by Levine, Nina
“There’s nothing wrong with slowing things down,” I mutter. We’ve had this discussion many times. I’m pretty sure we’ll never agree on it.
“And there’s nothing wrong with taking a test drive.”
As I sit thinking about what she’s said, I wonder if she’s right. And the fact I’m even considering sleeping with him so soon stuns me the most. Ashton is already bulldozing his way into my life and I’m beginning to think I’m helpless to slow him down.
A few hours later, I stare at myself in the mirror and grimace. Gently touching my cheek, I wish I could go back to yesterday and not apply that facemask. My face is so red from the skin reaction. And sore. I can barely touch my face without it hurting.
I head out to my lounge room. An afternoon in front of the television sounds like exactly what I need. Some quiet time away from people.
I’ve just settled on the couch with a travel documentary when a knock sounds at my front door. I ignore it. Mostly because I don’t want to move off the couch but also because I’m not expecting anyone. It can’t be important. However, they don’t leave. The knocking only grows more insistent so I eventually give in and make my way to the door.
I’m surprised to find Ashton on the other side of the door. “You don’t give up easily, do you?” I say, recalling my conversation with Sienna today. I could never see him giving up without a fight.
“I can’t say it’s in my nature, no,” he replies. He frowns. “What happened to your face?”
My hand absently moves to cover a cheek. “A mask and I had a fight. The mask won.” I cock my head. “What are you doing here?”
His intense eyes lock onto mine. “Organising dinner for tonight.”
I quirk a brow. “You couldn’t do that over the phone?”
“No.”
His intensity flusters me. I don’t know what to say to that so I take a moment to try and figure out a response. I mean, who doesn’t just pick up the phone to organise a date?
He doesn’t wait for me to reply. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
I bite the inside of my lip, still flustered. “Do you organise all your dates like this?”
A flicker of amusement touches his expression. “If you’re asking whether I knock on a woman’s door and tell her what time I’ll pick her up, the answer would be no. I usually just phone or have my assistant send flowers to organise dinner.” He pauses for a moment. “I also usually give women the opportunity to say no.”
His meaning is not lost on me and my breathing slows. “Oh.” Again, lost for freaking words.
He takes a step closer to me and drops his gaze to my mouth. “Do you like Italian?” He drags his eyes from my lips after he asks this. The heat I see there causes my knees to weaken. I can’t recall the last time a man looked at me the way he is. In fact, I’m not sure a man has ever watched me like Ashton does.
“Yes, it’s one of my favourites. But we’ll have to make it seven thirty.”
He continues to watch me with the intensity that causes my pulse to quicken. “I’ll see you at seven thirty.”
As he’s leaving, I call out, “I’m good with a guy calling to organise a date. Just so you know.”
He halts and looks back at me. “I’m not. I can’t see you over the phone.”
And then he’s gone.
And I’m standing here more confused by my own reactions than ever.
12
Ashton
I exit my car as I reach into my pocket to grab my ringing phone out. Placing it to my ear, I say, “Alessandra. What’s up?”
“I’m just calling to let you know Bradley left his coat at your place today. Malcolm will drop by tomorrow morning to collect it because Bradley’s being a pain about wanting it back.”
“I’ll leave it with Roberta.”
“I’ll get Malcolm to bring her some fudge. Your housekeeper is one of the only people alive who loves my fudge.”
“Why are you cooking?”
She groans. “School bake sale. Bane of my fucking existence.”
I enter Lorelei’s complex and jab the button for the lift. The fact I can enter her apartment complex without any issues concerns me. The front door is secured with a keypad, but the door is never fully closed. I make a note to mention it to her.
“Bradley seemed a little off today.”
“I think he’s getting a cold. He loved hanging out with you and Jack today. So did Sadie.”
I enter the lift and press the number for Lorelei’s floor. “They should come over more often.”
“What are you doing? You seem a little distracted.”
“I’m on a date.” Almost.
“Where’d you meet this one?”
“Fuck, you say that as if I’ve got a different woman every night, Aly.”
“You have to admit you’ve come close.”
“I will admit I’ve dated a lot of women, but not a new one every night.” I step out of the lift and head to Lorelei’s door.
“Well, okay, maybe I’m a little off there. I’d like to see you settle down again. With a good woman. And not someone who only wants you because of who you are.”
I’ve reached my destination. “Goodbye, Alessandra.” I end the call and knock on Lorelei’s door. She doesn’t take long to answer it and I stand,, staring at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.
My gaze sweeps over her body, taking in the black dress painted over her curves and the heels that accentuate her toned legs. Heels I’d like to remove slowly before making my way up those legs.
“You’re early,” she says.
I check my watch. Quarter past seven. “No, I’m late. I said seven.”
“And I said seven thirty.”
I close the distance between us and place my hand on her hip before snaking it around her waist. “We both know you had nothing on between seven and seven thirty.”
She grips the bicep of my arm that I have around her. It’s like she’s trying to push me away while at the same time keep me close. “I might have.”
