like a joke, looking at his watch. “People are going to start showing up soon, right?”
“The early birds, yeah.” Ben looks out over the party area. Things have come together quickly. Then again, the only decorations are the flowers and the view, so there isn’t much to do. The DJ is already playing some upbeat music, and the food is under the gazebo.
“I want to lay out for a bit before people get here. Join me?” Daisy asks.
“I think I’m going to take a quick swim first.” Ben peels off his t-shirt and throws it on the back of a chair. “You guys down for that?”
“I think I’ll wait until later,” Ash says. “Want to eat something, Briony?”
He looks at me like I’m the one he wants to eat. God.
“Um, okay.” He could have asked me if I wanted to skydive off the roof and I would have done it. The look he’s giving me is that potent.
We head over to the food spread, a good distance between us. I know I’m being paranoid, but I feel like every single person in the area can see the vibe burning between us like a fire. I focus on the food instead. Everything looks delicious—there are little pulled-pork sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls, a make-your-own poke bowl station, and basically every kind of fruit you could imagine.
Ash gets a plate and loads it up with an alarming amount of food. I get a plate too and grab a few things. I don’t want to get too full before diving into the pool.
“You hungry?” I tease once we’ve settled at a standing table under the large gazebo.
“Yeah, I went to the gym earlier and didn’t get a chance to eat. Plus, I can’t turn down free food,” he says.
“Ash, you’re rich as hell, if you don’t mind me being blunt. And yet you’re still up for free food?” I ask, stabbing a bit of pineapple.
“Old habits die hard.” He shrugs. “It was ingrained in my brain in college, and I never got over it. I didn’t want to spend my father’s money on anything besides my tuition, so I hit up every free food event I could. Plus, if you haven’t noticed, I need to eat a lot.”
“So, you’re not pulling a Warren Buffett?” I ask. He’s worth billions but is frugal as a super-rich guy can be.
He smiles a little like he’s holding in a secret. “Nah. I splurge when it’s worth it.”
I look him up and down as silence spreads between us. Standing right next to him while I’m only wearing sandals makes me realize how freaking big he is. I have to tilt my head up to look him in the eye. Being close to him makes me feel like I’m being held in his magnetic field, slowly getting closer and closer against my will.
“Aren’t you going to get sick if you eat before you swim?” I say absently. Did my brain melt by looking at him too hard? Because, god, I sound stupid as hell.
Ash just laughs loudly and takes another bite. “Briony, I’ve literally swam miles and miles in the freezing ocean with a forty-pound weight on my back after getting three hours of sleep for days on end. And that was easy in comparison to some of the other shit I did. If I got a little sick from eating before going for a swim, I’d be really embarrassed.”
“God, please pretend my brain is working. I don’t know what my problem is.” I run a hand over my face.
He gently touches my forehead with the back of his hand, making my eyes flutter closed for a moment like a cat being petted. “Not heat exhaustion. Maybe it’s just my irresistible charm.”
I roll my eyes and gently smack him in the arm. He’s right, yeah, but he doesn’t have to know that. I keep my ridiculous questions to myself for a bit while we eat, only stopping to murmur about how good it all is.
I like that he likes food and isn’t put off that I do too. Some guys made me self-conscious about it in the past. All they had to do was look between what I was eating and my not-quite-thin, but not-quite-heavy body and say something like, “Wow, you really like to eat, huh?’ It’s infuriating, both that they somehow thought my body wasn’t good, and that it got to me, deep down. But honestly, food is good, and if I could spend every night going to different restaurants and tasting everything, I’d be a happy girl.
“Hello, hello!” Zara calls from right behind me out of nowhere, squeezing my shoulders. I jump, just like I always do. She’s like a damn ninja. “Want to introduce me to your friend, here, Briony?”
I nearly give her a look that says, ‘really?’ Zara knows damn well who Ash is already.
“Ash, this is my best friend, Zara. Zara, this is Ash—Ben’s best friend from high school and the guy who thought up the Ben and Daisy cocktails.”
“Nice to meet you. You’re Briony’s business partner, right?” Ash asks, shaking Zara’s hand.
“Yep, I am. I’m the numbers girl. Though I guess we’re both everything since it’s just us,” Zara says, grinning at me. I know that smile, and that smile means that she’s holding something in. “Briony’s talked quite a bit about you.”
If we were in a sitcom, I would have stomped on Zara’s foot under the table or made a ‘cut it out’ signal with my hand. But instead, I settled for glaring at her for a second.
“She has?” Ash looks at me, that unreadable expression he often wears on his face.
“Just about what we’ve done for the wedding and all that,” I cut in quickly, feeling my face heat up. “And that we’ve known each other for a long time.”
“Ah.” Ash nods. “I was worried that my reputation preceded me.”
“Your reputation?” I sputter. “Oh please, Ash. Zara’s been my best friend since our freshman year of college, so she’s seen me at my worst and beyond. You’re hardly the worst person I’ve ever crossed paths with.”
“You sure about that?” he fires back, his voice even but his eyes twinkling with good humor. “She doesn’t know about how many times I fought you for the front seat of Ben’s car. I was a savage.”
