She blushed at his compliment before admitting, “I cross-referenced several guidebooks with online top-ten lists. I figured if I only have two days here, I should make the most of them.” Then she smiled at him. “I’d be happy to have some company enjoying the wonders of Vienna.”
On the ground floor, the elevator door slid open, and they stepped into the lobby. Gratifyingly, no one in the room gave them a second look, obviously assuming that they must be nothing more than a couple of very badly dressed tourists. But that didn’t mean they were in the clear yet.
Nash took Ashley’s hand, explaining, “This will make us look more like a real couple.”
Though she gave a little intake of breath as he slid his fingers through hers, she didn’t pull her hand away. And he was grateful that she didn’t.
Not only because it would make their ruse seem more believable, but also because he liked holding her hand. He liked it a lot.
And yet, as they got closer to the hotel exit, he could feel the tension building inside of him. It was no longer that he simply wanted to get away from the crowd to keep mass pandemonium from ensuing.
He wanted to spend this day with Ashley more than he’d wanted anything in a long time.
Remarkably, Ashley seemed perfectly at ease with her role as she smiled up at him in an adoring way. “I’m just so excited to finally be in Vienna. Thank you for bringing me here, honey bunny.”
He couldn’t stop his grin at her acting as he replied in his Connecticut accent, “Anything for my snuggle wuggle.”
Her grin matched his. And as they headed past the fans, he was almost positive they were going to make it out without being spotted.
Until, suddenly, one of the women pointed at him. “Hey, do you think that man could be one of Nash’s relatives coming to see him play tonight? Because I could swear his jawline and height are similar to Nash’s.”
Nash didn’t stop to think, didn’t pause to ask permission, before cupping his free hand around the back of Ashley’s head and lowering his mouth to hers.
He’d meant to use the kiss as a way to hide his face from the fan who had almost figured out who he was. But as soon as his lips met Ashley’s, desire took over.
Her lips were so soft.
Her taste was so sweet.
And her little hum of pleasure as his tongue found hers, drove him absolutely wild.
With great reluctance, he lifted his mouth from hers. When she looked into his eyes, her gaze was full of the same surprise he knew must be mirrored in his own.
Belatedly remembering they weren’t yet in the clear, he tugged her hand and quickly propelled them both farther down the street. But long after they had made their escape, and the fans were far behind them, he continued to hold her hand.
He checked to make sure the coast was completely clear of fans before saying in his normal voice, “Sorry about kissing you back there. When I thought we were going to be caught out, I reacted without stopping to think about whether it would be okay with you.” Especially given that a guy like him had no business messing around with a nice girl like her.
“I heard what the woman said,” Ashley replied. “You made the right decision.”
As she spoke, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her lips. Lips he was dying to kiss again. “Kissing you really did feel right, Ashley. More right than anything has for a very long time.”
She looked a little stunned for a moment. But then she said, “So were you serious about wanting to be a tourist for the day?”
That was it? That was her response to his saying that kissing her felt right?
Any other woman would have taken him up on his not-so-subtle offer to kiss again right then and there. Whereas Ashley was acting like their kiss hadn’t happened.
Was she not into him?
Had she been faking that desire he’d seen in her eyes?
But no, he had heard her moan of pleasure and had felt her kiss him back.
It suddenly hit Nash that thirty minutes ago, he’d been lamenting how he was tired of being nothing more than a piece of meat to every woman he met. Hadn’t he wanted a break from it all, wanted to have one day where he wasn’t a sex symbol? But then when he finally met a woman who didn’t care about who he was or what he did for a living, his ruff immediately went up.
“Yes,” he replied, “I was serious. After all, you can’t deny that the two of us are dressed for a day of serious sightseeing.”
They both laughed as they looked down at their clothes.
“What’s our first stop?” he asked.