“You like that?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Yes. You feel incredible inside me.”
He drew back and glided deep again, taking her breath away. He nuzzled her ear as he sped up, his thrusts deep and steady. Making her head spin. Filling her with joy.
She surrendered to the rhythmic thrusts of his body, allowing him to carry her to a heavenly place of euphoric bliss.
“I … want … you … so … much.” His words were punctuated by thrusts.
She quivered as he nuzzled her ear. There were so many delightful sensations fluttering through her body and she was so close to the precipice.
“Ashley.” His breath quivered against her ear just as she reached the pinnacle. “I love you.”
She gasped, then her world exploded in an earth-shattering orgasm, blasting her to new heights of pleasure.
He continued to pump inside her, then drove deep, pinning her to the bed as he groaned his release.
She drew in deep breaths as ecstasy slowly faded, his big body over hers, his cock deep inside her still pulsing. His arms held the bulk of his weight but she felt trapped. He rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand as he watched her.
She grasped the edge of the sheet and drew it tightly to her, feeling a little too exposed. Then she cleared her throat.
“You love me?” she asked.
He smiled, his eyes twinkling.
“Why did you say that?” she stammered. She didn’t know why she was so thrown off. She loved him. Him loving her should bring her joy, not make her nervous as a cat.
“Because it’s true. And I thought you’d want to hear the words.”
“But … I’m in love with Adam.” Then she bit her lip, wishing she could suck back the words.
His eyebrow arched. “Then why are you here?”
Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. Oh, God, he thought the worst of her. She tried to scramble from the bed but he caught her arm.
“Ash, I’m not accusing you of cheating on him. I know you’ve been straight with him. And you came here to talk so we could figure things out.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I just meant that you’re here because you love me, too. Now we have to figure out what to do about it.”
“You make it sound like there is a solution.” She gazed at him hopefully.
“There’s the obvious one … that you choose between us. But maybe there’s a solution that might lead to all of us being happy.”
* * *
Ashley pulled the robe around her and tied the sash at her waist, then opened the bathroom door. Dare had refused to tell her more, suggesting they continue the conversation over dinner. She’d taken a shower and dried her hair, now she smiled as she looked forward to sitting in his elegant but cozy dining room and gazing at him across a candlelit table.
She walked into the living room and saw he was sitting on the couch. And there was no hint of dinner cooking.
He stood up and smiled as he stepped toward her. “You look wonderful in my robe.”
He pulled her close and kissed her. His tangy, masculine cologne reminded her of their bodies tangled together and desire blazed through her.
She stroked his chest and smiled. “Maybe we should save dinner and our conversation until later.” As much as she wanted to hear what he had to say right now, she wanted him more.
He chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. “I would love to, but unfortunately both dinner and our conversation will have to wait. Something came up and I have to leave.”
Disappointment washed through her. And a niggling thought that it was probably Helen who was interrupting them.
She unfastened the sash on her robe and let it fall open, then she took his hand and slid it under the fabric to rest on her naked stomach.
“Are you sure I can’t entice you?”
“Ash, I really have to…”
But she slid his hand to her breast and cupped it over her soft flesh. His sentence faded to a groan. He tightened his hand around her and her nipple hardened, pushing into his palm.
“You’re a hard woman to bargain with because you know exactly what I want.”
She pushed herself on her tiptoes and nuzzled under his chin, dragging her teeth over the whisker-roughened flesh. “So you’ll stay?” she asked in her deepest, most seductive voice.
“I want to, baby. I do.” But he drew his hand from her breast, then pulled her robe together and retied her sash, tugging it snugly closed. “But I really have to go.”
She frowned as he walked across the room.
“I’ll wait until you get dressed so I can see you out.”
She turned, dejected, and went back to the bedroom, then returned moments later dressed and ready to go.