"Here," he says, taking off his long-sleeve shirt and handing it to me.
"What am I supposed to do with that?" I ask, and he looks around to make sure no one is watching our exchange. He leans in, and I smell the woodsy smell that is him. My heart speeds up, thinking he’s going to kiss me.
His mouth goes to my ear. "If you don’t tie this around your waist, I’m going to have to kiss the shit out of you in front of all these people so they know you're off-limits." He pushes back after he finishes talking.
"Is that so?" I fold my arms over my chest. I’ve never had someone be territorial about me before.
"What does a girl have to do to get a drink around here?" Chelsea says, making me look at her. I turn back to look at Asher, who holds the shirt from his finger.
"Your choice," he says, and I grab his shirt and tie it around my waist, and he glares at me.
"Compromise," I say and turn away from him as I walk to the end of the bar.
"What’s going on there?" Chelsea says, motioning with her chin.
"Nothing. I dirtied my shorts," I say. "What do you want to drink?" I look around to see that the place is jam-packed. "It’s going to be another crazy night." I smile. "You know what that means."
"No," Chelsea says. "But I’m sure you’ll tell me." She has to yell the last part of the sentence.
The DJ for the night has started the music as Luke Bryan starts singing “Country Girl.” I put my hands up as I dance down the bar to get her a beer.
I don’t have time to talk to her or anyone else for that matter as we work to get everyone served. I work side by side with Asher, and I try to ignore his little touches when he walks past me. His hand on my lower back. His hands grabbing my hips when he reaches over me. It is driving me crazy. It also makes me play the same game he is playing.
My hand slowly slips from his back to his ass as I work around him. He looks at me sideways, and I see him squeezing his fist. One time, I walk over to him and get on my tippy-toes behind him, my tits squeezing into his back. "Two can play that game, Asher,” I whisper into his ear and then quickly walk back over to my side of the bar.
The two of us working side by side laughing is one of the best nights I’ve had at work. I sing songs at the top of my lungs and all he will do is shake his head and serve the next person.
"Why are you so happy?" Chelsea looks over at me when things finally get quiet.
"What do you mean?" I ask, avoiding her eyes. I haven’t told anyone about Asher, and I am afraid with just one look, she is going to know I’m lying.
"I mean the whole singing and laughing and joking," she says. "And the whole tits on his back." She points over at Asher, who is wiping down the bar on his side.
"He was in the way." I try to hide the shock that she picked up on that. I look over at her as she sits there alone since everyone bailed out five minutes ago. She is waiting for Mayson to come back from the bathroom.
"Really?" She almost sings the word. "Interesting."
"Don’t start with that tone," I say, hating the fact she is teasing me.
"FYI." She gets up when she sees Mayson making his way back. "Seeing you that happy looks good on you."
I roll my eyes. "There is nothing going on." I fold my arms over my chest.
"Oh, if that’s the case, there is someone who just started working with me," she says. "I was thinking of setting her up with Asher." I glare at her, and she claps her hands together and throws her head back and laughs as loud as she can.
"You’re an asshole." I grab the glass off the bar.
"I wasn’t finished with that," she says and then turns to Mayson, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It’s time for you to take your woman home." She kisses him on the lips and then turns back to look at me. "See you tomorrow."
I nod at her, looking over at Asher who stands there watching me. "What?" I ask, and he walks over to me.
"Hi," he says softly with a sly smile, and I lean back on the bar.
"Hi," I say, and my hand comes up on its own and goes to the middle of his chest. The heat from his chest seeps into me, and his brown eyes shimmer.
"You good?" he asks. His hand comes up and pushes my hair behind my ear.
"Tired but good," I say as my hand slips off him when someone steps up to the bar. His hand falls to his side.
"Only two hours to go," he says, walking away from me, and I laugh.
People slowly start to leave, and before I know it, I look up and it’s empty. Reed and Christopher are picking up the last of the stray empty glasses.
The music plays softly as I clean up the bar. “I’m going to help the boys bring out the garbage.”
