by Jess Bryant
He’d gone hard the moment he saw her. Hell, if he was honest with himself, he had been half hard for days. If he’d thought at all before jumping into the pool then he might have considered that the cold water would do something to calm his raging hard-on but not even the shock to his system seemed to outweigh the knowledge that Ashtyn was naked and in far too close proximity. At least he’d forced her to turn around so that she didn’t have definitive proof of his desire for her and he intended to keep it that way.
“This is probably the dumbest thing on your entire bucket list.”
She looked mildly offended, “That’s rude.”
He shrugged, “Just my opinion.”
“If you think it’s so stupid, then why are you bothering to humor me and going along with this?”
“You said if I didn’t join you that you’d invite someone else to swim naked with you.”
She rolled her eyes, “You know I wasn’t really going to do that.”
“I’m not sure I know anything about you anymore, Ashtyn.” he admitted and watched her tilt her head at him curiously.
“What?” She was treading water but she was moving towards him so he took a step to the side, keeping the distance between them even though he couldn’t go backwards because if he did the water would be dangerously low.
“You’re nothing like what I thought you’d be.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.” She smiled and if he was the kind of man to wax poetic, he’d have compared the sparkle in her eyes to the stars in the sky.
“You should.” He took another step away from her when she inched closer again. “That’s exactly how I meant it.”
“Careful, Tyler. I might actually start thinking you like me.”
He snorted, “I do like you, Ashtyn. If I didn’t like you, I’d have left you on the side of the road in Arkansas that first night when you got drunk and played grab-ass with me.”
“I couldn’t help myself. It’s a nice ass.” She smirked.
“So you’ve told me, more than once.”
“Bears repeating.” She shrugged, “In fact, I think you’ve got a pretty nice everything if we’re being completely honest.”
He swallowed hard at the glint in her eyes, “Complete honesty? I don’t think we should be talking about that at all.”
“Oh come on, Ty. You can admit that you liked what you saw tonight too.”
“I could, but I shouldn’t.”
Ashtyn blew at a damp hair clinging to her face, “Coulda. Woulda. Shoulda. Story of my life. But I thought you were braver than that.”
“It’s not about being brave.” He inched backwards until he collided with the side of the pool, with nowhere else to go he met her twinkling blue eyes and shook his head. “You want honesty? Fine. I do like you, Ashtyn. You’ve proven me wrong about you in so many ways I’ve lost count. You’re not a princess. You’re not at all what I imagined you’d be when I agreed to this trip. You’re strong and smart and determined and I respect the hell out of you for going after what you want.”
She blinked at him slowly, shock registering on her face, “Wow. Thank you.”
“It’s just the truth.” He shrugged.
“Maybe, but not many people in my life have ever called me strong or determined so…” She trailed off and he winced.
“You are strong, Ashtyn. A weak person never could have done what you did when you left that church. A weak person would have stayed, would have gone on making everyone else happy even if it made her miserable, but you’re not that girl. The more I get to know you, the more I get to see you come out of your shell and take chances and be bold, the more I like you.”
She looked thoughtful, treading water, and when she looked back up at him, he could see something serious in her gaze, “You make it easy.”
He raised an eyebrow so that she would continue because he had no idea what she was talking about.
“You make it easy for me to take chances and be bold because I know I can count on you to be there if I fall.” she admitted. “I may not have known you for very long, Tyler, but I know you’re a good man and that I can count on you.”
He tried not to snort, “You’re definitely the first person in my life to ever say that.”
“I know you mentioned before that your family doesn’t take you seriously, that they don’t think you’re serious enough or dependable enough, but they’re wrong.” She moved closer again, eyes still on his. “They’re wrong about you just like mine is wrong about me.”
“Maybe you just bring out the best in me.”
She smiled, soft and sweet, “I like hearing that because I think you bring out the best in me too.”
“We make a good pair.” he tried to sound nonchalant but with her coming closer and closer, he wasn’t feeling calm at all. “I’m glad we decided to be friends.”
“Friends.” she repeated the word but the way she bit her lip made it sound like something else entirely.
When she moved forward again, towards him, almost into his personal space, he knew that he had to put a stop to this. She was flirting with him. He’d known she was flirting with him and he’d gone along with it because talking to her was so damn easy. He liked her but he couldn’t let this happen.
“Ashtyn.” he used a warning tone. “Stay where you are.”
“Why?” She smiled at him coyly.
“If you come any closer, I’ll be able to see you through the water.”
“You’ve already seen me. Remember?” She paddled closer and he swallowed hard.
“Like I could forget that.” he murmured under his breath before realizing that was not the right answer.
“Another compliment? Thank you.” She swam so close they were almost touching.
“Ashtyn, we can’t do this…” he groaned as she ignored his words and slid her body right up against his.
Her sweet, beautiful, naked body. His hands automatically went around her waist. He told himself it was to push her away but somehow, when he touched her soft skin, his brain short-circuited and he found himself tightening his hold on her.