“Okay, true—you were a front-seat-hogging asshole back then. I’m surprised Ben didn’t force us both to sit in the back seat to make us stop whining.” I have a sudden memory attack of wishing I could make out in the back seat of a car with Ash, since teenage me thought that was hot stuff. Adult me’s mind goes right to the logistics of finding a car big enough for us to fuck in.
I must have looked embarrassed or horny or both because Zara glances over my shoulder, her face way too animated for her to actually be making eye contact with anyone. Should I thank her, or make plans to smother her in her sleep?
“I think I see someone I met at a conference last month,” she breaks the silence, sliding past me. “I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say weakly. “See you.”
“Let’s swim,” Ash says once Zara is out of earshot.
“Swim, or float?” I point out the huge floaties. “I say float.”
“Maybe I’ll just watch you float while I swim around,” he says, putting emphasis on watch. I’m glad he’s not wearing sunglasses at the moment so I can soak in the intensity of his green eyes.
“Fine. As long as you don’t push me off of it.” I go to get a float shaped like a duck, peeling off my button-down shirt and tossing it on a chair.
I know I look good, but I didn’t think I’d make his mouth drop open for a moment. He realizes that he’s gawking at me and pulls himself back to the calm and collected guy he always is.
He can play it cool all he wants, but I’ll remember that look for a long time. It’s sending warm vibes down between my thighs and blowi
ng a big hole in my self-control. It’s as if my brain threw away any and all reasons to not hook up with Ash again in the trash, then turned on the incinerator to high.
I toss my duck float into the water and slip into the shallow end. I watch Ash peel off his t-shirt, slowly and deliberately. Now it’s my turn to gawk. His shoulders are so broad that his body’s taper down to his waist is actual perfection. I’m not the only one who stares.
Ash hops in after me and holds my float still while I scramble on. I roll onto my stomach and slide my sunglasses on, propping myself up on my elbows just a bit. He pushes the float into deeper water, so his gaze is right in line with my breasts. I raise an eyebrow, and he gives me a devilish grin.
“You want to go to the far end of the pool?” he asks, nodding at my cleavage. We slowly rotate as he pushes us into deeper water, so I’m facing away from most of the party. People probably can’t see Ash over the float.
We don’t speak to each other for a few moments, just letting the music and the sounds of the party wash over us. Things have kicked up quite a few notches, and people are standing around the tables, sipping drinks and laughing. Ben and Daisy are probably flitting from group to group. But none of that matters, since Ash is playing with the ends of my hair, looking at me like he did when I first took off my swim cover-up.
This is so, so bad.
First of all, even though we’re facing away from the party, the party is still there. Someone could see us. But Ben is the only one who would be bothered by that—no one else really knows of our history. And second, should we even do this? I know what he wants—bachelorhood from now until forever—and that isn’t what I want. But at the same time… my body is craving Ash.
“Briony,” Ash whispers, his voice low and commanding. My eyes snap to his. “What’s on your mind?”
“Whether or not we should do anything,” I mumble.
“Mm.” He slides his fingers into my hair further, like he did the first time we hooked up. “I’d like to. And at least part of you wants to.”
“And you’re doing the hair thing you did to me last time.” I glance at his mouth as his tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip.
“I am.” His grip tightens a tiny bit. “Y’know, I love your hair, holding it like this. Do you want me to wrap it around my fist as I fuck you from behind, baby? Because that’s what I’ve been wanting to do since I saw you today.”
I nearly whimper, sliding my thighs against each other to ease the ache. I nod instead, which makes Ash smile brilliantly. God, he is beyond gorgeous when he smiles like that. It spreads across his whole face and makes his eyes light up like pure joy is beaming from inside of him.
He kisses me, slowly but with fire behind it, tugging on my hair just hard enough to make me stand at attention. I’ve never had a guy be rough with me before, and never thought it would be my thing, but every tug makes my nipples harden a little more.
“Do you want to go somewhere?” he asks, his green eyes locked with mine. That look is always what gets me—the desire and pressing need on his face is a rush.
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. The man has hardly touched, me and I’m rapidly getting wetter.
“Do you have a key to a room?” Ash asks. I nod again, telling him the number. “Go up to your room. Wait for me on the bed and keep your swimsuit on. I’ll be there soon, so don’t play with yourself. You’re all mine for the afternoon.”
He kisses me firmly and pushes me to the edge of the pool so I can hop out of the water without getting soaked again. My legs are trembling like I’m a foal just learning to walk, which makes walking alongside the pool feel just as risky as what I’m about to do. There are enough people at the party now that I can leave without anyone really noticing, but I still feel like I have a big arrow above my head that reads ‘Briony’s going to get laid!’
I snag my key card from my tote bag and head down to the room Daisy and I used. The bed is untouched since Daisy only arrived earlier today. I kick off my sandals and pace, checking myself out in the mirror and fluffing my hair. I want him desperately. I didn’t think that his instructions to not play with myself would be a problem, but I’m quickly falling apart. I need to get off before I explode. So, I gently rub myself over my swimsuit, sucking in a gentle breath. When will he get there? What if it’s another twenty minutes?