"Okay," I say, drying up a couple of glasses and making sure that everything is in its place.
"I’m out," Dolly says, coming over to me, bringing her black bag. "I always think we are never going to top the weekend before, and then bam, it blows it out of the water." I smile, looking at the empty bar. "You did good."
"Thank you," I say. "See you Monday."
I walk over to the sports section and turn off the lights. Making my way toward the pool tables, I make sure everything is cleaned up.
I step out and see Asher walking back in. "Where are the boys?" I ask, walking toward him and meeting him in the middle of the dance floor.
"Told them to take off," he says, and his hand grabs my hand and pulls me to him. He wraps his arm around my waist and slowly lowers his lips to mine. My tongue comes out eagerly to meet his, and my hands go to his chest as I kiss him back. He lets my lips go softly. "I waited all night to do that," he says softly, pushing the hair from my face. "There is also something I’ve wanted to do all night." He lets me go, walking over to the radio on the stage. Taking out his phone, he plugs it in and the song, “Cowboys like Me,” plays through the speakers, filling the room. Turning, he walks toward me with a smile, and his eyes turn a soft brown. My stomach flips, and a smile fills my face. He holds out his hand when he reaches me. "Dance with me."
Chapter 23
Asher
"Dance with me." I hold out my hand to her. I don’t know what I’m doing because I’ve never been in this position. I’ve never been with someone I couldn’t wait to see again. I haven’t been with someone who causes a sense of peace to wash over me as soon as I see her.
She places her small hand into mine, and I pull her to me, smashing our chests together. "I didn’t know you were a dancer." I wrap an arm around her waist while she puts one hand around my shoulder. I look down at her smiling face, her eyes turning soft blue right before my eyes.
"I don’t dance," I say as we turn around in a circle. "If we are being honest." The words come out so low I don’t know if she can hear them.
She stops moving, and I can sense her whole body going stiff. "Being dishonest is not an option between us.” The words come out curt and direct.
"I know," I whisper. She nods her head, and I can feel her relaxing in my arms again. "Like I was saying …" I kiss her forehead as we turn around in a circle. "I’ve never danced with anyone before," I admit. The thought of her in someone else’s arms is almost too much to bear.
She looks up at me. "Are you saying I’m your first?" she jokes, tilting her head back, her index finger coming to rub my cheek. My head turns to catch her finger with a kiss.
"I’m saying you are the first girl who I’ve ever danced with. You are the first girl I’ve wanted to dance with," I admit.
"I’ll take it." She laughs. I bend my head, and she tilts her head back, waiting for my kiss. My mouth lowers to hers. My hand moves from her hand to her neck, intertwining my fingers in her hair. Her tongue comes out to slide with mine. Her hand falls to my hip, her thumb holding the side of my jeans. The arm around my shoulder comes down to hold my arm, her touch like an electric shock bringing me to life. I close my mouth and open it again, my tongue coming out to seek hers. She moans into my mouth, and it shoots straight to my cock. Her hand goes to the back of my neck as her fingers g
o into my hair.
The song ends, and all you can hear in the dimly lit bar is the sound of us kissing. My head moves to the other side, deepening the kiss. My lips let hers go, and I rub her nose gently with mine. Our chests are pressed against each other. "Another thing I was dying all night to do." I kiss her lips. "Is kiss you."
"Really?" She kisses under my chin. "What else have you been dying to do?" she asks me in a wicked way. This past week has been pure torture for me, lying with her and kissing the shit out of her.
"Other things I can’t say," I joke, kissing her lips and then moving the kisses to her cheek and then to her neck. The smell of lavender is still on her. “So many other things.”
She giggles, and it’s like music to my ears. Even more so, it’s hurting the fuck out of my cock that is restricted by my jeans. “Really?” She bends back to see my eyes, and I love the color of her eyes when she’s playful. They are a crystal blue, and in her left eye is one little speck of dark. "I’ve been thinking of other things also." I stop moving as I look at her. My hand drops from her neck, and we stand in front of each other. Her long tanned legs are on show, and when I saw her outfit tonight, it took everything in me not to cover her up. When she turned around to grab something, I made sure to stand in front of her, even though she was wearing my shirt around her waist and you couldn’t see anything.
