Ashton Scott

I end the call and track Lorelei’s movements as she exits the house to come back outside. Jack’s voice interrupts my thoughts about what I’m going to do to her later. “I’m surprised you’re still buying up Willow Street. How does Lorelei feel about that? And for the love of God, tell me she knows. Tell me you learned your fucking lesson.”

I turn to him. “I’m still buying them, and I have a feeling she’s going to like what I plan for the street.”

“Oh fuck,” he says at the same time, Lorelei asks, “What am I going to like?”

I pull her onto my lap. “Nothing you need to be concerned with yet. I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

My hands on her skin distract her. “Okay,” she agrees, pointing at her back. “You should give me a massage.”

Jack sits next to me shaking his head while I do as my woman has requested, and I’m struck by the thought that I wouldn’t change my life for a second. Even though the last few weeks have been challenging, and Jack has been going through hell, we’re all still standing. And we’re doing it together.

I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

65

Lorelei

It’s been twelve days since I’ve seen Ashton, and I can hardly contain my excitement to see him today. His flight got in early this morning and he went straight home to shower before coming to see me at my office. I wanted to meet him at the airport, but he insisted he had something he had to do before seeing me. It was all rather cryptic, but I didn’t argue with him. Well, not for long.

I’ve just made a coffee when his deep voice sounds from the door. “Lorelei.”

The way this man affects me is something I’ve never experienced before. I’ve fallen in and out of love a few times, and I’ve had many crushes, but none of that comes close to the way I feel about Ashton.

I love him at a much deeper level. One I can’t quite explain even to myself. My love is all-consuming. It’s fierce and soft, and intense and gentle all at once. Unhurried but also frantic and desperate. And above all else, it’s unconditional. Never again will I walk away from an argument and tell him I need space to figure out if I want to be with him. I want to be with Ashton forever.

He enters my office, and I can’t stop my gaze from dropping to take in his dark blue suit. Good God, the man can wear a suit.

When he reaches me, I place my hands to his chest and slide them under his jacket. “Hey.” I greet him with a smile.

Desire races through my veins from the intensity he watches me with. It’s not even ten in the morning, and I’m ready to get naked with him. As much as I love that suit, I’d love to take it off him even more.

His eyes search mine for a few moments before he finally gives me what I want—a kiss.

Snaking a hand around my waist, he pulls me close as his mouth crashes down onto mine. This isn’t a gentle kiss to say “I’m happy to see you.” It’s a bruising, claiming kiss that says “I fucking love you and never want to be separated from you again.”

It’s exactly the kiss I crave.

When he lets my mouth go, he keeps his hands firmly on me and rasps, “I hope you’ve blocked the day off.”

My knees go weak. God, how I’ve missed his bossiness. There’s nothing quite like being loved and wanted by Ashton. “Yes, I’m all yours for the entire day and night.”

“Good. I have plans for later, but first I want to take you somewhere special.”

I’m intrigued as to where he wants to take me, although it does surprise me that he doesn’t want to get me naked first. When I arrived in LA the other week, he hadn’t been able to keep his hands off me.

“Okay, I’ll just grab my bag and lock up.”

He waits patiently, keeping his eyes on me the whole time. There’s something in his mood that I’ve not experienced with him before. It’s edgy and wired, and it’s rubbing off on me. My excitement grows as I try to figure out where he wants to take me.

When I’m ready to leave, he ushers me out to his car and drives me to our destination. I’m surprised when he pulls into a car park outside my building on Willow Street.

Lifting a brow questioningly at him, I ask, “Why are we here?”

“There’s something I want to show you,” is the only answer I get before he exits the car and comes around to open my door.

I step out and let him take hold of my hand so he can guide me. We walk down the street towards Francesca’s café, and I see her watching us approach. As we draw closer, she smiles at Ashton, and it’s a knowing smile that makes me feel like I’m the only one here who’s not in on something.

“The table is ready for you,” she says to him.