After what feels like a century, there’s a knock on the door. I rush over and open it, finding Ash with that same grin on his face. Without saying a word, he steps in and shuts the door behind him, throwing the bolt lock on. I step back instinctively as he walks forward until I bump into the bed.
“Please,” I whisper, putting my hand on his chest.
He cups the back of my neck and brings his lips down to mine. The kiss is hungry and desperate like he needs me to keep himself alive. I try to lean back and pull him on top of me, but there’s no way I can move him. It’s like trying to push a boulder.
“Mm, none of that, sweetheart,” he says, cupping my face and resting his forehead against mine. “When I said you were mine for the afternoon, I meant it. Give yourself to me, and I’ll make it well worth your time.”
“But…” My mind pulls in two directions—anxiety and anticipation. He’s not going to do anything crazy, right? I know he would never hurt me, but what if he’s into something extreme?
“You can always say ‘red’ if anything gets to be too much,” he continues as if he’s read my mind, pushing me backward on the bed. “I’ll stop right away. I won’t tie you up or spank you or anything but having a safe word no matter what is helpful. At least in my experience.”
“Okay,” I say, a flutter in my stomach. “I trust you.”
He smiles again, a little softness behind his eyes, and straddles my body. His large frame looms over mine like a storm cloud, electricity crackling between us. I squirm, putting my arms around his neck and kissing him, greedily opening my thighs so he can be closer to me. He keeps his distance so I can’t grind against his crotch, pushing down each shoulder strap of my swimsuit, so my breasts are exposed. My nipples are already hard, so the chill of the room doesn’t make any difference.
“Goddamn,” he murmurs, pressing my breasts together and burying his face in them. He gives each nipple a brief kiss before he moves on, down the deep V of the neckline of my suit, making me whine. “Don’t worry—I’ll come back to those. Trust me; I can’t resist.”
Instead of peeling off my suit, he pushes my knees back and apart, moving my hands around to hold my thighs, so I’m spread open to him. I feel myself flush, realizing that with the lights on, he sees everything. The thought is both a little embarrassing and arousing.
“Stay just like that,” he says, pressing a kiss over the crotch of my swimsuit and inhaling. The warm of his breath makes me jerk my hips forward. “I only got a taste of you last time, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I’ve jerked off to those memories more times than I can count.”
“Ash,” I say breathily, wishing he would just do it already. His words are going to kill me if he keeps delaying this. “Please.”
He pulls aside the crotch of the suit and studies my sex, satisfaction warming his voice. “Your pussy looks delicious. So pink and wet for me.”
Finally, finally, he runs his tongue up and down my slit, making me shudder, and spreads me open even further with his fingers. Every motion of his lips sends a new overwhelming rush of pleasure straight into me. It’s all I can do to keep my sanity. Despite everything, I try not to move. Unsuccessfully.
He takes his sweet time tasting every part of me, from my clit to my ass, like he wants to fucking torture me. I let go of my legs and thread my fingers through his hair, pressing him to me so he’ll stop playing around.
“Briony.” Ash sits back, his voice low. “Didn’t I tell you to stay just as I’d placed you? And that I would take care of everything?”
“Yes, you did.” My nipples throb at the power and authority in his voice. I melt, like butte
r on a pan.
“And what did you just do?” He slides off the bed, grabbing me by the ankles with one huge hand and sliding me, so my legs are hanging off the bed.
“I didn’t do what you asked.”
“Exactly.” He rolls me over onto my stomach like I weigh nothing and props me up on my knees, spreading them apart. He pushes me face-down onto the bed and positions my hands on either side of my head. “Now stay absolutely still, and I’ll give you what you need.”
Even though I want to push my pussy back into his face, I don’t move a muscle voluntarily. I shake with anticipation.
He dives into me face-first, starting from my clit and working his way around my entrance, making me moan into the comforter. He licks and sucks and kisses me in just the right spots, keeping me from ever having time to breathe. I feel my entire body tingling with pleasure and desire and need. I clench the blankets so I won’t move, my chest heaving with every breath. God, where did he learn to eat pussy like this?
He dips one thick finger inside of me without warning; my muscles clamping down hard. His fingers are so much thicker than mine, and it’s been a while since anything has been up there. He makes a little sound of pleasure in the back of his throat as he works me, the pleasure almost too much to stand. It rises and rises until Ash suddenly moves back, right before I come.
“What the fuck?” I gasp, lying down on my hip.
“I don’t want you to come yet.”
He grins and stands up, tugging his t-shirt off again, followed by his swim trunks. My eyes widen when I see his erection, so much so that I barely take in his beautiful torso. His cock is proportionate to the rest of him, which means that I’m slightly terrified of that going inside of me. It’s both long and thick, arching up toward the left of his bellybutton.
“You look worried,” he notes, smiling.
I force myself to look up at his chest, which makes me feel a little less worried and more aroused. He’s built perfectly, like someone did the math to create the most symmetrical and good-looking human being possible. Even his chest hair is just the right thickness.
