“Yeah, of course.”
She had half expected him to refuse after the awkwardness of last time, but Adam always supported her and it seemed he wouldn’t let an unwanted kiss get in the way of that.
God, she desperately wanted to be in a romantic relationship with either one of these phenomenal men, but they had both rejected her on that front. She was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with her.
Adam took the bottle of beer Ashley handed him, then watched her sit down across from him with her glass of soda. She looked so pretty in her snug jeans and floral top that accentuated her full breasts, revealing just enough cleavage to be alluring but not blatantly sexy.
Except she was always sexy to him.
“So how do we start this time?” he asked.
“I’m not really sure. Maybe I could just direct you to clean the apartment.” She smiled. “The carpets could use vacuuming.”
“I think I’d just take the punishment then.”
“So that’s how it’s going to be? If you don’t like what I suggest, then you’ll just disobey? How will I learn that way?”
He laughed. “I suppose once you really have the hang of it, you’ll be able to overcome my willful disobedience.”
“Yeah, thanks. I think I need a little more cooperation while I’m learning.”
“All right. Why don’t we do like last time and repeat what you did with your mentor.”
His smile faded as her cheeks blossomed a deep rose tone and she glanced away, taking a quick sip of her soda.
Fuck, she’d had sex with Dare. Adam’s stomach clenched at the thought. God damn it, he’d kissed her the last time they were together, giving him the perfect opportunity to pursue a relationship with her, but he’d fucking backed off. Now she was fucking Dare.
Dare, of all people!
Jealousy blazed through him.
“Ash, are you getting involved with this guy?”
She curled her legs close to her body. “I don’t know.” She compressed her lips. “I mean, no, not really.”
“You don’t sound very sure.”
“I don’t really want to talk to you about this.”
“Why? I thought we were friends.”
She glanced at him, their gazes connecting for a second, then she tore hers away. But for that brief moment, he thought he saw a need in her eyes. Could it be that she wanted their relationship to be more than it was, too?
She placed her glass on the table and sat up straight. “You’re right. You are my friend and there’s no reason we can’t talk about this.” She looked at him. “I find him attractive. And we … uh … slept together. But he says it will only last as long as he’s in town, which is only another month.”
Adam’s gut clenched. Even though he’d already figured it out, hearing her admit that she’d had sex with the man had a profound effect on him.
He was relieved that Dare didn’t want a long-term relationship with her, but the thought of him touching her, even for a temporary tryst, was sheer torture.
“So break it off, Ash.”
“What?”
“Stop seeing him. Continuing will only be harder on you when it ends, and if he doesn’t see a future for the two of you, why put yourself through it?”
She stared at him, her face drawn tight with determination. “No, I’m not willing to do that.”
Damn it, she was falling for him. He could see it in her eyes.
Fuck, was he going to lose her before he even had her?
He understood the pitfalls of pursuing a relationship with her, but … Fuck, the thought of never holding her in his arms or feeling her sweet body pressed to his—never being buried in her velvety depths—made him ache. He wanted to guide her to the blissful ecstasy of complete surrender where she left herself totally vulnerable to him. He wanted to own her, body and soul, and to show her the sweet release only he could give her.
He stood up and walked toward her, then took her hand and pulled her to her feet. Then she was in his arms and his mouth was covering hers. She stiffened at first, clearly in shock at his action, then she relaxed, her soft body melting against him. His tongue nudged against the seam of her mouth and she opened.
The feel of the velvety warmth of her mouth sent his need rocketing. He glided his tongue deep into her and she … God, she sucked on it, drawing it deeper.
He pulled her closer, his growing cock squeezed tight between their bodies.
She must have felt it, because she flattened her hands on his chest and pressed. He immediately eased back. But he didn’t release her from his embrace.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “When we kissed last time … You already told me you don’t want me.”