Hold on to My Heart (Maine Sullivans)

Oh my God. She was actually considering it.

Actually, she was more than just considering it.

She was going to do it.

“Okay,” she said, the word barely above a whisper, “let’s go back to my apartment.” She swallowed hard before adding, “And let’s leave the other bedroom empty.”

His grin was huge. But then he seemed to check himself. “I don’t want you to feel like I pushed you into this, Ash.”

She thought about it. Really thought about it. There was no question that he had been very persuasive, both with his verbal arguments and with his kiss. But just as Nash had said earlier, she was strong. Strong enough to support her son, and buy her own home, and pay her own way to Vienna.

And a strong woman could make a spur-of-the-moment decision to sleep with a hot guy if she wanted to.

In fact, it suddenly occurred to her that walking away from him now would be the opposite of strong. Walking away would mean she didn’t think she could handle any fallout after tonight. Walking away would mean she was worried about getting so attached to Nash that she’d never be able to let him go without her heart breaking.

But that could never happen, because Ashley knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was one night only. One glorious night in Nash’s arms that would never be repeated.

So yes, she was going to do this. She was going to have a one-night stand with Nash Hardwin.

And she was going to enjoy every single second of it.

“I want this.” She stood and held out her hand to him. “I want you.”

CHAPTER SIX

Ashley swung back and forth between thinking that sleeping with Nash was crazy and feeling beyond desperate to be with him.

They’d only met this morning, and things were moving really fast. But what felt most daunting to Ashley was her inexperience. Apart from sleeping that one time with Josh, she was pretty much untouched. Whereas Nash was one of the world’s most famous—and sexy—men. Which surely meant they were polar opposites on the experience front. He seemed to be as attracted to her as she was to him, but what if he ended up disappointed once her clothes were off, and they were actually in bed together?

Stop it! The voice inside her head spoke loudly enough to get her attention.

The voice was right. There was no point in going down a rabbit hole of insecurity. She was going to sleep with Nash Hardwin tonight, gosh darn it! She wanted to do it, he wanted to do it, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with two consenting adults making each other feel good. Even something as innocent as holding Nash’s hand in the taxi that took them back to her apartment felt charged, potent, heavy with anticipation.

The taxi pulled up outside her apartment, and after she paid the driver, Ashley and Nash walked through the narrow pathway. She unlocked the front door to the building, and they had just stepped inside and were about to climb the stairs, when she felt his hands on her waist.

Gently, he turned her to face him. “Everything you’re thinking is written on your face.” He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek, and his fingertips against her skin sent tremors through her. “I don’t have to come upstairs with you if you don’t want me to.”

Darn it, this was exactly what she didn’t want to happen. She didn’t want to be a wimp and forever remain on the perfectly safe life path she’d been on since the pregnancy test had displayed a double blue line in high school.

“I want you to come upstairs with me, Nash. I want to be with you.”

He studied her face in the dim light of the hallway. “I know you are an honest person, so I’m going to take you at your word. But if at any time you want us to stop, or if you want me to leave, promise you’ll tell me.”

“I promise,” she said, then led him up the stairs. She typed in the code on the electronic door lock, took a deep breath, then pulled him inside. Once the door was closed, he drew her against him.

“You are so beautiful, Ashley. Inside and out.”

Certain that her looks couldn’t possibly rate as high as most of the women he’d slept with over the years, instead of replying, she put her arms around his neck and lifted her mouth to his.

He let her lead the kiss, let her taste him, discover him. She ran her tongue over his lower lip, then slipped it inside his mouth to tangle with his. Their kiss was at once sweet and sensual, and all of her senses were quickly being taken over by intense desire.

As they continued to kiss, she ran her hands down his neck, over his broad shoulders, and down to his strong, muscular chest. It was gratifying to feel his heart beating so quickly against her palm. As quickly as hers was beating.