"Amelia," I say her name in more of a plea, looking up at the ceiling.
"I’ve been thinking about …" She wraps her arms around my waist and kisses my neck softly. "About kissing you." She moves over to the other side of my neck and kisses me, driving me fucking mad. All I want to do is bury my hands in her hair and then drag her to the middle of the floor and have my way with her.
"I’m hanging on by a thread," I say, my hands on her hips to force her not to move any closer to me or else I’ll shoot off like a kid.
"Tell me what you're thinking about?" she asks, her voice so soft.
"That’s not fair." I look down at her.
"Why?" she asks, and her hands slide under the hem of my shirt, making me hiss.
"Because," I say, trying to focus on anything but the way her hands feel on me.
"Fine, I’ll go first," she says. "I want to kiss you in places no one can see."
I groan and take a step back as I look at her. "You have no idea what you do to me."
"Tell me?" she whispers.
"You drive me crazy,” I finally huff out. "Kissing you is what I think about doing all day long." I put my hands on my hips. "All day, every day. I want to lay you down and kiss every single inch of you. I want to claim every single part of you. I want to put my mark on you so bad. I want to go out and know that under your clothes, you have my mark." I watch her eyes to see if it’s too much for her. I watch her eyes to see if she feels the same way I do. "I want to take you home and make love to you." I finally say the words I’ve been dying to say, my heart beating so loud it echoes in my ears. "That is what I’ve thought about. I want you, Amelia."
She looks at me, and then she blinks, and her hand comes up to wipe the tear before it runs down her face. My stomach sinks in fear that I’ve scared her in some way or another, so I reach out for her, cupping her face with my hands. "I’m sorry," I say, my thumbs rubbing her cheeks.
"No one …" she says and looks down, but I move her face up with my hands.
"Don’t hide from me," I say. "Whatever you do, don’t hide from me."
She starts over. "No one has ever said that to me." Her hand cups my cheek. "No one has ever wanted me that bad."
I kiss her lips softly. At this moment, nothing would stop me from kissing her. The fear seeps into my bones that there will come a time when she won’t want me. There will be a time when the rest of my baggage comes to light, and just knowing she won’t want me anymore is enough to crush my soul. But we have this, and this is our time. Everything from the outside is unimportant right now. For once in my fucking life, I’m going to do something for me. I’m selfish enough to know that what I’m taking will never be mine, but for today, for tonight, for next week, I’m going to pretend I’m just a man who wants a woman.
"Asher," she whispers.
"Yeah, baby?" I answer, and she smiles shyly.
"I like that you call me that," she admits, and I smile as she walks out of my arms.
I watch her walk to the stage, climbing on it and grabbing my phone. I watch her walk to the back as she goes into the office.
My whole body is on edge, thinking about what she is doing. Wondering if I pushed her too far and worried that she would look at me differently. She comes out with her purse in her hand, and the clicking of her cowboy boots on the floor echoes in the empty bar. She holds out her hand to me. "Take me home," she says, putting her hand in mine.
I bring our hands up to my mouth and kiss her fingers. I hold her hand the whole time she turns off the rest of the lights. We don’t say anything as she locks the door, and I walk to the truck. I open the door for her and help her in, then walk to my side. She holds my hand while I drive to her house.
I put the truck in park and look over at her. She is looking down at her hands in her lap. "Talk to me," I say.
Her hand reaches for the handle of the truck, and she opens it. I follow her out, and when we get to her front door, she unlocks it and walks in. She waits for me to enter before closing the door behind her. "I didn’t want to do this outside," she says, “because I know the cameras are watching."
I’m so mesmerized by her that I didn’t even think about the cameras outside. The only thing I could think about was her and what was going through her mind. "I didn’t even think of that," I say honestly, and she comes to me. My back is against the door, and the only light is coming from the small side table lamp in the living room.