He could feel her every curve. Her breasts were against his chest and her nipples were hard. He barely had time to register the intense sensation before she surprised him again by wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her body pressed against him and there was no denying his attraction to her anymore because her matching moan told him she felt his erection.
Her beautiful face was right in front of his and he could smell her soothing lilac scent. He could feel his willpower leave his body. She was naked and wrapped around him just like all the times he’d imagined it while she was riding behind him on the motorcycle.
“Tyler.” she whispered his name and it was the sweetest seduction.
“Ash.” He barely managed, “We can’t…”
“We can.” She pressed her lips to his jaw, “It’s just you and me and we can do whatever we want. I want you. Do you want me?”
“You know I do.” He squeezed her waist, trying to keep her still when she rubbed herself against him. “But…”
Ashtyn pressed her lips to his and he forgot all the reasons it was a bad idea. He forgot what he was going to say. He forgot everything but how good it felt to have her in his arms. All he could think about was the press of her breasts and the sweet heat between her legs and the pressure of her mouth against his.
He kissed her back. There was nothing else he could do. Nothing he wanted more in the world in that moment.
He kissed her softly at first, testing her lips, learning the curve of them and then, when she opened to him, he took the invitation, delving inside with his tongue to learn the velvet taste of her. She wrapped herself around him more tightly, holding on as the onslaught of kisses turned deeper, heavier and more intense. She rocked her hips and they both moaned. The sounds colliding against their joined mouths.
It was only the intrusively loud music playing from somewhere nearby th
at had him coming back to reality. It was a car driving through the parking lot on the other side of the motel. Still, it was close enough to remind him that they weren’t somewhere private. They were naked, in a public swimming pool, at a cheap roadside motel and anyone could come around the corner or look out their window and see them like this, see Ashtyn like this.
That was the thought that finally restored blood flow back to his brain and forced him to pull back.
“Ashtyn, wait…”
Her mouth was red and swollen. Her blue eyes were glassy with desire. Her cheeks were flushed and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again in that moment but he moved a hand to her jaw and held her in place when she tried to lean forward to retake his mouth.
“Wait. We can’t do this here.”
He knew what he should have been saying was that they couldn’t do this at all. That’s what he’d meant to say, but somehow, she jumbled up everything inside of him. He’d crossed the line and he knew it. He’d known it from the moment her lips brushed his, from the second he’d joined her in the pool. Hell, he’d known since he followed her out of the bar and maybe even before, that this thing between them was inevitable.
All he could do now, all he could hope for now, was to save some part of his sanity and her virtue by sending her back to the motel room alone while he got his head on straight.
“Get your clothes and go to our room.”
Ashtyn blinked as if their surroundings were just coming back to her too, “Oh. Uh. I forgot where we…”
“I know. Me too.”
Her cheeks flushed so prettily and her lashes fluttered as she looked up at him from beneath them, “Come on, let’s go then.”
“No.” He pulled out of her touch. “You go first. I need a minute or two to get things… under control.”
Ashtyn pointedly looked at the erection between them. Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. She nodded and finally moved back from him.
“Hurry.” she whispered before turning and swimming to the end of the pool.
Tyler looked away before she climbed out, knowing what small semblance of willpower he’d managed to regain would drain away if he saw her body again. He wanted her. She was right. But he couldn’t have her. He shouldn’t have touched her. Not like that. Not while they were on this trip. Not while he was being paid to take care of her.
He growled and swiped a hand through his hair, willing his cockstand to go away. He’d made a mistake but he could still fix it. If he was lucky, he wouldn’t even have to be the one to call this crazy night off. He hoped that Ashtyn would get back to the motel room, dry off, and come to her senses before he returned.
Yes, that was it. She would realize this was a terrible idea. She would remember she’d been engaged to another man mere days ago and that she barely knew Tyler. She would be embarrassed by her bold impulsiveness and beg him to forget the whole thing and he would be able to play the role of understanding friend and they’d let it go.
Things would go back to normal and they’d be fine. Everything would be fine. And he’d almost managed to convince himself of that by the time he followed her to the motel room, opened the door, and found her standing there, still totally and completely naked, waiting for him with so much desire in her eyes that he knew there was no going back.
13
Every nerve ending in Ashtyn’s body sparked and sizzled as she ran the towel over her body in the bathroom of the motel room, trying to dry off a little bit before Tyler joined her. She was plenty wet in all the right places and the rough towel on her sensitive skin only heightened her desire. She had never felt this out of control, this wild, or this wanton.
She wanted Tyler and she’d made the first move. She’d kissed him and it had felt like the strangest mix of familiarity and newness, of safety and panic. Kissing Tyler had felt like free-falling but it hadn’t left her scared, only exhilarated because she knew one hundred percent, without a doubt, that he would catch her.
He might barely be more to her than a stranger but she felt like she knew him and more importantly, that he knew her. They were different in so many ways but they had more in common than they’d realized too. They both just wanted to live their life on their own terms, without their families telling them who and how to be. Like her, Tyler was a little bit damaged underneath all those sexy muscles and beautiful tattoos and she wanted to soothe his rough edges. He’d become important to her in such a short amount of time. He’d let her lean on him and he’d supported her and cheered her on. He ignited the fire inside of her and she thought maybe she could be the balm for the fire inside him.
