His hold is firm, crushing almost, and it wraps me with a feeling of security. I orgasm again and rest my head back against his shoulder, completely spent. Completely happy.
“Fuck,” he rasps against my ear. “I love you.”
The three words we’ve both been dancing around fall from his mouth. Every sensation coursing through me intensifies at those three words.
I thought I was feeling happy a moment ago, but I didn’t know how much happier Ashton could make me with just a few words.
I turn in his arms and smile up at him. “I love you, too, Ashton.”
His eyes search mine for a beat. And then his lips crash down onto my mouth and he shows me how much he meant those words. When he finally ends the kiss, he says, “I don’t ever intend to let you go.”
I stand on my tiptoes and take hold of his face. This man needs to know exactly where I stand. And he needs to know it well. “Good, because if you ever do, I’ll come looking for you and remind you of this moment. And just so you know—I don’t ever intend to let you go either. You’re mine now.”
His arms tighten around me. “I was yours a long time ago, Lorelei.”
44
Ashton
“I see Lorelei managed to wipe all the asshole out of you on the weekend,” Jessica says mid-morning on Monday. “I’m liking this new Ashton.”
I ignore her. “Can you call Sian again? I want to ensure she finalises the negotiations on those properties today.”
She drops some files on my desk. “She texted me about fifteen minutes ago and said she should have news within the hour.”
I lift a brow. “When did texting become the way we do business?”
“The day I took her out on our first date.”
I open one of the files from her pile. “Please tell me you don’t intend to walk away from her before I finish buying up Willow Street.” The last time Jessica slept with someone I did business with, the deal was almost ruined when she ended the affair.
“Willow Street is safe. Now, tell me how Jack was this morning. And how long do you think it’ll be before he burns out?”
I close the file and lean back in my chair. “Put it this way, I’ve never been so concerned for him. I’ve asked Josephine to keep a close eye on him. He put on a good show this morning, but I wasn’t buying it.”
She exhales a long breath, her body sagging. “I kinda hope he crashes fast so he can get the help he needs. God knows what harm he’ll do to himself and his career while he’s the way he is.”
A text sounds from my phone.
Lorelei: You should cook me dinner tonight.
Me: I should do a lot of things for you tonight.
Lorelei: Pick me up from the gym at 6.
Me: With what I have planned you could skip the gym.
Lorelei: Oh I thought you meant you were going to give me a massage. Maybe have a bath with me. Should I start limbering up now?
Jesus. My imagination goes into overdrive thinking about Lorelei readying that body of hers for me. I’ve got a meeting in five minutes, and the last thing I need is a hard-on I don’t have time to deal with.
Me: I’ll pick you up at five. Don’t text me again today. I have back-to-back meetings that don’t require my dick to be hard.
She doesn’t text again, but almost instantly, she calls.
“Lorelei,” I say with a low warning tone. “Don’t—”
She cuts me off, all breathless. “I’m not going to sweet talk your dick. I just wanted to tell you I love this.”