Her hand comes up to touch my chest, the palm of her hand flat against my chest. She can feel my heart pounding. "I want it," she says softly. "Everything you said." Her hand moves from my chest to my shoulder. "All the things you said you wanted to do to me." She swallows. "I want to do them. I want to kiss you until you snap and take me." She steps in just a touch more, and our chests are almost touching. "I want you to take me to bed." Her nose nuzzles my neck, and then she kisses me softly. My whole body melts under her touch.
"I want to worship you," I finally say, my voice trembling. "I want to worship every part of you."
I look into her eyes as she takes the step to close the distance between us. Two words is all it takes for me to finally snap. "I’m yours."
Chapter 24
Amelia
I take the biggest leap of my life, looking into his brown eyes. "I’m yours," I say. "Make me yours." He growls, bending his knees, his hands go to my hips. In a blink of an eye, my back is against the cold door, and his mouth is on mine. When his tongue meets mine, I think I actually sigh. My hands go to his hips while he attacks my mouth. There is no mistaking this kiss; it’s all I want and need. I’ve never been kissed like this. In all my life, I’ve never imagined that a kiss could be like this. That one kiss could rock your whole world and make you lose control.
His hands go to my waist as he grips my shirt in his fists. My own hands move to his shirt. Pulling it up, I put my hand on his skin. Every time I’ve kissed him this week, I’ve wanted to run my hands all over him. I’ve wanted to have him on top of me and feel his skin on mine. He moves his head to the left and then to the right, each time trying to deepen the kiss. I rake my nails up his back, and he groans. My mouth swallows his groan as his hand moves up my side and cups my tit. I let go of his mouth to take in the sensation of him. "Baby," he whispers. Attacking my neck, he pushes me harder into the door. His cock presses right on my stomach, and I move on my tippy-toes to have him angle right where I need him to be.
I press into him, and before you know it, he has me picked up, my legs going around his waist. I pull his shirt up. "I want to feel you," I say as he moves to give me access to take his shirt off. I bend down and kiss his c
hest. I cross my arms and pull my shirt over my head, leaving me with nothing but my black bra. His eyes turn from a deep brown to almost black. "I want to feel your skin on mine," I admit.
"Anything," he says. Bringing his mouth to my neck, he sucks in and bites down just a touch, and the sensation goes through my body all the way to the end of my toes. He comes back to my mouth, my mouth opening for him and my hands go up by my head, my knuckles hitting the door. His mouth leaves mine, and my eyes slowly open to see him go to my neck. I move my head to the side, giving him as much access as he wants. His kisses trail toward my collarbone, and the black bra strap slides down. His tongue comes out as he trails it to the swell of my breast. "Perfection," he says, pushing his hips into me while his hands cup both my tits. "Fucking perfect," he says, pushing the cups down. "And fucking mine." He bends to take a nipple into his mouth. My back arches and my hips move up and down on their own. He moves from the right nipple to the left, biting down and then sucking in. His thumb and index finger rolling the nipple he just left. "Right here," he says, sucking the area right next to my nipple into his mouth. He lets go of it and looks down at the red mark. "Mine."
He wraps his arm around my waist, turning and walking back toward my bedroom. "I want you spread out and open for me," he whispers in my ear right before he puts me down. He squats down in front of me, kissing my stomach while he unties his shirt from around my waist. "I have so many things I’m going to do with these legs." He drags his fingers from my calves all the way up, making me shiver with his touch. "First," he says, his tongue coming out as he licks my stomach, "I want them wrapped around my head." He unbuttons my belt in one motion. "Then I want them …" He unbuttons the button to the jean shorts, and I know they will fall to the floor because they are so big on me. The sound of the zipper joins the sound of my panting. "Around my hips," he says, and the shorts fall to a puddle around my feet. "Fuck," he says, looking at me standing here in my black lace thong. Okay, fine, thong is being generous. It’s more of a string with a little triangle.
Southern Secrets Page 13