They fit. Even if it was just for tonight. Even if it was just for today and tomorrow and neither of them had any idea what came next. She wanted him and he wanted her and that was enough.
She turned as the door to the motel room opened behind her and her breath caught when she saw Tyler step through and kick it shut behind him quickly. His eyes went wide and she thought she registered surprise on his handsome face before he broke his gaze away. She wasn’t sure why he was surprised to find her naked and waiting for him in the bedroom, considering that was where he’d told her to go, but when his eyes raked her from top to bottom and he licked his lips, she moved towards him.
“Tyler…?” She frowned at the jeans he’d put back on and reached for the button as she got close only to have his hands snap up and catch her wrists.
“You didn’t change your mind?” his voice was as rough as gravel and his gaze searched her face for something she didn’t understand.
“About you and me? No.” She moved a step closer, forcing him to pull her hands up against his chest as she invaded his space. “I told you, I want you, Tyler.”
He groaned when she leaned forward and rubbed her cheek against his chest, “We should talk about this.”
“Why? So you can tell me it’s a bad idea again?”
“Exactly.”
She pulled back enough to look up at him, “The only talking I need tonight, is adult in nature.”
He groaned when she tipped her face up and nibbled on his jaw. She noticed he hadn’t pulled away. Not once. Not in all the time he’d been talking about doubts and putting a stop to this. He wanted her and he wasn’t pushing her away.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” She smirked, lowering her voice to a husky whisper, “Fuck me, Tyler. I want to feel your cock inside me, stretching me, going deep, deeper than anyone’s ever been before. I’m so wet and empty. Fill me up. I ache and only you can make it better.”
Tyler sounded like he choked on the air in his lungs and his head jerked back enough to look down at her, eyes wide, pupils blown, “Where the hell did you learn to talk like that?”
“Movies.” She gave a dismissive shoulder shrug.
“Porn you mean?”
She teased, rubbing her body against his, “Are you surprised the sweet little princess you were imagining is into dirty talk?”
“I was wrong.” he groaned, releasing her wrists and allowing his hands to dive into her damp hair. “You’re not a princess. You’re a fucking goddess.”
His mouth crashed down on hers and Ashtyn would have smiled with triumph if his tongue hadn’t already been forcing her mouth open and delving deep to tangle with her own. She moaned and wrapped her arms around him. She wanted to climb him and he seemed to sense what she wanted because even as his tongue stroked and licked and teased her mouth, he slid his big hands to her thighs and lifted her off the ground so she could wrap her legs around him.
It was an all-new sensation with the roughness of his jeans between them but she clung to him and kissed him with every ounce of desire that she’d been harboring. His hands cupped her ass, kneading the mounds of flesh as he sucked on her tongue, and she was so caught up in the sensations that she didn’t realize they were moving until he broke the kiss and began to lean down, lowering her to the bed.
She grinned up at hi
m, thankful he hadn’t bothered to put his shirt back on. The sight of him looming above her with his dark hair glistening, his blue eyes blazing, and all of those sexy muscles and tattoos on display was enough to make her core throb with need. The sheets were cool beneath her backside and she was thankful she’d thought ahead enough to drag the comforter off the moment she returned to the room. The sheets were likely the cleanest thing in the motel room and she enjoyed the sensation of their coolness on her back as Tyler’s hard, hot body caged her in beneath him.
“You’re so damn beautiful.” he muttered, leaning close and kissing on her jaw, her chin, her throat. “I’ve been hard for days. Wanting you. Wanting this. It’s not going to be slow and sweet.”
“Good. Because I don’t want slow and sweet.” She met his gaze and raised a challenging eyebrow, “I told you already. I want you to fuck me, Tyler.”
“That mouth.” he groaned, “Gonna be the death of me.”
“But what a way to go.” She was still grinning when he moved back to her lips, biting at them and making her gasp. “Tyler, please.”
“Please what?” He sucked at her bottom lip, licking at the stinging spot his teeth had left behind.
“Touch me.”
“I am touching you.” his voice was teasing as he pressed his denim-clad erection against her mound and rotated his hips.
She whined, “Naked. Now.”
His lips quirked into a knowing smile as he pulled back from her to rid himself of his pants. She was breathing hard as she watched him undress again only this time, he didn’t tell her to look away as he dropped his boxers to the floor. She barely contained a whimper at the sight of his erection.
Thick was the first word that came to mind and it made her core give another involuntary clench. She hadn’t seen a lot of cocks in her life. In fact, she’d only ever seen Aaron’s if she didn’t count the porn she’d watched and she knew enough to know the guys in those weren’t exactly your garden-variety average. She hated to compare but somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but note how much thicker Tyler was than Aaron, which had her worrying her bottom lip, wondering if all that girth was going to do more than just stretch her.