“Are you ready? Or do you need fifteen minutes?”
“Just let me get my bag,” she says before turning to leave me.
I want to follow her.
I want my lips on hers again.
But I don’t. Instead, I wait with patience I don’t possess for this woman. Patience that I know I am going to have to work on, because Lorelei has made it abundantly clear she doesn’t want just sex—that she wants to spend time getting to know me first. And as much as I want so much more from her than sex, my need for her body is intense.
She doesn’t take long to return and a minute later I’m tracking her steps as we make our way to my car. When we hit the footpath and she sees the car, she turns in surprise. “A double date?”
I eye Jack leaning against my Aston Martin and shake my head. “No, I don’t share, Lorelei.”
Jack pushes off from the car and grins at her. “We definitely don’t share, sweetheart. I’m only along for the ride because my best friend thinks I’ll spend the night drinking or taking drugs if I’m alone.”
Surprise flares in her eyes as she glances at me. “Really….” Her voice drifts off and I wonder what she’s thinking. One of the things I like about her is that I can’t always figure her out. She keeps me guessing.
Jack shrugs. “He’s right. I do have a problem with those things. This is a little extreme, though.”
Before I can respond, Lorelei speaks. “No, I don’t think so. I hope my friend would look out for me like Ashton is for you if I had a problem.”
Jack mutters something under his breath about me taking things to the extreme as we all settle in the car, him in the back, Lorelei next to me. The argument he and I had before leaving tonight is long forgotten, though, which is our way. We’ve always had our say and then moved on without holding onto shit. He didn’t want to come tonight, but I forced him. I refused to take no for an answer.
I listen as Jack and Lorelei laugh over a sto
ry he’s shared about an embarrassing moment he had at the Oscars once. The sound of Lorelei’s laughter hits me in the gut. And not for the first time. It seems every time I hear her laugh I’m affected this way.
“Ashton, just drop me off on the way to Lorelei’s. No fucking way am I getting in the way of you guys tonight,” Jack says from the back seat of the car. We’ve just left the restaurant.
I meet his gaze in the rear-view mirror. He mouths, “Take me home.”
I decide to do as he’s asked and steer the car in the direction of home.
Lorelei turns to face him. “You won’t be getting in the way of anything, Jack. Ashton knows the score.”
My lips twitch.
I know the damn score off by fucking heart.
“Sweetheart, were we at the same dinner tonight?” Jack asks.
“Yes,” she replies hesitantly.
“You two couldn’t keep your eyes off each other. If I hadn’t been there, you probably would have spent the night sitting on his lap.”
I glance at her in time to see her hand move to her throat. She catches me looking and sucks in a breath before facing the road again.
We drive in silence the rest of the way to my place, all lost in our thoughts. When I pull into the driveway, Jack jumps out and rounds the car. I roll the window down when he taps on it. “I won’t wait up for you,” he says with a grin.
“Keep out of trouble.”
His grin fades. “I can control myself, Ashton.”
“I won’t be long.”
He straightens. “Like I said, I won’t wait up. Don’t hurry back.”
I watch him walk inside before shifting the car into reverse. As I back out of the driveway, Lorelei says, “How worried about him are you?”
I glance at her. “Tonight, not so much, but in general, I worry a lot.”
“Why not tonight?”
“His mood is easy tonight. You put him in a good mood.”
“Really?”
“You sound surprised.”
“Well, I hardly know him so I wouldn’t expect to have an effect on him.”
“Lorelei, not many people know the real Jack. He has hundreds of so-called friends, but I could probably count on two hands the number of people who know him better than you.”
She’s silent for a beat. “I find that so sad.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Shifting in her seat to face me, she says, “You surprised me again tonight.”
“How?”
“By bringing Jack with you. I don’t know many guys who would have done that.”
“Trust me, I wanted you all to myself.”
“But you didn’t let that stop you from looking out for him.”
I pull up at a red light and look at her. “Jack is one of the only people I would do that for, so I’m perhaps not as good as you think.”
She smiles. “Well, I’m reserving judgement.”
The light turns green and I continue towards her apartment. We arrive five minutes later, and I make my way around to her side of the car to open the door. She exits the car before I hit her side, though, and frowns at my expression when she meets my eyes.
“What?” she asks.
I ignore her question and guide her inside. I’ve never been a man to open car doors for women before, so my actions are perplexing to me also.
The elevator ride is excruciatingly long. Being so close to Lorelei and not touching her takes all my control. As I step out of the lift and follow her, my gaze is drawn to her ass and down her legs. I groan inwardly; this will be the hardest part of tonight.
She turns the key in the door, pushes it open and then turns to face me.
Our eyes meet.
“Thank you for dinner,” she says softly.
My eyes drop to her lips.
I need to taste those lips again.
Hooking my arm around her waist, I pull her close. “You’re mine again tomorrow night.”
Her eyes widen a touch and her breath catches. “What if I’m busy?”
I don’t let her go. “Are you?”
She hesitates for only a second. “No.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty.”
