“I what?”
With his index finger he pushed my chin up to close my mouth. “I want you to stay in my room while your here.”
“Umm . . . I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” he asked, watching me with shrewd eyes.
“Because one night of great sex doesn’t mean I’m moving into your room. I may like to be told what to do in your bed, but out here I’ve learned that I can decide for myself and I won’t repeat past mistakes.”
Ashton smiled. “Most people wouldn’t think to question me. While I want you to stay in my room, I’m thrilled you’re willing to stand up to me.”
“Of course I am. We’re you afraid I’d keep submitting to you?”
“To be honest I was worried, but I hoped I was wrong.”
I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest. “Well you were.”
He leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. “I’m glad. Now eat. You need your energy.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re lucky I’m hungry.”
He chuckled and began eating. Halfway through breakfast, he set his fork down and looked up at me. “I’m meeting Dominic tonight for a payment.”
My fork almost to my mouth, my hand froze. “What?” I choked out.
“Dominic text me last night about a payment.”
I knew what Ashton did for his father—he’d gone to deal with payments while I’d been living here—but this was different. He was meeting a man I never wanted to see again, if I could avoid it. I knew that wasn’t realistic; we were married, after all. If only I could snap my fingers and fix everything.
“He’s not going to want me back early, is he?”
“That’s not his choice,” Ashton growled. “He didn’t have the money in time and I refrained from beating him to a bloody pulp because of the deal for you. If he makes that mistake, I’ll kick the shit out of him.”
I nodded, unable to speak my throat was so dry.
Ashton brushed his thumb across my cheek. “Elena, you do realize you’ll have to face him eventually?”
“No. I could just send him the divorce papers in the mail and never see him again.”
The corners of his mouth turned down. “I wish it were that simple. If you do it that way you’ll always be looking over your shoulder. And you need to show him you’re strong. You have to tell him face to face.”
I cringed. “I guess I do.”
Part of me wanted to disappear into the night, never to face Dominic and all of his bullshit ever again, because the thought of having to go back to him already made my heart ready to pound out of my chest. I feared his words would pull me back into a place I was working my way out of.
“I want to take you to a game one of these days. Just us, no business.”
One night a week or so ago, I’d told Ashton about what happened the night of the trade, remembering how excited I’d been to finally see a game. Telling Ashton was so embarrassing, but he hadn’t made it awkward. I shivered at the thought of seeing Dominic at the game. He went frequently. How could I be sure he wouldn’t be there when I was?
“Don’t worry, I don’t want you anywhere near that asshole. You stay here for the game tonight, we can deal with him when the time comes.”
I nodded and continued with my breakfast, my stomach better. Ashton finished eating long before me and sat sipping another cup of coffee. Picking up our dishes, I walked them to the sink and as I came back to my seat, Ashton’s hand grabbed mine, stopping me in my tracks. His glasses were conveniently gone, the green in his eyes even brighter.
He growled and tugged me to him, his mouth devouring mine. Electricity zipped along my nerves when his tongue plunged into my mouth. Demanding. Possessive. Sexy. Braver than I thought I could be, I let my hands slid up his chest, tracing each ridge of his muscled abdomen, the skin silky beneath my fingertips. He pulled away suddenly, and I thought for a minute I’d done something wrong.
Taking hold of my shoulders, he spun me around and my hands fell forward, my palms flat against the table. A primitive desire took hold, my core throbbing with need.
“Ashton.”
Fingertips wrapped around the waistband of my pants and they, along with my panties, were yanked down around my thighs. Sensation spread through me. One of Ashton’s fingers slipped through my core to circle my clit, the warm heat of his body covering my back as he pressed himself against me.
“You have a sexy ass,” he said, taking little nibbles of my shoulder between his words. “And one of these days I’m going to fuck you right here.” His finger traced around the edge of the one place I’d never considered letting a man go and I gasped, my hips bucking forward. It was scary, yet exciting at the same time. His finger moved away, then there was a slight sting when his hand smacked my ass cheek, the feeling so delicious that my thighs quivered.