Ashton Scott

“What was that surprise in your eyes just then?”

He spreads his arms across the back of the sofa and my eyes are drawn to his chest. Ashton is still dressed in what I presume he wore to work today: a black suit with white dress shirt. His jacket is open and his tie is loosened around his neck. Suits are my downfall and when he casually spreads his arms wide, his powerful body on full display, excitement flares deep inside me.

He’s mine.

Well, not really, but we’ve a hot date for tomorrow so I’m claiming him for the moment.

He answers my question while I drool over his suit. “You asked me how my day was. It’s been a long time since a woman has asked me that—since one cared enough to enquire.”

I want to ask him how any woman he was with could not care enough about him to ask that, but it feels too soon for such a personal question. Besides, I’m not sure I want to hear about his past relationships just yet. I like to think of myself as a woman who doesn’t experience jealousy, but the thought of him with someone else causes weird feelings I’d rather not think about at the moment.

When I hesitate to say anything, he moves his hand and places it on my knee. “What are you thinking?”

Because I don’t want to tell him what I’m thinking, I push up off the sofa and straddle him. Surprise flares in his eyes again. He wasn’t expecting this and I love that I’ve done the unexpected.

I slide my hands over his chest and bend my face to his. “I was thinking how I don’t want to wait until tomorrow for your cock.” My words make me feel bolder than I really am. I love sex as much as any woman, but I’m not really an initiator. And on top of that, I’m not experienced with dirty talk. What I just said wouldn’t be dirty talk for many, but for me it is. I hope I don’t look as flushed as I feel.

His eyes hold mine. He cups my ass with one hand while his other arm remains spread out across the sofa. “I don’t believe you.”

I blink and try to sit back a little so our faces aren’t as close. That wasn’t what I thought he’d say and it confuses me that he didn’t take the lead and run with it. He doesn’t let me shift back, though. His hand remains firm on my ass, keeping me close. “You don’t believe I can’t wait until tomorrow?” I practically stammer my words out. I’m feeling stupid for even attempting to talk dirty to him.

“No, I don’t believe that’s what you were thinking.”

I push against his chest in an attempt to move off his lap. This has gone from bad to worse because I really don’t want to admit the truth. When he refuses to allow me to move, I say, “Ashton, let me off.”

He holds me tight. “Tell me what you were really thinking.”

Heat flushes my skin again and I push even harder against him. The vein in his temple pulses as both his arms circle me. He then stands, taking me with him. My arms and legs instinctively wrap around him even though all I can think about is how much I want to escape his hold.

His eyes flash with determination. “I’m not letting you go until you tell me what I want to know, Lorelei. So start talking, baby.”

I suck in a breath at both his use of that word and the command he wields. But I meet his gaze and dig my heels in. “Put me down first.”

His brows rise. “You’re going to challenge me?”

As determined as he is, I hold my ground. “I’ll tell you what you want after you put me down.”

“No. You’ll tell me now.”

“God, you’re infuriating, Ashton. Put me down.”

He’s silent for a moment. “Why are you all flustered? Did I say something to cause that?” His position isn’t as hard-line as it was a moment ago, but his tone is still demanding.

I sigh and all my fight leaves me. “If you really must know, I was feeling w

eird about discussing your past relationships, and then I tried sexy talk with you, and it’s just not something I’m good at, and then it all went to shit from there. Now, can you please put me down?” Warmth fills my cheeks yet again. I’m kind of wishing I hadn’t said yes to tonight.

He finally sets me down but right when I think I’m escaping his clutches, he sits on the sofa and pulls me onto his lap again. “Let’s go over all that.”

“Let’s not,” I mutter as I hold his arms to steady myself.

His lips twitch as amusement flickers in his eyes. “First, let’s set something straight—I need more sexy talk from this mouth.” He runs his fingers across my lips before brushing his lips over them. “Understood?”

My fingers dig into his biceps as I nod. “Yes.” God, yes.

“Do you want to discuss my previous relationships?”

“No, not really…. No.” I stop talking because really it’s the only thing I should be doing right about now. The words coming out of my mouth sound confused even to me.