“I’ll be ready at seven.”
Fuck.
My arm tightens around her and I bend to kiss her. She leans into me and loops her arms around my neck while kissing me back. A moan escapes her lips and my cock jerks to attention. Hell, my dick has been semi-hard all night.
Suddenly, her arms leave my neck and she pushes against my chest while she ends the kiss. I pull away and look down at her, questioningly.
“Sorry,” she says, a pained expression on her face. “It hurts my face to kiss you.”
“Fuck,” I mutter. I’ve completely forgotten about her face. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, it sucks. I won’t be doing one of those masks again in a hurry.”
“Good to hear. They’re a hazard to men,” I murmur, my arm still around her, my eyes not leaving hers.
She stares up at me, her breaths slowing down. Then she surprises the hell out of me. “Do you want to stay for a drink?”
I lift a brow. “As in a real drink?”
Her lips curl into a smile. “Yes, an actual drink. I’m sorry I don’t have alcohol, but I do have tea, coffee, water, mil—”
I press a finger to her lips. “I’ll have a coffee.”
Her smile fills her face and she leaves me to head into the kitchen. I rake my fingers through my hair. This taking it slow business isn’t something I’ve ever had a woman request. But fuck if it isn’t making me want her all the more.
13
Lorelei
“So you’ve lived here for two years?” Ashton asks while I fiddle with the coffee machine. It’s unnerving that he knows so much about me.
“Do you do that with everyone in your life?”
He moves closer so he’s standing less than two feet away. Resting against the counter, he casually crosses one foot over the other. It’s as if he feels at home in my kitchen. His eyes meet mine, the usual intensity shining from them. “Do what?”
“Make a point to know everything about them like that?”
“I don’t know everything, Lorelei.”
I finish making his coffee, black with no sugar, and pass him the mug. “I beg to differ. You seem to have made it a point to know most things.”
“I always take the time to learn about the people important to me.” He lifts the drink to his mouth and takes a sip while I process what he’s told me.
The people important to me.
“We’ve known each other a week,” I remind him.
“Your point?”
The kettle finishes boiling water for my tea and I turn to reach into the fridge for the milk. When I face him again, I look up into his eyes, finding his gaze still focused intently on me. “My point is that I hardly think I could become someone important to you in the space of a week.”
“That’s not true. Time doesn’t dictate that kind of thing for me. I knew Jack would be my best mate within days of meeting him, and my assistant wormed her way into my life within two weeks.” His voice deepens when he adds, “I have no idea what will happen between us, but I know I want to learn absolutely everything there is to know about you.”
I stare up at him, unable to move. My breathing slows and I fight my way through the thoughts filling my mind, trying to figure out exactly what I’m thinking. Trying to work out exactly what I want to happen here as my inner conflict settles in.
Before I can speak, he leans even closer to me, almost taking up all my personal space. “Lorelei—”
I place my finger against his lips, quietening him. “I want to take this slowly.”
He takes hold of my hand and moves it away from his mouth. “No, you don’t. And even if you do, I don’t ever take things slowly.”
I fight the effect his dominance has on me and attempt to stand up to him. Because as much as I’m turned on by the way he�
�s assuming control here, I don’t want to give him all the power in whatever this relationship might become. “I can tell that about you, but I won’t be controlled, Ashton, so if that’s the kind of thing you’re used to in your relationships, this might not be what you’re looking for.”
He moves so he’s standing in front of me with my back against the counter. Placing his hands on the counter either side of me, his body presses against mine as he dips his mouth to my collarbone. I suck in a breath when his tongue traces a line along my skin, and a shiver runs through me as he kisses his way slowly up my neck. He stops when he reaches my jawbone and lifts his face so he can make eye contact again. “Controlling you is the furthest thing from my mind, Lorelei.”
I stare at him, bewildered, and know that as much as he may not be trying to control me, simply being in his presence is enough to give him all the power. Ashton owns his world and converging his with mine only increases his dominion. Whether I like it not, he has that effect on me.
He watches me for a moment before lowering his gaze. Trailing his finger down my neck, he stops when he hits the material of my dress. I chose a dress for tonight that doesn’t reveal much of my cleavage. It is short and fitted, but it gives nothing away up top. He slowly runs his finger down my dress between my breasts, his focus completely on my chest. “Do you have any idea how much I want a taste of you?”
God, I wish I hadn’t used that facemask yesterday. If my face wasn’t so sore from the reaction, I’d kiss him right now. I halt the progress of his hand and hold it in place between my breasts. “I want to kiss you, but it seriously hurts way too much.”
He moves his free hand to the hem of my dress and his fingers slide under. “I wasn’t talking about a taste of those lips.”
His eyes find mine as he pushes my dress up. Unable to form a reply, all I can do is breathe through every sensation his touch evokes. I’m practically panting by the time he kneels in front of me.
“This is as slow as I’m willing to take us,” he says before placing his lips against my panties and kissing me. His hands grip my ass and a moment later, he slides my panties down.
